Anyone been to Erie lately?

[dudemanspecial]

The steelhead talk has been very quiet around here this season. Anything going on up there? I've been thinking about making a run up soon.

 

[foxfire]

The steelhead talk has been very quiet around here this season. Anything going on up there? I've been thinking about making a run up soon.

Ha, I was just thinking the same - crickets.

 

[streamerguy]

The reason it's been so quiet is because EVERYBODY has been fishing in Erie, and they don't have the time to post on here.

Plenty of fish around, and tons and tons and tons of people. Same old story. I've only gotten out a few times earlier this season for that reason, and only slightly more times last season....compared to almost every weekend like years past. Numbers were pretty good the times I got out, though, and there are lots of bigger fish around this year. If you can find a parking spot...

 

[gulfgreyhound]

I checked it out today. Looked fishable, no anglers. LOL

Webcams - Uncle John's Elk Creek Campground

uncle johns elk creek campground

www.unclejohnselkcreekcamp.com

GG

 

[hooker-of-men]

At 8:59 AM just now I watched someone catch and photograph a fish, then walk to the bank and, as they were putting it on the stringer, drop and lose the fish. They chased it way up the river with their net. Pretty hilarious.

Never actually saw someone hook up on Uncle John's cams before.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

I was up last November (3-6). It fished well. Weather conditions were nice and fair, I was fishing with a T-shirt in the afternoons. The trick there was to get up early and beat everyone to the spots. Fortunately for the party of 4 I was in it was easy to get to the desired spots and I didn't notice too many anglers getting up earlier than us to get down there. I nymphed pretty much all the time under an indicator with two exceptions of tossing a streamer (I fished a streamer for under 20 minutes). I was impressed by the lack of water reading capabilities by other anglers present, giving me and my group easy access to the most productive parts of the streams. Water conditions were low and clear so the fish were quite spooky. They did their biggest moves upstream in early morning. They didn't seem too picky about the fly. I caught them on size 10 pheasant tails, size 12 blow torches, 4.5mm beaded eggs in salmon (the ideal fly in overcast conditions), and even a Copper John size 14 in lime, which was a strange occurrence considering it was the top fly in my rig. Getting the flies to the required depth and consistent drifts was the key to success, basically getting the flies to "bounce" along the the bottom.

I suspect now it will be significantly colder up there and the flows should be quite high. A new approach would be needed in the from of a significant amount of weight added to the rig.

 

[rustbeltwilds]

I was up last November (3-6). It fished well. Weather conditions were nice and fair, I was fishing with a T-shirt in the afternoons. The trick there was to get up early and beat everyone to the spots. Fortunately for the party of 4 I was in it was easy to get to the desired spots and I didn't notice too many anglers getting up earlier than us to get down there. I nymphed pretty much all the time under an indicator with two exceptions of tossing a streamer (I fished a streamer for under 20 minutes). I was impressed by the lack of water reading capabilities by other anglers present, giving me and my group easy access to the most productive parts of the streams. Water conditions were low and clear so the fish were quite spooky. They did their biggest moves upstream in early morning. They didn't seem too picky about the fly. I caught them on size 10 pheasant tails, size 12 blow torches, 4.5mm beaded eggs in salmon (the ideal fly in overcast conditions), and even a Copper John size 14 in lime, which was a strange occurrence considering it was the top fly in my rig. Getting the flies to the required depth and consistent drifts was the key to success, basically getting the flies to "bounce" along the the bottom.

I suspect now it will be significantly colder up there and the flows should be quite high. A new approach would be needed in the from of a s

been using this simple tie since the glory days of elk creek and all pa erie tribs since 90s lol lol works great under a float indy or whatever i use it with a fly rod, spinning, or pin lol just a 1/32 jighead marabou krystal flash thats it lol effective and easy to fish just adjust depth so it rides about at least 6 inches of bottom n drift away............ wish wild browns were as easy to catch as steelhead lol good luck.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

That would be an excellent fly to use in Erie no doubt, I'd be drifting and stripping it, whatever I feel like doing at the time. Funny enough, on the second day of fishing, right after a caught my one and only steelhead for the day, a guy directly upstream from where I was fishing landed a pretty nice one. My fishing partner called up to ask what he was using and he said "white death". It seems these steelhead favor white streamers.

My next outing in March (2-5) will most likely involve tossing a lot eggs and white streamers.

I think wild browns are on the same level as catching steelhead, actually maybe a bit easier. The steelhead I went for could be easily spotted so you just have to get your fly to them. They could be picky and skittish but if your fly passes enough mouths it will get eaten. Doesn't necessarily mean the fish are smart or dumb, that's just the chance of general probability. Most steelhead takes are more so out of aggression than actual feeding, or at least that is the way I perceive it. I have never sight fished for wild browns, just caught them blind casting nymph rigs and dry/dropper rigs. These trout moved out of their way to actively east something. There's also no steelhead streams close to me as I live in SEPA but there are a lot of wild brown streams, seems those browns are in everything.

 

[Str8outtapowerbait]

The steelhead talk has been very quiet around here this season. Anything going on up there? I've been thinking about making a run up soon.

Was up last weekend and fished the west side. Flows were perfect with a bit of color. Fished well up high and down low, middle sections were kinda slow. Usual patterns, eggs, white zonkers were the ticket.

 

[Silent Ocelot]

^I also find Erie fishes great with a bit of color, but that applies to all creek fishing. Glad to see the flows are adequate. I do imagine that in Mar they will be quite high so I shall bring my heavier wt fly rods.

 

[rustbeltwilds]

march also offers up some of the biggest lake run suckers i know there not the target fish but never will you get into bigger suckers anywhere and they hit jigs, nymphs eggs egg patterns lol lol and can make the day when dropbacks arent being cooperative

 

[Silent Ocelot]

I have nothing against suckers, they can be a savior on the Little Lehigh and Tully when the trout get serious lockjaw. Obviously in Erie I am going for steelhead, but if I run into a pod of suckers on a slow day you best believe I am going to work them over.