Erie steelhead

[Ed007]

Hi guy,
I was thinking about heading up to Erie for steelhead this weekend. Anyone heard how the fishing is going? Any recommendations on which streams to try? I know it will be crowded but I the less people the better? I have only been there a couple of times with not much success, so I appreciate the help.

 

[kobalt335]

I haven't made it up there yet thos year.. but I'm partial to Elk. I tend to fish upper elk and walk away from the major crowds. I can't guarantee how many fish are there right now, but if they got/get a decent rain it should be good throughout elk.

 

[albatross]

Low water for the PaFF Steelhead Jam last weekend, but rain then and during the week have raised the creeks. Should be good fishing this weekend.

I caught fish in Elk creek last weekend, but they should be everywhere this weekend.

 

[DanL]

Work and life has been crazy. I'm finally able to go up this weekend. Will be fishing all afternoon Sunday, staying overnight and fishing all day Monday, happy to finally look for some Chrome and glad to hear the report of higher flows!

 

[JackM]

Elk is up and dirty but the trout are moving with reckless abandon.

 

[tomgamber]

IS THERE A PARTICULAR GAUGE I SHOULD FOLLOW OR SHOULD I LOOK FOR CERTAIN REPORTS IF I'M LOOKING UP TO THIS WEEKEND?

 

[Acristickid]

Brandy Run gage. 1.80 is good level.

Had my best Steelhead trip this past weekend in 5 plus years.

Elk was up Saturday but I wouldn’t call it high- just very stained. Fish were there though. Caught a few.

Sunday morning was a slay fest. I hooked 15 or more, landed 7 I think in 4 hours. Then yesterday morning the creek I was fishing stained it up and with many leaves - so we left.

Used skein under a float with shot. Incredibly effective.

Look at Uncle Johns Campground webcams to get a look at lower elk.

 

[tomgamber]

THANKS!

 

[3wt7X]

I hit the Erie tribs over the last two days, 11/16-11/17. The water was a bit lower than I would have liked to see in mid November, but I think the incoming weather system will fix that in short order. It was a really solid trip.

Thursday was some of the toughest conditions, weather wise, that I have faced with 30+ mile and hour wind gusts off the lake and stained water with thousands of leaves. There were only four or five guys on the entire stretch that I was fishing. I found a decent seam, and I had a brief flurry of activity around 10am on egg patterns, I took a break for lunch and the afternoon was great. The leaves washed out a bit, and I took around a dozen on small dead drifted streamers.

Friday, I took a few more in the morning and then found a big hole that had a good number of fish in it. A dead drifted bugger did the trick.

Most of the fish were very fresh this trip, though my biggest was colored up a bit, and I even got into a couple lake run brownies around 20 inches. I stuck to the mile creeks and Walnut, because of the rising water, but I'm sure upper elk would have fished well too.

 

[Dave_W]

Well done 3wt7X - seems like some good fishing lately in the tribs.

Also great to see some BTs showing up now too.

 

[CRB]

Good swinging time on Elk this morning. Few fishermen on the upper stretch I was on.

 

[troutwilleatflies]

I bet you can find plenty of uncrowded water in the Erie area right now!