Great Lake Tribs (OH, PA, NY) 2015-2016

[dano]

There are very few fish along the Lk. Erie shoreline compared to last year.
Did manage to pop the first steelie of the season off a NY trib last week.
So far that's 1 fish in 2 days of fishing.

 

[Mucka]

Great colors on that guy dano... and yea not much happening. Took a gamble on Sunday after the rains.. the good news is the mouths are now wide open... bad news is not much seemed to come in. Only guess was nothing was staged with a warm lake. Managed a couple small small jacks, biggest maybe was 15". Walnut was a zoo of course.

 

[dano]

Mucka, Definitely a PA fish.
The south winds this week should improve the beach fishing.
Those winds tend to push the warmer surface water towards Canada and cool our shoreline.
BTW, I caught that fish standing 10 feet back from the shorleline.
Those morning fish are just feet off shore. I'm fishing up and down the shore as compared to launching casts northwards.

 

[Mucka]

I really need to make a shoreline trip this year.. only ever attempted it once on a northerly wind day... those 2 and 3 footers rolling in sure made it difficult! Would love tying into one in the lake.

 

[Fuller24]

Waiting on some more rain, making the maiden voyage on the 27th to kick off my fall steelheading

 

[Acristickid]

There was a spread in Fly fisherman mag by Karl Waxelmen on shore fishing Lake Erie a year or two ago. Definitely gonna need several rains for anything other then small runs near the mouths. Ground needs saturated first, dry as bone here in the greatest city in the world.

 

[dano]

That was a good informative video of casting far out and retrieving clousers fast using a double hand retrieve. (rod tucked under your arm)
He's changes things up a bit when the situation changes and I've seen him doing his best work casting the shallows in close using very slim profile emerald shiner patterns with little weight. Sometimes he goes to a tandem streamer set up and sometimes fishes them both off a float with a very slow retrieve while letting those 1ft or less waves add the jigging motion to his flies. (You ain't going to find that in his book) .
He will also nymph using a float when the fish become skittish from the "too many people wading and moving around" syndrome.
He has a very simply tied minnow pattern called a Little Precious that is his go to and I've seen him do well with his Emerald Candy.
Like him or not, the dude can fish.

 

[sandfly]

more pics off of Erie 10-20 feet of water. these were yesterday. I can't go till I get the new gas tank in van !!! UGH!!

 

[fishingood]

Welp, made my first Erie trip of the year Thursday and Friday, just couldn't take the itch any longer, plus it's the last weekend I could go up for a few weeks. Water was low and clear everywhere, brought a spinning rod with a spoon just in case. Here's what happened.

(Didnt get over to Elk, but heard from WCO there are some fish in lower pools, but most guys catching them are fishing below the boat launch)

Walnut- Some fish in each of the usual pools, fish in stop sign hole weren't feeding much, just kept swimming in circles and chasing each other around. Managed to catch a several up in Manchester.

12 mile and 7 mile- Saw zilch.

16 mile- Didnt see any fish in lower stretch of stream. A couple of guys fishing off the first waterfall, though.

20 mile- Probably about 10-15 in lower stretch. Managed three here.

All in all, went 8 for 11, everything on emerald shiner patterns, white, olive, and black woolly buggers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cggaVIPYRbk

 

[724flyfishing]

I made it up Sunday for the first time. There was a lot of fresh fish in the lower, popular holes, but it was low, clear, and crowded. I used spinning gear due to the crowds and clear water. I don't think I 'm good enough yet to use a fly rod effectively shoulder to shoulder in those conditions. I would be crossing lines and hitting people in the face lol. We did real good tho. Probably 25 fish between the three of us and at least that many hook ups and misses. I didn't see anyone catch any on a fly rod. Hopefully in the next few weeks the fish move up more and everything spreads outs so I can try with the fly rod.

 

[CRB]

Observation and suggestion when fighting big fish use the butt of the rod to tire out the fish. With the rod tip up and bent the fish will always have the upper hand and move in any direction it wants and could brake the rod's tip. Get the rod parallel or horizontal to the water with the rod bent into the butt you will experience better hook ups in the mouth of the bigger fish and the ability to land the fish more quickly. Just a tip use it or not.

 

[fishingood]

Thanks for the tip.

 

[dano]

In case you were wondering as to com'nupere.
West side didn't get much if any rain. I heard that guys did well at the nut but was crowded with fishermen.
Finished up on the east side around 11AM.
16 mile had nice flow and color but the fish weren't moving much and the catching part of fishing died around 10AM. Most of the fish stayed holed up at the lower beach pool. The wind was blowing quite a bit of leaves into the water.
Drove over 20-mile at noon and it was still dirty with less than a foot of viz even though the level had dropped considerably since 6AM.
I imagine those fish have moved beyond the lower fall.

 

[Mucka]

Good to hear there's some water around!

 

[JackM]

Uncle John's webcams are showing water on Elk finally. Not sure how long that will last, but it looks pretty good right now. Go get em.

 

[CRB]

ICE has been falling from the sky since Friday afternoon. More than an inch fell last night with plows out on I-90. Winter is coming too soon.

"Weather to blame for multiple accidents in the area
1st snowfall leads to slippery roads and multiple car accidents" WJET24

 

[RLeep2]

We have 2-3" of that early/late season plutonium density snow out here in central Erie County, a little south of the drainage break and the top ends of the west county tribs. By this time tomorrow, most of this will be in the creeks (going both ways) and will most likely create a pretty good pulse of water. More like the middle of November than the middle of October, in that sense.

 

[trike23]

I drove up saturday night threw a driving snow storm threw the mountains in my little car. Did it don't need to do it again . After that I found fishing to be not much better.

Elk was still pretty darn high so I drove over to 20mile. Hiked down the pumpkin patch. Found a few fish in some riffles that most people over look but that was bout it. Than i drove down to the mouth where there were fish held up in some bigger holes not Tons but some. Same deal picked up two in some riffles people mostly over looked. Saw quite a few fish being dragged out on ropes. PA needs to seriously think about making it a one fish limit. With the lower number of fish places are no doubt being fished out.

After that I drove to sixteen mile. Same deal not many fish but I managed one laying under a tree no one likely saw. Than I was on the move again to Walnut. I pulled in and instantly noticed a serious lack of people. Figured it was just the crazy winds that were blowing sunday. Got down to the stream and same deal AGIAN not many fish. Talked to a few guys who said Saturday there were many more fish. So I figure they either ran up or went out on stringers? Ended the day back at Elk . I was just under gunned with the equipment I had. Kinda wish I would have taken my spey rod think I would have been able to use it and cover a lot more water. Few guys were absolutely HAMMERING them bottom bouncing egg sacs. Id be darned in I could get a hook up nymphing though. So I figure Elk was great today figures.

 

[CRB]

fished elk at Girard tonight more fisherman then fish stream. I did hook up on 2. Very very sparse for this time of year. If traveling go east to NY for better fishing.

 

[stal42]

Heading to lake ontario tribs from Friday until Tuesday. Will post a report when I get back. Hoping to hit the Catt on Tuesday on the way back as well. Game on!