Oct Steelhead

[Clarmy]

I have a 2nd home in titusville only 45 minutes from Lake Erie. I'll be there early to mid Oct. I think there's a chance some steelhead will have made their way up river by then (?). If I hike a mile or so into one of the larger streams is there a chance I could run into some early steelhead? Any advise and/or encouragement would be helpful.

 

[salmonoid]

Depending on rain and water levels, there can be fish in the streams as early as Labor Day. There won't be many and usually the water is low and clear, with more anglers than fish. But any big rain event and drop in temperatures should trigger a run. How far upstream the fish make it will depend on how much rain falls and how quickly the streams drop.

You must be trucking it to make it from Titusville to an Erie trib in 45 minutes...

 

[pcray1231]

Nah, that's about right. I have a cabin in Tionesta, and I can make the east side streams in a little over an hr, west side streams in under an hr and a half. I go through Titusville on the way, it's about 20 mins in.

How far up significant numbers of fish are is definitely variable, mainly on flows, but temperature too. There are fish around earlier but mid-Oct is definitely time to be watching for the big pushes high into the streams with a big rain event. Finding unposted land where you can go miles is the tricky part, study your maps.

 

[CRB]

45 mins about right but all depends on traffic to Erie and time of day week.
Lower stream sections will be where the fish will be. Not until the leaves are down will the fish be far up stream. Want solitude and fish check out bigger waters in Ohio, NY.

 

[Clarmy]

Thanks everyone for info. I guess I remember seeing a video, thought it was on this site, of a fellow who hiked back either elk/walnut early in season and sight-fished for steelhead in larger pools. On video he caught 3 or 4 as I remember. CRB, the bigger waters your referring to are tribs to Erie in OH and NY?

 

[RLeep2]

Just an observation...

Anybody who can make it from Titusville even to Elk Creek at I-79 (just to pick a point higher/farther south) in the watershed in 45 minutes either has a helicopter or 3 brand new points on their PA license..

 

[Clarmy]

I'm sure the 45 min is a little optimistic but I can remember in 1975, leaving Titusville for Clymer NY 2 hours before our grad ceremony and making it back in time. It was a thrilling ride though. NY was 18 yrs drinking age back then so it was our grad party beer run. Mickey Ratz in Jamestown and snug Harbor Lounge were the nightclub's we frequented.

 

[pcray1231]

Anybody who can make it from Titusville even to Elk Creek at I-79 (just to pick a point higher/farther south) in the watershed in 45 minutes either has a helicopter or 3 brand new points on their PA license.

Google maps has it at 55 minutes to Foley's End from the intersection of 8 and 27 in Titusville. At 4 am with no traffic, under 50 minutes is expected. Not going to parse the difference between 45 and 50 minutes, as where in Titusville are we starting? It's a pretty easy drive with very few lights and such.

 

[RLeep2]

Yes, and Google Maps also maintains that the inlet of Lake LeBoeuf doesn't actually go to Lake LeBoeuf among a host of other minor but meaningful inaccuracies of distance and location. Now and then, Google Maps isn't worth a whole lot...

It can probably be done in 45-50 minutes but you'll likely arrive with every hair on your head standing straight up.

An hour or even 65 minutes is a lot closer to real world reasonable, IMO.

 

[pcray1231]

Your hair may stand if you drive with me, lol.

45 minutes, an hr, it doesn't matter. The important thing is, did this rain get significant numbers of fishies upstream away from the zoo near the lake???? Or still too early?

Ah yes, its that time again..

 

[CRB]

still way too early the zoo is here and more to come this weekend.

 

[drakeking412]

went up today and the zoo is in full swing. walnut is already extremely clear and low and elk was barely up but was still off color. imo the recent rain didnt bring much in and i didnt temp but it's def still fairly high

 

[Clarmy]

Well I'm not a Zoo guy so maybe I'll just float the Allegheny near Tionesta and see what I can stir up.

 

[Solitariolupo]

The fish should be starting to come up. Going to have a lot of people around the mouths. I would wait till end oct make a trip up see what you can get. Or wait until March. You can find spots that don’t have many people fishing. Or go to a smaller creek.

If I were you I’d stay in the area and do some Muskie fishing. Away from the zoo. If you haven’t been steelhead fishing I would still give it a try it can be a blast.

 

[Clarmy]

I went once on a whim when home for Christmas. Some small creek that had a damn a few hundred yards in ( one of those ___ mile creeks on northern side of erie). This was probably 10 years ago. Borrowed a spinning rod from my father-in-law, bought a couple wooly buggers and took off. Fished a little pool with about four other guys and managed to hook one steelhead. No one else caught any. I'm just looking to try it for "real".

BTW my son fished the Susquehanna this weekend, caught 6 smallies over three lbs and about 30 total.

 

[Joe_M]

Went up this past weekend and going up again next since this weekend was pretty much blown out. The fish are pretty much all over now. Good luck!

 

[gulfgreyhound]

From what I see on Uncle John's cameras it's chocolate milk. GG