Steelhead 2013-2014 Thread

[streamerguy]

Does anybody have any good pictures that kind of display that bigger tail and the body shape?

Here's a couple of what I believe are Ohio fish. These were all caught in Ohio, but obviously Ohio gets some PA fish mixed in as well.

As said, even though they're more slender, and don't look like tanks like PA fish, the Little Manistees are much better fighters compared to the PA mutts. Just powerful fish with lots of stamina..

Compared to some PA footballs...

 

[stal42]

I'm assuming we are now frozen over up on the Erie tribs?

 

[streamerguy]

Pretty much.

I know someone who was on the Grand yesterday and apparently there was quite a bit of open water, but for the most part everything has tons of ice. Here's some pics LE Ultimate Angler posted on their fb page... https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-Erie-Ultimate-Angler/237501194145

 

[stal42]

Bummer. Took off Thursday for my yearly birthday steelhead excursion but it's not looking too promising condition wise. Might have to go inland...

 

[pwk5017]

Bumping this thread to ask about conditions. The gauges look good, and looks like a a bit more precipitation is scheduled this week to make for OK flows this weekend. Hows the ice? Did everything get broken up from last weekend's warm rains? I would like to go up with my brother on saturday. Temps dont look too painful. 36 and sun might even feel balmy.

 

[PatrickC]

It was pretty good on Elk today. I suspect it will be low and clear by Saturday, but should not be locked up. There is no ice left from the flooding, but there was some slush by the end of today.

pwk5017 wrote:
Bumping this thread to ask about conditions. The gauges look good, and looks like a a bit more precipitation is scheduled this week to make for OK flows this weekend. Hows the ice? Did everything get broken up from last weekend's warm rains? I would like to go up with my brother on saturday. Temps dont look too painful. 36 and sun might even feel balmy.

 

[CRB]

Cold, slushy and icy this am. Looks like more snow to come lthe next few days. Fishing in the teens low 20's no fun. Short day of it this morning.

 

[albatross]

I caught the falling water on Monday on the eastside tribs. The conditions were perfect with few anglers and falling water finally clearing to fishable conditions. I was sorely disappointed to find very few fish. Between the two of us we had one or two hookups with steelhead and one eleven inch rainbow (smolt?) landed.

 

[PatrickC]

albatross wrote:
I caught the falling water on Monday on the eastside tribs. The conditions were perfect with few anglers and falling water finally clearing to fishable conditions. I was sorely disappointed to find very few fish. Between the two of us we had one or two hookups with steelhead and one eleven inch rainbow (smolt?) landed.

I dunno Albie, I was out there Tuesday morning and caught 6 in 3 hours. That's pretty good in an insane snow storm and 23 degree temps. I think there are plenty of fish around. There are just a lot of adjustments to make in the Winter to consistently put fish in your hand.

I took a break, drove over to Elk and had the same results. Maybe I'm just lucky :-D

 

[Mucka]

How much snow is on the ground up there right now?

 

[PatrickC]

There was 4-5" when I left Tuesday.

 

[Mucka]

You weren't kidding about that snowstorm. Gotta love fishing in weather like that.

 

[troutwilleatflies]

Patrick,what were you hitting them on,nympths,egg patterns?

 

[PatrickC]

troutwilleatflies wrote:
Patrick,what were you hitting them on,nympths,egg patterns?

Tuesday was one of those perfect days on the creeks I was fishing. There was plenty of stain and flow. The fun thing about 23 degree days with those conditions is that the fish can fool you a little. I did catch a few on single egg patterns in some of the slower Winter holding waters (I'm sure nymphs would have worked as well).

BUT, don't take for granted that on days when there is flow and stain, you can hit them on streamers in faster runs. I caught 7 steelhead Tuesday swinging a white bugger through fast runs of moderate depth (3-4'). As cold as it was, a couple of those fish were fresh and hammered those buggers. They put on aerial shows as well.

This time of year in Erie holds fish in all kinds of areas depending on "where" those fish are in their phase of the spawning run. There are fresh Manistees from Ohio running in. There are still a few PA fish on redds and there are tons of spawned out PA fish hanging out in the creeks feeding and wasting time until they decide to drop back to the lake.

 

[CRB]

Another 5" fell today with more falling.

 

[PatrickC]

CRB wrote:
Another 5" fell today with more falling.

I thought it looked like it was snowing on the Elk Creek Cam. This makes me happy. Hopefully this will help sustain the flows a little with the warmer temps the next few days.

 

[streamerguy]

Caught these three fishin the Ohio tribs today. Overall good level and color where we were fishing, though it started to get a little muddy towards the end of the day. Was hoping for better fishing giving the conditions, but I'll take it!!

 

[stal42]

Was going to hit Ohio, but went to Erie instead. Had a very unproductive day especially considering some of the (usually) prime spots we had all to ourselves.

 

[streamerguy]

Thanks for the report. I originally was thinking of fishing in Erie but decided against it last minute. Judging from other reports I guess I made a good decision..

 

[Mucka]

Yea i hit Erie Saturday.. One hookup and landed... Nothing else in about six hours on the water.. Definitely thought it was going to be better than what it was