Steelhead Thread 2014-2015

Been fishing the bigger NY tribs and conditions have been great and will continue over the weekend. I've been told the waters on the other side of the Lake are very good too. Weather should change next week and the leaves will fall; expect even cooler temps the fallowing week with the typhoon ushering the possibility of snow that week.
 
We are fortunate this year, good water,good fish,cold beer,great weather. Lost a hog yesterday at the park on Elk. Fishing has been a bit better than the norm for this time in the season. Good luck and good fishing to all. Spey your arse off.
 
great tips patrick - re 1) and don't hold the line during the swing too, thats how you bust big fish off for sure ;-)

i was thinking about your third point last night - the idea that steelhead are 'easier' to catch on nymphs than streamers puzzles me (except in a deep freeze).

is that not more of a reflection of folks not knowing how to swing a streamer on a short line ?

with a T-14 or T-18 head you should be able to swing a conehead right across their noses or within range, right ?

and btw do marabou leeches work for those fish up there ?

cheers

Mark.
 
geebee wrote:
great tips patrick - re 1) and don't hold the line during the swing too, thats how you bust big fish off for sure ;-)

i was thinking about your third point last night - the idea that steelhead are 'easier' to catch on nymphs than streamers puzzles me (except in a deep freeze).

is that not more of a reflection of folks not knowing how to swing a streamer on a short line ?

with a T-14 or T-18 head you should be able to swing a conehead right across their noses or within range, right ?

and btw do marabou leeches work for those fish up there ?

cheers

Mark.
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Great comments and a great question!

A couple of things...

1. When the water is low and gin clear in Erie, steelhead are pretty spooky. Most of it is directly related to the gauntlet of fishermen they are flogged with from the moment they enter the creek. Some of it is spookiness and some of it is that that they have seen and been bitten by most of the common offerings folks use.

2. One of the largest steelhead I have ever caught in Erie was in mid-September in super low clear water...swinging a nymph straight across the creek and under a shelf (not drifting...swinging). The majority of fish I catch during any season are on #6 size streamers, but again when these fish get finicky...they are always suckers for nymphs and eggs. So, I would not (and did not) say they are easier on nymphs and eggs, but you can't leave those offerings out on certain days or you will taste the skunk. Hey some folks like skunk ;-)

3. I LOVE your point about swinging a streamer on a short line. I'd be willing to bet that the majority of FF folks on Steelhead Alley (that are not familiar with 2-handed rods) don't even know what T-anything is. I'd bet most of them think it's only used for that application. And the young whipper-snapper 2 handed casters probably all think sink tip was solely created for them ;-) Simple swinging of flies has become a lost art that a bunch of young guys now think is brand new and cutting edge...

4. Of course marabou leaches work well! Again, all of the new streamers that are out there are cool (and effective). But a simple marabou leach is equally effective. (And more elegant IMO...but I'm trending towards old curmudgeon these days :-D )
 
riffle hitch and size 2 wets. swing.
 
i don't think i'm old enough to be considered a curmedgeon (yet...) but i think if you used a weighted nymphing rig on either a SH or 2H rod in Maine, NH, Ireland or Scotland for salmons , the locals would sniff 'meat fisherman' at you.

particularly on small streams the size of the salmon, elk etc.

swinging #8 olive, black or red leeches on a 10ft SH with a sink tip is very successful up in the North Woods for ice-out landlocks and rainbows ;-)

 
swinging #8 olive, black or red leeches on a 10ft SH with a sink tip is very successful up in the North Woods for ice-out landlocks and rainbows ;-)
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I just wanted to quote that to cause a few heart attacks. WHAT? You really can swing with a single hand rod!

Well said!
 
2 buddies and I fished Elk from Uncle Johns down to the mouth yesterday from about 10-4. It is, as PatrickC said "stupid low". However I've seen it like that many times before. Many of the big pools were the only game in town. I found a few fish in some of the "faster" water but no takers. Had a few swipes at a streamer, one take in a pool and that was it. There are fish in the streams but very tough fishing. The minnow guys had luck here and there in the pools.


I heard from many guys there that the lake was on fire very early at the mouths of Elk and Trout Run. Lots of people but some heavy action before the wind turned. I'm not a lake guy but if you're headed up I would get there early and start at the lake hitting the outflow from the stream.

I'll be back in a few weeks.
 
From the archives, circa 2006, my thoughts on Erie Steelheading:

"I don't particularly care for that kind of fishing enough to do it more often. 2-3 times in a season is plenty. The fish are really dumb, you get little exercise, see little scenery, they don't rise, and it is crowded even when it isn't so crowded. Except for the fact that tangling with 4-10 pound fish is a distinct possibility, I would just as soon save the time and money and fish locally. To me, the thrill of catching a few really strong and heavy trout is one that is best appreciated as a rare event."

8 years later and it sounds like satire.
 
JackM wrote:
From the archives, circa 2006, my thoughts on Erie Steelheading:

"I don't particularly care for that kind of fishing enough to do it more often. 2-3 times in a season is plenty. The fish are really dumb, you get little exercise, see little scenery, they don't rise, and it is crowded even when it isn't so crowded. Except for the fact that tangling with 4-10 pound fish is a distinct possibility, I would just as soon save the time and money and fish locally. To me, the thrill of catching a few really strong and heavy trout is one that is best appreciated as a rare event."

8 years later and it sounds like satire.
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Too each his own ;-)
 
exactly.

some folks like to fish one spot thoroughly all day.

i prefer to walk and cast, or walk and then cast.

for a days fishing, an hours walk each way is not an issue for me.
 
I fished for half a day yesterday. Caught a large one below ryflyguy shortly after he got schooled by a bait angler.;-)

In fairness though, the bait guy moved right in where I had just left after not catching anything so I got schooled too.;-)

Too many people for my liking. Next time I'm heading upstream.

 
FarmerDave wrote:
I fished for half a day yesterday. Caught a large one below ryflyguy shortly after he got schooled by a bait angler.;-)

In fairness though, the bait guy moved right in where I had just left after not catching anything so I got schooled too.;-)

Too many people for my liking. Next time I'm heading upstream.
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I scouted through that area in early September. Cannot remember the last time I actually fished that area. I will say, most of the folks down there enjoy a certain camaraderie and all seem to know each other. While it is not my style, plenty of people enjoy it. Who knows, maybe someday when I cannot walk long distances or struggle to wade the places I like now...maybe I'll enjoy being down there with the guys, fishing a little, and roasting brats. I ain't as old as Dave, but one thing I have learned....never say never :)
 
well here is one from yesterday and view of the fish.

Can't seam to get the photo to upload.
 
My brother and I fished yesterday and today. Yeah, it was rough out there.

Found a few willing fish on an Ohio trib and also hooked into a couple on Elk, but it wasn't easy. Fished a handful of different spots on Elk, and as PatrickC stated there's fish here and there throughout but most of them(and the people) are down low.

And now for the highlight of the weekend... On my second ever cast with a dry for steelhead I had a fish track down and rise to my fly!! Man my heart was pounding. Unfortunately he didn't commit. Had a couple other looks but no other fish seemed interested. I will without a doubt try them again for steelhead.

This week looks promising!!!
 
PatrickC wrote:
I ain't as old as Dave, but one thing I have learned....never say never :)
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Hey now!

I aint that old and get around fairly well if not for my heel spur. Darn Podiatrists! ;-)

Maybe I should apply for disability. Desk job might make that difficult though.;-)
 
Streams are high from yesterday's rain. Definitely enough to get the fish moving in from the lake a bit more. Need another 1 or 2 of these types of rains. I was halfway to Erie for work today and kept wishing I just kept on going.
 
1.5" on its way to pulaski.

that should get em spread out the system.
 
Supposed to get a bit more rain in Erie this weekend but it's been taunting us all week, looks ominous but never rains (except the other day). Tying up more dry dropper flies tonight, thats been working very well for me using Nymph and even an egg pattern. I want to catch a fish on these olive/white streamers I tied up weeks ago but Ive tried stripping, floating them under an indicator in the current and nothing.
 
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