Steelhead Thread 2014-2015

[PatrickC]

Toomanyhobbies wrote:
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.

The streamers you tied should be perfect. Be patient. A hole can be stuffed with fish. They feed when they want to. AND, focus on deep fast funs that you cannot see fish in. They will be there and are more likely to hit. Fish those areas. Focus on a good presentation, getting that streamer down to the bottom of the run and you will hit fish.

 

[sandfly]

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.

swing them with a riffle hitch, worked for me this past week.

 

[bingsbaits]

Low and clear water might be tough but those should be killer if the water is up and has a little color.

Like Patrick says swing them in the faster runs, floro leader and get them down and in their face.

 

[geebee]

use a DT line, cast upstream 20 degrees or so, make a downstream mend as soon as the fly hits the water which will help it get down. then when the fly gets below you upstream mend gently to slow the fly.

when it gets to 45 degrees below you, upstream mend gently again.

you can do it on a skagit line fished short, but it takes more practice, or you can do it on a SH rod fished short with a WF line.

traditional spey lines for throwing brass tubes were all DT, for this reason - to slow the swing in fast water on the Spey, Tay and Scottish Dee.

 

[sandfly]

they worked in low clear water all weekend, swung them on a clear intermediate line with 8lb. flouro. fish came up a lot in the clear water. forgot the drys not next time though.

 

[guppieguy]

Fished 16 Mile today (Thursday) and yesterday, had solid trips both days. Wednesdy started off color and a little high, but cleared up by mid morning. Today was low and clear, although guys were still picking up willing fish. I'm fairly new to steelhead, and I met a gentleman named Rick who helped coach me up on the swingng techniques mentioned above, and even gave me the flies to do it. Nothing more exciting than a steelie slamming your streamer!

Great guy, made for a memorable day. Thanks Rick

 

[PhilC]

geebee wrote:
1.5" on its way to pulaski.

that should get em spread out the system.

Agreed...maybe it'll bring more kings in to keep the goons happy...I hear a lot steels going out on stringers.

 

[stal42]

Upper Elk produced very well yesterday. Over 100 hookups between three of us. Minnow patterns, white sucker spawns, and hares ear nymphs all yielded willing takers throughout the day. All fish from fast water--tons of fun. The fish in the slow pools are enticing as there are tons of them, but they're not interested in eating and people throw at them all day. Keep walking Fish are up past McKean at this point.

 

[geebee]

i'm not sure anyone had mentioned this but i just saw it on the PFBC press page. every little counts huh ?:

•Authorized staff to purchase for $20,000 a property easement of approximately 1,230 linear feet on both sides of Fourmile Creek in the Borough of Wesleyville, Erie County. The creek provides significant steelhead fishing opportunities in the area. The easement will include the stream corridor and will extend at least 35 feet back from the top of the bank. In addition, the Lake Erie Regions Conservancy agreed to grant the PFBC easements for parking and a footpath to provide access to Fourmile Creek.

 

[bingsbaits]

As we loose another section of Elk to the slobs getting it posted.

Upper Elk fished great this morning also.
Going to be low and clear for the weekend if we get no rain.

 

[bingsbaits]

The rain did hit and the creeks are blown out.

 

[jdaddy]

There simply may be too many fish in SR at this point. Stocking is static however wild numbers are growing astronomically.

 

[PatrickC]

bingsbaits wrote:
The rain did hit and the creeks are blown out.

Hopefully even more of those lake effect bands will set up and dump some more!

 

[CRB]

Rain definitely brought down the leaves in my back yard need more rain to keep them coming down and flush them out to the lake.

 

[Beefheart]

I was on Elk Friday too and didn't manage to hook into anything. I did catch a couple first thing in the morning on 20-mile but once we got on Elk I had no luck despite the conditions looking great.

I've only been steelheading for a few seasons now and still obviously have a lot to learn. I fished the fast water mostly and tried all kinds of flies. I tried swinging streamers (white, olive, black and a kreelex) as well as indicator rigs with tandem nymphs or nymph and egg. I was using Senyo wiggle stones, blood dots, different variations of pt's, hare's ears, copper johns, prince nymphs and others. Just couldn't get anything to hit.

The only thing I can think of is that maybe I was using too much weight. I had three or four BB shot on with the nymph/egg rigs to try to get down in that fast water. Maybe that was too much. I don't know. Though, the guys that were fishing around me weren't hooking up all that much either. Maybe I needed to cover more water. My friend is the type to pound a slow hole for ages, but he did hook into a few for his persistence. I was trying to move downstream (Girard Boro Park and Whiteman's) and fish as much water as I could, but I'd get held up too.

So, in the Fall is it best to put a few drifts through likely looking fast water and move on if nothing strikes or stay and put 30+ drifts through to try to induce a strike?

Though, gotta say I was very happy to catch two in the early morning! My first chrome of the season.

 

[PatrickC]

Agree, use less weight and most certainly cover more water. Hang in there. You will have a magical day when it all clicks for you and from then on, it will always be "game on". It's a function of experience. And the only way to gain the experience is to keep at it.

 

[bingsbaits]

Even in fast water I hate to have to put on the second splitshot.
Try to get away with 1-2 BB size splits.

I prefer the streamers (buggers, clousers, trple threats) for the earlier fish and the water is still warm.

Usually go to the senyo wiggle stones and nymphs later on in the season when the water gets colder....

Make sure you are casting up stream far enough so your offering gets down to their face before it gets to them.

 

[Beefheart]

bingsbaits wrote:
Even in fast water I hate to have to put on the second splitshot.
Try to get away with 1-2 BB size splits.

I prefer the streamers (buggers, clousers, trple threats) for the earlier fish and the water is still warm.

Usually go to the senyo wiggle stones and nymphs later on in the season when the water gets colder....

Make sure you are casting up stream far enough so your offering gets down to their face before it gets to them.

Thanks for this advice and to PatrickC for the encouragement.

When you're using the streamers, do you dead drift them? If so do you use an indicator? Would you do that even with a clouser?

It sounds to me like I (split)shot myself in the foot out there by using too much weight. At least that's part of the problem. Can't wait to get another shot at them!

 

[PatrickC]

Beefheart wrote:
When you're using the streamers, do you dead drift them? If so do you use an indicator? Would you do that even with a clouser?

You can dead drift streamers or swing them. It depends on the circumstances. Sometimes in narrow short fast runs, it's difficult to get a fly to swing at the correct rate and angle across those runs. This is a great time to stick them under an indi to slow them down. Just make several passes trough the run to cover the entire width of the run.

I dead drift streamers along shelves all of the time.

In long wide fast runs I swing streamers.

I am constantly switching back and forth depending on the run.

You can do it with Clousers, buggers, zonkers....any of them.

 

[sandfly]

I use a riffle hitch in the fast runs. and mend a lot.