Prestige plus 4/5/6 vs steelhead

[jayL]

I'm going to take one of my trout reels and put it on my 11 ft 6wt for steel in erie this weekend (assuming the conditions allow for the trip).

What's the o/u on how many fish I can land with it before it breaks, if at all? I'm quietly confident that it can do the job, but wouldn't be surprised if I fry it.

Anyone tried one of them up there? I've seen guys fish the big 8/9 one up there, but not the small one.

 

[ryguyfi]

I don't see any issue with the reel holding up for you. I keep most of my steelies off the reel if possible. If they hit the reel, it's a short run of 20 ft or so and then I fight them by hand and regain some line. I think a heavier rod is more important in being able to muscle them in, rather than a bigger reel. As long as the reel doesn't freeze up (mine did last trip I made up to Erie) I would be very surprised if that reel doesn't work out for you.

Here's a pic of my last Erie trip, I think I may be done till the spring thaw up there. (Frozen line, leader, indicator, reel. Can't do too much when that happens) (6 fisherman, 5 hours, 2 streams, several hookups, 0 fish!)
I still had fun, so who's complaining!!!

 

[tomgamber]

I use my prestige plus reel up there and at the beach but mine is the 789 one...drag that much different? At least you wont; be trashing an expensive reel if it fails.and you'll have an extra spool already. :-D

I still say we're gonna have to come up there and chisel you out fo the stream.... :hammer:

 

[jayL]

Ry,

I went the first weekend of december and encountered the same. I could swear that's a picture of my rod after I quit. I have a pic of my legs encased in ice somewhere from that trip.

I swore it off. I kept that promise for a month. What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment. (and steelhead)

 

[ryguyfi]

Yeah that's about when that picture was taken. I've never done any trout fishing in the winter, so I might try that someday soon. I can wait to go up and fish for steelies when the conditions will be a bit more predictable. I don't get to go fishing too much with my current job, so I'd rather make a short trip and fish longer, than go up to Erie and have the streams blown out, or iced over and have to drive back home.

Good luck


btw, my brother in law just got into fly fishing and he bought a simple 5wt setup. He bought a cheap walmart 8wt rod and just slapped on his 5wt reel and had no problems landing a few steelies this year.

 

[jayL]

Trout fishing in the winter is great on good streams. It's not worth it on marginal ones. In other words, aside from the occasional little lehigh or tully trip, I do all my winter trouting in centre county.

As for the steel, I can deal with iced lines and guides. As long as the creeks aren't locked up, I'm going to go. Looks like it's going to come down to the wire and a call to poor richard's.

 

[pcray1231]

Jay,

Its all about temperature. Winter fishing is great on streams that stay warm enough for feeding activity, which often just happen to be the same streams that stay cool all summer long. Limestoners and tailwaters decorate the top of the list. There's definitely a strong correlation between streams and specific stream sections that fish well in August and January, while the spring and fall can be different. But there are exceptions. For instance, if you find a warmwater discharge, from an industry or whathaveyou, that can be a winter hotspot and a summer coldspot. Thinking of "good" streams is fine and all, but keep in mind the thermometer is key, not the prestige of the stream.

Erie is somewhat of an exception in that those streams get COLD and you can still do well, not that the fishing is inherently better than October/November and March, but because the fishing pressure is much lower and in Erie, that is a bigger factor than in most areas. Still, the same winter tactics apply, find the warmest water you can and you'll find more active fish.

 

[jayL]

pcray,

I agree.

I was mainly thinking about how spring creek maintains temp pretty much year round. I don't know that many other streams around that are like that.

 

[pcray1231]

P.S. I enjoyed that trip in December, man it was cold.... I've had guide ice lots of times, but I think that was a first for that degree of line, tippet, rod, and reel ice.

The type of reel doesn't much matter if its going to lock up from ice anyway!

 

[jayL]

pcray1231 wrote:
P.S. I enjoyed that trip in December, man it was cold.... I've had guide ice lots of times, but I think that was a first for that degree of line, tippet, rod, and reel ice.

The type of reel doesn't much matter if its going to lock up from ice anyway!

Yeah, I was thinking that too. Hopefully I can land one on that longer rod with a locked up reel! I think saturday will be ok, but sunday is going to be a mess.

 

[pcray1231]

yeah. The exceptions are sections that are always warmer than most. Even on marginal streams, if you locate a big spring, or a warmwater discharge from a power plant or sewage, you can find some good fishing.

 

[AlwaysWading]

The Prestige Plus is actually a pretty decent reel and while it isn't a heavy gun I bet it can handle steel head. We always do a few runs up to the Erie tribs in winter, and the best way to hump water with your setup in hand it to make sure you cover your reel to prevent water from splashing on it. Once that cold water hits the reel and freezes forget about thinking about fishing until you thaw it out. That means either heading back to the car, or taking it off the rod and tucking it under your shirt to body heat thaw it.