Have to vent here...

[Toomanyhobbies]

As much as I love fishing and respect everyone who also does I have to say I can't stand people some times. I was the first guy at this hole with about 10-15 fish, I was in my glory being the only guy there for about 2-3 hours. As plenty of guys looked on from above, I hooked up to one and within 30 seconds they came down the cliff like an army, next thing ya know there's 8 guys trying to fish in a 20'x40' hole! Half of those guys had noodle rods with beach balls for bobbers...oops "indicators" and every time they cast there's a big splash, freaking these fish out so bad they never hit again. Then again tonight I went out for a late afternoon/evening fish at the same hole. There were a few guys there but everyone gave enough room until a family of 6 and a few other guys joined in! Again with the beach balls and some of the biggest split shots Ive ever seen, My God the water is a whopin' 3ft deep, how big of a sinker do you need!lol I don't mind sharing and making room but when you are so close I can't even do a good roll cast.....just ticks me off. Rant over. Tight lines!

 

[streamerguy]

Let me guess...... you were fishing for steelhead?

 

[Toomanyhobbies]

How'd ya guess

 

[salvelinus]

I've never fished for steelhead and I never will given the combat conditions you describe. I'll stick with my brookies no matter how small they are.

 

[PennKev]

A typical day on the Erie tribs unfortunately.

 

[dryflyguy]

In my distant past - what seems like a whole lifetime ago now for me - I used to make quite a few trips up to erie in the fall every year. And caught plenty of big fish - but was always a bit annoyed with the crowds. Kinda like opening day - every day.

Then I decided to try regular trout fishing in the fall - and made a trip out to penns and the little j in october.
Besides the beautiful fall foliage - I found hatches, and enough fish rising to them to keep me happy. And the streams were deserted!
That was almost 25 years ago now, and I've been going out to central PA - and other areas of the state too - for trout ever since, for nice fall fishing.

 

[SteveG]

salvelinus wrote:
I've never fished for steelhead and I never will given the combat conditions you describe. I'll stick with my brookies no matter how small they are.

+2

I've seen enough pics of that circus that I have no desire whatsoever to go for steelhead.

 

[Acristickid]

If you can wait a few more weeks then you won't have to fish at the mouths where the crowds never clear out. Fish will make it further up stream as the weeks go on.

The best time to fish is a day or two after a big rain in the middle of the week. If not possible , just wait another month and fish upstream further. There will still be people at the bigger holes or easy access but if you walk a bit you'll find some fish.

I prefer to walk a bit and fish faster runs or small pockets most people walk right by.

Good luck.

 

[sandfly]

I agree, wait for a few weeks yet and take a walk. I find places where there is no other people for a long way. then I don't fish Erie pa areas either, like going to the salmon river they are a circus.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Yeah don't fish the circus if you don't want to mess with the clowns

 

[krayfish2]

Andy beat me to it.

Go steelhead fishing or fish opening day of trout in PA and then complain that it's a cluster if ignorant / no etiquette d-bags is about the same as getting into a boxing ring and then complaining that the other guy keeps hitting you. They go hand in hand.

 

[geebee]

two things - 1) did you say anything ? people don't learn to keep their distance unless you tell them to.

2) you were in the hole 2-3 hours and caught fish. no offence, but thats why in Canada, Scotland, Ireland, the UK, Cape Cod Canal, Montauk etc people rotate the holes or the jetty point, - so everyone gets to enjoy their day and catch a few fish, step and cast, cast and step....

in all the above waters i've fished the combat conditions with very few issues apart from the odd tangle.

just my .02

cheers

Mark.

 

[ryguyfi]

If people can see you from a bridge and you're in Erie, then you're in a very public area and have no hope in fishing in solitude. Knowing how far the fish are up, there are very few spots to fish up there right now. I've been fishing the tribs for a number of years now and if you're fishing those areas and expect to fish by yourself then you've got something coming. I can walk once the fish are spread out and find solitude, but not this early in the run. That's how it is up there and if you're going to fish it then you're going to have to get used to it.

 

[Toomanyhobbies]

I understand it's public but I guess I should know by now "common sense" is long gone. I think Im going to stay out of the tribs til we get some rain. I was at a hole this am with a few guys and this one guys comes in and casting his bobber set up he lets it sit there so no one else could cast! I managed to get a cast in and right over his line it went, his bobber goes down (and I knew why) then I set my hook and proceeded to grab his bobber and minnow set up. All I said was I thought I had him,lol he left shortly after that,lol

 

[Night_Stalker]

I'm going to use a balloon animal as an indicator

 

[krayfish2]

Carry a saltwater boat rod spooled with 100 lb braided line and a heavy pike spool. Wait until the guy leaves his junk in the middle of the pool for 5 minutes and then cast away. High speed reel it in and take the rod right out of his hands. Claim ignorance. Do it 3-4 times and you'll have the whole pool to yourself or get shot. Probably get shot though.

 

[IdratherbePhishing]

Guess I'll bring the pistol

 

[geebee]

when they sidle up, ask em " Guess what ? ....i just saw the biggest rattler you ever saw, right where you're standing just five minutes ago...he went into the brush behind you...."

try concentrating on your bobber after that ;-)

 

[salmonoid]

I hear your rant, but your expectations are simply too high for Lake Erie trib fishing. My best experience all time was at the Manchester Hole many years ago. We were fishing mostly arm to arm, which was fine - casts were coordinated so as to not overline everyone around you and when someone had a fish on, everyone was courteous and reeled in.

Anyway, an older couple came upstream and plopped their equipment along the bank. They struck up a conversation with the guy beside me. "Hi, we're Dot and so and so, from West Virginia. Blah blah. Something about hot sausage and some other canned vegetable, etc." I turned around to re-rig and when I faced back streamside, said individual "Dot" was standing on the rock ledge, two feet directly out from where I had just been fishing. She had moved upstream two feet and out in front of me two feet and taken my casting window away completely. I stood and stared at her for a minute or two. It was enough that my two fishing buddies noticed me and coined it the Dot Stare (which I get reminded of to this day), but Dot never picked up the hint.

I've since tempered my expectations. I've fished the Manchester Hole sparingly since then, with the most recent excursion being last year. I do a lot more walking when I get the chance to go up there anymore.

You've just got to laugh at it; if you're conscientious about your streamside etiquette in other locations, that's about the only antidote there is to Lake Erie tribs conditions. And for the angler that doesn't care, they'll fit right in.

 

[troutbert]

salmonoid wrote:
I hear your rant, but your expectations are simply too high for Lake Erie trib fishing. My best experience all time was at the Manchester Hole many years ago. We were fishing mostly arm to arm, which was fine - casts were coordinated so as to not overline everyone around you and when someone had a fish on, everyone was courteous and reeled in.

Anyway, an older couple came upstream and plopped their equipment along the bank. They struck up a conversation with the guy beside me. "Hi, we're Dot and so and so, from West Virginia. Blah blah. Something about hot sausage and some other canned vegetable, etc." I turned around to re-rig and when I faced back streamside, said individual "Dot" was standing on the rock ledge, two feet directly out from where I had just been fishing. She had moved upstream two feet and out in front of me two feet and taken my casting window away completely. I stood and stared at her for a minute or two. It was enough that my two fishing buddies noticed me and coined it the Dot Stare (which I get reminded of to this day), but Dot never picked up the hint.

Dot got ya!

Probably not the first time they used that maneuver.

To the OP, if you live near there, try just fishing in late afternoon til dusk.

The numbers of fishermen thins out at that time of day. There's far fewer around than in the morning. And there is often a very good "bite" as soon as the sun brightness levels drop off.