Steelhead 2013-2014 Thread

fishingood

fishingood

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Apr 12, 2011
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Welp, with mother nature teasing us with this cooler, rainy, "fall-like" weather, I couldn't take it anymore, so this past weekend, decided to roll out to Erie, and walked up to one of my secret spots on 20 mile. To my astonishment, I was able to find a few pods of fresh steelhead all to myself. Sure enough, got several takes on crystal schminnows and chartreuse globugs, landed 4. Suddenly, had one whack my fly that had to be well over ten pounds, she ran down a few riffles with me hot on her tail, then finally managed to get below her, and get a net on her. Was about to get a photo, when the alarm went off, and it was Monday morning, and I had to go to work :(.

Yes, eventhough it's still a bit early, myself and many of my buddies are starting to get that so called "steelhead gleam," in our eyes, where we start to hit refresh on the USGS water data website on Walnut every time the boss isn't looking, tie countless sucker spawns and other experimental patterns eventhough we have hundreds leftover from last year, and begin to check the FishErie forums and 15 day forecasts for Erie more than we check the forecast for our hometowns.

With all that in mind, decided it's time to start the yearly steelhead thread. Feel free to join.
 
Rest assured....20 Mile Creek will be packed with the 200,000 forum lurkers tomorrow ;-)

Normally, the Miles creeks don't even have enough flow to connect to the lake this time of year. So, it's good that there are even any flows. No doubt they are moving in and out of the creeks with these cool night. There are plenty of fish being caught at the creeks mouths from the guys on boats.

The time is coming. Be patient. We still need some rain. I would not make a 6 hour trip up to Erie just yet. ;-) Soon folks....very soon!
 
Agreed, although my thinking is last year we had little snow the winter before, and a very dry, warm year. This year, we had plenty of snow, a cool spring, a wet summer, and hopefully some kind of water table will be established so the creeks will be able to keep good flow.
 
I'll have to live vicariously through you guys this year as I know I won't get much fishing in. They'll all be here before we know it. I usually make a prediction of the first real run and this year it's going to be early. Tuesday Sept 17th will get the fish moving and in the streams permanently.

The fever is starting it's course and I'll be hitting the vise filling up my boxes anyway. Hitting Oak Orchard for the first time in Sept and hoping to make a trip or two to Erie in October.


I'm curious to see how the brown trout return this year. They've gotten better and better the last 3 years. I've still yet to land one. I've hooked a few and saw a good handful last year.
 
I could see that prediction, I may even join the darkside this year, and take a September trip up with one of my bass rods, to cast spoons at the mouth. Usually take my first trip of the year the first weekend in October, but have to go to a wedding that weekend, so won't be able to.
 
very soon. Lake temps are low for this time of year, and it has been wet. They are prospecting the streams/flows in the mornings and out before the sun is up. I've been out a few times with little luck but I have been seeing them. ;)
 
i cant wait to go up it will be my first time, i guess sucker spawns are the fly to use huh... is the best time usually middle of october after some rainfall?
 
What Im confused about is a secret spot on 20?
 
StarvinMarvin wrote:
What Im confused about is a secret spot on 20?

Ha! Well played sir.
 
StarvinMarvin wrote:
What Im confused about is a secret spot on 20?


Like he said.... it was in his dreams!



It's either that or the hole right above the bridge by the mouth. For some reason no one ever fishes it...
 
ryguyfi wrote:
It's either that or the hole right above the bridge by the mouth. For some reason no one ever fishes it...

Not true...Beaver's guys fish that hole ;-)
 
Or, a spot in Erie with less people lol :)
 
i cant wait to go up it will be my first time, i guess sucker spawns are the fly to use huh... is the best time usually middle of october after some rainfall?

Honestly, there really is no one best fly to use in Erie, fish will be hitting different things at different times. For example, when fishing for fresh run fish in the first pool or two above the mouth of a stream, I've found they will sometimes be hitting only emerald shinner immitations. However, as the fish face changing conditions, and make their ways upstream, their preferences will change.

In my opinion, the best fly will be the one you can drift/ swing flawlessly. Also, as the day gets brighter and warmer, or for clear water, you will want to slowly downsize your flies unless you are fishing streamers. A solid, "entry level" assortment of steelhead flies, however, would consist of both crystal meth and regular sucker spawns in orange, yellow, pink, chartreuse (a hot fly for myself the past few seasons); glo bug eggs in yellow, orange, pink, chartreuse, and blue (throw some blood dot eggs in there); wooly buggers in a few colors, some san juan worms, some "infamous PA pink worms", some minnow imitation streamers, some prince nymphs, bead head nymphs, and black stonefly nymphs. Don't be afraid to bring some experimental patterns along, sometimes all it takes is to put something in front of the fish they haven't seen yet.

The past few seasons, my best steelhead fishing has been from late October into early November. Just keep an eye on that USGS gage, the one at Walnut should give you a good idea of how the West tribs are, while the one at French Creek can give you a good idea of the east tribs. Generally, a few days after a heavy rainfall should be a good time to go, with fresh fish, and water conditions in which the water is clear enough that you can see the fish moving, but stained enough that you can't see the bottom in most places, and the fish aren't as finnicky.

For anyone who is new to this, here is a good read, that covers everything you need to know:

http://dharmaofthedrift.blogspot.com/2010/09/lake-erie-steelhead-fishing-primer-part.html

 
Here's my theory on steelhead flies.

Early season: streamers. They're used to eating lots of baitfish in the streams.

Mid season: eggs. They're spawning

Late season: nymphs. They're getting accustomed to the forage base of the streams.


Now this is a guideline, not a rule. I catch fish on all 3 types of patterns all year round, but I will typically start with these things depending on what part of the season it is.
 
ryguyfi wrote:
Here's my theory on steelhead flies.

Early season: streamers. They're used to eating lots of baitfish in the streams.

Mid season: eggs. They're spawning

Late season: nymphs. They're getting accustomed to the forage base of the streams.

All 3 all season. I have caught fresh fish on tiny nymphs. It all shakes out to the conditions of the day, and then presentation presentation presentation! I do catch a lot of fresh fish on streamers, but then, I catch a lot of Winter holdovers on streamers as well.

Steelhead like to eat. They are not too picky, but sometimes (after being caught a couple times) they do get a little less stupid. That is when natural patterns and really accurate presentation pays off.
 
Watched a fella fish that nice hole of Beavers...
So did the warden and it cast $384.00 for his efforts.
PatrickC wrote:

ryguyfi wrote:
It's either that or the hole right above the bridge by the mouth. For some reason no one ever fishes it...

Not true...Beaver's guys fish that hole ;-)
 
Only $384? That's a heck of a lot cheaper than what Beaver's guys paid!!!
 
Funny thing is, if you would of went and not had been sleeping, you probably would have caught fish. Cool dream though!
 
Yes, hearing reports of fish prospecting the mouths at night and in the mornings, it's a good sign. Shouldn't be too long now.
 
Just for everyone's reference.

http://www.unclejohnselkcreekcamp.com/webcam/


Once the night time temps hit the 40's, and we get a rain big enough so that you don't see anything but water in all 4 pictures, then it's time to head to Erie.
 
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