Elk Creek, Erie County, 3/27/2010

[JackM]

Arrived the night before, got on stream Saturday somewhere around 9:00 AM at Elk Park Road Access. Fished dowstream to below the tubes. Weather was sunny all day with just an occasional high cloud. In the AM it was about 28, warming eventually to about the high 40s. Water was chilly in the AM with some ice to be seen in the shallowest of riffles. By noon, the conditions were optimal, with the water warming in the glides and fish become more active.

Joined by two other board members, we fished until about 2 PM, then moved to a place that wasn't familiar and rejected it after about 30 minutes, returning to Elk at Struechen Flats, working downstream again and ending at dark.

Eggs were my ticket to avoiding skunk and having a grand day (for me) of two fair-hooked steel. I only had to break one off that was initially thought hooked rightly, but eventually appeared to be hooked near the tail. One other well-hooked adult steel released himself pretty early on in the battle.

Water on Elk was on the low side, but not very low and it had enough color to provide some relief from lockjawed trout.

I won't be back 'til Fall.

Here are a few pics:

 

[albatross]

A nice day on the water with good people.

No smolts on lower Elk, plenty on upper.

We found a small (brookie sized) tributary of Elk that had steelhead trying to breed in one of the lower pools. The photo shows their fins out of the water in the tail of the pool.

My adult steelhead took a blue sucker spawn.

 

[bowhunter0131]

glad you guys had a nice day weather wise to visit my home water. fishing has been slow we have not had the numbers of fish that we usally see. just been a strange year i got out today on crooked and caught a few. i know that little trib you seen fish in a few years ago i seen about 50 fish up in there they were stacked up on top of each other. it was a pretty neat site that many fish in skiny water.

 

[albatross]

BowHunter,

I agree with your assessment of the Erie steelhead run this year. I saw in another thread that you had numbers to back it up too, you caught twice as many fish last year with less time on the water. Sounds about right to me. There are fish this year, but not in the numbers I have become accustomed to.

Like Jack, I'm probably done with steelhead for this year. I hope to finally meet you at the jam!

 

[ryguyfi]

I was thinking of heading out to Erie n the 10th of April, but due to recent reports I think I'm staying local. Thanks for all the updates and glad you got into some fish up there. 7 more months until the run!

 

[PennKev]

I fished Ohio for steel on Sun. Mostly high and/or dirty over there. Did get into a few good fish though. I stopped at upper Elk on the way back just to check it out, but didn't fish. I did see a fair number of fish still around and virtually no one fishing. Not enough fish to make it worth fishing in a crowd, or enough to make such fishing productive. But, perhaps enough to enjoy with only a few people around.

Kev