Steelhead trip: Elk Creek, Erie Co., 03/20/12
- Thread starter wbranch
- Start date
Went up to Elk early Tuesday morning, arrived 7:00. Fished all day from above Folly's to behind Uncle John's. Tough fishing - not much water. Got blanked at Folly's and below Legion. Took two skippers and one 8# hen behind Uncle John's.
Wednesday two browns and two steelhead in middle river all on egg patterns - had to use 4X Seaguar GMax and 5X where it was very clear. Fish had a bloody lip but swam away with vigor.
Heavy rain Thursday night. Water stained, but not blown out, Friday. Had enough and left for home.
Wednesday two browns and two steelhead in middle river all on egg patterns - had to use 4X Seaguar GMax and 5X where it was very clear. Fish had a bloody lip but swam away with vigor.
Heavy rain Thursday night. Water stained, but not blown out, Friday. Had enough and left for home.
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Squaretail
Active member
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- Dec 29, 2006
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- 1,855
It definately looks different from the ones I saw in the fall.
Maybe stayed in the stream from the fall?
Maybe stayed in the stream from the fall?
Suckerspawn
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- Aug 2, 2011
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- 55
Nice catch WB.. Love the brownie! SH does have bloody lip, will recover!
Tks for report
Tks for report
Salmonoid wrote;
"So that's a lake run brown, with a red adipose fin and a blue eyespot? Interesting! Or did you get your pics mixed up from a different water"
Yea, it is a lake run brown and no the pics aren't mixed up. This brown, and one a few inches longer, were caught in the only pool with enough water to hold fish. I think it arrived in the fall and stayed the entire winter, maybe it reverts back to more stream like colors.
"So that's a lake run brown, with a red adipose fin and a blue eyespot? Interesting! Or did you get your pics mixed up from a different water"
Yea, it is a lake run brown and no the pics aren't mixed up. This brown, and one a few inches longer, were caught in the only pool with enough water to hold fish. I think it arrived in the fall and stayed the entire winter, maybe it reverts back to more stream like colors.
The rod is a switch and not a spey. It is 11' 3" long to take a #6 line. I typically use it one handed but if I want to make a longer roll cast I use it two handed and power the lower grip to aid in the roll. I can roll 40' with not much effort. I also like it to high stick certain runs as when I extend my arm I'm out in the flow 13' which enables me to stick the rod right into a seam with no drag and often I get a take in a few seconds.
Here is a nice river brown, about 20", with a blue hued gill plate;
Here is a nice river brown, about 20", with a blue hued gill plate;
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Personally I think a #5 is just too light for Erie steel. Remember sometimes you might hit high water and be throwing two 3/0 split shot and a tandem rig with a big stone fly and a big Glo-bug. Besides you do get the occasional 10# - 12# steelhead and I just like a little stronger rod to turn those bigger fish.
pcray1231
Well-known member
wbranch, I don't think you need more than a 5 wt for casting and fishing, the streams and the fishing isn't much different than regular trout.
I agree with you for landing, you need a stronger rod to pull em around a bit. But keep in mind these are 11+ ft rods, which changes the equation. Think of them like the noodle rods the local spin guys use. Even without more backbone, you get more leverage from longer rods. Longer and softer rods give you both the better leverage and the shock absorbing quality to protect tippets.
I agree with you for landing, you need a stronger rod to pull em around a bit. But keep in mind these are 11+ ft rods, which changes the equation. Think of them like the noodle rods the local spin guys use. Even without more backbone, you get more leverage from longer rods. Longer and softer rods give you both the better leverage and the shock absorbing quality to protect tippets.
Maurice
Well-known member
Yeah, you don't get better leverage with a softer rod...I thought you were a scientist. The softer longer rods will protect tippet but leverage is about moving things. Noodle rods are insufficient to move fish.
If a nine pound steelhead is bulldogging in a deep run and you want to turn him, get him moving or keep him from running into the next riffle you better have at least a 6-7 weight.
Noodle rodders tire fish over time in large pools....thats why they fish there. In fact I would venture a guess that even an 11 ft 6-7 weight would be a loose when it came to turning fish.
If a nine pound steelhead is bulldogging in a deep run and you want to turn him, get him moving or keep him from running into the next riffle you better have at least a 6-7 weight.
Noodle rodders tire fish over time in large pools....thats why they fish there. In fact I would venture a guess that even an 11 ft 6-7 weight would be a loose when it came to turning fish.
This is one of the rods I use at Erie. I took a Shakespeare 10'6
Agility rod, cut part of the fighting but off with a band saw and started using a fly reel with 6 or 8 wt line. You can roll cast it or use a spinning rod on it. To balance it back out I added weight to the inside
of the handle. It's cheap and don't work to bad.I challenge every one
to come up with a set up that works,and is cheap.....
Agility rod, cut part of the fighting but off with a band saw and started using a fly reel with 6 or 8 wt line. You can roll cast it or use a spinning rod on it. To balance it back out I added weight to the inside
of the handle. It's cheap and don't work to bad.I challenge every one
to come up with a set up that works,and is cheap.....
Maurice,
My 11' 3" #6 is by no means a noodle rod. I have seen 10' and longer noodle rods and this Cabela LST is far from being soft and limp. It has plenty of power to turn any fish that I might encounter on the Erie creeks. Noodle rods do suck IMO to fight and land big fish. They often have so little backbone that they actually "roll" and the angler has to hold the blank well above the grip to gain some control of the rod and fish. I've landed 10# steelhead in just a few minutes with this rod.
This fish was landed in no more than five minutes.
My 11' 3" #6 is by no means a noodle rod. I have seen 10' and longer noodle rods and this Cabela LST is far from being soft and limp. It has plenty of power to turn any fish that I might encounter on the Erie creeks. Noodle rods do suck IMO to fight and land big fish. They often have so little backbone that they actually "roll" and the angler has to hold the blank well above the grip to gain some control of the rod and fish. I've landed 10# steelhead in just a few minutes with this rod.
This fish was landed in no more than five minutes.
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Maurice
Well-known member
wb,
I meant no disrespect, I fish a 10' 6 wt for steelbows and also a 9' 7wt Trident. The latter has considerably more "backbone" to move fish but the 10'6wt is my fav rod for them....it protects the terminal knots better. Its not as stiff. My only assertion is that an 11' rod would be less bossy toward turning fish. And for me thats the fun. Getting one of those jumbo trout on and pulling his face around. Others like to get them on and have them race around pools til they tire....I like to drag em in and get back out there.
I meant no disrespect, I fish a 10' 6 wt for steelbows and also a 9' 7wt Trident. The latter has considerably more "backbone" to move fish but the 10'6wt is my fav rod for them....it protects the terminal knots better. Its not as stiff. My only assertion is that an 11' rod would be less bossy toward turning fish. And for me thats the fun. Getting one of those jumbo trout on and pulling his face around. Others like to get them on and have them race around pools til they tire....I like to drag em in and get back out there.
The reel in the picture is an older Hardy disc drag but now I use a Lamson Litespeed 2 on it. Both worked well and both have adequate line capacity and a good drag. However I think the Lamson just looks better on the long rod.
Here is a picture of the rod with the Lamson.
Here is a picture of the rod with the Lamson.
