We’re rapidly approaching the annual fall run of steelhead in the Great Lakes, and while I’m by no means an expert, I know enough to go up and catch a few fish in the small PA tribs.
I figured I’d post a few articles in my blog to help shorten the learning curve for anyone considering making the 2010-2011 steelhead season their first.
If you think fishing the PA tribs might be something you’d like to try, I’m going to be doing my best in this 3 article series to give you some of the information that you usually don’t get until you figure it out for yourself, on the water. It’s not the most glamorous look at GL steelhead, but as opinions go, its honest.
Hey Cold! My son and I did this last fall for the first time. I hooked into a big fish on an 8 wt, had it on the line for at least 20 minutes. About 3 feet from netting it, took another long run, went around a pile of shale and the line went slack. My son looked at me and said he was sorry I hadn’t caught it. I told him that was more fun fishing than I’d had in a long time. It’s frustrating at first but we were lucky to have gone with a local club that’s affiliated with our high school. Some of these guys gave me tips that really allowed me to hook up one. What amazed me was that I’d tied a lot of flies in preparation, but every fish I saw caught had gone after small nymphs. You’re right, there’s a learning curve- but some great fishing!
A suggestion for landing the next one you hook: Like I said in my post, the streams are small and the fish don’t have anywhere to run, when they’re on the line, it means you aren’t going to be able to play them to the point that they just give up. If you had your fish on for 20 minutes, it was on about 15 minutes too long. After a while, a hooked steelhead goes from ‘insane mode’ (if its a fresh fish), into ‘flop mode’ where they aren’t really doing anything other than keeping you from getting them.
When you recognize this shift, its time to land the fish. Netting can work in wide open areas or confined, fast water. If you want to net the fish, it’s best to have your net man (someone other than the guy with the fish on), waiting downstream. Get the fish to calm down a bit then the net guy can approach slowly from behind, trying not to spook the fish.
Most times, though, I’m alone on the stream, and really, a net of the size you really want for these fish will be too large to be toting around with you, so I’m usually netless. When I get a fish tired and on a short line, I just walk backward, away from the creek and kind of tow the fish up onto the shore (if its a typical area with a low shoreline) or into some really shallow water. Getting the fish out of the water makes it easy to walk up to it and grip it firmly around the base of the tail. From there, you can hold it securely while you remove your fly and then either steer it back into the deeper water, or cradle your other hand under its belly to either carry it back to the water, or to get your stringer ready.
A note on that: you might want to get one of the heavier nylon stringers (available at the local bait shops) for steelhead. I’ve never seen them break one of the light trout ones, but it wouldnt surprise me if I did. In the rest of the state, an entire day’s limit of smaller trout doesnt have the weight of just one hefty steelhead.
Thanks for the advice, Cold. I plan to get out enough times this year that I should have plenty of practice. I was caught without a net, and undoubtedly should have done what you said- get ot over to shore and grab it by the tail.
Just wanted to let my fellow FAOLers know that I just posted Part 2 of my Steelhead Fishing Primer. This one covers gear choices (and as such, is definitely more aimed at the newbie), but hopefully anyone will be able to learn at least a little bit. I decided to make this a 4 part series instead of 3, just for simplicity’s sake. And Part 3 could go up as soon as this evening if I get the time & inspiration to do it.
Roy, where are you from? It seemed like Erie was really far away until I made the drive a few times.
Flybug, thanks for the kind words! It’s entirely possible we could see each other…upper Elk and 20 are my favorite haunts.
I’ve read Part 1 so far. Very good info. Haven’t been sleelheading since 97’. Fished the tribs in the U.P. of Mich. flowing into Lake Mich. & Lake Superior. Also fished some tribs flowing into Lake Champlain in upstate New York back in the early 80’s. Hope to fish some of the Erie tribs. I already have a ton of flies tied up. I’ll be back to your site to finish up on your series soon.
I just wanted to let FAOL know that I’ve just posted Part 3 of my Steelhead Fishing Primer, and that anyone interested in hitting up the tribs should check it out. I made my first trip this past Saturday, and ended up catching 2 over the course of the day. My buddy has been trying for over 2 seasons, with little success. Saturday, something must have finally clicked and he hooked about 10. None landed, but he’s really excited to return now. Maybe through tying out some of this, I was able to describe things in a sensible way to him. Either way, I’m glad to see his effort finally starting to pay off in results.
fishdog,
I’m glad you’re enjoying the series. Hopefully, there’s some good info in there for you to help you in your return to Erie. This third part should be especially useful to you, looking for places to fish.
Sorry Cold, I just saw your question I live about 15 miles south of Pittsburgh. Looks like pasteelhead.com is having a steelhead fishing seminar locally on October 9th. I think i will go to it and learn a few tips.
First of all, I want to let everyone know that I just posted Part 4 of the Erie steelhead fishing primer on my blog, Dharma of the Drift, which deals with finding the best spots on the stream to find steelhead as well as advice on terminal tackle, everything from leaders and tippet to weight and floats.
By the time I got all that covered, I realized that covering fly selection would somewhat over-extend the article, so I stopped there, extending the series into a 5 part piece, with the fifth and final piece covering fly selection.
I’ve got a ton of prep to do over the next week and a half, with a trip to the holy land of PA water (LeTort, Yellow Breeches, etc.) planned for this weekend, and a trip north for Erie steel the next, so that 5th part may be delayed, but I’ll still try to have it completed by, at latest, next Thursday.
roygpa, I’m guessing you hit the Yough a good bit? Excellent water…though I rarely get out that way. Is that seminar being held locally in Erie or locally in your area? If you’ll be in Erie that weekend, perhaps we will see one another, as I’m planning on being there Friday to Monday.
The seminar is here:
Presented by the Adventure Men of The South Hills Assembly in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Steelhead Association. Location: 2725 Bethel Church Road in Bethel Park
Very cool. I’m sure it will be very informative. From what limited (indirect) interaction I’ve had with PSA, it seems like a really good group.
The biggest piece of advice I can give to anyone who is getting advice about steelheading is to immediately suspect any advice given by someone who talks in absolutes.
For example: If a guy tells you that fluoro is the ONLY way to go, that steelhead don’t ever take dries, or that you can’t catch a fresh steelhead on a 5wt.
Plenty of guys catch them on 10 pound mono every day, I’ve personally seen a steelhead take a big drake pattern on top, and I have personally caught a fresh steelhead on a $30 5wt starter kit fly rod.
True, fluoro can provide a nice advantage, most steelhead won’t be phased by a dry, ever, and a 5wt is kind of light for steelhead, but there’s no absolutes up on the tribs. Guys that talk about it like there are generally just want to play the part of the ‘seasoned vet’.
I live up-top of the Rocky River that feeds into Lake Erie and have had steelhead fever going on my 6th year.
A lot of what you have posted is and has been so true. Some of the best arguments I have listen to have been over the length and weight a steelhead rod should be. (My opinion is 6 weight 8’6’’ and up; perfect would be an 8 weight 9’. I just haven’t found an 8 weight that I like to cast. Less than a 6 weight; luck becomes too big a facture in landing a steelhead)
If you’re going to make the trip for steelhead in the fall I strongly recommend 3 flies (white wooly-bugger, olive wooly-bugger and black wooly-bugger) these will catch a lot of your fresh run steelhead. White for a minnow pattern, Olive for a sculpin pattern and black for a leach.
Weather becomes a huge facture as to the fly pattern you fish as the river level goes down and the fish become land locked (as you had mentioned these are small streams and rivers with undulating bottoms.) The buggers still work, just not as effective and this is where drifting (egg, stone et al) patterns take the lion share of the fish and also why a longer rod is more effective aiding in a better drift. As the season goes on and pressure has been put on the fish and they have been held up (land locked) in the river some time is when I have my most trouble picking a pattern. Someone with more experience might have better luck than the average Joe.
Like I said I have only been at it for 6 fall runs and by no means an expert. In fact last year fall season was the first time I became consistent in catching and landing steelhead, not to say I wasn’t hooking up before then but landing them or bring them to hand. Fresh run hit like a big dog playing tug-a-war; spawning or resting sip in drifting patterns (which I believe to be the hardest to catch) almost undetected for 4 and a half years. The trick is set the hook by lifting the tip of your rod (again a good reason for a longer rod) on everything till you “think” you know the difference. A strike indicator if you have them is also a staple. You can do without but you better be more lucky than good.
Sorry for the ramble. I could go on and on, not on my limited advice but the great times and the people I have met on the river that have added to my successes in some of my best fish tales.
First of all, I’d like to encourage everyone to read the fifth and last installment of the Lake Erie Steelhead Fishing Primer, which I posted earlier today. I think anyone that includes a basic selection of the suggested patternswill have what they need to fool any fish in the stream.
LEHB,
I’ve never been to an Ohio trip, but from what I’ve heard, they’re all significantly bigger than even the largest PA trib (Elk). Oddly enough, I think that the longer rods are more beneficial on the smaller streams where you’re typically sight fishing to nearby steelhead and high-stick nymphing 90% of the time.
Totally agree with your assertion that buggers in black, white and olive are a must (see my 5th and final installment of the primer ).
For late season (Nov-Dec) low water conditions, try a bead head pheasant tail in #18-20 or something similar.
This is my third season, and while I do enjoy it, I only had ‘steelhead fever’ for a few months after catching my first one. Now its just something to do for a change of pace, to me. The experience is fun for what it is, but it’s not my ideal fishing with the crowds, close conditions, and the methods most effective on the PA tribs (stand within a few feet of fish you can see, and drift to them until they take). My perfect day of fishing is chasing wild trout up on a tiny mountain stream with a 1wt and a box of dries.
Still, fishing the tribs for steelhead is a welcome change of pace by fall and I look forward to meeting up with old friends again. I was up to Erie 3 weekends ago for my first trip, and will be there again this weekend. Good luck in your coming steelhead season!
Cold, this is a great primer on steelhead fishing not only in Pa but also Ohio and NY. You might want to have one more installment on what to do after you hookup. Many people starting out are not prepared for the initial run and the strength of these fish. A short discussion on playing them would really help out. Again good information for anyone interested in steelhead in our area.
As the season goes on and pressure has been put on the fish and they have been held up (land locked) in the river some time is when I have my most trouble picking a pattern.
In those situations smaller egg and nymph imitations work real well. If you use smaller patterns, make sure you use at least a 2x wire. They’ll straighten anything lighter. In addition to buggers, egg sucking leeches (black body, purple body, with an orange or chart. head) work very well. As far as rods, I like the 10 footers. A 7wt., is perfect for the Erie tribs (might go to an 8wt., for Ontario). Lake Erie Highball, Sage’s old RPL 10’ 8wt. was an awesome rod. Very light too. You’ll periodically see them on ebay. My buddy uses a 10’ 8wt. XP and that’s a real nice stick.
As far as steelies up top, I would never recommend it. It was attempted only to see if it could be done, not as an effective fish catching technique. The fly my friend used was a big #8 or #10 green drake pattern that he kept flipping up in front of a small group of fish. Eventually, one got angry enough at it that it came up and slurped it in. He’d have landed it too, (on a boo rod, no less), except some kid in the hole didn’t reel his line in, and tangled with my friend’s line.
Also, I was fishing Elk one time and while I was fishing a pod, one of the fish randomly, casually rose about 2 feet to the surface and took a caddis from the film, then just as casually went back to the bottom. Only ever happened once. No idea why that one caddis was so special, or why he even noticed it.
So I guess if you really want to try it, i’d go with a caddis or a big dun. If for some bizarre reason I was forced to try to catch one up top, I’d probably go with a #8 stimulator in really, really bright flashy colors. Fluorescent orange or something. And flash in the wing and tail. And I’d slap it down right on top of the fish.
tigfly,
That’s a good idea! I’ve got some photos and such that I’d like to post, but if and when I do another post about steelhead, I’ll be sure to include that. A buddy of mine who I’ve been trying to get into his first steelhead finally got some hookups last month, but it’s hard to coach someone in the heat of the moment. Reading and knowing what to expect ahead of time would be great. Thanks for the suggestion!
pspaint, I completely agree with all of your suggestions, though I have caught steel on a #18 standard wire hook. They can straighten hooks, but you just have to know the limits of the hook and fight your fish accordingly. Also many high-carbon steel hooks will actually break before they’ll straighten, so you really have to use the rod, not the hook or tippet, to stay connected.
One of the guys I fish with will stray away and will fish with a guide and pick up poor habits then inflict them on us.
My friend suggested one day while I was fighting a Fish Ohio steelhead (:rolleyes:) to try “side pressure” on the steely, which is to say pressure left and right, as oppose to up and down or pulling the head up. He went on to explain as my line snapped limp and coiled back at my knees like a plate of spaghetti that it only takes a fish to fill an air bladder to rise or sink but takes more energy or strength to swim or fight left or right.
Does that make sense? More side pull, using your reel and rod for pressure as oppose to up pull on your rod? I hope I explained it right. A better analogy would be the rod positioned (as looking at a clock / watch) 47 minutes to the hour or 12 minutes after the hour or Mickey should look he is dancing to the YMCA song and he is doing a Y but he has been at a wedding for 51/2 hours and his hands aren’t so high as like a cheerleaders Y.
After a while, a hooked steelhead goes from ‘insane mode’ (if its a fresh fish), into ‘flop mode’ where they aren’t really doing anything other than keeping you from getting them.