Erie Pa Steelhead

[skeeter@ccia.com]

Well these aren't the biggest but they are some of the first to make the run in Erie, Pa tribs...brought my 3 limit home for the smoker, released 9, lost 4....buggers ran right for the log jams..lol...was going back saturday but going to a gun bash instead...lots of time..will wait now for the big ones to run.
http://tinypic.com/44g807r

[Duffy]

skeeter, nice job! I'm originally from Erie. I remember some great runs in Walnut and Elk creeks. I've got to get back out there sometime.

[Jack]

Nice !

[rubicon]

Skeeter, When do they normally run? I go for the browns every year around veterans day but always seem to be too late for steelhead. It is such a long ride I can only do it once each fall

[skeeter@ccia.com]

I find it hard to believe veterans day would leave you without finding steelhead at least in the tribs of Erie,Pa. Maybe you just found a trib that was not open yet. As the water cools, they stage off the mouth of the tribs and wait for the the streams to open. Early Sept. Seems they enter from the Ohio side first then move along to New York side. So you will find them in these tribs W. and not any in the eastern tibs yet. This is when a boat is needed to get to them. Most of the summer months bring sand/silt down and close off the mouths but for a trickle. Once a good rain opens the mouths, they make the trip in. Mostly the end of September is a good start as colder weather sets in with more rain. It is raining in Erie right now and has been the past week. The streams can get high and unfishable but since most of them are short, they clear up fast. A day or so. If I could only go once a fall, I would go in about the middle to late October when the leaves are at peak color or just off trees. I have never found this time to be without a few runs already made with lots of fish in tribs. If you can find a day with the wind from the South, the mouth of Trout Run in the lake itself will hold tons of them. Just be sure to know regs there. Trout run is off limits to fishing but the lake in front is open certain hours but real hard to get the weather/ waves to cooperate. In these cases, there are train tunnels you can duck under that hold lots of good dry fishing. Chest waders are a must have to get to the good spots although Walnut creek (called the Nut for reasons other than creek name) is most visited trib and gets crowded but you can fish off the wall there. There has been the early birds entering the tribs now but the larger ones seem to be still on the way..Problem is Pa hunting seasons get underway just as the good steelhead fishing does too. This is when I have to blow off a day hunting to get north with those friends that don't hunt. Gotta have the surf and turf and speaking of surf, the smoker has been going today with about 1/2 hr left to remove my last batch of smoked steelhead.
The fish are in the tribs all winter long and can be found till warmer weather sets in and they head back to the lake until next fall. About March/April. Fishing has been great there in winter when pushing snow with the bumper of my truck and Erie can get some snow storms from the lake effect. Good fishing anywhere you go but do try to make it there this fall. Like hooking a torpedo. Great inland place to fish. Have to try the perch fishing in summer too. Good family vacation aboard the Edward John charter and only $28 for adults $18 under 12. Can enjoy the sand beaches with the family while not a day fishing. No sharks in the water either so the kids won't be fishfood.

[RagingBullPa]

Lake Ontario and its manytributaries, my favorite is the Salmon River, In Pulaski , Ny , thats a straight shot up rt 81 to exit 36 in new york , the salmon capital of the east and also a great steelhead fishery, i was up in october and was looking for salmon , and had 75 hookups in one days fishing all steelhead, i wasn't prepared for them i was equipped with a heavier tackle ended up pulling out most of the hooks ,i will be headed back up after christmas weather permitting to try for some of the 20 plus poundersthat are in there, lots of fun on the right tackle i love them on a noodlerod, i did land over 25 steelies but i released all but 1, him i smoked:) i also landed a few king salmon my biggest was a 42 lber which i released let him head up to the hatchery need his genes preserved and redistributed:D , i kept two small 20 lbers , didn't hook into any Coho but they were in the river:(

[skeeter@ccia.com]

pulaski, Ny is a pretty good haul for me but it sounds like worth the trip ...for inland fishing anyhow..sounds like you had fun and what Lb line you use on noodle rod there? I only use 4lb here for the steelies...and just 2 weeks ago got to fish the lake in Erie..did fantastic, took one kid and his dad and turned them on to the first steelhead ...they are hooked now....congrats on your catch....enjoy more like it...

[RagingBullPa]

if i use the noodle rod for King's which i have done several times it is geared up with 10lb on the mainline, leader for kings 14lb, for steelhead 6lb main line 6lb leader lots of sharp rocks in the area of the river i fish in favorite setup is floating jig head with small twisters, when all else fails either egg sacs or the killer secret good ole night crawlers, after all they are trout and they don't hit a crawler light either, favorite holes are ballpark and clambed, for the best info with no bs either the salmon river sports shop 315-298-4343, or all seasons sports right off the exit , you can get your license right there too , , for breakfast , patti's Pit a pat in town , or mcdonalds , stay away from burger king thats a lousy one, if you want a quik meal later they have a Ponderosa, or you take rt 13 to the seaway trail and go to the golden fish resturant. i've been going up there since 1976 love the area especially in the fall salmon run i always stop in the town of Mexico at Behlings Orchards and pick up several 1/2 bushels of new york apples the best there is, from Wilkes-Barre, Pulaski is 187 miles but i cover it usualy a bitless than 3 hours certain areas you can fly low, let me know when your going i just might head up myself , they also have a spring and summer run of steelies called skamania real feisty fish