Goodbye Steelies!

[JoeW]

I'll miss you until next spring. Short season in the feeders for Lake Erie! Now snow, flooding creeks, cold. Only found "good" conditions 3 times-- poor Fall-- water too low, then too high, then snow and cold. Fingers crossed for a very late "Indian Summer" here, but it ain't gonna happen! Good luck to all of you that can still get out on the water. Best----- JoeW

 

[dugger]

They will be back hang in there Joe

 

[Razor]

I think I ate them all

 

[Rudyt]

Steelhead

Hello Joe W,
I just recently joined outdoor-fishing.com and just getting my feet wet. I moved from Syracuse (Clay) and was 35 minutes from the Salmon & Oswego Rivers, I loved to be in the water with my waders with my 10 ft. Steelhead rod in my hand. Some days you couldn't buy a fish but other days Steelhead would make you heart race!!!
I'm in Ballston Spa now and my trip to Pulaski is about 3 hours. doh

 

[JoeW]

Hi Rudy! I'm on the oppsite end of NY-- Just a bit South of Buffalo. Years ago I made the trip to the Salmon River and some other Lake Ontario feeders. Massive fish! But I didn't like the crowds and the 2-3 hour drive to get there. Sooooo, I fish the nearby Lake Erie feeders now- mainly 18-mile Crteek and The Catauraugus. No Salmon now, but loads of nice Steelies! Tough fishing- 18-mile is often too low and clear, and the Cat is often too high and muddy! Prefer my 6-wgt fly rod when I get a chance to use it, but more often it's spinning lures and/or spawn sacs. Geez-- I miss the steelies- nothing like them! Hurry up Oct! Best------ JoeW

 

[Rudyt]

Hello Joe,
I have never fished any of the Lake Erie tribs. I did very well with small yarn flies on a 6# leader tied to a swivel and pencil lead for weight. I mainly used a spinning outfit. Had many hookups if the fish were there. Nothing like hooking up to a Steelhead.

 

[JoeW]

Hi Again, Rudy--- I have some luck with yarn flies, usually in the Spring. But my first choice is a slim profile, little marabou minnow I make up and call a Boo Fly. Water conditions permitting, I like to use a 9' 6wgt fly outfit, but higher water or on the bigger creeks, I use a 10 foot 8lb spinning outfit with a 4-6 lb leader and fish the Boo flies on a float rig. Are you familiar with float rigs! Really works well with flies or bait!
On occasion, I straight spin for the Steelhead with a 7 foot 8 lb spinning rig. Any 1/4 - 1/2 oz spinning lure as long as it's a Little Cleo (LOL!).

It's nice for me- I can drive for 10 minutes and be fishing 18-mile creek, or 20 minutes and be on the big Catauraugus, with three or four other little creeks in between. The only problem is finding the water in fishable condition. Looking forward to Sept-Oct already! Best---- JoeW