Steelhead on a sprey fly.

Hello all you silver rocket fans. There is I might say that the most efficient way to fish for Erie steelhead is a fly rod and all the related tackle that is needed and a vary and vast amount of steelhead flies that start at the nypth twenty four size on up to number four hook dressed with hackle. A really older method is the spey rod and line that cast a very small and tight loops and with pin point accuracy for good distance.

The flies used for this type of spey casting are many like a bugger or streamer but a newer fly that has worked very well is a tube fly made of a cone like plastic or metal brass or stainless steel that is threaded with your fly line tipped or leader. Then the cone is dressed with flashabo or marrabo and then the hook is tied on and is usually a single hook.
Please take a look at the picture above.

A web site that has more information on this interesting angling is http://www.flyfishusa.com/lines/About_Spey_Fishing.html

Have fun and enjoy the great outdoors.

Tackle this tackle box.

Well you must know a fisherman's prize is the one or many tackle box that they own or share.
The question is what is your favorite lure or bait for our favorite fish mister steelhead.
A large group of anglers have taken to the fine and true art of fly fishing and this is a truly a art
of angling and most have transferred there tackle from casting of bait and lures to the fly rod and fly reel and fly box.
The fly fishing opportunity's have increased in steelhead fishing to a lot of specialized tackle for steelhead which is in my opinion is a very good way to catch a limit and enjoy the fight of a life time.

The spincast or spinning tackle that most new entry's to the hobby are a little under sized with a medium weight rod and reel for a ten pound plus steelhead will destroy the tackle that is used with this type of tackle.
The best that any new angler can do is purchase a medium to heavy spinning rod in about six to seven foot long in a medium taper and matched to a reel with at lease eight to ten pounds in a spool capacity of about one hundred and fifty feet.

The meat and potatoes of the subject is the actual tackle the box or boxes of lures and terminal tackle that anglers buy and use with success on the silver rockets that we chase in the tributary of the Mecca of Erie.
What do you use and what is your special bait or tackle, well most use a varied type of spoons and jigs witch deserve a blog of its own.
The spinners and spoons that need a action and deep control that the angler must impart on there lure are a learn art that needs repetition and practice.
So enough work on this post and more time on the water and fish on and screaming reels to all.

The hole at the legion.

Here is a picture of upper elk creek near state route twenty near the American legion and there is a nice hole on the opposite cut bank of limestone and further down towards the legion hall is a fifteen foot water fall and lots of oxygen in the water for steelhead.

The elk creek flats.

Here lies cold elk creek near
Sterrentia near state route ninety
eight. Notice that this creek has water from a treatment plant nearby and very rarely freezes so it is a prime location for steelhead in late fall early winter.

The ice at walnut marina this past winter.

This is a good time to have a chance to have a great time on the cold water and the catch will vary with time and location from perch to steelhead in your creel .
Please stay safe and always keep your self and any one else dry and warm. A good snowmobile suit and layers of warm clothing will work.
Please only warm soup or coffee and tea in a thermos work great but no alcohol.
Fishing tool for a Erie winter angling trip are a spud a metal shaft with a sharp chisel end for chipping a hole in the ice or a auger hand or gas motor drive.
A small rod and reel about two to three feet long and a spincast open or closed face reel works fine.
A ice fish up that is placed over your hole and eight or six inches in diameter only so there is not a chance anyone can fall in your open ice hole.
A shield from the cold wind and driving snow will make your time on the ice more enjoyable.
This can be made from a old plastic sled you may have to barter from your children.
A few old buckets about twenty or thirty pounds that will store you tackle and fish or supplies.
These should include a tackle box of small jigs and small lures, I will have more on this subject soon so report back but meal worms and maggots are your tipping baits that are impaled on the hooks of your tackle.

While you are in negotiations with your children please ask if a fun time on the hard water is a cool opportunity to have a day with you children and enjoy there interaction to the best outdoor hobby fishing on hard water.

The Erie steelhead fishing blog.

Hello all you great Pennsylvania sportsman who are blessed to be living in a outdoors sporting treasure chest of activity's in the great north west counties and for steelhead that would be Erie and your choice of east or west Erie tributary.
The sport fishing capital for many vary species of fish, The king for me is the silver rockets that patrol the creeks and tributary of Erie.
These beautiful creatures demand respect from any angler that will match is wits and brute strength of a lake run fresh steelie will tax your equipment and leave you crying, I have been there and done that with twelve pound test noodle rod at nine feet long, still I came up short and a large tear formed on my cheek.
This blog will try to up your catch percentage but please follow good sports man practice with your harvest rate and please return some of these great specimens to fight another fight.