Spring Steelhead

 

Days are getting longer, the winter snow & ice are melting away and the official start of spring is just days away.  Trout fishing is a month or so till it’s spring peak.  How do you shake off cabin fever and use some of the flies you spent all winter creating?  It’s the beginning of the short, but sweet, spring steelhead season.  Many of the tactics you know and use throughout the fall work great.  However there’s plenty of dropbacks returning to the lake looking for an easy meal and will aggressively strike flies passing by.  Spring is a great time of year to sight cast, swing flies and even take an aggressive fish on a skated or waking fly.  What an exciting way to bring in the new season.  I look forward to seeing you on the stream.

Steelhead Extreme

The steelhead season continues even with low water conditions and warm temperatures.  Lake Erie is finally below 50 degrees which will spark even more fish to run as the end of November approaches quickly.  With above average temps and plenty of rain in the forecast the season is going to continue to be excellent well into January. 
The Clarion river is still producing some great trout fishing for the drifting angler.  Great water levels and very cooperative trout is making this one of the best fall seasons yet!
I look forward to seeing you on the river.

More Fresh Chrome!

Steelhead, steelhead and more steelhead.  It's time for great steelhead fishing now!  Not only are the tribs full of fish, there are fresh chromers to dark spawners all over the place!  Things are looking excellent for the remainder of November with increasing numbers for December.  Everything from intruders to skating flies have been working well.  Watch the flows and rig according to the pool you are fishing.  See you on the streams.

Steelheading Extravaganza!

Steelhead Mania!

It's ON!

This weeks report is "ITS ON"!  The steelhead are in and in great numbers this year.  All of the creeks have excellent fishing on them and it's time to go.  The trout fishing remains great and will continue through winter.  I'm already thinking of the excellent spring run off streamer season for trophy wild browns and the great spring dry fly action.  Until then the steelhead will have to keep the rod bent and the line ripping.  See you on the water!!!

Big Steel!

Steelhead Pictures

Lake Erie Steelhead

This week proved to be a nice one to be on the water.  Low clear conditions prevailed on the Erie Tributaries.  To the patient fly angler, carefully working through the riffle, runs and pools with precision and stealth a reward in bright chrome leaping from the depths at the end of the line was the pay off.  With rain in the forecast for the rest of the weekend, some of the creeks will fish better than others.  Early next week water conditions should be prime!  Good Luck this steelhead season and I'll see you on the tribs!

Fresh Chrome

Allegehny and Clarion River Reports

With the fall air moving in and sporadic rain showers the Allegheny River is fishing great!  In the past week it appears that the Corp has changed the outflow to bottom release with drastic drops in the rivers water temperatures.  This has done allot to improve the quantity of fish being landed.  Though Caddis, Slate Drakes (Iso's) and blue winged olives are present the majority of the fishing still remains sub surface. 
The Clarion river still needs a nice blast of water as it remains at summer low flow.  The fishing on the river remains good early morning.  Once the fall rains begin to move in the Clarion's fishing will get better.  Most of the fish have been average fish with a few large browns being caught.
This week's forecast is for rain daily, through the weekend.  Once we receive a good push of water, 400CFS or better, we will see steelhead distributed throughout Cattaraugus creek.  The reservation fishing remains slow with catches of mostly jacks and the occasional adult steelhead.  Once we receive good runs (stocks) of fish I'll update more on this falls run.  See you on the river (heading to the Catt today).........