Need Steelhead tips

[Ajoj26 0]

I'm new to steelhead flyfishing, I have a TFO 10ft 7wt rod, but not sure what flies I should use in my box, any suggestions for Erie PA?

[Dave G. 0]

Never fished it but done some reading on there and also Niagra area for rivers and Steelhead. I studied up on Niagra in fact and life got in the way of that trip, so still haven't made it there ! Not the lake so much, what I read about the lake pertained to trolling rigs with hardware.. Looks typical in rivers, various egg patterns in size 6-10, double flies, one on a dropper, Prince nymphs, Stones. Plan on sizes 12-18 depending on water conditions and time of year etc. Crystal nymphs too. Best I can say till someone who really knows the area comes on board. Oh and they like a good drag free drift, I've watched videos on that with western Steelhead fishermen. I can't imagine they are so different in the Erie area.

[Rocco 0]

Streamers. Look up the forage fish in the river and tie up some imitations. I'd bet emerald shiners would work and sculpins too. Attractor streamers -- like Mickey Finns and black and purple or chartreuse color combinations on dark days or stained water-- also work on GL steelies. Swinging tube flies is beginning to catch on in the region too. Wooly buggers in several colors and sizes also deserve a place in your box.

 

Nymphs. Forget any nymphs smaller than a size 10 and then use only the sharpest and most robust hooks that won't straighten out on these hard fighting fish. Hex and stonefly nymphs work great elsewhere in GL streams too.

 

In the fall, the steelies will be grouping downstream behind salmon redds to scoop up eggs so egg imitations -- some even in outragousy garish colors -- are in order.

 

Take a tying kit with you as there is iron rule something will be hot that you do not have.

 

Good luck!

Rocco

[artimus001 0]

here is an excerpt from ICJ's page about steelheading....

 

"....I have not listed any sizes to the flies because in high fast water you may need a size #6, but in low clear water, you may need to drop down to a size #18. The list is compiled in no particular order. I just glanced over my steelhead and salmon fly boxes as I typed this.

 

Muddlers in Copper and Black, Zonkers in White, Blue and Grey, Mickey Finn, Blacknosed Dace, Egg and Yarn flies, The Thundercreek series, Dark Spruce, Hornberg, Matukas in Black and Olive, Sculpins, pick a colour, but fish them deep, Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear Nymph, Pheasant Tail Nymph, The White Puke fly, Logie, Jeannie, Blue Charm, Green Butt Skunk, Muncher Nymph, Caddis Fly Nymphs, Bomber (dry), Double Elk Hair Caddis (dry), Klinkhammer Special (dry), Stonefly Nymphs in Black, Yellow and Peach, Blue Thunder, Michigan Wigglers and last but not least the Sparkler."

 

http://www3.sympatico.ca/ianjames/steelhead.html

 

not listed are his 3 Orvis flies: Brass Ass, Smack em Spey, and the Crunchy Caddis.

 

http://www3.sympatico.ca/ianjames/orvis.html

[Bryon Anderson 0]

Great Lakes Steelhead, Salmon and Trout: Essential Techniques for Fly Fishing the Tributaries, by Karl Weixlmann. Very comprehensive book, lots of great fly patterns that are specific to these watersheds.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Lakes-Steelhead-Salmon-Trout/dp/0811735834/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436472194&sr=8-1&keywords=fly+fishing+for+great+lakes+steelhead%2C+salmon+and+trout

[artimus001 0]

that looks like winner Byron.

[Tim Shovel 0]

Ajoj26, I personally have no experience fishing for steelies, but i have been told their quite agressive and will readily take large baits and minnows, but for real experience tips and tricks, i would recommend re posting this in cold water species forums. Good luck though, post some pics if you catch any.

[islander727 0]

I used to live in NE Ohio, in the thick of things. The majority of fish I caught were on a black #16 hairs ear. I'd rig it as a dropper a foot or so underneath a chartreuse sucker spawn (#14). Place a split shot a few inches above the s spawn. If the water was crystal clear, I'd switch to a natural hairs ear and a more earthy color (cheese) sucker spawn. During periods of higher, dirtier water, I'd just drift an olive or black woolly bugger.

 

This is another fly they love (not sure what it's called)

[Gene L 0]

That looks like the Y2K.

[islander727 0]

Egg cluster fly! That's the name!

 

Link: http://globalflyfisher.com/tiebetter/eggs/

 

The Y2k, at least the one's I purchased in Georgia, look like this (two egg yarns tied side by side, resembling a caddis wing)

 

And I'm sure those would work equally as well.

[corney 0]

Ajoj26, I personally have no experience fishing for steelies, but i have been told their quite agressive and will readily take large baits and minnows, but for real experience tips and tricks, i would recommend re posting this in cold water species forums. Good luck though, post some pics if you catch any.

 

Steelies are a fish of a thousand casts where I fished them in BC.

 

That would be awesome if they would readily take my offerings! Lol

 

I will say once it takes and dances across the top of the water it is worth every cast!

[Bruce Derington 0]

Erie steel will hit just about anything, I fish a peach estaz , a streamer called the Triple Threat, whooly bugger, lot of small stuff, prince nymph, hares ear. Erie is water dependent, Low water is common and when in those conditions go small

[artimus001 0]

one thing to consider are the feeding phases that steelhead go through; from the time they start enter the river system in the fall, to the last of the fish leaving after the spawn.

 

the basic rule of thumb that i use is: minnows for fresh fish, eggs for sorta fresh fish, nymphs for the rest.