Guest Report post Posted December 4, 2003 I have never caught a sucker and I believe that they don't come in until the spring, shouldn't be a problem(I hope) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted December 5, 2003 Sucker Spawn works well everywhere I've fished for trout because the two share such similar tastes in habitat. There is a Sucker run in Erie that brings some pretty big fish upstream. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted December 6, 2003 FWIW... I just had a conversation with a friend of mine about a fish we recently caught from an Erie trib. He kept the fish and it was filled with 18 shad. The shad were about 1 1/2" long and about 1" tall. Typical shad appearance. I wonder if anyone has tried to duplicate one in feathers? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted December 6, 2003 hmmmmmmm........that might be worth messing around with shoe. Do you think that they will still be activly "chasing" shad and such in jan? I guess its pretty cold right now so i dunno maybe a few weeks isnt gonna change what there after.....any thoughts??? SD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted December 6, 2003 really think this is going to be a great trip fellas!! and JJ...thanks for the great info!! Always trust the locals!! (yeah, right!!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted December 7, 2003 I do know that people catch them on minnows during the winter months so I would think a shad imitation just might work Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted December 7, 2003 Well then i guess the "tying list" is growing for us then isnt it boys Hows this shaping up for the PA trip? Small black stones Suckers spawn Shad imitations small brown wooly buggers single egg flys maybe some small bead heads like prince nymphs and hares ears????? Anything else??? SD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted December 7, 2003 If the water is up and stained at all you might want some brighter flies as well. I plan on bringing some ESL's. Now I caught my steelies on #6 buggers and plan on bringing some #6 - #10. If the water is stained I don't think the smaller flies would be as good as some slightly larger. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted December 7, 2003 Good point SH i havent been so i dont know if the same flies here will have the same effect over there so when you say brighter are you talking pink/chartruse/and some of the really bright colors we use here sometimes or just something thats a bit brighter than the "natural" colors? Gonna make a trip to the fly shop this week so i want to get everthing at once SD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted December 7, 2003 Yea I don't think there is a big difference in the steelies in MI compared to PA. The small flies are for low clear water and because it is an all shale bottom it can get real clear. If there is any color to the water bigger flies will work and yea all the colors you mentioned should work. Once again I think it all depends on the conditions so I'm planning for anything! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted December 8, 2003 I am just hoping we have decent conditions for you all. It's amazing when you look in a pool and see 100 + fish 6 pounds and bigger. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted December 8, 2003 J. Johnson, I'm hoping you know some of the streams fairly well because I really only know the lower stretches of Walnut and Elk but have heard that the upper stretches of Elk has been doing well lately. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted December 8, 2003 I know them fairly well. Not of local status, but I can get us around. I can get us to the Legion hole and to Folleys on Elk creek and a few points between. I really don't think we will see the crowds you did earlier this year. Winter steelhead keeps most of the yahoos away and only diehards muster up the courage to brave the Erie winter. A good friend works at a tackle shop and gets reports back from the area all the time. So I hope to have some intel on the where's and how's before we meet up. Cant wait ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted December 8, 2003 Got some Erie fish in the last couple of days. They were filled with those little shad I tried to describe. I took some pics of them and will post them tomorrow. Looks like some down-scaled versions from our Salt Water brothers will duplicate them quite well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Report post Posted December 8, 2003 Shoe I'm working on a shad imitation on a size 8 streamer hook, I'll post a pic when I get a good one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
