Steelhead Alley Report

[trout fanatic]

Just got back from my trip to Ohio fishing lake erie tribs for steelhead. The river we intended to fish was blown the entire trip so we set about finding tributaries. None of us had ever fished the tribs before so it was like taking baby steps but on the first day I had a beautiful 26 inch male slurp a blue vibrax spinner bait and the fun began. That was the only fish of the day for us but it was only Sunday-my vacation didn't really start until Monday and the skunk was already off so I was happy! Monday found us fishing in a steady rain all day. Even the small tribs were on the rise and we all wore a skunk for the day. Bummin heavy. Tuesday everything was blown so we used the time to search for more water. Wednesday-tribs are on the way down so we put our gear on and headed in different directions looking for suitable holes. I caught a 26 inch male and a 26 and a half inch pig (this thing really had some girth to it) both on spinner baits. My brother also scored a nice fish but my nephew has yet to join the fun. On Thursday I caught a puny 15 incher on a jig and maggot. Smallest steelie I have ever caught but it fought like the dickens. My nephew finally scored a bright chrome 25 inch or so hen (his first ever) and decided to keep it to take home. That night we made up some egg sacks (this was new territory for me as I had never used sacks before) and Friday found us in the same trib ready to do battle. I scored 3 fish for the day-2 25 inch males and a 26 inch hen. My nephew went nuts on us and landed 5 and lost several others. An interesting sidenote occurred when I met a young local who was also fishing egg sacks. This guy just flat killed them pulling 10 fish out of one hole then moving down and catching 9 out of another! It was an education I tell you and I was watching intently. That ended our trip and it was back on the road for me. Had a great time-fished some new water-and met some incredibly gifted fishermen. Can't wait for next year!!

[flyfishmaster]

TF,

I bet the best part of your trip was finding new water to fish since the weather was not in your favor at the beginning of your trip.

Good info. Where there any flyfishermen in the water? If so how were they doing?

FFM

[trout fanatic]

Fly fishermen do quite well (I usually flyfish only but a sore wrist put the dampers on that). Swinging streamers, and drifting prince nymphs, GRHE's and some of the local egg patterns (sucker spawn, crystal meth etc) and a mysis shrimp seem to be the local favorites. Lots a fun. Finding new water was a real hoot and will better prepare me next year. Kin hardly wait