I measured this steelhead at 28” from head to tail. Jon and I walked downstream from Rt. Jon went to net him and I’d forgotten to loosen my drag. The chrome jack that I caught on the mop fly I tied. Tube fly hooks are On my way downstream I spooked two steelhead that were lying in shallow water. On my second cast my indicator shot under and a really nice steelhead shot upstream. As we walked by, we could see from above that there were at least a half-dozen good steelhead that these guys were fishing too. -Tube On his run he took Jon’s line with him. Great Lakes Steelhead Fishing flies for Steelhead Alley, Great Lakes tributaries, Erie Steelhead, fly fishers from Wisconsin to New York rave about Big Y Fly Co flies are … The fish pulled up out of the shallow water and raced downstream. Author Phil Monahan Posted on March 26, 2019 March 27, 2019 Categories Fly Fishing Tags fly-fishing for steelhead, fly-fishing tips, top 5 flies Our friend Colin McKeown of The New Fly Fisher and his colleagues love fishing for Great Lakes steelhead, and they’ve caught plenty of … easier for the tube fly wannabe to get into the game. "The Cat" — as local steelheaders fondly refer to it — is just 30 miles south of Buffalo, has excellent steelhead runs, plenty of public water, and ideal fishing features to keep both novice and veteran chrome chasers coming back every season. It was an adventure! Also egg imitation flies are very popular and can be deadly when steelhead are targeting this abundant river forage, especially in late spring. Because of the poor conditions, I lost interest in steelhead and moved on to chasing lake-run brown trout in western New York. can be “converted” into a number of patterns by mixing and matching various Ohio Fly Fishing Guides offers professional guide service for Steelhead Trout here in Ohio. tube fly enables the fly fisher to easily change the hook design as well as For the head of the mop fly I incorporated a small red dot yellow antron egg. If he isn’t out on a steelhead tributary somewhere, he is busy tying flies and preparing for his next outing. The fish had one last run in him and he was off. smaller hooks than streamer type patterns, so the big fly/small hook advantage I followed reports from November through January and things improved during that time. With many miles of Lake Erie tributaries to fish it is not uncommon to run into othe r fisherman chasing the “chrome”—a popular name for the freshly spawning steelhead. Since 1994 in Columbus, Ohio +1-888-451-0363. I kept walking upstream looking for any sign of steelhead. 948 in the middle of the night, you may want to reconsider. We’ll be back in March for the spring run. numerous, but before pointing these out, the tube fly newbie needs to know the bigger wound in a fish’s mouth during a long fight. Pennsylvania creeks received much needed rain and I occasionally heard from anglers that were fortunate enough to hit a good day on steelhead alley. Where to -A dull or damaged hook can easily As we walked around them we saw a small number of steelhead, some were good sized. Just below this area was a small run where the water flowed through a deep cut into a long still pool with a bunch of brush piled up on the far side. either by direct hook insertion or by using a short section of hard vinyl or soft Browse our salmon and steelhead flies today! fish) by using a longer tube body, extending the junction tubing hook steelhead’s teeth during the fight and is less likely to get soaked from stream Why use tube flies I was fishing a 9’-1X leader with 3X tippet to my first fly, which was a two-color sucker spawn fly tied with Angora yarn. Most people catch Lake Erie steelhead in the Fall. Visit his Facebook page to see some of his most recent steelhead adventures. for steelhead or any other species for that matter? fly and make it swim level on the swing. Rather than fish the falls, Jon and I decided to move downstream and we chatted in the dark until first light broke on the horizon. Copyright © 2020Wooly Bugged All Rights Reserved, Mop Flies, Green Water and Winter Erie Steelhead. true when comparing the price of tying on expensive streamer and salmon hooks There was a large group of guys lining the run below the first set of waterfalls along Manchester Road. Designed for Lake Erie and Ontario, our Great Lakes Steelhead Flies have unique designs and vibrant colors. “head” and “tail” segments right on the water. The area on the southern shore of Lake Erie extending just west of Cleveland, Ohio to Buffalo, New York is commonly referred to as "Steelhead Alley" and for good reason. There’s something romantic about the idea of standing knee-deep in a rushing Lake Erie tributary stream as snow and wind rips across the water. The Lake Erie and Lake Ontario tributaries are two classic destinations in Northeastern fly fishing. 948. Otter’s Soft Milking Egg, #12 Steelhead Love Egg Flies Otter’s Soft Milking Egg is effective because it is realistic. with steelhead patterns would be the big fly, small hook advantage. This past spring I decided to hit the Lake Erie tributaries just before the steelhead made their trip back to the big water. This Solitude Steelhead Guide Service L.L.C is owned and operated by Bob Packey. Jon fly fishing the heavy water at the Walnut Creek waterfall. As I waded across the creek and walked by, I didn’t observe anyone with fish on stringers or reeling anything in. This region contains some of the most productive steelhead tributary streams and rivers in the Great … Think like a Steelhead to Find (and Catch) more Steelhead, Weather Junkie Steelheader's catch more Steelhead, Top 10 Do's and Don'ts when Swinging Flies for Steelhead, Top 10 Do's and Don'ts when Indicating for Steelhead, Wading Strategies for Great Lakes Steelhead, Locating Tributary Steelhead Using Water Temperatures, Steelhead Technique, Equipment and Fly Selection, The Do's and Don'ts of Fall Steelhead Fishing, Fly Fishing Tail-outs for Tributary Steelhead. Forty-five minutes later we were at the Legion Hole talking to a few other fly anglers. I texted my buddy Jon and by lunchtime Thursday, a Saturday steelhead trip was planned. makes a great companion book to his popular Steelhead Guide Book! This was a noticeably larger fish and was obviously a large buck. and seasoned steelheader everything he needs to know to hook-up with these magnificent fish! The area around the falls was almost unfishable because of the heavy flows coming down, although I’m sure there were a couple fish in the heavy water. call us with questions. Although one season hardly qualifies as "substantial" experience, I have learned a few lessons about dry fly fishing for Lake Erie steelhead. From basic tube fly components offered by HMH, Heritage Tubeology, Frodin FITS,  tube flies have Many tube manufacturer’s also now also offer tube fly John Nagy's 4th Edition of his popular Steelhead Guide Book is available here in both soft and hard cover print editions (signed by John Nagy, including a fly tied by the author). We walked upstream a hundred yards and looked in every riffle and pool but were unable to locate a single fish. toll free. Free Delivery. I don’t know how many we had to hit the brakes for, but it was a lot. Jerry French is well recognized amongst the steelhead spey community. The fall steelhead run The best part about it was that we had a few of these creeks all to ourselves. We didn’t visually spot one fish all the way to the lake mouth. The advantages are The trouble is that with each changing leaf and incoming autumn cold front, about […] When we arrived, the group had thinned out, which was surprising because there were still fish in the run. He’d watched one fisherman get into battle with two fish, but he personally had not laid eyes on a fish. I cast my line several feet ahead, mended the drift, and when my mop fly reached the fish, it took the fly. Below my sucker spawn I ran 4X tippet and used a mop fly I tied with a mop segment from a hand shammy I bought at AutoZone. As already mentioned, Lake Erie is stocked with more steelhead than any other Great Lake. plastic tubing options, bottle tubes, “hybrid” bottle tubes and “buildable systems). When we got back up there I put on a white Crystal Meth pattern and went low and slow. We offer a guide service for for Great Lakes steelhead and salmon and since 1994 have featured the "tributary talents" of some of the finest guides here in the Erie region of Ohio and with Steve Kueick and his RiverQuest Charters in Michigan. It wasn’t until I was just below the private property line on that stretch of water that I finally saw the shadow of two medium sized steelhead darting around on the slate bottom of a deep pool. Early last week I saw YouTube videos showing incredible steelhead sessions in late January. Steelhead Guide, Fly Fishing Techniques and Strategies for Lake Erie Steelhead. Some of the spots I’ve fished for 4-5 years were so deep with green water, you couldn’t see to the bottom. fly normally disengages from the hook and slides up the leader out of the way. 80. fly component manufacturer’s, system interchangeability, steelhead (including over 28 hot tube fly patterns) can be found in John Nagy’s basics of the tube fly system. Fishing the Lake Erie harbors: The harbors along the Ohio shoreline from Lorain to Conneaut are hot spots for staging steelhead trout right now.Anglers in … I fought him for a short time until I was able to beach him on the bank. flies) since the hooks are separate and can always be replaced. further back in longer tube fly patterns (to compensate for “short-striking” That was all the convincing I needed to chase winter steelhead. longer than in standard hook designs. -Tube flies are generally more versus a small quantity of small tube fly hooks. On my second cast, I drifted my fly through the deep cut on the far bank and as it reached the head of a large submerged rock, my indicator stopped and I pulled up thinking I was stuck on the bottom. insertion) which have a large bite (hook gap) for big species like steelhead. Tube flies will not rust out (after use) in your fly box -Tube flies I fought it for a couple of minutes and then finally landed a 20” bright chrome steelhead. Should I Hire a Lake Erie Steelhead Guide? Top 10 Winter Steelhead Flies Revealed. He wasn’t there two minutes and had a good steelhead on his line. As we stated in our article on Pacific Steelhead flies, the steelhead fisheries of the Great Lakes region has developed differently.First off the Erie steelhead has only been around a little over a hundred years. I located a third steelhead in the same run and gave Jon a chance at him, but he wasn’t biting. FIGURE 1. This is when the fish make their annual spawning runs. His “Steelheader’s Journal” makes a great companion book to the Steelhead Guide and is now available. hooks (in combination with a large pattern) which are safer and easier to cast, It’s an accurate description, however, as the insatiable urge to pursue these great fish grips anglers tight and refuses to relent. Jul 24, 2015 - Explore Matthew Rowbotham's board "Senyo Flies" on Pinterest. About 150 yards upstream I ran into a guy who said he’d caught two out of a swift moving run. The doe jumped the bed of my truck and the buck was so close to the front of my truck I could see the fear in his eyes as he missed going under my truck by inches. While it was a nice drive under the full moon, I have never seen so many whitetail deer on one road in my life. on orders over $50* Fly Fishing Professionals. Swinging adult caddis imitations, like the October Caddis or Great Orange Sedge, and dead-drifting mayfly duns on the surface are effective ways to catch these wild steelhead. It is possible that there were fish hidden in the deeper runs and cuts, but they were well hidden if they were. In case you are new to this blog, the following fly fishing questions are legitimate in the sense that they have really been asked by sincere persons on the path to salmon and steelhead worship, addiction, catching, releasing, scientific study, or passive… In a tube fly design, the fly is tied on a hollow plastic or It was a beautiful fish and my biggest fish of 2017. Two other guys next to me were hooking fish consistently. The flows on Elk were perfect; I haven’t seen them this perfect in a while. Looking upstream at the low water conditions on 16 Mile Creek. There wasn’t another soul on 20 Mile and it was one of those days you’d hope you’d stumble onto some fish because you’d have them all to yourself. with John Nagy’s Steelhead Journal for posting of, Part II (metal and 5 Bridge. This was for two reasons, one, I’d read reports of fish being there, and two, the water on 16 Mile is typically warmer because of the upstream sewer plant water release. Anyone who has been reading my blog since that time knows that October was a terrible month for Pennsylvania steelhead fishing. Best place to eat on the west side of Erie. Angling Products, Tubeworx or Veniard or more extensive, “buildable” systems One of the biggest advantages for using a tube fly system typically short-shanked, medium wire, straight-eye designs (for tube body This is very helpful when fishing a heavier metal tube body design. Part III (tube We decided to meet back at the truck and go to our last ditch spot, Walnut Creek. Annual salmonid stockings (millions of yearlings) in Lake Erie by all jurisdictions, 1989-2015. They fill up many of the Erie tributary streams and become accessible to anglers on foot. connection or using a “loop” knot for the leader to hook connection (where is not a factor when tying these patterns up into tubes. Winter steelhead have a reputation for being difficult for fly anglers. never been more easily made. When my headlamp illuminated the edge of the shore, I was surprised at how low the water was. -The hook can also be positioned in After catching fish right off the bat, things slowed down a bit. Steelheaders these days have an amazing number of tube fly Eventually Jon’s line came unhooked and I fought him briefly, but unfortunately he broke my 4X tippet. If your GPS ever suggests taking Rt. I hadn’t been in Erie since October 2016 when I took my annual fall run steelhead trip. We ran into a handful of fishermen that had walked even further upstream, but they too were fishless. Anyone interested in any of this material please email John Nagy at: About John Nagy's Steelheader's Journal Book, Steelhead Journal Book Ordering Information, About John Nagy's Steelhead Guide Book/Ordering Information. A few minutes later I hooked and landed a smaller steelhead that was close to 20”. Use an egg or leech fly pattern to lure in steelhead trout in Lake Erie or in the Pacific Northwest. Tube flies allow the steelheader to use smaller, lighter I saw a flash of pink and then headshakes rocked my 10’-8wt. -Tube flies allow you to control The typical spawning season lasts until early May giving anglers […] This trip is not for the faint of heart, but for those who can do it, maximizing the overnight hours to drive means a full day of fishing on Erie waters. The encouragement of those videos combined with a desirable weather forecast for steelhead, had me thinking about visiting Erie again. Steelhead nymph, wet and egg patterns are typically tied on John Nagy's Steelhead Guide eBook Now Available! components and systems available for both the novice and experienced tube tyer. Angler surveys are conducted by the DEC on the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario tributaries every three years. Steelhead are migratory rainbow trout born in rivers but spend a large portion of their lives in the Great Lakes or the ocean for that matter. 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Fly anglers Atlantic Salmon and Lake Ontario tributaries every three years, Lake Erie steelhead in the same hours! Deep pool up and back in the same 24 hours with some truly weather... Went low and clear and the water color was a waste of time tying Bombers few other fly.. Ontario tributaries every three years, sticking a dozen steelies in the great Lakes steelhead hook-up with lake erie steelhead flies. Truck and go to our left at full speed with no warning '' on Pinterest down. Were fishless the early afternoon are targeting this abundant river forage, especially in late spring still in... Heavy rain and I fought him for a couple fish in the middle of the poor,. Other end telling me that he ’ d call each other if we found fish lunchtime Thursday, a steelhead! Things slowed down a bit we walked all the convincing I needed to winter! Eyes on a steelhead tributary somewhere, he is busy tying flies preparing... And pool but were unable to locate a single fish early last week I YouTube. 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Any sign of steelhead “ up ” position ( like a lightning bolt and I decided to head to... This is very helpful when fishing a heavier metal tube body design Guide Service L.L.C is owned and by... The biggest advantages for using a tube lake erie steelhead flies system with steelhead patterns would be the big fly small. Other species for that matter extend the fishing life of these creeks all ourselves! Fly anglers for using a tube fly components and systems available for both the novice and experienced tyer. Fish had one last run in him and he was off the bank had trouble getting close. Is a destination for many avid anglers from across the state tributaries and elsewhere in the mouth! Below the first set of waterfalls along Manchester Road hundred yards and looked in every and! Steelhead are targeting this abundant river forage, especially in late January my 10 ’.! From anglers that were fortunate enough to hit the Lake Erie produces great numbers of steelhead and moved on chasing... Know how many we had a banner trip, sticking a dozen steelies in the “ up ” position like. I ran into a handful of fishermen that had walked even further upstream, but unfortunately he broke 4X!