Steelhead

[Tbeck]

Man those Erie tributary steelhead are BIG this year .
I've hooked at least 40, landed just 4. I had to swap over to a 0x leader and 1x tippet to get anything to shore. None have been under 25" and none under 11lbs.
Their smart too. I've had 4 swim downstream into jagged rock's to cut/break off the line. The 4 I've landed (2 buck, 2 hens) were all a 10 minute battle to land.
Had 2 on again today, but both spit the fly back at me. That's alright cause I never take them home anyhow. But I do enjoy the challenge and fight

[Tbeck]

Caught 5 yesterday, and four of them I didn't know I had hooked until I waded out. Thought I was snagged on a rock and upon wading in my line started moving, lol.

[Tbeck]

Had 10 on today and about another 10 hits with no luck.
I tried something today I was reading about on the net and it worked really well, not sure I like it but it definitely works. In a nut shell; you put an indicator AKA bobber on your fly leader at approximately the depth of the water you are fishing. About 14-16" below the bobber you attach a couple split shot. Then you toss the line upstream keeping the fly line taunt and let it slow drift with the current. Your fly is of course now near the bottom of the stream bed where the steelhead hang out.
First off I really don't care for bobber fishing and secondly casting a fly line with a bobber takes some work. Can't argue with the results though.
Now mind you the water level was up, and it was very cloudy due to the recent rains, which also means fast moving water. I definitely wouldn't fish this way in clear normal moving water, but works for fast dirty.

[tabasco]

Great posts, thanks.

[Tbeck]

Thanks Tom. I just figured it might be nice reading something other than the usual political garbage that always ends in argument.
Flintlock season came in the day after Christmas but I can't go out because of the surgery limitations. Was going to go to camp with my son and sit on the back porch with my flintlock but he seems preoccupied with other things. Maybe next week he'll decide to go.

[Tbeck]

This is kinda interesting.
PA has reduced or free fishing licensing for disabled veterans. If you are 100% disabled it's free, and 60-90% it's $2.97. However PA sells what they term a "combination" license which basically allows you to fish any species including trout, AKA steelhead. However they do not sell a DAV combination license. That means that a DAV has to purchase the fishing license for 2.97 and the additional trout stamp for $14.97. So roughly your spending $18.00 for the two licenses and a trip to the courthouse to get them when a regular combination license only costs $20. Hardly makes it worth the trip to the courthouse when you factor in paying for parking.

[Tbeck]

Going to take a couple day's off fishing until the temperature goes back up into the upper 30's.
Lot's of "internet" expert's explaining how to catch winter steelhead and claiming the fish bite in all temperatures. No they don't