Erie Steelhead Are Running
Recent rains from Hurricane Isadore have finally put some water back into Lake Erie tributary streams. Steelhead are beginning to make their fall run. Western Erie County Deputy Waterways Conservation Officer Randy Leighton reported that, although the water flows were up a little, all stream conditions were still relatively low and clear as of Thursday of this week. The remnants of Hurricane Lili brought more precipitation to the area over the past few days, and steelhead anglers are hoping that more fish will migrate.
The photo in last Saturday’s Herald testifies that a number of area anglers make a trip or two to Erie for steelhead each fall, many others haven’t the slightest idea what the excitement is all about. Here is an Erie steelhead primer.
The Trout
Each year, hundreds of thousands of tiny rainbow trout fingerlings are stocked into Lake Erie tributary streams by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the 3 C U Trout Association. Many return to the same streams years later as much bigger fish, averaging five to seven pounds. Runs, as they are called, occur at various times during the fall, winter and early spring.
Fall runs usually begin in September, but their timing is dependent on flow levels in the streams. Generally speaking, steelhead move at night and rest in calm water during the day. High, discolored water encourages them to move during the day. As long as water levels allow them to move, they continue to swim farther upstream each day.
Steelhead can only enter the largest streams during low flows. The steelhead stack up at the mouths of the smaller tributary streams when it is dry.
Lake-run rainbows are usually silvery in appearance, and their heads have a steel gray color, hence the name steelhead. The big trout may or may not have the characteristic pink or red “rainbow” stripe running down their sides. Some have beautiful rose-red gill covers to accent their silver flanks.
These fish are fighters! I assure you that they battle like no trout that you ever landed in central Pennsylvania. Although my first steelhead was caught in 33-degree water, it still hit like a freight train and fought like a bull. It took me over five minutes to land the six-pound fighter on lightweight mono.
Western Streams
Numerous streams enter Lake Erie along Pennsylvania’s short lake front. Most have soft, ever-changing shale bottoms and look very different from the streams here in the central part of the state. For discussion purposes, they are usually divided into two groups – west and east – based on their relationship to the city of Erie.
Westside streams include: Raccoon Creek, Crooked Creek, Elk Creek, Godfrey Run, Trout Run and Walnut Creek.
Walnut is one of the largest and best Pennsylvania steelhead streams. According to Western Erie County WCO John Bowser, some steelhead have moved over two miles upstream, past Route 20. Walnut tends to get cloudy after rains, and this week it was very cloudy because of bridge construction.
DWCO Leighton reports, “The Walnut Project Water pools have been cleaned out and are holding good numbers of fish. The Manchester Hole on Walnut Creek is holding fish and is crowded with anglers daily. Weekends will mean elbow to elbow fishing, with generally crowded conditions every day.”
Elk Creek, larger than Walnut, also has a good run of fish, especially when you consider the low water. The access area to the mouth has good numbers of steelhead and has been crowded on weekends. Leighton recommends the Legion Park Hole, just off of Rte. 20, because it has had fewer anglers.
The other streams are smaller and usually fished at or near their mouths. Both Trout and Godfrey runs are nursery water and fishing is only allowed in the lake. Leighton reports, “Fishing the lake shore at Trout Run has been the most productive, especially at daybreak.” Weekends have been a circus of anglers, and Leighton advises weekday fishing to avoid the mass of anglers and parking problems. Leighton also reminds newcomers that, because of the stream’s status, “Fishing within 50 yards of the mouth of Trout Run is also [prohibited] between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.”
Conneaut Creek enters Lake Erie in Ohio, but Pennsylvania anglers can fish the area south of I-90 just east of the Ohio border.
Eastern Streams
Stream “namers” lost their creativity on the other side of Erie.The names of all tributaries are based on their relative distance from the city of Erie. The streams in order are Four Mile, Six Mile, Eight Mile, Twelve Mile, Sixteen Mile and Twenty Mile creeks. All of these streams are fished at their mouths or, in the case of the larger Twenty Mile Creek, the lower one-third mile. Twenty Mile is the most popular of the eastern tributaries.
Leighton stated, “East side tribs do not have the numbers of fish that the west side does; however, the angling pressure is far less, especially during the week.” As of earlier this week, Eastern Erie County Waterways Conservation Officer Mark Kerr reported that Twenty Mile had fish up to Rte. 5, and Twelve Mile had steelhead at its mouth. Kerr also related that a 4-lb., 4-oz. pink salmon was also supposedly caught on Twenty Mile Creek earlier in the week. My first Erie steelhead was caught at the mouth of Twelve Mile Creek.
Access
Rte. 5 parallels Lake Erie fairly close to its shore and crosses all tributary streams. Rte. 20 also parallels the lake and crosses all of the larger tribs about a mile farther upstream. Other secondary highways also cross or come close to some streams. I would highly recommend the purchase of Dwight Landis’ book, “Trout Streams of Pennsylvania – an Angler’s Guide,” for details about each stream and public access points.
Bait, Flies and Lures
Low clear water demands small-diameter, low-lb.-test lines and tippets, while higher or off-color water allows heavier line. Fly anglers do well with tiny egg imitations [photo] in size 16 or even 18. Leighton, who is on the streams almost daily, suggests single salmon eggs for bait anglers if the water is clear and egg sacks if the water is higher. According to WCO Bowser, chartreuse Powerbait is also popular. WCO Kerr reported that a steelhead weighing about 13 pounds was recently landed by a fisherman using Powerbait. WCO Kerr also recommends “spoons with blue/silver, green/silver and fluorescent orange/silver color combinations.”
Conditions
Anglers can get up-to-the-minute reports of conditions on Walnut Creek by calling the Access office during the day at (814) 835-7264, or on all streams by checking the website (www.fisherie.com).
Mark Nale can be reached at MarkAngler@aol.com
