Stinko de Mayo

It certainly didn’t feel like May 5 this morning in northeast Ohio. The temperature at the river read 30°. It felt more like February. But, because of schedules and timing I was going to hit the river today for one last crack at some chrome before saying Adios for the year. In fact, I downsized my rig, putting the 8wt away, and knocking the cobwebs off the 6wt. My thinking was that I may come across a lake-run smallie, and the 6wt would be perfect. And, if I hook a dropback, the 6wt could handle the fight.

I wish I could have tested my thinking but that would have required fighting a fish. I had one strike while watching a juvenile eagle pick something off the bank downstream, and was late with the hookset. If I had a dollar for every strike I had while distracted I’d have more than a few bucks in my pocket.

Overkill? Maybe. Certainly felt cold this morning.

So, let’s hope for warmer temperatures and a margarita or two. If not, it’ll feel more like Stinko de Mayo.

Go out and fool a fish!

The Pause That Refreshes

Can't believe January passed me by. I took the month off from chasing chrome. Not by design, it just happened. Actually, I spent a lot of time beginning to teach myself Spanish. This is to correct a mistake I made in high school a long, long time ago. I chose French as a freshman and that ended up a bust.

I also recharged my batteries. Just stepping away from the water for this short period made me appreciate even more the time that I do get to spend on one of the greatest hobbies man has ever created.

I'm ready to catch some chrome.

With that said, the calendar change to February and I’m ready to catch some fish, if there’s any left. From the reports I’ve seen there have been many great catch days out there. As a “pescador” I want some of that.

Go out and catch a fish!
Sal y engana a un pez!

Blame It On The Cat

I was able to get out yesterday and hunt for some chrome for the first time in a couple of weeks. Leaving the house pumped to get a tug on a swung streamer I made my way to a local Lake Erie tributary. That feeling did not last long.

Driving through the park a little after sunrise I was startled by a black cat running in front of my car. Oh crap! Just what I didn’t need. Funny thing is, I am not superstitious in everyday life except when fishing is involved. I quit packing bananas for a snack a few years ago and noticed that I don’t get skunked as often. And, on several occasions after catching a fish on the first cast of the day and nothing after I now always make a half-hearted attempt at the first cast of the day. Now I have to add a black cat to my superstition checklist.

The day went as expected. Not even a bump for a couple of hours. Maybe it was the low and clear water conditions. Maybe I just picked the wrong stretch of river to fish. Or, maybe the cat knew I am a dog person and was seeking revenge. Anyway, it’s a good excuse for not catching anything.

This is what I didn't catch yesterday, and I'm blaming it on the cat.

(Click on image for a larger view.)

Go out and fool a fish!

Parking Lots Are Full In Steelhead Alley

And so are the rivers, filled with fishermen and steelhead. The spring run in northeast Ohio is peaking and fishermen are flocking from all over to get their share of chrome. In the last week there have been license plates from Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York occupying spaces in various parks. All in the pursuit of steelhead. And, they have been rewarded.

There’s chrome everywhere. Fast, shallow water right now holds a good share of steelhead, as the spawning urge has taken over. Dropbacks, those fish that have completed spawning and are making their way back to Lake Erie, can be found in the deeper, slower pools. Steelheaders, either by themselves or with the help of a guide, have been enjoying multiple fish days, many in double digits. Get them while you can. In about a month it will be over.

Teamwork at its best. Two guide-client teams work a section of the Grand River.

Minutes after this photo was taken two other fishermen filled in the water between them.

Space is at a premium this time of the year. 

This hen put up a good fight but the rigors of spawning took a lot out of her.

The scars prove it.

One of the nice things about April is that smallmouth bass start to show up in the rivers. Fish for steelhead in the first full month of Spring and there’s a good chance you will hook into a big, lake run smallie. If you catch one this time of year you are in for a treat, as a lake run smallmouth bass will fight just as hard as a feisty steelhead.

Hard fighting, lake run. smallmouth bass can be caught this time of the year.

Right now, there’s no better time to catch your personal best metal, whether it is chrome or bronze.

Go out and fool a fish!

A Lesson In Patience

I caught a fish nymphing. This should not be a surprise as 90% of what a fish eats is subsurface. But, it is a surprise for me. Surprising because I rarely have the patience to nymph fish. Besides, I enjoy throwing streamers. Oh, I start with good intentions. I’ll spend time rigging up a leader with a fly, split shot and a strike indicator. Then, I’ll methodically work a stretch of water watching the indicator for a take. But, after a tangled mess due to poor casting technique or 30 minutes (whichever comes first) I give up, and tie on a streamer. This is probably the reason I don’t catch a lot of steelhead during the winter months, but have good success in the fall. Chrome sitting in cold water for weeks do not want to chase a streamer. If you don’t put the streamer right in front of them few will chase it. So, after going fishless for longer than I can remember, something different had to be done. And, if that meant having patience and sticking with a nymph rig, so be it. Glad I did.

I tried to stack the deck in my favor. Instead of fishing one of the big tributaries I hit a smaller creek. If I didn’t have to make long casts with the nymph rig I might stay away from tangles. And, I was going to fish a nymph until I caught a fish. Feast or famine. After the first half hour negative thoughts started creeping into what is left of my brain. And, I was getting itchy to tie on a streamer. But no, I soldiered on.

Then it happened. The strike indicator went under. I got a good hookset, and the fight was on. The steelhead made a couple of nice runs but in the small creek it had nowhere to go. A nice, rosy colored steelhead came to hand.

Nicely colored steelhead fooled by a nymph.

(Click on image for a larger view.)

So, what did I do to celebrate? Two casts later I snagged the rig, broke it off, and tied on a streamer. But, life is good. My 0 for a long time was over.

Go out and fool a fish!

A Good Start To The Year

What an unusual start to 2019. Just four days into the year and the weather couldn’t be better in northeast Ohio. The rivers could be locked up with ice. They’re not. We could have a foot of snow on the ground. We don’t. The temps could be way below freezing. They’re not. Near 50° as I write this. That makes a guy want to get out and chase some chrome.

I chose a spot far up the Chagrin, only a mile or so from Chagrin Falls. It’s a nice stretch of water, not very wide, with a few deep holes. This section doesn’t see the pressure that other spots do, as most fishermen prefer the northerly sections of the Chagrin. With all that said, I did share the water with another fisherman. In fact, I followed him downstream, hitting the same runs and pools that he fished. Normally, I’ll shy away from following someone but for some reasons I felt good about being second in line. He wasn’t having any luck. I wasn’t either…until I did.

All it took was a cast that bounced off the opposite bank. The slow current took the purple woolly bugger downstream. The take was very light. I was going to chalk that take up to sluggishness on the fishes part until it ran downstream the length of the pool. It was done after a couple of other runs and came to the net easily.

This 25" steelhead put up a good fight after a very light take.

(Click on image for a larger view.)

Good color on the gillplate.

I am easy to please. Today was “one and done”. Stealing a day on the water in January, and catching some chrome will make up for some the dark days of winter that I’m sure will find us.

Go out and fool a fish!

Sometimes You Just Have To Laugh At Yourself

I managed to get out for a couple of hours on one of my favorite stretches of water. It’s a spot where this time of the year offers more action than a half off sale on Black Friday. Rigging up the night before, I didn’t even agonize over the choice of streamer. All indications pointed to white, as the fresh push of steelhead still had shiners on their mind. Good choice, even if I did get in my own way for a bit.

Sure enough, within a few minutes of stepping in the water, I hooked and landed a strong male that exhausted itself with multiple runs up and down the pool. Too tired to thrash around, the chrome posed for a quick picture, and was released. I checked the knot and leader, making sure no nicks showed up that could weaken the connection. Everything looked fine, so I moved on to another spot.

Strong male with some nice color

 (Click on image for larger view.)

This close-up shows a nice hooked jaw. Its been around a few years.

There’s a stretch of water, probably 60 yards long, that has a deep slot where steelhead will lay waiting for their next meal. For the second time in a row I had the water to myself, so I waded to the head of the run and began the methodical cast, swing, step process. A few casts in and I snag the rig on a rock. Working it free without disturbing the water, I again checked the knot and leader. It all looked fine. Continuing to cast I made my way downstream. Something didn’t seem right. There are no guarantees when fishing but I should have gotten at least a bump through that stretch. I decided to reel in and move to another spot. It’s about this time I let out a sharp expletive, followed by laughter. After all, fishing is supposed to be fun, isn't it? Somewhere, somehow, the streamer came off. Inspecting the leader, there still weren’t any nicks, or the telltale curly tippet that exposes a failed knot. I can’t explain what happened or when it happened. I don’t know if I was streamerless for one cast or twenty. Normally, during the backcast I can see the streamer as it travels behind me. I must have zoned out because I can’t recall even watching the backcast.

After all that, I still went home a happy guy. Spent time on the water, caught a fish, and laughed at myself. Can you say that?

Go out and fool a fish!

Perfect Steelhead Weather

There is never a bad time to be on the water, but some days are just better than others. Yesterday was one of those days. Fishermen chasing steelhead around the Great Lakes in the fall and winter know that weather will play a part in their pursuit of chrome. Usually they can eliminate the sun, as it seems to appear as frequently as Halley’s Comet this time of the year. That leaves everything else on the table, and yesterday had just about everything else. And it was fun.

I was anxious to hit the river as the water was back to fishable levels after last weekend’s rain and snow. The bump in flows should have brought in some fresh steelhead. The weather forecast called for some rain coming in over the next few days, so I felt Friday morning was the best opportunity to hit the river.

The morning was perfect. Grey skies were dripping rain, snow and sleet like a leaky faucet. Fog shrouded the tops of the trees that were no longer bearing any color. When I arrived at the parking lot I was surprised that no other cars were there. That couldn’t be right. I expected to share the river with at least a half dozen other fishermen. Weather doesn’t keep steelheaders from their time on the water. Maybe I picked the wrong spot to fish?

Perfect day for steelheading but an empty river. Unusual for a Great Lakes tributary.

(Click on image for a larger view.)

Working my way downstream on the trail I came to another surprise. A beaver made his or her mark on a tree. A perfectly gnawed tree stood near my first fishing spot. One more night of work and that tree will be used to build an addition to a den.

A beaver has been very, very busy.

Continuing to walk downstream, I finally arrived at a series of pools that almost always hold fish. It felt strange to wade into the water, look around, and not see another fisherman. I knew it was just a matter of time before someone showed up so I made the best of my time and worked through the pools quickly. The first pool produced nothing. Then I noticed a few dead shiners laying in the water, and immediately switched from a dark color woolly bugger to a white one. At this point, the rain changed to wet snow. There was no wind, so the flakes gently hit the water like a well-presented dry fly. I had to take advantage of the perfect weather and an empty river.

Moving to the next pool I told myself there has to be fish in here. The pool had depth, structure and some current. Heck, I’d live there if I was a fish. After making a few casts I moved to the tail of the pool. The snow had changed back to rain and drops were now noticeable on the water. I made a cast to the opposite bank and let it swing across the tail of the pool. Just as the line straightened I felt the tug. The fresh steelhead made several strong runs. Getting it close, I reached with the net when it made another run, this time behind me. It made a move for a downed tree but I managed to steer the fish away from it. Finally, showing some exhaustion, it came to the net again. A nice, 25” hen found a temporary home in the bottom of the net. After a quick picture it was released to live another day.

The end to a perfect morning on the water.

There must have been something about yesterday and the color white. On the Facebook Steelhead group I belong to there were three or four other steelheaders who reported catching chrome on a white streamer or lure. What’s interesting is the rivers were 30 miles apart. Maybe the fresh steelhead were still keying in on shiners that are plentiful in Lake Erie.

Perfect comes in many different forms. My morning had perfect weather, no other fishermen, and fresh chrome.

Find your perfect.

Go out and fool a fish!

A Good Sign For The Future

In northeast Ohio we got the big rain everyone had been waiting for. It started the first big push of steelhead of the fall. After the rivers became fishable there were reports that a considerable number of young steelhead were being caught. These fish generally range in size from 14”-18”. It is possible that many of those fish are making their first visit to a river since their stocking. I felt a little field work was in order to check out these reports.

I hit the Chagrin River for a rare afternoon of fishing. For the first couple of hours I thought the river was devoid of fish. I hit every pool and run that had produced in the past. Not even a bump. I was going to call it a day when I decided to try a section of the river that had a nice current, but was less than two feet deep. It turned out to be the best decision of the afternoon.

What was a skunking turned into 25 minutes of activity, all in about 20 yards of water. Swinging an olive woolly bugger I hooked into what I thought was a good size chrome. It fought hard, and then jumped not more than a rod length away from me. I smiled when I realized it was one of the young steelhead. It continued to put up a good fight, but quickly found the bottom of the net. I want to catch this same fish in a couple of years.

This young chrome put up a great fight. I want to catch it again in a couple of years.

They don't get much fresher than this.

(Click on image for a larger view.)

Moving a few feet downstream I hooked into another young one, followed by another a few casts later. My final hookup was a bigger chrome that I don’t think fought as hard as the first one landed. All this fun in a short amount of time! To me, this is what makes fishing for steelhead fun. I’m not a big fish guy or a big numbers guy. I just like to catch fish, big and small. I can’t control what size the fish is. To me, it’s like opening a present at Christmas.

So, are there more young steelhead in the rivers this year? Well, based on my afternoon and other reports I’d say yes. And, that bodes well for the future.

Go out and fool a fish!

A Pelvis, A Tug, A Bump and A Bonus Bronze

Late last week, before the rain blew out the rivers, I was able to get on the water and hunt for some chrome. The rivers were low and in need of a fresh shot of rain, but very fishable. My usual routine is to swing some flies and hope for a couple of hookups. I got that, and a little more. What I experienced was outside a normal outing.

The Pelvis

Everyone who fishes rivers has seen animals, both dead and alive. That’s nature. Spend enough time on the water and you will run into a deer, mink, or beaver. Occasionally they will die there.

Walking along the bank to get to a pool I ran across a deer pelvis. In the past, I’ve seen fragments of one but not the entire structure. My first thought was I was being transported to an X-Files episode. The holes give the bone a ghoulish look, perfect for Halloween. I had to take a picture but decided not to disturb it fearing some bad ju-ju.

Pelvis, late October, Halloween. Not your everyday find.

(Click on image for larger view.).

The Tug

Like many fly fishermen, I have fun swinging a fly for chrome this time of the year. The fish are fresh, and willing to move for a baitfish imitation. That’s when you will get the tug, and there’s no doubt a fish is on.

I was working a pool that had been productive in the past. It’s deep, with good flow, and some structure. Not only have I caught steelhead in this pool but it is a great spot for smallies during the summer. I made a cast toward the opposite bank and let the flow swing the fly through the pool. Just as the swing was straightening I felt the tug. Immediately the fish came to the surface, splashed around, and made a move to the opposite bank. As if it hit a wall, the fish changed direction. Now, I’ve had steelhead move up and down the river but I’ve been able to control them with side pressure. This time I could only hold on. The line was coming off the reel faster than I’ve ever seen. In a timeframe that felt like two seconds, the fish was 30 yards downstream and not stopping. It was so fast I didn’t have time to get out of the water and chase after it. All I could do is hold the rod high. From past experience I knew I was in trouble. Too much fly line in the water will often lead to a long distance release. Sure enough, the fish kept moving downstream, and all of a sudden the line went slack.

Damn. I don’t know if it was the biggest steelhead I’ve hooked into, but it was definitely the hottest.


The Bump

Licking my wounds from the tug, I made my way upstream to another pool. Using the same woolly bugger, I made a cast and felt a bump. I instinctively set the hook and nothing. So, was it a rock or a short strike? Only one way to find out. I made another cast in the same area and sure enough, another bump. I set the hook, and nothing. I quickly made up my mind that I was either going to lose the fly to a snag, or I was going to catch a fish.

I took a break from casting for a minute or so. It forced me to look around and notice the fall colors. Sometimes we’re so focused on fishing we miss what’s in front of us.

 The fall colors are starting to pop. Sometimes you just have to look up.

So, after that short break I made a cast to the same spot and let it drift with the flow. Right on cue, there was another bump. I set the hook, the line went tight, and I felt the headshake. After a short fight I netted a fresh 18” steelhead. That chrome may be too young to realize you don’t play with your food, you eat it.

It took three tries to hook this one.

The Bonus Bronze

I was looking for quality river smallies all summer. The key must be to wait until October to catch them, as they feed heavily for the winter. The last two outings have produced my biggest smallies of the year. Landed with the steelhead net, they look smaller than they are. Both were pushing 14”. Not bad for resident smallies.

Quality smallmouth in October. A good bonus.

Go out and fool a fish!

Smallies Have To Eat Too

It is mid-October and steelhead has become the target species for many fishermen in northeast Ohio. One big rain event in September brought some chrome up the rivers, and fishermen have had early success. But now the rivers are low, and we could use another big rain to freshen the run.

I’ve had a nice start to the season with two 25” chromers landed and one long distance release after a good fight. Sometimes I get tunnel vision and forget that smallmouth bass are on the move to their winter lies and need to eat as much as possible. So, it was a little surprise when a smallie hit my woolly bugger as it swung through a pool. It turned out to be a nice size resident. And it was my only fish of the day. Saved a skunking!

This smallie hit the olive woolly bugger as it swung through a deep pool. 

Trying to pack on some weight for the winter.

(Click on image for larger view.)

I never get tired of catching smallies, even in October.

Go out and fool a fish!

Early Fall Surprise

It is hard to tell Autumn has arrived in northeast Ohio. The calendar says it is October but most of the trees have not begun their journey from green to orange, red, or yellow. And with temperatures touching the upper 70’s, low 80’s since late September you would almost think it’s August. But steelhead fishermen know better, thanks to a series of storms that dumped up to 3” of rain in steelhead alley. This allowed the first run of chrome to enter the rivers.

Experienced fishermen in the alley know how important a late September storm is to jumpstarting the steelhead season. It’s difficult to put a number to it, but the initial run is usually the smallest of the season. The steelhead that are part of the initial run are found in the lower sections of the rivers. Occasionally a small number of dime-bright chromers may make it further upstream. A few years ago I caught one about 15 miles upstream in mid-September but I thought that was an outlier…..until today.

A one-day cold front knocked the morning temps into the 40’s. I thought it was going to be a tough day. And it was for about a half hour. My favorite stretch of water on the Grand River is about 10 miles upstream from the mouth. Tying on a tan woolly bugger I began working downstream and started swinging through a nice run. I was soon into a cast, swing, step rhythm. Then, after about 25 yards, a tug that I hadn’t felt since last spring jolted me out of that rhythm. Immediately the fish took off downstream, jumped a couple of times, and then reversed course, heading upstream. A couple of minutes later, after making a few more runs, I was able to get the fish into the shallows where the net scooped up a fresh, bright chromer. You have to love the fight that a fresh steelhead gives you. I’m hoping this is the first of many.

26" of pure energy.

(Click on image for larger view.)

Go out and fool a fish!

All We Can Do Is Wait

The first big rainstorm of the fall has yet to show up. In northeast Ohio we’ve had a few cold fronts come through that initially looked promising for a good rain. But unbelievably, what started out as a possible 1-1/2” rain ended up being ¼”. Not enough for a good bump in flows to get the steelhead moving upriver. There is some chrome in the rivers, but most are staging at the mouth of the Lake Eire tributaries waiting for the big push.

My unscientific view is that the Vanpoppen Bubble is protecting northeast Ohio from a major rainstorm. In my mind, the bubble is mass of very dry air that affects any front that moves through the area. This bubble of dry air forces the moisture north and south of northeast Ohio. What results is an area begging for a big rain.

Actually, this bubble has affected the rain totals since the beginning of summer. For the past three to four months the rivers flowing into Lake Erie have been extremely low. Sediment is building up. If anyone waded these rivers the past few months I’m sure they’ve kicked up sediment as they made their way up or downstream. Now, the leaves are starting to accumulate. We need a big push of water to set us up for another steelhead season.

So, for hundreds, if not thousands of fishermen, all we can do is wait until the bubble is popped and a big rain comes. Until then, hit the mouths of the rivers, and the shoreline of Lake Erie. Steelhead are there, and they are feeding. Or, if you're like me, dream about catching some chrome.

A guy can dream, can't he?

Go out and fool a fish!

It’s Small Creek Time

Fishing for steelhead in March is a wake up call for the fisherman and the fish. In Steelhead Alley, the fisherman realizes that the season is closer to ending than beginning. What started in September is probably going to end by late April. Sure, there will be some caught in May, but the big runs will be over. For the fish, the clock is ticking. Spawning instincts are in overdrive. These instincts push the fish deeper into the river systems. The small creeks become active with fish moving all around. I enjoy fishing small creeks for steel. If they are paired up doing their dance I’ll move on, and try to find some off-bed. This brings sight fishing into play, and I always enjoy seeing an opportunity.

Once again, a storm brought the water levels up. So, the only play was to look for a creek, as they drop much faster, and become fishable days before the main tributaries do. This morning I hit a creek and was surprised how fishable it was. I guess they clear even faster than I thought. The water had a slight stain but visibility was still good, in fact a lot better than I imagined. Now… find a fish or two.

Today, it didn’t take me long. I almost felt like I knew what I was doing. There’s a tailout right near the parking lot that always gets my attention when I wade in. If there’s fish in this stretch, one or two will be sitting in this tailout. Sure enough, I spotted one. This time of the year I always start with an egg pattern. On the fifth drift the indicator disappeared, and I set the hook. Now, that act has been my downfall of late. Set the hook, play the fish for a few seconds, then lose the fish. This time the hook found its mark. The chromer immediately took off downstream into the riffle. Thirty yards later the fish finally raised the red flag. It was done. The hen was beat up. Spawning was over, and she had the bruises to show for it.

This is one tough hen, and she has the scars to prove it. 

After all she went through she put up a great fight.

(Click on image for a larger view.)

Within the next 20 minutes I had two other hookups but once again the hookset didn’t hold. After that, the sun and wind seemed to shut down the bite. Glad I got out early.

Go out and fool a fish!