Finally

For awhile I thought I forgot how to catch a fish. That’s tough to say, especially during peak steelhead season. Social media fishing groups are filled with reports of 10+ steelhead catches almost the norm. And I make five trips in February and March to Lake Erie tributaries and not even a bump. That’s some bad juju!

Wrong flies…wrong time…wrong stretch of water…wrong day. It was all wrong. The strange thing was I fished good water that had always been productive. And, on the days I was on the water I wasn’t seeing anybody else catch chrome. There would be five or six fishermen sharing water, all coming up empty. Was it me? Was I spreading my bad juju to them? It was getting so bad that I wanted to go up to them and apologize, explaining they won’t be catching anything today. But for my own safety, and not wanting to spoil their day before it began, I just went about my business…of not catching a fish.

Something had to change. I went fishing yesterday and decided to go as far south as I can go on the Chagrin River. Maybe get away from the crowds and find some unpressured water. I had nothing to lose. If I wasn’t hooking up on popular stretches of water I’d find some place without footprints in the mud. I found the spot and began to swing flies in pools and riffles. For a little over two hours I threw every color woolly bugger in my fly box without a bump. Was it going to be another long ride home smelling of skunk?

Absolutely not. Running out of water I had a small riffle left to fish. Only having about 10’ of fly line and the leader on the water I got a tug. I set the hook and it felt great. A quick fight ended with some chrome in the net. How ironic. The shortest cast of the day catches the fish. Not the biggest steelhead I’ve caught but at that time it was a giant.

After a long drought getting this fish in the net felt great.

 

After I released it I said to myself “that wasn’t a fish, that was a smile. I’m back!

Go out and fool a fish!

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!

A Surprise Catch

Lake Erie is known for fantastic walleye fishing. According to reports, it’s even better than fantastic this fall. Size and quantity of catch have been unbelievably strong. Even fishermen working the rivers for steelhead are reporting walleye catches. With first-hand experience I can confirm those reports.

A couple of days ago I went on a hunting mission in an attempt to determine if any steelhead have made it past Painesville on the Grand River. With little rain, the Grand hasn't been able to get a big push of water since August. Well, the hunt went on for a couple of hours and I finally got a take on a white woolly bugger. I was surprised when I realized it wasn't a steelhead. It was a walleye. Not big, but a walleye none the less. This was my first walleye ever on a fly rod.

A surprise catch three miles upstream from Lake Erie.

A toothy walleye.

(Click on image for larger view.). 

A great time of the year to be on the water.

Oh, by the way, on my second cast after landing the walleye I did hook up with a steelhead. Unfortunately, after playing it for about a minute, and after three jumps, the hook pulled loose. I examined the woolly bugger and the hook was bent. Oh well, that’s fishing.

Go out and fool a fish!

A Ditch And A Rainbow

Fishermen spend a great deal of time looking for new water to fish, no matter how small. Whether it’s a DeLorme Atlas or an online map app, finding a blue line that may hold fish will brighten the day of many fishermen. This is especially true for some steelheaders, who will investigate any ditch that holds water during the spawning season.

There was a time when I had one of those ditches in my front yard. But I didn’t fish at that time, and thought it was a nuisance. Most of the time the ditch had a small amount of water, but like all drainage ditches, after a big rain event, it would pour over its banks. Depending on the severity of the rain the ditch would go from a trickle to over 6’ in a short period of time. Then, just as quickly the water would recede, and a day or two later would be back to the trickle. It was after one of these rain events that a rainbow trout showed up. That may not sound unusual given the migratory movement of steelhead in the Great Lakes, but it is unusual since I’m writing about something that happened in the mid 1980’s.

Here's a photo right after a rain event. There is about 6' of water flowing through my property.

(Click on image for a larger view.)

Now, without giving away the ditch location I’ll just say it meanders through Lake County, beginning south of Route 20 and emptying into Lake Erie. When I trace it on a map the ditch is about 4-5 miles long. My house, being just north of Route 20, is a long way from Lake Erie. So, any fish seen in my neighborhood has a long journey in a ditch two feet wide.

My neighbor came over one day with a five gallon bucket. He was walking along the ditch and noticed some splashing in a small, shallow pool. Looking closer he saw it was a fish. He got the bucket and scooped the fish into it. To his surprise it was a rainbow trout, maybe 8” in length. Other than in pictures I had never seen a rainbow so I was amazed at the colors. I can still remember the parr marks on it.

Some 34 years later I still think about that rainbow and the trip it took through that ditch. That was certainly a diamond in the rough. The ditch through my property has been culverted over, as the flooding caused a lot of erosion. This was done about 15 years before I got back into fishing and steelheading. Now, every once in awhile, I wish it was still open. It would be nice to find another diamond.

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!

Smallmouth Season Is Heating Up

In northeast Ohio we are about a month into Spring and the trees are showing their initial burst of green fuzz. This lime-green growth will morph into a deep green color that will carry us through September.

Lime-green fuzz on the trees as die-hard steelheaders try to catch one more as the season winds down

Similar to calendar seasons, fishing seasons come and go, especially in our river systems. Steelhead season is just about done. Die-hard steelhead fishermen are still hunting the riffles and pools for any remaining chrome. They all hope to catch “just one more” before it’s over. As steelhead season winds down the rivers in northeast Ohio get a lake-run of smallmouth bass. This run can last through mid-June. It’s this period of time where some really large smallies can be caught before they make their way back to Lake Erie. It’s also a fun time of the year because you have a chance to catch a nice size smallie and a steelhead on the same day.

Smallmouth season is heating up.

It’s also about this time when the rivers get less crowded. It seems as though most of the steelheaders do not hunt for smallies, so there’s no need to rush to a spot. A fisherman can have miles of river to his or her own. I know there have been times I’ll fish for smallies and not run into another fisherman all day. Talk about solitude.

So, for bass fishermen, get your gear and head out. For the die-hard steelhead fishermen, see you in October.

Go out and fool a fish!

An Open Letter To Donald J. Trump Jr From One Fisherman To Another

It is with some trepidation that I write this letter. This is not a political site. But I feel that you, as the son of our next President, and an avid outdoorsman, can relate to concerns about environmental issues.

As a Christmas gift last year I received the George Daniel book on streamer fishing, Strip-Set. In writing the foreword you discussed how your grandfather was important in nurturing your love of the outdoors. In your own words, “The woods were our playground, the campfire was our TV, and the memories and friendships made there were truly unforgettable. It was these formative year that led me to a lifelong pursuit of all things outdoors”. It is because of your love of the outdoors that makes you the perfect person to carry the message to the new administration that rivers, streams, lakes, and hunting lands need to be protected.

Being a fisherman and hunter you know that trout, deer, elk, and other game live in beautiful places. And if we are going to be able to pass our knowledge and experience to a new generation these beautiful places need to survive.

I have lived in northeast Ohio my entire life, and was around when the Cuyahoga River caught fire. Lake Erie was polluted, and all rivers had a difficult time sustaining aquatic life. It took a major effort to clean up the lakes and rivers. Because of that effort, Lake Erie is now one of the premier walleye and smallmouth bass fishing destinations. The rivers now support a wide variety of aquatic life. In fact, northeast Ohio is in the center of Steelhead Alley. This success is not only limited to Ohio but has been replicated all over the United States.

We need to insure that these special places remain for years to come. If some of the environmental regulations are eased or removed there is a fear that many of the fishing and hunting locations will be affected. Spills, similar to the ones that affected the Yellowstone, Animas, and Kalamazoo rivers could become commonplace.

Donald, you are in a unique position. As part of President-Elect Trump’s inner circle you can have his ear on these issues. As someone who has always been busy building his organization he may not “see” the opportunities that protecting the environment can bring to the country. Your grandfather would be proud of you championing the environment.

Thank you.


John Zimmer
All Things Fishing

The Long and Short Of It

It’s early December and almost all the leaves are down. The brilliant colors are now replaced with the winter grey on every tree and bush. As for the leaves, I think they are all in the rivers. It seems as though every bit of slack water is holding 3’ of leaves. The rivers needs a big flush. The rain we received last week pushed water levels up a little but we could use a major rain event. That would push the leaves out and bring more chrome in. Not that I’m complaining, as fishermen are catching steelhead in all northeast Ohio tribs, in both the lower and upper stretches. And, after several nights of cold sweats due to not wetting a line for 10 days, I can include myself in the catching part.

There’s a section of the Chagrin River near Chagrin Falls that I fish regularly in the summer for smallies. It has easy access, deep holes, and good structure. If smallies like it, I think steelhead would as well. As the steelhead migrate into the rivers some will travel as far upstream as they can. That’s what I was hoping for, as this spot is definitely the farthest from Lake Erie I’ve fished for steel.

My start to the day was uneventful and frustrating. On previous outings I have been swinging streamers waiting for that unmistakable tug. Today I made the decision to start drifting an egg pattern. For me, casting would be better if only the egg was attached to the line. But, add split shot and an indicator, and all of sudden I’m getting tangles from my poor casting technique. Throw into the mix having to adjust the indicator seemingly every other cast and you can see my frustration. So, after no success through a couple of holes I made the switch to a streamer, and then moved upstream. Glad I did.

The spot upstream is deep and loaded with wood structure. I’m thinking there’s got be some chrome is this stretch. I tied on an imitation of a minnow pattern, as the river was loaded with them, and starting swinging the streamer. There was a log jam on the other side of the river, so I made my cast several feet in front of it. The current moved it downstream. I was hoping to keep the streamer as close to the wood as possible, crossing my fingers that the drift wasn’t going to end with a snag. I made one strip and felt some weight. For a brief moment I thought snag, but that went away when the line started moving downstream. After a couple of nice runs I was able to bring a thick, 20” steelhead to the net. Life is good!

A nice steelhead caught far upstream from Lake Erie. Released to live another day.

(Click on image for larger view.)

As the title of this post states, there’s a long and short to the story. The steelhead is definitely the long. As for the short, I mentioned earlier that the river was loaded with minnows. As fishermen you know where this is going. That same streamer that hooked the steelhead also managed to hook into a minnow. Now, I don’t know if the minnow went to eat the streamer and missed, or by swinging the streamer through the pool I foul hooked it. If you look at the photo you will see the hook is neatly placed near the base of the tail. I guess it’s just one more species to add to my list.

An unexpected catch. Released to live another day. :)

Now that’s a short story.

Go out and fool a fish!

Smallmouth Bass Time

Depending on spring weather conditions, early May begins to bring warming temperatures in the rivers of northeast Ohio. The warmer waters will put a halt to the steelhead season as they hurry to finish spawning and make a beeline for Lake Erie. At about that same time the rivers get a push of smallmouth bass. This generally lasts a month or so, and it is at this time that some of the best river smallmouth fishing happens.

Lake run smallmouth will be bigger than the resident smallmouth that inhabit the rivers year round. Residing in Lake Erie allows these fish to grow to trophy size, many exceeding 20” and 4 pounds. Catching these smallies on a fly rod is every bit as fun as landing a steelhead.

Nice 17" lake run smallmouth caught on Rocky River. (click on photo for larger image)

Another benefit to warming waters and the end of steelhead season is the rivers will often become ghost towns. Many steelheaders will not pursue fishing past mid-May. That is fine with me. There is nothing more enjoyable than being on the water early in the morning as the sun begins to rise and having a stretch of water to myself.

 Popular steelhead spot becomes a ghost town during the late spring-early summer. 

Good time to catch a smallie.

Go out and fool a fish!

Lake Erie Was The Fishing Universe

When I was growing up in the late 50’s and early 60’s my family lived in a Polish neighborhood in Cleveland. Our house was only minutes away from Lake Erie. Travel down what was Liberty Boulevard, now MLK Drive, and you could be at the East 72nd pier very quickly. My earliest memories of fishing are from the pier that existed at that time.

It was always a summertime activity, as the extended daylight hours allowed my father to fish after a long day at work. He’d come home, grab something to eat, and we would head out the door with poles, a bucket to sit on, and a tub of worms.

For whatever reason our backyard was a worm farm. The soil must have been perfect for harvesting worms. The night before we would fish we’d get the hose out and wet down the backyard. Then we would take a flashlight and hunt for them. The size and quantity we found was unbelievable. Keep them wet and they would last for days.

Back then Lake Erie wasn’t clean. That was before the environment was a concern, especially for an industrialized city. I remember keeping perch that we caught but other fish always went back. In addition to perch, sheepshead, carp, and catfish were the other species that were caught. This was years before walleye made a comeback.

I had an uncle who lived in Marblehead, near Sandusky. He owned a home near the bay. Our family would go there for a weekend visit and we would fish from the rocky shoreline (see photos). I don’t remember much about the fishing but what I do remember is my uncle’s house. The second floor was one big room with about 10 cots. I never knew why all the cots were there.

What I now realize is that back then there were no other fishing spots in my universe besides Lake Erie. We didn’t fish small inland lakes and river fishing in northeast Ohio wasn’t popular at that time. It would be many years before the rivers were cleaned up and Ohio started stocking programs that included coho salmon and steelhead. Little did I know that late in life I would quickly become addicted to river and stream fishing.

Go out and fool a fish!