Steelhead Season Arrives in the Alley

Changing leaves and low cloud cover. Steelhead season has arrived in the Alley.

Even though I’ve been back fishing for about five years after a long, long layoff it’s obvious that around the middle of September a change takes place in northeast Ohio. It all revolves around cooling temperatures and a bump in the river flows. Get a good rain in September and the steelheaders dust the cobwebs off their gear and hit the river. Gone are the warm days of summer, all alone on the Grand and Chagrin rivers. Gone is the ability to wet wade in warm water searching for smallmouth. Say hello to layers of clothing, crowds, and in about six weeks, iced guides. Can’t wait!

See ya in the spring, Mr. Smallie

Hello Mr. Steelie

Won't see an empty river until late May

A couple of weeks ago we had some rain and cool temps that brought some steelhead into the rivers. There have been reports of fisherman catching a few but not in numbers usually seen when the big run is on. I even hooked into one but was using my bass rod with a light tippet, and the fish made a run and broke off. Everyone I talked to is waiting for the big rain event that should really get the fish moving. The rain we had yesterday did not move the water levels much. Fishing may be tough for awhile as the fish in the system battle low water, and fishing pressure.

For anyone who has visited some of the fishing message boards and forums has seen an increase in discussions about steelhead, with most of them questioning where the fish are. Steelheaders are just as tightlipped as anyone on exactly where they find the fish, so don’t expect a straight answer.

The other noticeable change is the amount of steelhead expos and classes put on by local organizations and fly shops. Seems like just about every week from late September through October you can visit an expo or take a class on how to catch steelhead with all types of tackle, baits, and flies. One of the better expos is usually put on by the Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders at the Rocky River Nature Center. This year’s was October 3, and was well attended. Exhibitors range from fly tiers to organizations working to improve watersheds. There were also presentations on a range of topics, including gear for steelheading, and an update from ODNR on the stocking program.

Steelhead seminars start the season

Local fly tiers crafting steelhead flies

In closing, as a word of advice, if you start fishing for steelhead, have patience. It will take you awhile to learn their holding lines. Also, cover water, and don’t be afraid to change flies and lures.

Go out and fool a steelhead!

Tough First Year

Once steelhead season was over I continued to fish the Grand and Chagrin Rivers hoping to catch some of the bass that take up residence. The first thing I noticed was that the rivers were virtually empty of other fishermen. I found out that many of the steelhead fishermen quit fishing the rivers, generally in May. They will stay out of the river until the fall. This was great for me, as I enjoyed being on the river early in the morning without another fisherman in sight. I only wished that being the only one would increase my catch rate, but that wasn’t the case.

I struggled to find and catch anything that first summer. I’m sure the mistakes I made didn’t help. Not being a quiet wader didn’t help. With river flows low there was no way I could sneak up on them. Then add in the fact that I was learning how to fish for bass in a river. Don’t know if I was throwing the wrong colors, or not fishing close to structure. It was probably a little of both.

My wife was always interested in how I did. Coming home and saying “skunked again” was getting old. If I didn’t have such a great wife I think anyone else would wonder if I was really fishing. Through this first summer I kept telling myself that there is a learning curve to fly fishing and not to get frustrated.

We made an early fall trip to Mohican State Park to see the changing leaves and fish the Clear Fork River. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources stocks the Clear Fork with brown trout. Additionally, the river has smallmouth, bluegills, and creek chubs.

 Covered bridge on the Clear Fork in Mohican State Park

 Doesn't get any better than this. Early morning on the Clear Fork.

While nymphing, I finally fooled a fish. It was a creek chub which a lot of fishermen would snicker at, but to me it was a step in the right direction. It didn’t matter that it was a chub. I used a nymph and caught a fish. To steal a Beatles phrase, getting better all the time.

First fish on a fly rod. 

It wasn’t until the Spring of 2012 that things started to fall into place. All it took was a trip to a Virginia springcreek with Art and a guide.

Go out and fool a fish!