# Steelhead? Rocky and Chagrin



## Jonathan Nutt

Does anyone have any information on the present status of steelhead up either one of these rivers? Has it started?


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## ducman491

I've seen reports of fish caught in both rivers but I don't think they are in large numbers just yet. That being said...I'll be in the river hopefully once this week and then the weekend too.


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## Jonathan Nutt

It's a bit of a drive to either river so I'm waiting until they are in good numbers. Good luck up there!


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## bustedrod

it has


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## fritoking

We were at Connie sunday....there are fish in all rivers , but you'll have to work for them.


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## gottacatchemall

I've been fishing the rivers very regularly, and as far as the numbers and flows go... Don't waste your time if you have a drive, if you must (as I have) then get there before sunrise and call it quits before the heat of the day... But wait until we get some rain unless you fancy casting hardware at the mouths (I fly fish)


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## 3wt7X

I see a lot of rainy days in the forecast over the next week. Let's hope it comes down in some significance and gets this steelhead season in gear a bit. I was in town last weekend from Maryland and fished the lower grand, gottacatchemall is dead on. Fish early, and target the deepest runs you can find as close to the lake as you can get.


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## Willyfield

We caught one chuckin hardware off Conneaut's long wall. We seen quite a few rolling and jumping, just not biting very well. we will probably hit it again Friday.


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## GrandRiverBassman

Stick to the rocky


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## gottacatchemall

If you have a centerpin or spinning rod, yes please stick to the rocky


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## Jakethefisherman

gottacatchemall said:


> If you have a centerpin or spinning rod, yes please stick to the rocky


Or, you know, go to the Grand and catch your limit.


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## fritoking

gottacatchemall said:


> If you have a centerpin or spinning rod, yes please stick to the rocky


I have a spinning rod...and what I'll never understand is a guy with a fly rod, standing in the middle of a nice little hole, slapping his fly and indicator on the water over and over again floating a 6 foot drift 3 feet off to his side.... instead of standing on the edge and drifting it.....just because you have waders on doesn't mean you HAVE to be in the water....I see it all the time and shake my head in disbelief


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## gottacatchemall

Look, I didn't say that to get anyone all riled up... And if you see me fly fishing I'm swinging, not drifting, so I'll be 30 ft up the river from where I'm actually fishing... The point is that I just simply enjoy my space on the river but do give everybody the time of day... That being said, Frito, you witnessed an inexperienced fisherman, next time try helping him out on where to stand or fish. and ive seen plenty of spinning fishermen guilty of the same thing, please don't come on here and trash a way of fishing that actually requires skill and precision and isn't just whether I should use pink spawn today...or pink.


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## Jonathan Nutt

I really don't think we need a spinning vs fly war on here. We're all just trying to have some fun and catch fish


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## GrandRiverBassman

Jakethefisherman said:


> Or, you know, go to the Grand and catch your limit.


Not a single steelhead in the grand. Just an early run on suckers. Like I said. Stick to the rocky.


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## fritoking

Wow....I guess I'm an unskilled fisherman....that is exactly my point. I've met a lot of nice fisherman on the rivers, I go out of my way to help a lot of people, but every time I get condescending attitude ts from fly fisherman. 90 ,% of the time it takes skill and precision for anyone to catch fish...to read water ,to know the stream. Once I took my girlfriend and two kids and my 70 yr old father, we had a hole in mind to fish.ehen we arrived it had 5 fly fisherman in it so we went down stream 100 yards and fished til they left, as they were leaving they all left derogatory statement s to the kids about using spinning gear...to kids... Like I said, everyone can fish how they wish, and I'll help anyone, but if I get treated poorly it's usually by the so called purist with "skill". I won't comment again on this,as I said I don't care how you fish and I am respectful and courteous on the stream to everyone and give them enough space to fish.


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## Osmerus

We need some serious rains if these rivers are gona go and stay up this fall. Forecast looks so so for rains, daily percentages look rather low for later in the week. Unfortunatly its looking like another dry fall, hopefully im wrong. I would wait till we get some serious rains, all the rivers are pretty low now.
Fly, pin or spin it all works but they all require lots of experience to get to the point where you get fish every outing. Reading water and knowing your rivers inside and out is the best skill set to have if you wana be a successfull in chasin steelies not what rod you use. Dont get me wrong i love the spin, fly, pin debate it makes for some great competiton. Saying that i think the drift is where its at for the highest success rates. Hang in there hopefully we get some good flows soon.


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## 3wt7X

Fritoking, 

Don't let a few knuckleheads ruin your perception of fly fisherman. I agree, there tends to be an elitist mentality in some fly fisherman, and I don't really get it. I grew up on farm ponds in northeast Ohio using zebco 33s and spinning rods, and I was introduced to fly fishing for steelhead in college. It's funny because I'm obsessed with fly and now Spey fishing, but nothing is more effective than a good spin set up for presenting to steelhead. So you are the smart one. Regardless there are inexperienced anglers in every approach that disrupt the water and stand where they should be fishing disrupting fish for everyone. My advice, if it is worth anything, is to take it on a person by person bases and not categorize an entire group on the acts of a few. I think we can all agree that outlawing the centerpinners that take up a hundred yards of stream in a single presentation would benefit the collective


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## MadMax1

fritoking said:


> I have a spinning rod...and what I'll never understand is a guy with a fly rod, standing in the middle of a nice little hole, slapping his fly and indicator on the water over and over again floating a 6 foot drift 3 feet off to his side.... instead of standing on the edge and drifting it.....just because you have waders on doesn't mean you HAVE to be in the water....I see it all the time and shake my head in disbelief


I switched over to a fly rod a few years ago after drifting on a spinning rig for years.... and I totally agree! I find a lot of fish using the same techniques as I did spin drifting. You see a lot of fly fishermen nudging way in on that sexy looking cliche fly water, when more times than not the majority of fish are sitting out in the deeper froggy sections during a large part of the season.

But, there's something to be said about working down through a run while swinging flies - the hit is insanity!


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## Jonathan Nutt

Osmerus said:


> We need some serious rains if these rivers are gona go and stay up this fall. Forecast looks so so for rains, daily percentages look rather low for later in the week. Unfortunatly its looking like another dry fall, hopefully im wrong. I would wait till we get some serious rains, all the rivers are pretty low now.
> Fly, pin or spin it all works but they all require lots of experience to get to the point where you get fish every outing. Reading water and knowing your rivers inside and out is the best skill set to have if you wana be a successfull in chasin steelies not what rod you use. Dont get me wrong i love the spin, fly, pin debate it makes for some great competiton. Saying that i think the drift is where its at for the highest success rates. Hang in there hopefully we get some good flows soon.


Thanks! I will do a rain dance and cross my fingers!


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## rickerd

Fritoking,
A person fly fishing, needs as much space behind them to backcast as in front. So you have to be out in the river a bit to get away from the trees and bushes behind you. Unless you have a 2 handed rod technique or very good at roll cast. Sorry you witnessed a bonehead with a flyrod in his hand. I guess the flyrod draws all kinds too.
Rickerd


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## funkyfisher

Wow, it never ceases to amaze me the rivalry between spinning, fly fishing and centerpinning. Isn't it about enjoying fishing period? After spin fishing for years I now fly fish but have not a single issue with anyone's method of fishing! What I do have issues with is idiocy!! I fish with multiple friends and all their methods differ, but none of us is of higher status than the other. Let's encourage people to get off their high hogs and just enjoy what we are all out there to do, share the river, catch fish, and have fun!!! Happy fishing to all!!!!


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## ironfish

Osmerus said:


> We need some serious rains if these rivers are gona go and stay up this fall. Forecast looks so so for rains, daily percentages look rather low for later in the week. Unfortunatly its looking like another dry fall, hopefully im wrong. I would wait till we get some serious rains, all the rivers are pretty low now.
> Fly, pin or spin it all works but they all require lots of experience to get to the point where you get fish every outing. Reading water and knowing your rivers inside and out is the best skill set to have if you wana be a successfull in chasin steelies not what rod you use. Dont get me wrong i love the spin, fly, pin debate it makes for some great competiton. Saying that i think the drift is where its at for the highest success rates. Hang in there hopefully we get some good flows soon.


I fly fish and pin been doing so since 83 and have never caught steel every time I hit the rivers.Whats your secret? lol


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## zimmerj

I don't are which method a person uses. I just want that person to have good stream etiquette. Be respectful of others.


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## Ryan in Mentor

I always bring a fly rod and spinning outfit for steelhead. I will use whatever the fish prefer. As long as people are respectful to each other and the river then all is well in my opinion. This is also why I try to find areas that are off the grid a little. Plenty of really good spots on the Grand that don't get invaded by the masses.


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## kimber1911pilot

I apologize for this lengthy trip down not-so-distant memory lane, and subsequent moral of the story, but I think we sometimes lose sight of why we go to these rivers. This whole spin vs. pin vs. fly argument always baffles me. I'm just there to catch fish, and if I don't catch any fish, oh well. What did I learn to be successful next time? What are others doing that I'm not?

I always take my spinning rod and my fly rod with me when I go out now. The idea is to be prepared for any conditions, because you really never know what will work until you get out there. I'm still new to the steelhead game (less than a year), and even newer to the fly game. To say either is challenging is a huge understatement. I have been out on the rocky 2-3 times per week for the last month, mostly with the fly rod, and haven't had much luck. One hookup a couple weeks ago on a very small steelhead, and some less than respectable smallies. I'm happy to say I finally had Lady Luck on my side, and managed to go 3-3 on Wednesday afternoon, but it wasn't on the fly. I tried swinging streamers and dead-drifting nymphs/eggs for a couple hours before going to a gold little cleo. I adapted to the conditions, and gave the fish what they wanted, instead of being hard-headed and dead set on one method of fishing.

Now for that memory lane trip I promised. A buddy of mine called me up out of the blue this past February, and asked if I wanted to go fishing. "Well of course I do, but where are we going to go? It's freezing outside!" Now, I've lived in northeast Ohio pretty much my entire life, and up until that phone call, I had no idea what a steelhead was. That day I ran to the local sporting goods store, dropped some cash on a pair of cheap neoprene waders, and headed north. All I had was my little 6' ugly stick lite. We drifted spawn sacs for hours without a single take, but I was intrigued. I wanted to know what these fish were all about. We did notice some fly fisherman downstream of us having some luck in a small riffle section, but we weren't prepared for that type of fishing, or at least we didn't think so.

A couple weeks later, I decided I wanted to get into the fly game, because I wanted to have success like the guys I saw before. So I dug into my savings, ran to the Orvis store, got set up with everything I needed to get started. I went home, and with the help of YouTube, started learning how to cast and tie the various knots I would need to use. My first time on the river was a total flop. I could barely cast without everything ending up in a huge mess out in front of me, I caught no fish, and the icing on the cake was I broke my rod tip my first time out. That day ended in a trip back to Orvis to say goodbye to my rod for a couple weeks while it was repaired. This is where being prepared comes into play, because the next day, I took that little ugly stick out, all rigged up to dead drift flies. I at least wanted to understand the concept behind it. Wouldn't you know, I had the time of my life. I lost count after the 13th hookup, but I remember every one of the 7 fish I landed that day. Some of the guys who shared that part of the river with me were almost in awe at the success I was having with a spinning rod, and even more shocked when I told them I was drifting egg patterns under a white wooly bugger.

I have since found success using my fly rod, and it has been nothing short of exciting. Even just being out there casting is fun for me. It's challenging, and it's kind of an art form, and I'm always trying to improve my casting skills. It isn't always going to work, though, and I have no problem adapting to the situation. Fly casting doesn't always require a lot of space, but until those casts are learned and practiced, it can be a limiting angling method. I have since learned to efficiently roll cast in tight spaces, but before that, I would just stick to my spinning gear. I think we all should have this sort of mentality, and also consider that some of us flailing around with that fly rod may still be learning. Chucking hardware is not much of an art form, and it isn't very difficult, but it also isn't going to work all the time. Bottom line, and I guess the point of this whole post is, be adaptive, and be considerate of other anglers. If you see someone struggling, or doing something that isn't so courteous, politely go introduce yourself and offer some advice. I'm sure there are many friendships out there just waiting on that simple "hello", and helping hand.


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## Flathead76

This is a refresher as to why I quit fishing for steelhead. Too many experts who forgot about when they were a knucklehead rookie fishing for steelhead for the first time. When I started I was clueless and did not have the resources like the Internet to speed up my learning curve. I had to read any book or magazine that I could get my hands on to try and figure out what I was doing wrong. I had to pay attention to the guys that were pounding fish right beside me on stretches to see if I could figure out what they were doing versus what I was doing. It took me probably two years of beating my head against the wall before it started to click. Once that happened the learning curve was fast. I still remember the feeling and am willing to help out someone who is struggling because of that.


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## dugworm

I enjoy hitting the water with just about anyone. I have fished with spinners, flyers, pinners with no problems and at times have learned a lot. I just cant take the cane pole fishers anymore. A pompous group for sure.


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## CloudySea

Fished at rocky river marina yesterday. Flow was shifting direction back and forth and sometimes barely moving at all. Clarity was ok. Fished for 2 hrs. 11:30-1:30pm. Managed to catch one fish. About 14 inches I think. Didn't measure it. Fish weren't biting much but when they were it was on shiny stuff. Fished with a blue and silver spoon. Got two good bites. Didn't land. Lost the spoon. Switched to white jig with shiny tinsel on it with maggots. Caught with that. I agree we need some rain!


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## funkyfisher

Flathead76 said:


> This is a refresher as to why I quit fishing for steelhead. Too many experts who forgot about when they were a knucklehead rookie fishing for steelhead for the first time. When I started I was clueless and did not have the resources like the Internet to speed up my learning curve. I had to read any book or magazine that I could get my hands on to try and figure out what I was doing wrong. I had to pay attention to the guys that were pounding fish right beside me on stretches to see if I could figure out what they were doing versus what I was doing. It took me probably two years of beating my head against the wall before it started to click. Once that happened the learning curve was fast. I still remember the feeling and am willing to help out someone who is struggling because of that.


This is so true!! I feel safe in saying that not all, but most, experienced fisherman did not just pick up a fly rod or centerpin and start fishing without first using a basic spinning setup. I don't let myself get upset on the river because it ruins the day. I've seen on more than one occasion heated arguments on the water almost come to blows. There are plenty of runs on the rivers, if you don't like the person fishing next to you or the way they are fishing, just move to another spot. I've ran across some of the best spots as a result of moving around. Everybody deserves to fish our rivers and we all buy the same fishing license, whether beginner or expert. I've got priceless advice from many a people over the years and I'm also happy to give it if I can help someone.


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## Osmerus

ironfish said:


> I fly fish and pin been doing so since 83 and have never caught steel every time I hit the rivers.Whats your secret? lol


Ok. I rarely get skunked steelie fishing simple as that. My secret is putting in alot of time on our rivers and using what works.


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## fritoking

Osmerus said:


> I very rarely get skunked steelie fishing simple as that. My secret is putting in alot of time on our rivers fishing and using what works. Whatever. Lol


When I first started I got skunked regularly...but now after reading and REALLY paying attention to the river itself and learning to read water from a lot of small mouth fishing, I can almost always manage at least one. I take other anglers often and try to defer the best spots to inexperienced anglers not only to build confidence ,but so they can learn what water to fish and when, what to use....etc.I typically lug too much tackle around, but it does pay off when everything else doesn't work.


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## Osmerus

Same here, we all start off with the learning curve. There were many outings where i got skunked. It takes years to get to the point where your successfull. I think the biggest factor in success is to know where the fish are sitting. That comes from years of exploring our rivers and not just fishing the same spots over and over againg. Exploring new areas is half the fun.


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## Jonathan Nutt

Osmerus said:


> Same here, we all start off with the learning curve. There were many outings where i got skunked. It takes years to get to the point where your successfull. I think the biggest factor in success is to know where the fish are sitting. That comes from years of exploring our rivers and not just fishing the same spots over and over againg. Exploring new areas is half the fun.


Well I'd like to thank all of you for your insight and for your attitudes toward sharing the water. I never had time to make a trip up there in college and was busy playing football in high school so I am a rookie to steelhead fishing and am willing tof try a range of tactics tof try and catch a steelhead. I have a little bit of fly fishing experience in still water for pan fish and bass but I am not particularly skilled. I was planning on starting on spinning gear with spinners, spoons, EZ eggs etc but I may bring the fly as well. I am mindful of being respectful to my fellow fishermen but if you see me struggling or looking like an idiot feel free to say hello and help me out, I am not proud or thin skinned!


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## PWake257

funkyfisher said:


> This is so true!! I feel safe in saying that not all, but most, experienced fisherman did not just pick up a fly rod or centerpin and start fishing without first using a basic spinning setup. I don't let myself get upset on the river because it ruins the day. I've seen on more than one occasion heated arguments on the water almost come to blows. There are plenty of runs on the rivers, if you don't like the person fishing next to you or the way they are fishing, just move to another spot. I've ran across some of the best spots as a result of moving around. Everybody deserves to fish our rivers and we all buy the same fishing license, whether beginner or expert. I've got priceless advice from many a people over the years and I'm also happy to give it if I can help someone.


Lol up in NY during the salmon run I have seen a few fist fights and one guy on the bank throwing rocks at a dude in the water. What it boils down to is some people are just assholes


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## JKadam

I think all you guys are crazy. I use bait casters.


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## ejsell

JKadam said:


> I think all you guys are crazy. I use bait casters.


I watched a guy using a bait caster in a tiny PA creek yesterday. Said his kids got it for his birthday. He had no idea what it was.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## JKadam

I bet that was something else to watch lol. My dad taught me how to use one when I was 11 maybe 12. I prefer the higher gear ratios, and casting control.


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## ChuckD

I have a nice bait caster in my shed out back been there after 3 uses and 4 tangles. Its a 1 piece rod so it sits at home.


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## Jonathan Nutt

I prefer to use baitcasters when fishing bass and muskie or trolling but it is very difficult to throw lighter weight lures that I use for stream fishing so I use spinning


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