# Breakwall Steelhead



## lenfishing17 (Apr 1, 2017)

Anybody know when the steelheads are gonna be near the breakwalls?


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## closing time (Jul 2, 2007)

We caught one today trolling the walls in Conny. Nothing crazy, but did get a musky as well!


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## Fishinaddict (Sep 23, 2014)

Wow! That's crazy that a steelhead would be that close already. Never thought that a trout would venture into 73 degree water. Learn something every day.


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## Snakecharmer (Apr 9, 2008)

closing time said:


> We caught one today trolling the walls in Conny. Nothing crazy, but did get a musky as well!


Purdy!


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## closing time (Jul 2, 2007)

Fishinaddict said:


> Wow! That's crazy that a steelhead would be that close already. Never thought that a trout would venture into 73 degree water. Learn something every day.


73° surface temp but there’s some choice 30’ deep places in certain ports...


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

Starting to hear of a few here and there being caught off piers


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## baby blue (Sep 8, 2005)

We often take them just 15-20' down over 70' of water.
They are much more tolerate to warm water than salmon.
It's going to be a good fall run for sure


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## MikeC (Jun 26, 2005)

Super catch on that Musky. Way to go!!


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## lenfishing17 (Apr 1, 2017)

Thanks everyone


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## lenfishing17 (Apr 1, 2017)

closing time said:


> We caught one today trolling the walls in Conny. Nothing crazy, but did get a musky as well!


Nice catches... Thanks!


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## ignantmike (Apr 30, 2005)

I was told the last few years they stocked a different strain of steel....more of a winter run fish????not 100% sure..just hear say....I would think as the water cool's and day's get shorter....it's a matter of time...last year around now through early October....I was catching some in fairport harbor...but, the water was cooler....


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## baby blue (Sep 8, 2005)

I believe it's still the manistee strain. 
I doubt anything changed since return rates are so good. 
Unlike the Londons if you fished for them in 80's.


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

Temps are supposed to start dropping on Saturday and start feeling a little more like fall. Hopefully that will bring the water temp down a little as it is supposed to be in the 60's/low 70's for the whole week....if you can trust the weatherman  I'm hoping the steelhead start to move in a little. I'm headed up next weekend and am going to try and catch my first one.


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## ErieGoldSportfishing (Feb 5, 2009)

baby blue said:


> I believe it's still the manistee strain.
> I doubt anything changed since return rates are so good.
> Unlike the Londons if you fished for them in 80's.


That is correct they are Manistee strain. The reason they went to them is because of the strong returns they get but they do show up later in the fall.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

I've caught Steel in the chicks in August.. thats crazy.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

so im several hours away, whats the forecast look like for area around Mentor and Fairport say, a week from now ?


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## mkormos23 (Nov 29, 2007)

Ohio has been stocking Wisconsins Chambers Creek strain steelhead for the last couple of years. 
We have been unable to get Michigan’s Manistee fish. 


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## reo (May 22, 2004)

Stocking numbers for 2018 , 3 strains, Manistee 172K Ganaraska,153K and Chambers Creek 153K , Total stocking numbers 478,408


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## Rybar (Mar 22, 2016)

Are Ganaraska and Chambers winter strains?



reo said:


> Stocking numbers for 2018 , 3 strains, Manistee 172K Ganaraska,153K and Chambers Creek 153K , Total stocking numbers 478,408


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## Archer4life (Apr 16, 2013)

Rybar said:


> Are Ganaraska and Chambers winter strains?


Yes. And it has been reported that the growth rates of the Ganaraska exceeds that of the Mainstees


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## crestliner TS (Jun 8, 2012)

I still like the old London strain the best, they were fat slobs, not little bullets.


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## Rybar (Mar 22, 2016)

If 2/3 of fish are winter strain now that should change the run pattern from Manistee being more spring run to now being more early fall run, what you guys think



Archer4life said:


> Yes. And it has been reported that the growth rates of the Ganaraska exceeds that of the Mainstees


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## Osmerus (Dec 5, 2012)

I would take the Manistee and Garnaska strains over the Londons anyday. Londons just dont get as big. Ya you dont get the huge october runs but i still manage plenty of fish in the fall. Plus most Octobers are river's are low and warm anyways.
P.A fish run in our rivers in the fall followed closely by ohio stocked steelies in November and December all the way through April. I like our program the way it is. Tons of fish to be had all season. I would like to see a few brown's added to the mix for fall but as of now i get a couple every year in our rivers from P.A.


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## crestliner TS (Jun 8, 2012)

Osmerus said:


> I would take the Manistee and Garnaska strains over the Londons anyday. Londons just dont get as big. Ya you dont get the huge october runs but i still manage plenty of fish in the fall. Plus most Octobers are river's are low and warm anyways.
> P.A fish run in our rivers in the fall followed closely by ohio stocked steelies in November and December all the way through April. I like our program the way it is. Tons of fish to be had all season. I would like to see a few brown's added to the mix for fall but as of now i get a couple every year in our rivers from P.A.


I believe that London get much bigger and weigh more too. Manistee are skinnier a weigh less. I remebe catching 10lbrs often. More than current. 

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk


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## Osmerus (Dec 5, 2012)

I hear ya but i catch way more 10 plus pounders now than i did back then, Lol. Either way we are lucky to have a steelie fishery like we do.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

crestliner TS said:


> I believe that London get much bigger and weigh more too. Manistee are skinnier a weigh less. I remebe catching 10lbrs often. More than current.
> 
> Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk


i hear ya my son and i were talking today that we dont catch nearly the average size like we used to...and im not talking spring hens that are full of eggs thats a different topic.... im only talkin the fish we've caught over the last 25 years in the fall...average size used to be in the 25-28 inch range with one pushing 30 inches just about everytime out...now most are averageing 22-to 26...with an occasional 30 incher mixed in...



Osmerus said:


> I hear ya but i catch way more 10 plus pounders now than i did back then, Lol. Either way we are lucky to have a steelie fishery like we do.


a 10 pounder is roughly a 30 inch fish...dont see nearly as many around now in the fall as we used too.... you fishin PA or something????


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## Osmerus (Dec 5, 2012)

Nope fishing Ohio. I manage several 30 inch fish every year. I chase steelies alot, im on the rivers mutliple times a week. I fish the Grand, Rocky and Chagrin weekly. There are plenty of big fish out there. Early in the fall (october) the fish do run smaller but once the river temps drop in november the avg size does increase.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

Im out there a lot also and have been for a long time...and still manage multiple 30 inch fish every year ...we caught a lot more of them back then than we do now....and yes the average size does go up when the November winds come... my friends all say the same thing...not saying there isn't big fish out there...just sayin the average has dropped over the years for most...like I said im only talking the fall/winter season till ice up...theres more fish now but they are smaller on average over all...


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## 444fish (Jul 7, 2017)

TRIPLE-J said:


> Im out there a lot also and have been for a long time...and still manage multiple 30 inch fish every year ...we caught a lot more of them back then than we do now....and yes the average size does go up when the November winds come... my friends all say the same thing...not saying there isn't big fish out there...just sayin the average has dropped over the years for most...like I said im only talking the fall/winter season till ice up...theres more fish now but they are smaller on average over all...


I have made a goal to catch them through the ice this year!


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## baby blue (Sep 8, 2005)

The londons didn't get near as big and return rates were much lower 
For those of us that fished rhe salmon stocking years and then londons I can tell you the fishery took off when they started the manistee program. I think we are getting spoiled. 
I remember the odnr stocking fingerling browns in Rocky early 80's. 
They abandon the salmon stocking along with the Browns for the same reason 
Return rates were very low.


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## SelfTaught (Mar 27, 2014)

I just started fishing steelhead in 2014, never had a chance to fish for those London’s. When I started it was a few years after Ohio had that one weird year where we only stocked like 1/2 of what we normally do? & the manistee’s where just starting to come on full force. The last 2 years I have noticed there seems to be a lot more fish around that even when I started a few years ago.... I fish a few times a week when the rivers are fishing and catch a good 150-200 steelhead a year. I must say, I’m a little jealous of all you guys with all these 30-10’s you’re catching! I mainly fish out west and Catch my fair share of fish but man, I can’t report all these big fish you guys find. Seems to be a plethora of cookie cutter 4/5lbers but man I’ll take catching double digits on a daily basis regardless of size. It really is an awesome fishery we have here, very grateful for it


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## Osmerus (Dec 5, 2012)

One thing I find with big steelies is they def tend to hold in certain areas of the rivers. Big deep holes hold big fish. Rarely do i get hogs out of water less than 5 feet deep. The deeper the better, structure in that hole now its game on. The Grand beats all the other rivers for this kind of water followed closley by the Rocky. 

Shouldnt be long now. Rivers are up and cooler. Once the lake clears a bit steelies should be more frequent visitors along the breakwalls.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

im not tryin to compare the londons to the manistees...im just sayin over the last 10-15 years our AVERAGE size has gone down and the amount of larger 30 inch plus fish has declined too...not sayin we don't catch any big fish, we do , just not like we used too


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## baby blue (Sep 8, 2005)

TRIPLE-J said:


> im not tryin to compare the londons to the manistees...im just sayin over the last 10-15 years our AVERAGE size has gone down and the amount of larger 30 inch plus fish has declined too...not sayin we don't catch any big fish, we do , just not like we used too


I agree. In the early 2000's I steelhead fished a ton. Mostly rocky since it's 2 min from my house. 
During that time there were a lot of big steelies caught. 
My buddy got a 16lb. 
My largest 14lb and many more 10-12 lb. one was checked into L and D and was 19lb. 
Now I'm not river fishing anywhere near as much but I'm not seeing or hearing of those 10-14 lb fish much. 
I would guess it's a cycle. Possibly good environmental conditions throughout a particular stocking class that allows them to reach 6 years old or more. 
We caught a lot of them walleye fishing last month so I'm guessing it would be a decent fall run if we get rains. 
See what happens. 
Fish on 
BB


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## closing time (Jul 2, 2007)

Tried trolling Conny harbor area today. No chrome.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

baby blue said:


> I agree. In the early 2000's I steelhead fished a ton. Mostly rocky since it's 2 min from my house.
> During that time there were a lot of big steelies caught.
> My buddy got a 16lb.
> My largest 14lb and many more 10-12 lb. one was checked into L and D and was 19lb.
> ...


yea the old fall steelhead tourney's you needed a 12 pounder just to be on the board in the top 20...
and that was every year too.... now a 10-12 pounder would probably win it...
im not complaining... im just sayin the average size has gone down...numbers are up I think but size isnt
wow L&D tackle now theres a blast from the past...


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

closing time said:


> Tried trolling Conny harbor area today. No chrome.


hey closing time how was the water looking ????


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## baby blue (Sep 8, 2005)

TRIPLE-J said:


> yea the old fall steelhead tourney's you needed a 12 pounder just to be on the board in the top 20...
> and that was every year too.... now a 10-12 pounder would probably win it...
> im not complaining... im just sayin the average size has gone down...numbers are up I think but size isnt
> wow L&D tackle now theres a blast from the past...


Yep.. ole freindly Pete. not sure if he's up or down.


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

Just got reel time on the water info in fairport. Water near shore is 66. 
Many steelhead caught yesterday and today off the short pier and PTP pier was producing too today. Trollers in the harbor east to PTP along shore are wackin them too on cranks. Well boys, it’s game on!


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## Brahmabull71 (Jul 30, 2014)

allwayzfishin said:


> Just got reel time on the water info in fairport. Water near shore is 66.
> Many steelhead caught yesterday and today off the short pier and PTP pier was producing too today. Trollers in the harbor east to PTP along shore are wackin them too on cranks. Well boys, it’s game on!


Thanks for the info!


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## caseyroo (Jun 26, 2006)

allwayzfishin said:


> Just got reel time on the water info in fairport. Water near shore is 66.
> Many steelhead caught yesterday and today off the short pier and PTP pier was producing too today. Trollers in the harbor east to PTP along shore are wackin them too on cranks. Well boys, it’s game on!


What is the PTP?


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## captainshotgun (Jul 8, 2009)

baby blue said:


> I believe it's still the manistee strain.
> I doubt anything changed since return rates are so good.
> Unlike the Londons if you fished for them in 80's.


The London strain sure tasted a lot better. I wish they would go back to that strain!


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

caseyroo said:


> What is the PTP?


Painesville township pier


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## caseyroo (Jun 26, 2006)

allwayzfishin said:


> Painesville township pier


Gotcha thanks


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

allwayzfishin said:


> Painesville township pier


how do they land a fish off that pier its gotta be 15 feet down to the water.....
sure didnt do a good job of engineering that thing for fishing....
is a nice pier tho just up wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy tooo high


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## allwayzfishin (Apr 30, 2008)

Went one for two this evening on steel and one eye. Flat lined bay rats back 150ft at 1.8ish in 23ft. Water temp was 67. Saw one guy had a steel on the stringer when I was loading up. Only gonna get better.


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

TRIPLE-J said:


> how do they land a fish off that pier its gotta be 15 feet down to the water.....
> sure didnt do a good job of engineering that thing for fishing....
> is a nice pier tho just up wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy tooo high


They built it to be able to absorb waves and be used when it was rough. You can still be on their when other walls are unable to be fished. Put an extension on your net or get a pier basket. The park director has a basket and fishes it regularly. Fairport bait has them.


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## KTkiff (Jul 30, 2004)

allwayzfishin said:


> Just got reel time on the water info in fairport. Water near shore is 66.
> Many steelhead caught yesterday and today off the short pier and PTP pier was producing too today. Trollers in the harbor east to PTP along shore are wackin them too on cranks. Well boys, it’s game on!


Thanks for the report. I heard the water is really muddy. Did this report say the water was muddy too?


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## fishingful (Apr 5, 2004)

https://52d86ed501646.click2stream.com
This is the webcam at fairport beach. Looks ok in the harbor.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

I was out @ fairport litehouse early this morning and fishing was a little slow. I went 1 for 3 and saw 3 steel caught all before 10 am. Water was above average with no hard stain to it. I could see my spoons/baits 2 to 3 feet down. Not sure about other side over by short pier but again I saw no brown stain to water.

...picture is looking back into harbor.


Don.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

twistedcatfish1971 said:


> I was out @ fairport litehouse early this morning and fishing was a little slow. I went 1 for 3 and saw 3 steel caught all before 10 am. Water was above average with no hard stain to it. I could see my spoons/baits 2 to 3 feet down. Not sure about other side over by short pier but again I saw no brown stain to water.
> 
> ...picture is looking back into harbor.
> 
> ...


twisted where were you i was out there too...i was actually right behind the guy in your picture on the lake side.... went to the short pier later to look around didnt see any fish there and only heard of one caught there...
i didnt get any hits out there today myself


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

...I was the guy in between the guy in the picture and guy at very end ... by the ladder. (Facing) harbor side.

That's pretty cool...I'm going to start asking more people if they are on OGF.

Anyway...its getting close to them running up in the rivers...we need some rain.

Don.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

twisted I was the guy in the green jacket and black ball cap on right behind that guy...im out there a lot if im not trolling for them which I prefer when I can...
did you have the little kid with you???
sorry not sure how else to ask that lol


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

No...no little kid with me. I was harbor side fishing near the end. You really couldn't see me because I was down behind a few blocks of concrete fishing right up against the edge...I had a black gander mountain hoodie on.

The picture is from then...


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

I'm going to be out there almost every sunday morning up until ... you can't walk out there because of ice build up...lol. then I be roaming around the rivers.

Don.


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## glasseyes (Jan 28, 2012)

i started to go out there Saturday morning but the waves were going over rocks from west side pretty good and I do not have enough experience up there yet to venture out when its like that so i fished harbor side right where beach ends with a few others . I had several strikes on K wobblers before 10am after that nothing and seen no fish caught.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

twistedcatfish1971 said:


> I'm going to be out there almost every sunday morning up until ... you can't walk out there because of ice build up...lol. then I be roaming around the rivers.
> 
> Don.


carie with you ice cleats.


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## Paul Frick (Jul 11, 2018)

Anyone catching any Steelhead by the Edgewater breakwall?


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## Fatslapper (May 2, 2013)

Paul Frick said:


> Anyone catching any Steelhead by the Edgewater breakwall?


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## Fatslapper (May 2, 2013)

1 steely caught Sunday by the mouth of the Hoga/lighthouse on a reef runner trolling. Bait shop said a few were caught last week along the breakwall.


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## Osmerus (Dec 5, 2012)

Have not seen or heard of much of anything caught casting from the rocks at edgewater. I make it down there a couple times a week. Everyone i talk to said its been very slow. Couple more weeks and they will be around.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

haven't seen the minnows in yet.... they will follow the minnows in


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## Fatslapper (May 2, 2013)

Minnows were pretty thick around the Hoga lighthouse on Sunday.


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## Brahmabull71 (Jul 30, 2014)

Fatslapper said:


> Minnows were pretty thick around the Hoga lighthouse on Sunday.


VERY thick. I was actually surprised and wished we had tried inside earlier.


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## Fatslapper (May 2, 2013)

I wished I didn't make the ride over to the mouth of the Rocky first. Didn't see much there. Caught the steely right where the minnows were thick. Hmmm!


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## Brahmabull71 (Jul 30, 2014)

Fatslapper said:


> I wished I didn't make the ride over to the mouth of the Rocky first. Didn't see much there. Caught the steely right where the minnows were thick. Hmmm!


We must have passed each other. We were in a grey 2075 Pro V.


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## Fatslapper (May 2, 2013)

Possibly. We were in a black Fury. First steely trolling is a pretty cool experience. It went airborne a few times.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

i was at fairport sunday and the minnows were not in there yet...
good to hear they are showing up in some areas tho


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## winjamr57 (Jun 11, 2009)

Fatslapper said:


> I wished I didn't make the ride over to the mouth of the Rocky first. Didn't see much there. Caught the steely right where the minnows were thick. Hmmm!


We're the Steelhead high in the water column?


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

winjamr57 said:


> We're the Steelhead high in the water column?


this time of year they are almost always high in the water column..


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## mlkostur (Apr 27, 2015)

Minnows all around breakwall, but I didn't stumble on any Chrome Friday when I tried on the way in from the deep.


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## Labman1127 (Jul 27, 2012)

After walleye fishing on Saturday at fairport we ran back in and trolled in 23’ from the east end of the break wall to the new fishing pier. 
Hooked up with 2 steelies in the first 5
Minutes we were trying for them. Blue and silver bandits at 60’ back. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## slipsinker (May 21, 2012)

conny today,up river back out to breakwall,to mouth,back to river,,,,etc., water was chocolate milk,nobody else catching.hopefully next try!


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## ErieIslander (Jul 12, 2012)

Caught 1 steelie near breakwall at browns stadium 10/9. Stinger spoon near the surface, reeling in a small dipsey slowly. Felt the hit when my dipsey was only a few ft below the surface. What a blast!


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## $diesel$ (Aug 3, 2018)

Good job, E.I.
Should i fire up the smoker?
Lol


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## ErieIslander (Jul 12, 2012)

$diesel$ said:


> Good job, E.I.
> Should i fire up the smoker?
> Lol


Not a bad idea! I’m thinking of trying mesquite charcoal on the grille. Salt, pepper, and light oil prior to grilling.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

garlic, rosemary ,salt pepper and drizzle with honey then broil


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## Paul Frick (Jul 11, 2018)

We trolled the Edgewater breakwall today. Tons of marks but only 1 16 in Walleye.


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## cleo (Sep 27, 2009)

Paul Frick said:


> We trolled the Edgewater breakwall today. Tons of marks but only 1 16 in Walleye.[/QUOT





lenfishing17 said:


> Anybody know when the steelheads are gonna be near the breakwalls?


got 4 in front of **** 38' dipsys and spoons


lenfishing17 said:


> Anybody know when the steelheads are gonna be near the breakwalls?[/QUOT


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## ErieIslander (Jul 12, 2012)

cleo said:


> View attachment 279319
> 
> 
> got 4 in front of **** 38' dipsys and spoons


Nice job! Were they hitting up high or 15ft down? Thanks.


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## cleo (Sep 27, 2009)

ErieIslander said:


> Nice job! Were they hitting up high or 15ft down? Thanks.


You no I kind of guessed was not getting good marks so ran my dipsy 0 setting 35 back small spoons chicken wing and orange crush


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## ErieIslander (Jul 12, 2012)

cleo said:


> You no I kind of guessed was not getting good marks so ran my dipsy 0 setting 35 back small spoons chicken wing and orange crush


Cool, 4 steelhead is awesome!


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## Paul Frick (Jul 11, 2018)

cleo said:


> You no I kind of guessed was not getting good marks so ran my dipsy 0 setting 35 back small spoons chicken wing and orange crush


Great pick up! Still haven’t got one this year!


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## slashbait (Jun 26, 2008)

cleo said:


> You no I kind of guessed was not getting good marks so ran my dipsy 0 setting 35 back small spoons chicken wing and orange crush


What size dipsey? Thanx


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## $diesel$ (Aug 3, 2018)

Great job, Cleo!! Mail one to Youngstown? LOL


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## cleo (Sep 27, 2009)

slashbait said:


> What size dipsey? Thanx





slashbait said:


> What size dipsey? Thanx


large ones


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