# Upper Chag 04/14



## ReelPower (May 18, 2009)

Very disappointing, drifted spawn for chrome, nada. Did not see a whiff of spawning activity, no suckers either. Quiet would be an understatement.


----------



## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

This cold snap couple have slowed the spawning. Idk. Upper Chag...how far up? How was the water level/clarity?


----------



## ReelPower (May 18, 2009)

I was far up on a hunch in the S.Chagrin, flow was high but wadeable, color stained but a fishy 20" or so. Temp seemed decent. The lack of suckers was really weird. Buddy of mine fished a huge chunk of the middle chag today and got skunkered, same story for miles.


----------



## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

the fish are out east


----------



## ReelPower (May 18, 2009)

Fishman said:


> the fish are out east


Although your reputation for honest reports is a wee bit thin, you may be onto the truth there. Seems like an early May lower river "drop and dash" pattern may be in effect.

Glad you stuck a few on the Ashola. Jk.


----------



## toobnoob (Jun 1, 2010)

I was on the upper chag sunday morning as well. Same thing.... nothing, not a sucker, not anything. I was very surprised, thought for sure the rain would move the fish up stream.


----------



## Mudd Puppy (Apr 22, 2011)

I was out on the Chagrin early this morning with the same result.


----------



## fishaman1652 (Dec 28, 2011)

I was out around Daniels park caught three suckers on a jig and lost a steelhead not bad for a half hour of fishing. 


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

ReelPower said:


> Although your reputation for honest reports is a wee bit thin, you may be onto the truth there. Seems like an early May lower river "drop and dash" pattern may be in effect.
> 
> Glad you stuck a few on the Ashola. Jk.


So what if my tactics are different, but I still land legitimately hooked fish. People say throw yarn and eggs, but it's not the only game in town.


----------



## fredg53 (Sep 17, 2010)

Just sayin steelies are poppin top water trust me

posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## jiggin'fool (Dec 18, 2005)

saw guys fishing with fat wobbly crank-baits for em just letting them swing down the current said they were catching em! heard of those fish eating just about anything!


----------



## steelheadBob (Jul 6, 2004)

fredg53 said:


> Just sayin steelies are poppin top water trust me
> 
> posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


me and josh were watching them take bugs of the top on the chag the other day,,, it was very cool...


----------



## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

That's cool! I've seen steelhead "porpoise" before, but none of them seemed to be eating bugs on top, they just randomly jumped out of the water. 

I don't know how true this is, but I guess the reason why it's so rare to catch steelhead here(or other stocked fisheries) on dries is because they were raised in a hatchery and haven't been exposed to eating bugs(on the surface), while the wild fish spend a year in the streams eating insects and whatnot before heading out to the lake/ocean.


----------



## kapposgd (Apr 10, 2012)

Theyre actually not randomly jumping out the water. Steelhead will jump out the water to loosen its skein.


----------



## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Went ahead and ignored the reports this weekend to try the dry fly bite. I was exceptionally surprised at the low hours of sunlight the ammount of fish that were willing to take a black midge, and most noticablly, hairwing coachment. Left the river mid day to hit the new Melt, but was back well before sun down and did some good damage on emerger caddis. For those that thing you can't get these behemoths to a dry fly are dead wrong!


----------

