# Steelhead...2022.



## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

I personally can't wait to FEEL the insane/sudden pull with line/rod👊

Just wiped the drooling from my lip hahaha...more soon lol 

Don.


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## steelhead sniper 860 (Nov 6, 2013)

First ones of the season are always a rush! GL


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## MechMark (Nov 3, 2021)

Went through and put single hooks on all these since my landing ratio was way better than with the trebles. Handling some of the proven spoons today had me feeling the itch! Cant wait to hit the harbors in October and November. Ill be better prepared this year, the steelhead of Ohio are in trouble. 😏


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## slashbait (Jun 26, 2008)

MechMark said:


> Went through and put single hooks on all these since my landing ratio was way better than with the trebles. Handling some of the proven spoons today had me feeling the itch! Cant wait to hit the harbors in October and November. Ill be better prepared this year, the steelhead of Ohio are in trouble. 😏
> 
> 
> View attachment 492819


What size hooks are those? 2/0?


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## MechMark (Nov 3, 2021)

Not sure, found them in my late FIL old gear.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

@ MechMark...I like the single hook with spoons and going to put a few on some of my spoons here soon. I just found a couple packages of old steelhead/salmon hooks and going to use them. I think I found these @ Mark's tackle in Ravenna awhile ago in box on front table. Anyway I'll post up soon with some pictures.

Don.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

I put single hooks on some 2/5 oz cleo spoons and a wide gap treble along with a smaller sized RED treble on 2 gold spoons on right hand side. I'm going to do a few more over next few weeks along with some spinners. 

Note:
2nd picture is a sting eye spinner I ordered from Thundermist lures. They have alot of cool jigs/spinners/spoons on website. I follow Evo on youtube and is very informative with videos. 

Note#2:

Mark's bait n tackle got a ton of Cleo spoon's and actually cheaper than ol Wally mart 😉

Don.


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## westbranchbob (Jan 1, 2011)

Twisted good luck with that spinner....I have a few myself I got a few years ago...they run deep and you gotta fish them fast to keep the blade thumping. I'm sure they will work in the right situation but from my experience the little cleo produces better. I've tried them on the rocks and in the river to no avail. I'm alw0ays trying to find an edge myself, especially when I see them rolling everywhere on the breakwall and can't buy a bite. Last year I tried a variety of crankbaits but the casting distance wasn't the best...this year it'll be swimbaits. Something I can work a little slower than a spoon. Btw I used a few scents last year on a trial basis and found one called "winter steelhead " to be very productive on jigs drifted in slow water. More effective than tipping with maggots by a landslide in fact.

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

I've torn down all my reels for maintenance, watched 1000 videos on everything from shot patterns to float types, ordered enough Rapalas to stock a sporting goods store, compared braid and flourocarbon brands, almost bought a new rod and reel a dozen times, and convinced myself this is the year I break the 30" mark. The shakes and night sweats are the worst.


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## westbranchbob (Jan 1, 2011)

BNiemo said:


> I've torn down all my reels for maintenance, watched 1000 videos on everything from shot patterns to float types, ordered enough Rapalas to stock a sporting goods store, compared braid and flourocarbon brands, almost bought a new rod and reel a dozen times, and convinced myself this is the year I break the 30" mark. The shakes and night sweats are the worst.


I think I've watched every YouTube video from the great lakes and I've moved on to watching West coast techniques to bring here. Have a few ideas for more turbid water but for the most part just chomping at the bit myself. One thing I'm starting to cave on is a centerpin setup...but for now I'm holding out...lol

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

So awesomeness! It's good to have a place to vent hahaha. I honestly think about steelhead fishing every day lol. The videos are almost to a point where I've seen them all twice now. 

We are close now.


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## Ten Bears (Jan 12, 2012)

twistedcatfish1971 said:


> I personally can't wait to FEEL the insane/sudden pull with line/rod👊
> 
> Just wiped the drooling from my lip hahaha...more soon lol
> 
> Don.


They are fresh from the lake!


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

My better half, for a combination Anniversary/ Birthday present got me a 2 day trip in Northwest Michigan fishing for steelies with XXL Chrome Chasers from Youtube in October, its worse than a kid waiting for Christmas!!!!


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

We could start an off-season steelhead addicts support group. I'll start! Hello, my name is Niemo and I am a Chromaholic. Its been 142 days since my last steelhead.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

I love it! 

Don.


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## Mhebbs (Dec 19, 2020)

I am glad I am not the only one ...I keep having dreams where I go to the river excited to fish for steelhead and then mid-dream I realize its only August...


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## westbranchbob (Jan 1, 2011)

These colder rains will help, trying to hold off my first trip until at least the last two weeks of September but it's getting harder and harder.

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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

westbranchbob said:


> I think I've watched every YouTube video from the great lakes and I've moved on to watching West coast techniques to bring here. Have a few ideas for more turbid water but for the most part just chomping at the bit myself. One thing I'm starting to cave on is a centerpin setup...but for now I'm holding out...lol
> 
> Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk


Lol when i started steelhead fishing there werent any videos or magazine articles about the great lakes areas...you had to learn from the west coast...learned alot back then...hell you couldnt even buy a noodle rod in this part of the country i used a 9 1/2 foot flyrod with a shakespeare ultra light spinning reel on it...
Lol


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Last year 9/26/21 I went up to litehouse in fairport to fish steelhead. None caught by me that day but did see several surface breaks and 1 very large one caught on East side of rock wall just before litehouse (harbor side)

I spent the whole month of October chasing smallmouths and didn't start chasing steelhead till 11/4/21. Short pier at fairport and 2nd cast got a F.O. with cleo spoon. Over next 4 daysim I fished 3 times up North and went 8 for 10. I continued to fish steelhead right through winter and when rivers locked up I went ice fishing over at Mosquito till the rivers flowed again. My last steelhead came on 4/9/22 standing in waist deep water and red/gold cleo. 

Excited for this upcoming season for sure! Fish are bigger and seems to be more of them last 2 years. Plus noticed more caught earlier than expected. Good luck to all who chase and tight lines. 

Don.


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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

Yea cant wait till fell that slam on my spoon again
Thats just a great way to catch them


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## westbranchbob (Jan 1, 2011)

I have to admit they fresh chrome in open water is some of the best and eating steel you will see all season. However there is something about fishing a river that just gets to me...ya know?

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## TRIPLE-J (Sep 18, 2006)

Yea those bright chromers are great in a smoker or blackened in a hot pan


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

westbranchbob said:


> Twisted good luck with that spinner....I have a few myself I got a few years ago...they run deep and you gotta fish them fast to keep the blade thumping. I'm sure they will work in the right situation but from my experience the little cleo produces better. I've tried them on the rocks and in the river to no avail. I'm alw0ays trying to find an edge myself, especially when I see them rolling everywhere on the breakwall and can't buy a bite. Last year I tried a variety of crankbaits but the casting distance wasn't the best...this year it'll be swimbaits. Something I can work a little slower than a spoon. Btw I used a few scents last year on a trial basis and found one called "winter steelhead " to be very productive on jigs drifted in slow water. More effective than tipping with maggots by a landslide in fact.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk


For casting distance with stick baits try the rapala xraps. They are designed to cast further. There are a few others out there with a transfer weight system that cast well,I just can't recall the names of them at the moment... 
I realize they probably still won't get the casting distance a hunk of metal will get. But might help ya in certain situations....


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

Saugeyefisher said:


> For casting distance with stick baits try the rapala xraps. They are designed to cast further. There are a few others out there with a transfer weight system that cast well,I just can't recall the names of them at the moment...
> I realize they probably still won't get the casting distance a hunk of metal will get. But might help ya in certain situations....


The Xraps cast a country mile. I like the xr-8 and xr-10!


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## Crack77 (Mar 19, 2021)

Spending the summer getting my fix on fishing a local pond fishing bass & fly fishing gills. Have made some trips on Erie getting some eyes for the freezer BUT can't wait for the colder nights & rain when the chrome returns. For me the challenge of presentation, hooking & fighting them is the best of my fishing experiences.

Mechmark, what type of hook do you use when you change out your spoons. I have tried a few but they don't swing on the O ring like they should, the eye of the hook is too small.


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## MechMark (Nov 3, 2021)

Crack77 said:


> Spending the summer getting my fix on fishing a local pond fishing bass & fly fishing gills. Have made some trips on Erie getting some eyes for the freezer BUT can't wait for the colder nights & rain when the chrome returns. For me the challenge of presentation, hooking & fighting them is the best of my fishing experiences.
> 
> Mechmark, what type of hook do you use when you change out your spoons. I have tried a few but they don't swing on the O ring like they should, the eye of the hook is too small.


I use these hooks with open eyes like this.








Crimp it closed on a split ring or a swivel. I use 2 rings that allow more articulation without binding up on itself during a fight or a swivel.


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## Crack77 (Mar 19, 2021)

Thank you, gonna give it a try


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

Is it worth putting singles on plugs?


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Good information recently with tackle whatnot. We are just a few hours away from putting August behind. September just feels <right> with steelhead fishing and really starting to get rods/tackle/gear together. I start to put a few spoons in my bass box now with up north trips to rivers/litehouse. 

We are getting close now 👍🎣

Don.


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## westbranchbob (Jan 1, 2011)

Single hooks have a better hookup ratio due to the force of a hook set being concentrated on one single point...might miss some that swipe at the spoon occasionally but almost all the west coasters do it...I like mustad siawash hooks myself. 

Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk


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## kingfisher72 (May 14, 2016)

Surface water temps are still pretty warm at 76F. Usually 68F is go time. If we get a big NE wind it could change overnight though. Keep an eye on the those buoy temps.


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

Friends, I have an idea'r to cast by you, especially some of the other less experienced Chrome Addicts. What if we started our own club....organization....group. We could meet once a month on known neutral water, fish, give pointers, ask questions, critique and help with form and presentation, etc. This place is a wealth of info, but sometimes seeing it done is a world of difference. Just a thought, lemme know what you think.


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## timo4352 (Jan 9, 2017)

I got 2 steelhead trolling last Saturday off Fairport in 55 feet of water.
Lost the one at the net, landed the second ... nice chrome 27 incher.


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## GobyOneGnoby (Apr 21, 2004)

timo4352 said:


> I got 2 steelhead trolling last Saturday off Fairport in 55 feet of water.
> Lost the one at the net, landed the second ... nice chrome 27 incher.


That's what you call tasty! Nice.


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## westbranchbob (Jan 1, 2011)

BNiemo said:


> Friends, I have an idea'r to cast by you, especially some of the other less experienced Chrome Addicts. What if we started our own club....organization....group. We could meet once a month on known neutral water, fish, give pointers, ask questions, critique and help with form and presentation, etc. This place is a wealth of info, but sometimes seeing it done is a world of difference. Just a thought, lemme know what you think.


Great idea, I'd be down...but neutral water..lol...idk if that exsists.

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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

westbranchbob said:


> Great idea, I'd be down...but neutral water..lol...idk if that exsists.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk


Neutralish? I know a few spots on Connie and Ashtabula that I'm pretty sure EVERYone knows about lol.


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## MechMark (Nov 3, 2021)

Well Im in southeast MI, all of Ohio is neutral for me. Ill be around conny and ash soon trolling the harbors then hitting vermilion and rocky once they start going up.


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

MechMark said:


> Well Im in southeast MI, all of Ohio is neutral for me. Ill be around conny and ash soon trolling the harbors then hitting vermilion and rocky once they start going up.


I have yet to fish the Rocky, but hope to soon. They stock that pretty heavy if I remember correctly.


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## MechMark (Nov 3, 2021)

Its very accessible so that's a pro and con. I hooked a few last fall on my first attempt, landed 1.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

BNiemo said:


> Is it worth putting singles on plugs?


i change trebles for singles on plugs,if it has 3 hooks i use only 2 singel hooks.
i use 3 hooks only for suspending lures,for proper weight, and the lure stay horizontal when i stop.


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## MechMark (Nov 3, 2021)

HappySnag said:


> i change trebles for singles on plugs,if it has 3 hooks i use only 2 singel hooks.
> i use 3 hooks only for suspending lures,for proper weight, and the lure stay horizontal when i stop.


I do a similar process, for my plugs I strip the belly hooks and rings and keep those as spares for when a bigger steelhead inevitable tears up the tail hook and split ring during a fight. Taking off the belly hooks reduces snags so I lose less while casting/trolling rivers. Also better for C&R purposes, less hook points to tear up the fish and easier to unhook. Another plus is less hook points to potentially get stuck in my hands while trying to release. Only con is a slightly lower hook up ratio with less hook points but the landing ratio is higher once hooked up.


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

What type and size hooks do you replace your trebles with? I have been considering doing this but can find little information on sizing.


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## MechMark (Nov 3, 2021)

Depends on the application. You want to match up new hook size with similar size as original to maintain the right weight otherwise it wont run right.


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

Rumor has it ODNR caught a pink salmon in the Rocky doing electro sampling. Also noted was quite a few early Steelhead.


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## twistedcatfish1971 (Jul 21, 2013)

Go checkout: "anyone old enough to remember this" post on Northeast section about pi k salmon.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

BNiemo said:


> What type and size hooks do you replace your trebles with? I have been considering doing this but can find little information on sizing.


i finded best hooks,super sharp super strong even steelie can not demige my hooks.
order VMC inline hooks 1/0,2/0,3/0,4/0 and 5/0,25 in packige and put on what you like and what is needed for suspending lure.
i have eye 11" hit HJ#14 with 5/0 hook on the back lure,all hook in the mouse.
i had yesterday 24" eye hit top 20 smitwick back hook 5/0 ,shee had that hook in jaw.
i love theese hooks,if i fish at night comleete dark no moon,i do not have to turn light on to take fish from net and take hook out from fish it is that simple.


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## MechMark (Nov 3, 2021)

I am also a fan of VMC hooks.


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

I'm a going to switch some out and give them a go! Thanks, Fellers!


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## Crack77 (Mar 19, 2021)

BNiemo said:


> Friends, I have an idea'r to cast by you, especially some of the other less experienced Chrome Addicts. What if we started our own club....organization....group. We could meet once a month on known neutral water, fish, give pointers, ask questions, critique and help with form and presentation, etc. This place is a wealth of info, but sometimes seeing it done is a world of difference. Just a thought, lemme know what you think.


Kinda like how you & I met up. I took you to Elk & you took me to Bula. Hope mutual good info shared, I enjoyed it. I would think if you met @ a river somewhere there would be takers. Even though the rivers get pretty crowded I have always thought there is enough fish to go around and if you can help make some ones experience better or gain some knowledge from someone else, everybody wins.


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## Crack77 (Mar 19, 2021)

BNiemo said:


> What type and size hooks do you replace your trebles with? I have been considering doing this but can find little information on sizing.


I just got some #4 siwash & put them on my 1/4 oz cleos, looks proportional. hope to try them soon


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

Crack77 said:


> Kinda like how you & I met up. I took you to Elk & you took me to Bula. Hope mutual good info shared, I enjoyed it. I would think if you met @ a river somewhere there would be takers. Even though the rivers get pretty crowded I have always thought there is enough fish to go around and if you can help make some ones experience better or gain some knowledge from someone else, everybody wins.


That was a great trip, Rick! You even scored a bonus smallmouth! I think that was definitely the most fish I ever saw in a day, all stacked up in that feeder.


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## SteelStreamer (Dec 2, 2015)

When it comes to swapping trebles with siwatch hooks I use one #8 hook off the tail of lure attached to a small swivel to a split ring to the lure, reason for the swivel steelhead like to death roll, and reason for the small hook steelhead have tougher mouths and can use the longer shank as leverage to pop the hook out, reason for 1 hook rivers have a lot of snags and you'll loose fewer expensive lures.


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