# Nows the time to look...



## steelheadBob (Jul 6, 2004)

Hey newbies and even the average steel anglers,nows the time to hit the rivers and look for spots. I do alot of walking in the summer on differant rivers and creeks for new spots. I get a crap load of calls asking where to go. During this summer when the rivers get low and clear, just take some time and go for a hike, and find some new spots,. If your a rocky river person, look on some maps and head east. You'll catch alot more fish. Just grab some crappy shoes and walk. You want to look 4 holes, rocks, bolders, shoots, bottom ledges, pools, undercuts. N e place that a steelhead could rest, hide behind, waitr for bait to swim by.. Now keep in mind that alot of these spots you will find r going to be alot deeper during steel season when the river rise. The grand is a really good river to walk for miles and find new spots. Start doing some reading and reserch.
Start stocking up on supplies. Cus alot of times most shops runs out half way into the season. And start watching the web for steelhead seminars. Im doing a couple of them this fall at gander mountains at mentor and maybe akron. If any one has any steel questions or wants a good location to start looking and investigating on there own, shoot me a p.m. I will always be glad to help out a angler.,


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

I have done this all my life... Its is so amazing how much the river changes almost everyday.. Some of my favorite holes have all but disappeared..


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

steelheadBob said:


> Hey newbies and even the average steel anglers,nows the time to hit the rivers and look for spots. I do alot of walking in the summer on differant rivers and creeks for new spots. I get a crap load of calls asking where to go. During this summer when the rivers get low and clear, just take some time and go for a hike, and find some new spots,. If your a rocky river person, look on some maps and head east. You'll catch alot more fish. Just grab some crappy shoes and walk. You want to look 4 holes, rocks, bolders, shoots, bottom ledges, pools, undercuts. N e place that a steelhead could rest, hide behind, waitr for bait to swim by.. Now keep in mind that alot of these spots you will find r going to be alot deeper during steel season when the river rise. The grand is a really good river to walk for miles and find new spots. Start doing some reading and reserch.
> Start stocking up on supplies. Cus alot of times most shops runs out half way into the season. And start watching the web for steelhead seminars. Im doing a couple of them this fall at gander mountains at mentor and maybe akron. If any one has any steel questions or wants a good location to start looking and investigating on there own, shoot me a p.m. I will always be glad to help out a angler.,



Im not wasting the time. Im just gonna go with a few other guys( one of them being Bob) and have them show me all their spots!


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## Mepps3 (Apr 23, 2006)

Learn to *read water *and you can find most holding area's without ever fishing that river before. I like to investigate under low conditions the new places that I only fished under high conditions to see what was holding the fish in that area. IMHO it gives you a better idea on how to *read water *. Most of the rivers in Ohio change to much to really worry about them now. A major flood or a fallen tree can change the entire area in the river. Time on the water is the only way to learn how to *read water*. Fish for smallmouth or catfish during the summer, they like the same holding area as steelhead.


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## liquidsoap (Oct 22, 2005)

River is in decent shape now.. I am going out now to try to catch a few smallmouth before dark..


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## steelheadBob (Jul 6, 2004)

yea alot of water does change from time to time, but seaching for new water during the summer months wont hurt n e thing. for ex::::: theres a couple of streatches of water i always walked past on the grand cause the water was just not fishy for me. I did try it once or twice but never did n e good.:S
so one summer i walked along that route, seen two concrete slabs on the other side of the hole, that i never knew was there cus the water flow was just too slow. So during the season, i fished it with a float and minnows, looping my line so i could get some speed on my float and pulled 5 steel out from behind that slab. Alot of places change, but alot of them dont change. 
I think if alot of people looked at a couple of places when the water is low, see whats on the bottom, look at bends in the rivers, cuts and shale bottoms vs. sand/rock bottom, they might understand alittle better how and why the water is moving the way it is, and go on from there. Bottom structure has alot to do with how the water moves,,,, AND YES IT DOES CHANGE from time to time, but alot dont. Theres alot of hole that i have fished for years that hasnt changed a bit.


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## steelheadBob (Jul 6, 2004)

Im not wasting the time. Im just gonna go with a few other guys( one of them being Bob) and have them show me all their spots! 


Sheeesh Rick, not asking for n e handouts r we??????? LOLOL


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## Mepps3 (Apr 23, 2006)

steelheadBob said:


> yea alot of water does change from time to time, but seaching for new water during the summer months wont hurt n e thing. for ex::::: theres a couple of streatches of water i always walked past on the grand cause the water was just not fishy for me. I did try it once or twice but never did n e good.:S
> so one summer i walked along that route, seen two concrete slabs on the other side of the hole, that i never knew was there cus the water flow was just too slow. So during the season, i fished it with a float and minnows, looping my line so i could get some speed on my float and pulled 5 steel out from behind that slab. Alot of places change, but alot of them dont change.
> I think if alot of people looked at a couple of places when the water is low, see whats on the bottom, look at bends in the rivers, cuts and shale bottoms vs. sand/rock bottom, they might understand alittle better how and why the water is moving the way it is, and go on from there. Bottom structure has alot to do with how the water moves,,,, AND YES IT DOES CHANGE from time to time, but alot dont. Theres alot of hole that i have fished for years that hasnt changed a bit.


Moving water gives more infomation once you figure out how to read water. I bet the surface water above those concrete slabs give you a clue that they are there under higher flow  I fish just about every river for steel and that is to much water to walk under low conditions. Once you learn to read water it makes fishing any river that much easier.


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## steelheadBob (Jul 6, 2004)

Mepps3 said:


> Moving water gives more infomation once you figure out how to read water. I bet the surface water above those concrete slabs give you a clue that they are there under higher flow  I fish just about every river for steel and that is to much water to walk under low conditions. Once you learn to read water it makes fishing any river that much easier.


I didnt say to walk every river, and thats not the point i was trying to make in the first thread, and no,,,,, i seen that spot along with alot of other spots in high water and no sign thats theres n e thing below. 
And now it starts............... LMAO


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## Mepps3 (Apr 23, 2006)

steelheadBob said:


> I didnt say to walk every river, and thats not the point i was trying to make in the first thread, and no,,,,, i seen that spot along with alot of other spots in high water and no sign thats theres n e thing below.
> And now it starts............... LMAO


Some locations are better under high flow and you won't catch a thing in that same spot under low flow (like your concrete slabs). You do teach fisherman this, right? I find it hard to believe that the surface water gave no indication that something was present . What percent of the river are you fishing that you walked during the summer? I would bet you fished more river that you did not walk. So how is walking the river banks going to really help? Who can possibly remember all the boulders, slabs, cuts, holes, down tree's ect...... and a good percentage of rivers do change btw! Again, learn to read water and you can fish any river at anytime. The surface water will tell you what is going on down below. Fishing the river will make you learn more than walking it. 

BTW you started it...........LMAO


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

Mepps3 said:


> BTW you started it...........LMAO


And you obviously are going to finish it! I'm pretty sure Bob was just trying to help people out. Bob catches fish, you might to.... There's always more than one way to do something and I think you're convinced that yours is the only "correct" way. When are you putting on a Seminar?


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## Mepps3 (Apr 23, 2006)

ParmaBass said:


> And you obviously are going to finish it! I'm pretty sure Bob was just trying to help people out. Bob catches fish, you might to.... There's always more than one way to do something and I think you're convinced that yours is the only "correct" way. When are you putting on a Seminar?


I help out fisherman more then you might think. What does putting on a seminar have to do with this btw?


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## Mepps3 (Apr 23, 2006)

stream_stalker said:


> Learn to read water? One of the people you fish with most says you can't do this to save your life. Here's your hint to whom I speak of, he held your hand to all these steelhead rivers that you are god of (prior to meeting him you rotted on the "western unmentionable" an rocky). < that'll teachya to read water lmfao. By the way, nice try getting matt to tell you where i musky fish so you can tell karl, he has more respect for a friendship than that.



No wonder your buddy's don't call.


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## ParmaBass (Apr 11, 2004)

You win!!!!!!


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## stream_stalker (May 10, 2006)

Mepps3 said:


> No wonder your buddy's don't call.



Correction, one buddy. One buddy who is apparently afraid of confrontation.


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## Mepps3 (Apr 23, 2006)

stream_stalker said:


> Learn to read water? One of the people you fish with most says you can't do this to save your life. Here's your hint to whom I speak of, he held your hand to all these steelhead rivers that you are god of (prior to meeting him you rotted on the "western unmentionable" an rocky). < that'll teachya to read water lmfao. By the way, nice try getting matt to tell you where i musky fish so you can tell karl, he has more respect for a friendship than that.


I may know more then you think about them musky....opps. When are you going to pay Matt for the lures you lost? The westside will make you a better fisherman since we don't get as many fish and you actually have to fish lol.


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## stream_stalker (May 10, 2006)

Mepps3 said:


> I may know more then you think about them musky....opps. When are you going to pay Matt for the lures you lost? The westside will make you a better fisherman since we don't get as many fish and you actually have to fish lol.


Lure I lost, wow, you are good at twisting the truth aren't you. It wont take a year or more to pay him back 10 dollars like it has for joe to pay him back what, 100 dollars? The west side will make me a better fisherman? Is that why you float the ash so much? BTW this is almost like the days of TSS old. Good old forum bantering, only CB wasn't as fast as who ever whacked my first post an River Rat isn't hear to make fun of my spelling...


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## Mepps3 (Apr 23, 2006)

stream_stalker said:


> Lure I lost, wow, you are good at twisting the truth aren't you. It wont take a year or more to pay him back 10 dollars like it has for joe to pay him back what, 100 dollars? The west side will make me a better fisherman? Is that why you float the ash so much? BTW this is almost like the days of TSS old. Good old forum bantering, only CB wasn't as fast as who ever whacked my first post an River Rat isn't hear to make fun of my spelling...


I actually fished the westside more then the east, maybe because I live on the west lol. Matt enjoyed fishing the west this year. He finally got to see some fish on the other side of town.


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## stream_stalker (May 10, 2006)

Mepps3 said:


> I actually fished the westside more then the east, maybe because I live on the west lol. Matt enjoyed fishing the west this year. He finally got to see some fish on the other side of town.


I'll get out there eventually. I like the V i've been on it like three times an it's been good each time, i hear it sucks in the fall though. I want to make a point to get on matt's river this year too just because of the size.


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## stream_stalker (May 10, 2006)

BTW, even though i said mepps can't read water lol he is correct, you can tell where fish will consentrait based on what the appearence of what the water looks like (reading water). Fish have a few basic needs, food, oxygen (disolved oxygen not like they sit on the bank an take a breather) an ease of where they sit (conservation of energy). All three of these points work with eachother an differ according to weather/temperature, but for the most part you can pick out spots that offer those needs by what the stream an water flow looks like better than you can by seeing what the river bed looks like.


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

boy, its not even season yet and this thread has already gotten ugly. 


fact is, I never walked a stream to hunt for potential steelhead areas. but out of curiosity of this one stretch, I did this past wekend while smallmouth fishing. good thing. about 1 mile or two of water was absolutely worthless. there simply were no decent holding areas.

its nice to do, but no subsitute for being able to read water.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

I believe Bob was directing this at the less experienced steelheaders. It would be way easier for them, the less experienced, to pick out spots when the water is very low than it would be to put the time in and learn how to read water. Another benefit that I don't think was mentioned is that walking can rule out unproductive stretches of water. Doesn't really matter either way though because most new steelheaders don't want to put in, or "waste", the time to learn and don't want to walk to learn spots. They like the spoon feeding that they get from the net!
NO MORE


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## Patricio (Feb 2, 2007)

BigDaddy300 said:


> Doesn't really matter either way though because most new steelheaders don't want to put in, or "waste", the time to learn and don't want to walk to learn spots. They like the spoon feeding that they get from the net!


yep. there was a time when you had to learn how to steelhead, whether from a friend or simply by doing it. these days half the posts here are 'where can I catch steelhead'?

everything is that way though. there was a time when flyfishing was a developed skill, now it's take a class and instant fish or your money back.


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## steelheadBob (Jul 6, 2004)

The freaking point i was trying to make in the first freaking thread is i get a crap load of calls and p.m.'s in the beginning of the season...... Hey Bob, im not doing so hot at rocky, hey Bob, where are some good holes, hey Bob, ive been fishing dan. park at chagrin five times and only got three fish. The POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE (without being rude to the newbies) i dont mind helping people at all, but grab your dog and leash, hop in the car and take a drive and go to new spots and look around. Find new fishing spots that you have heard of on ogf or diffeant rivers ......And start doing reserch and reading on the site. Thats what i was trying to get at!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I intended that thread for the newbies to steelheading. @@@@@@@@And yes, i do talk about water flow and reading the water, ask n e one that has been to my seminars. I teach newbies the basics first to get them started on the rivers and learn how to read the water as they go along. You just cant tell a person, here ya go, heres a rod, egg sack and floats, now learn how to read the rivers. Its a long and aggravating thing and not many people can get the hang of it. And you basicly have to show someone on a river how to read a river then talking on the phone and typing it on ogf. So thats why i said what i said to make things a little easier for the new guys. Do you have 8 hours a day 7 days a week to take out everyone who dont know how to read a river????? I dont.
The differance between me and alot of people is i dont say<<<YOU HAVE TO DO IT THIS WAY. In which i know that you have told people that phrase..I love walking into a bait store and hearing the guy behind the counter, or walking into a differant seminar and hearing the steelhead guy say, and reading naggys book(which is half wrong) and telling them you HAVE TO KEEP YOUR BAIT AND FLOAT WITH THE SAME SPEED AS THE FLOW! YOU HAVE TO PUT 5-6 SPLITSHOTS 6-7 INCHES APART ON YOU LEADER(looks like a pearlnecklace flowing in the waterLOLOL) and the almighty good one, YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR LINE OFF THE WATER AT ALL COST!!!!
Thats all B.S. I tried it, my fish rate went over half way down. I tell people this is what i use, how i use it and differant ways i use it, if you want to listen and take notes, good! you can try them and see if it works out for you, if they do, im happy, if they dont, well sorry and thanks for giving it a shot. So dont ask me if i teach fisherman stuff.
Your so concern about reading the water,,,,, where is some of the other advise for newbies. Thats why i started the darn thing. It would of been nice if you said, hey Bob, dont forget about learning how to read water. Then i would of said, oh crap, i have a video that i made that i played at one of my seminars on how to read waters and what to look for, i can down load it on ogf. Thanks Mepps. Reading the water is only a small percentage of steelheading, dont make it sound like once you learn how to read the water, you can catch fish n e where!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Close the book before the chapter gets scary Mepp"s.,!!!!!


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## stream_stalker (May 10, 2006)

steelheadBob said:


> Thanks Mepps.



That's Mepps3 to you...


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## steelheadBob (Jul 6, 2004)

stream_stalker said:


> That's Mepps3 to you...


surrrrrrrrrrre!


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

Patricio said:


> yep. there was a time when you had to learn how to steelhead, whether from a friend or simply by doing it. these days half the posts here are 'where can I catch steelhead'?
> 
> everything is that way though. there was a time when flyfishing was a developed skill, now it's take a class and instant fish or your money back.


Yep! Kinda sad in a way!


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## Mepps3 (Apr 23, 2006)

For me the final chapter was reading water. I wish it would have been mentioned earlier in the book as it was the last major piece to the puzzle to be a consistant steelheader imho. Sorry to have offended you Bob.I do not follow the norm like you when it comes to fishing for steel. You are correct that it does not have to be one way or another.


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## THUNDERBUG (Apr 28, 2008)

Gotta love the Bi Polar dysfunctional Steelhead community! )

Nick, I was waiting on *YOU* to show me your money holes... First lures on me! Whenever your ready bro. You can even have the first cast on my NEW Loomis jerkbait rod.

T*BUG


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## ouflyboy9 (Aug 12, 2008)

steelheadBob said:


> yea alot of water does change from time to time, but seaching for new water during the summer months wont hurt n e thing. for ex::::: theres a couple of streatches of water i always walked past on the grand cause the water was just not fishy for me. I did try it once or twice but never did n e good.:S
> so one summer i walked along that route, seen two concrete slabs on the other side of the hole, that i never knew was there cus the water flow was just too slow. So during the season, i fished it with a float and minnows, looping my line so i could get some speed on my float and pulled 5 steel out from behind that slab. Alot of places change, but alot of them dont change.
> I think if alot of people looked at a couple of places when the water is low, see whats on the bottom, look at bends in the rivers, cuts and shale bottoms vs. sand/rock bottom, they might understand alittle better how and why the water is moving the way it is, and go on from there. Bottom structure has alot to do with how the water moves,,,, AND YES IT DOES CHANGE from time to time, but alot dont. Theres alot of hole that i have fished for years that hasnt changed a bit.



Bob - 
thanks for the heads up/advice


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## Jack'n Fish (Oct 1, 2007)

WOW I was about to leave this alone but its too tempting. Bob here's a bit of info for ya. Steelhead are stupid. Sorry to burst everyones bubble but they are a very dumb trout not some end all be all ultimate prize fish. They are very very tough to fish for which you eluded to in your comment about shot and "proper" techniques. Here it goes...... Go to a river with 12" to 36 inches of vis, put on a bobber, some shot, a piece of tippet, and a fresh spawn sac, minnow, or jig a maggot combo. Go to a piece of water with other anglers watch them cast and play monkey see monkey do. If you have no results in a half hour head to another group of anglers and repeat as the guys you are fishing with now suck and probably spent too much time at one of Bob's seminars instead fishing for themselves. That is the reality of our fabricated fishery. I love these retarded fish but they are what they are and most days they are easier to catch than panfish. If you want to accomplish something learn to float fish for carp without chum and in an area of actual flow while targeting them alone. Try that for a summer while you are stretching your legs getting some exercise listening to good old Bob's advice and come talk to me afterwards. Chances are you will realize just how dumb steelhead really are. So Bob get off your soap box and come back down to reality catching these fish really is no accomplishment.
Teach that in your next seminar


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

after reading this thread,maybe eliminating this fotum is such a bad idea afterall.bob just posted some ideas to maybe help some people,and out come the guns.
do any of you people actually go back and read what you type?maybe instead of looking down on someone and belittling them,you could actually come up with something positive to contribute instead of arguing and insulting.


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