Steelhead

[germs087]

Anyone pass the winter months by chasing steel? I just started last month but have found myself on the creek every weekend since. I have done quite of bit of inland trout but there is something about hearing the drag on the reel.

I am typically on Chautauqua creek but have dabbled in all of them between Chaut and the Oak if anyone wants to head out.

[The_Real_TCIII]

I used to get out quite a bit, usually on Chautauqua or Cayuga. I hit 18 Mile once this year, no hookups. In the summer I fish the small streams a lot

[Pygmy]

I used to fish steelies some but it tended to bring me bad luck..

In 1994, I was smoking  some steelhead filets and due to a freak accident, I burned my house down..My wife wouldn't let me smoke fish after that.

Then in 2004 I totaled my new (17,000 miles) truck on my way out to Erie Pa  steelhead fishing...

 

[ATbuckhunter]

Ill fish for steelies in october and man those guys are fun to catch. They're a little too far for me to fish during the winter. 

[germs087]

Well today was a bust but no surprise there. Tried Walnut Creek as it is usually fishable when all the others are blown out but it got progressively worse during the 90 minutes or so I as there.

Looks like the afternoon will be spent attempting to tie some flies.

[turkeyfeathers]

Used to fish the mouth of the Catt in the fall a lot. Blue/silver cleos zung off the lakeside part of the breakwall. Loved airborne fish when they jumped. Burt dam combat fishing got old quick. Did land a monster brown there many years back. Scoby hill dam with fly rod and sucker spawn . Cayuga creek , by my house , caught quite a few. Art park in the gorge in dead of winter produced a crap ton of ill fighting lakers with occasional steelie.  Used to fish pretty hard. Now it's been years. 

[germs087]

I am not fond of fishing in crowds but I need to get up to the salmon runs one of these years. Working a 9-5 makes finding seclusion on the stream tough.

[Lawdwaz]

A good friend (deceased now) used to fish the creeks in Niagara County quite a bit.  I'd tag along and caught my share too.  I was in my late 20's then and have only gone a half dozen times in the past 25 years I think.

[sodfather]

I used to go to oak orchard, Burt, and even Johnsons Creek years ago. I still have my fly rod and gear to go just not as fun as walking in the woods. Atleast for me that is.

[BigVal]

I still do once in a while but I've been way too busy at work this winter so far and going to the creek when deer season is open in the fall.... Now that's just foolish.

[SmokeinTN]

Talking of steelies I have an Edwards quadrate in 8wt that I would like to know more about. I won this rod at a trout unlimited dinner in Elmira. If anyone can shed some light on this rod please do. 

 

[ManicOutdoorsman92]

Occasionally when it's a little warmer. some years ago when I first got into steelhead I went a hell of alot, but occaisional hookups 1-2, or no fish days got old. Breaking ice off the rod tip, feet numb, waiting for the float to go down, got old, although they are fun when you hook into them. Go to those creeks in the early spring for smallies THATS fun. I was literally catching fish about every cast my brother too, more than one double hookup, every fish being near 3 lb, best was a chunky 4lb'er, and the smallmouth are quite the acrobatic fighter like steelhead

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[ManicOutdoorsman92]

Talking of steelies I have an Edwards quadrate in 8wt that I would like to know more about. I won this rod at a trout unlimited dinner in Elmira. If anyone can shed some light on this rod please do. 
 

well an 8wt would be a fly rod, (you probably knew that already), gonna need an appropriate size reel, and line, I'd go with weight forward (WF) IN 8 WT. WF line is easier for casting. 8 imo is a bit heavy for steelies, but hey it can double as a salmon rod. Decide if you want to get into the fly fishing because it's an expensive hobby, especially if u purchase flies, and after all that spending, it's no easy task to manuever. Between getting the line out, mending for a clean drift, and actually hooking and landing a fish is quite difficult


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[ATbuckhunter]

11 minutes ago, ManicOutdoorsman92 said:

well an 8wt would be a fly rod, (you probably knew that already), gonna need an appropriate size reel, and line, I'd go with weight forward (WF) IN 8 WT. WF line is easier for casting. 8 imo is a bit heavy for steelies, but hey it can double as a salmon rod. Decide if you want to get into the fly fishing because it's an expensive hobby, especially if u purchase flies, and after all that spending, it's no easy task to manuever. Between getting the line out, mending for a clean drift, and actually hooking and landing a fish is quite difficult


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8WT seems to be the standard, but I know people that use 6WT's for them. I use a 10WT for salmon though. 

[ManicOutdoorsman92]

8WT seems to be the standard, but I know people that use 6WT's for them. I use a 10WT for salmon though. 

damn 10, I guess it helps if you hook a bigger one, I expect to be hooking average size fish, and will take the extra play for smaller fish vs backbone for the occasional big one, although that can lead to upset when the big one bites


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[ATbuckhunter]

22 minutes ago, ManicOutdoorsman92 said:

damn 10, I guess it helps if you hook a bigger one, I expect to be hooking average size fish, and will take the extra play for smaller fish vs backbone for the occasional big one, although that can lead to upset when the big one bites


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It's not about the size of the fish, its about the area I fish. I fish the rapids above the SR's town pool and if they turn down stream your chances of landing that fish drop significantly. The 10WT allows me to put some more muscle on the fish so I can swing it in if it goes downstream. If I was fishing just for steel, Id get a 7WT probably. 

[SmokeinTN]

2 hours ago, ManicOutdoorsman92 said:

well an 8wt would be a fly rod, (you probably knew that already), gonna need an appropriate size reel, and line, I'd go with weight forward (WF) IN 8 WT. WF line is easier for casting. 8 imo is a bit heavy for steelies, but hey it can double as a salmon rod. Decide if you want to get into the fly fishing because it's an expensive hobby, especially if u purchase flies, and after all that spending, it's no easy task to manuever. Between getting the line out, mending for a clean drift, and actually hooking and landing a fish is quite difficult


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Thanks for commenting on this rod. No reel or line with it bare rod. 8wt is  marked on the tube. When I was in my teens I used a glass rod 5wt for my fly fishing. At that time I tied my own fly's. Lost interest in my late teens and fly fished very little. As a retirement gift to self I purchased a carbon 5wt outfit haven't used it to date it's been 7yrs. The Edwards rod has a Pete Dailey signature on it and is a beautiful rod.

Edited February 17, 2017 by SmokeinTN

[Salmon_Run]

Steelhead !!!!!!!!!!

Now your talking my language; ealy spring drop backs ready to eat MEAT as they attack big drifted flies.

I use a 6wt with sink tip and florocarbon leader in varied weights as water clarity dictates. I like streamers and egg patterns in many different colors. I tie my own so have some crazy combinations. I hit the Salmnon as much as possible and a few tribs. This time of year the crowds are small and I can move along easily with the drift boat.

Good luck and see you on the water.

 

 

[germs087]

Never fails that WNY gets 8" of snow on Wednesday and now it is supposed to be 50 tomorrow. Going to hit the stream at first light and hope to get some time in before the creek blows out. Mother Nature has chose not to reward us 9-5ers too much this season but so it goes.

[The_Real_TCIII]

Thanks for commenting on this rod. No reel or line with it bare rod. 8wt is  marked on the tube. When I was in my teens I used a glass rod 5wt for my fly fishing. At that time I tied my own fly's. Lost interest in my late teens and fly fished very little. As a retirement gift to self I purchased a carbon 5wt outfit haven't used it to date it's been 7yrs. The Edwards rod has a Pete Dailey signature on it and is a beautiful rod.

You didn't say it was bamboo, what a beauty! I was going to say don't waste big bucks on a reel, the Orvis Clearwater or similar is more than adequate. But for that pretty rod you're going to have to invest $450 in a pretty machined aluminum large arbor reel. Sorry but rules are rules


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[germs087]

I think he wanted a price on that rod...and if so if it worth some good coin.

That said I think I would be too scared to actually fish that rod properly.

[SmokeinTN]

1 hour ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

You didn't say it was bamboo, what a beauty! I was going to say don't waste big bucks on a reel, the Orvis Clearwater or similar is more than adequate. But for that pretty rod you're going to have to invest $450 in a pretty machined aluminum large arbor reel. Sorry but rules are rules

Lol I think your right. I have been looking for vintage reels but it's only going to be a show piece so not in a hurry . 
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[ATbuckhunter]

8 hours ago, SmokeinTN said:

Thanks for commenting on this rod. No reel or line with it bare rod. 8wt is  marked on the tube. When I was in my teens I used a glass rod 5wt for my fly fishing. At that time I tied my own fly's. Lost interest in my late teens and fly fished very little. As a retirement gift to self I purchased a carbon 5wt outfit haven't used it to date it's been 7yrs. The Edwards rod has a Pete Dailey signature on it and is a beautiful rod.

If your looking for a reel go with a redington behmouth. I used it this year and it took a beating and asked for more! Cant say enough about this reel. 

[SmokeinTN]

18 minutes ago, germs087 said:

I think he wanted a price on that rod...and if so if it worth some good coin.

That said I think I would be too scared to actually fish that rod properly.

Not looking for a price already have that. Just looking to see if anyone has heard of this type number rod and who is Pete Dailey. Your right this rod will not be fished by me. I can screw up a steel pole !

[Moho81]

Gosh I use to steelhead fish all the time. Just another hobby that got sucked up by life. I loved the early spring run after a month of no small game hunting it was great getting back outdoors. It was cold it's was windy it was miserable but man did I love to do it. Hooking a big steelhead and listening to that reel scream as it ran!


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