Steelhead 2004

Steelhead

By Dave Kidd

I had often wondered about the countless occasions when I've observed small craft, 12- to 14-foot jon boats and the like, heading toward the north shore during late fall and early winter.
"Surely these boats are not venturing out onto the lake," I said to myself, questioning the sanity of such a practice. Some time later I was relieved to learn that these northeast Ohio and northwest
Pennsylvania anglers were targeting steelhead in the numerous creeks and rivers that feed northeast portions of Lake Erie.

Possibly one of the best descriptions of a steelhead is simply a rainbow trout on steroids. Overwhelming speed and strength matched to a large silvery body that glistens in the morning sun. This considered,
it is little wonder why these fish command such a dedicated following. When most anglers think of steelhead fishing they immediately conjure up the image of an angler standing in a icy flow casting to ripples, deadfalls and eddies. While all this can be entirely true and a viable approach to stream steelheading, many anglers are not aware of the small boat opportunities that abound in Ohio's northeast corner. The reason for this can quite possibly be found in the fact that the steelhead stocking program is still in it's infancy. Although a young and developing fishery, many of northeastern Ohio's steelhead streams and rivers can and do rival the more famous runs of the midwest and west.

While steelies can be caught from the streams starting in mid-September, depending on the amount of rainfall, the bite is a pale comparison to that which will ensue in early spring. Those anglers wanting to get a jump on the steelhead season need not wait for the fish to run up the river. Anglers employing small boats annually explore the Lake Erie shoreline, harbors and lower sections of several courses to intercept staging trout from early fall until ice up. "Actually these areas are where we see the largest fish taken each year," states Vince LaConte, biologist with the Division of Wildlife and avid steelheader. Proof of this was recently made known as the new state record steelhead of just over 20 pounds was caught off of the east breakwall of Conneaut Harbor. Since trolling is the preferred presentation in these areas, tackle requirements are basic for boating early winter steelhead. Seven foot-medium action rods mated to reels possessing a smooth drag are typical.

Monofiliment line in the 6- to 10 pound class should suffice in the lake and harbors while line of a smaller diameter is recommended for those anglers pursuing the river fish. For lure selection one must take
into consideration the location in which they are fishing. While trolling the shoreline near a river mouth, Ohio's veteran steelheaders often use spoons, but shallow and deep-diving minnow imitators are also popular. Concerning spoons, weighted models such as the Little Cleo are given the nod to penetrate various depths from 10 to 25 feet. Simply vary the amount of line out behind the boat to present the baits at different depths.

Color selection can be quite important, depending largely on water clarity. It has been learned that steelhead seem to prefer bright, gaudy colors for reasons unknown. One method to help stack the odds in your favor would be to run your lines off of planer boards. Steelies, for the most part, are extremely
boat shy and "spook out" from an approaching boat's path. Planers, whether in-line or mast and ski types, eliminate this obstacle as they escort your baits far out to the sides of the boat. There is no
mistaking a steelhead strike on a lure run off of a board line. Steelies typically strike at full speed, which snaps the board backwards in the water and often pulls it under. This same setup applies to the harbors as well. Usually not crowded during the period, anglers will have the freedom to run multiple lines
in the protected water. For the rivers I would not recommend using boards as they can become
quite congested both from other boats and lines from shore casters. A better presentation here is a technique called long-lining. This term simply describes the amount of line left behind the boat, usually
100- to 150 feet, to which a small weighted spoon is attached. The shallowest of all three locations, rivers average 10- to 15 feet deep in the center. Speed is of utmost importance for triggering steelhead strikes. Rather than giving general speeds in miles per hour, considering that most small boats do not have the equipment to measure this factor, I would suggest watching your spoon at boatside to determine the proper speed. The spoon should flutter side to side without spinning. Once this is achieved watch the shoreline to get a feel for how fast you are going and try to maintain that speed.

Where For Steelhead
Concerning the topic of shoreline trolling let me make one thing perfectly clear. It is the opinion of this writer that no angler should venture out of the harbors in anything smaller than a 16 foot semi-v
boat at this time of year. The big lake is as unpredictable as she comes during late fall/early
winter. With water temperatures in the low to mid 40s it does not take long for hypothermia to claim another victim should someone fall overboard or capsize. No fish is worth dying for! On good days those anglers in capable boats experience excellent catches of steelhead while trolling the shoreline near the mouths of rivers and creeks during the early morning and evening hours. Possibly one of the best stretches of shoreline can be found by launching at Geneva State Park. Trolling this area, one can hit the
mouths of Wheeler, Cowles and Arcola Creeks, all of which support a run of Steelhead. To the east is Conneaut Harbor, which is at the mouth of Conneaut Creek, perhaps the best steelhead flow in northeast Ohio. Trolling at the mouth of the harbor and up the creek can produce a successful day of
fishing. Small craft such as jon boats or cartoppers are needed for the creek, as it is small and has a low railroad bridge spanning across its width that larger craft cannot pass under. To the west anglers will find
Fairport Harbor and the Grand River, either of which can be accessed by either the Harbor launch or Rutherfords landing at a modest fee. These, with the addition of small stretches in the Chagrin and Rocky Rivers are the top picks for trolling December Steelhead. Lake Erie, the harbors or the streams and rivers -- which ever you prefer, dress warm and please be safe. Cold steel awaits.