“I don’t believe it! Did a steelhead really just take my dry fly?” Fortunately, the words were only thoughts and instincts took over. I raised my rod tip, set the fly, and the water exploded. I had just ignited a 10-pound, silver missile, intent on reaching the sky and throwing my fly. I had arrived … Read more
There are numerous ways to present a fly with a fly rod for steelies. This is one of the more popular methods used in the Great Lakes region. Many well know fly fishing authors have written about it. My good friend Tom Rosenbauer mentions it in his Orvis fly fishing technique book. Deep nymphing, dead … Read more
Correct speed of drift Imitating an egg-nymph dead drifting along the bottom at the same rate of speed as the water column is imperative to successfully hooking up. This is achieved by looking where your mono butt section enters the water. It should be moving slightly slower than the surface current. This matches the bottom … Read more
Fly fishing the Erie County tributary streams of Lake Erie in the fall for steelhead is an exciting game for the Pennsylvania fly fisher. He or she is in pursuit of an incredibly dynamic fish capable of long, drag screaming runs and multiple cartwheel-type jumps. These fish are like silver sticks of dynamite waiting to … Read more
A good strategy when fly fishing the Erie tributaries in the spring is to concentrate on the upper halves of these streams or their feeders. The majority of spring steelhead will be found here because of the presence of ideal spawning riffles. Spawning activity can also occur very close to the lake in some of … Read more