Understanding The Geography

Before setting out for an encounter with Erie smallmouth, it’s a good idea to understand the lay of the land. At 640,000 acres, Lake Erie is hard to miss when looking at a map. Pennsylvania borders only a small section of the big lake. The Keystone State’s North Coast is approximately 40 miles long, with roughly 20 miles of lakeshore on either side of the City of Erie.

Although 14 tributaries enter the lake within the Pennsylvania section, all are too small for boats to enter. The only natural harbor along the Pennsylvania shoreline is 3,800-acre Presque Isle Bay, created by a sandy peninsula extending into the lake like a curved finger.

The Pennsylvania shoreline is characterized by alternating cliff-like banks and narrow valleys where tributary streams enter. But the radical shoreline contours do not continue into the lake. The lake bottom (comprised chiefly of sand, marl, and rock rubble) has a fairly slow taper with ridges, rises and small drop-offs. In early spring, bass relate to deeper structure features, eventually moving onto the shallower flats once the water climbs into the high 50s.

The most effective approach to fishing is from a boat. Several excellent boat ramps are located within or just outside Presque Isle Bay. Along the rest of the 40-mile shoreline, only two sites have suitable protected ramps to safely launch and retrieve a boat — Walnut Creek Access west of Presque Isle in Fairview and North East Access east of Presque Isle near the New York state line.

Understanding Spring Smallmouth Bass Movements

While largemouth bass reside in Presque Isle Bay and connected lagoons the entire year, most smallmouth bass caught in the bay are transient visitors. The main lake is the domicile of smallmouth.

Smallmouth bass winter in deep water, probably in the 35 to 45 foot range. As the ice cover disappears in the spring and Lake Erie gradually warms, schools of smallies begin moving shallow. Whether the bass movement is a direct reaction to water temperature or simply predator bass following their prey, no one can say for sure. Warming water increases the microscopic life which baitfish feed on – so the chain of life simply pulls gamefish to the warmer water because that’s where the food is located in the spring.

Relatively shallow and protected, Presque Isle Bay warms before the main lake. Smallmouth bass migrate into the bay from the lake to feast on an array of preyfish. Some forage species have wintered over in the bay, and the warmer water now attracts additional species. Due to food sources and an environment conducive to spawning, many smallmouth remain in the bay through June.

Meanwhile the main lake is warming slower, thus smallmouth activity is not moving at the same speed as in the bay. Bass in both Lake Erie and the bay go through the same instinctive routine; it’s just that things happen later on the main lake.

With water temperature readings in the mid 40s, it is possible to catch numbers of smallmouth bass. These fish are eating, but not chasing prey. Smallies will be schooled tightly in “relatively deep water”, usually holding near a breakline or drop-off. “Relatively deep water” in the bay is around 20 feet, while on the main lake, it is closer to 35 feet.

As temperatures creep above the 50-degree mark, bass begin to move onto flats and spread out. While some smallmouth remain deep, others may be foraging as shallow as seven or eight feet. Smallies now engage in more aggressive feeding. By the time the water temperature climbs to around 60 degrees, more bass will be caught shallow than deep.

When water temperature reaches the mid 60s, anglers may notice a slow down in the bite as bass begin moving onto nests. Bedding bass do not feed. However, not all bass nest at the same time. There are plenty of fish to be caught without disturbing any bass observed on beds.

As smallmouth complete their spawning activities, they again form large schools and begin voracious feeding. Typically, with water temperature in the low 70s, smallmouth may be observed chasing baitfish near the surface. Once water temperature climbs to the mid 70s, smallmouth schools move out over deeper water.

Best Fishing Locations

There are several productive spots for targeting smallmouth bass in Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie during the spring:

• Presque Isle Bay: One of the first places smallmouth move into from the main lake. The bay’s shallow flats and protected waters provide a prime staging area.
• Gravel and Rock Ridges: Smallies relate to structure such as rocky points, submerged ridges, and underwater humps.
• Tributary Mouths: Areas where streams enter the lake can concentrate baitfish and attract bass.
• Drop-offs and Breaklines: Early in the season, bass will school up along deeper ledges before migrating shallower.

Catching Great Lakes Smallies

Before launching into specific lures and presentations, let’s get one thing straight. Real bass anglers do not troll. The majority of serious bass fishermen would rather not catch bass than spend the day in a stupor dragging a crankbait on a heavy rod behind the sleep-inducing hum of an outboard. Bass fishing means the angler has his hands on the rod to manipulate the lure and set the hook, and to enjoy the acrobatic antics of the fish. Casting, vertical jigging, and drifting are perfectly acceptable bass presentations, but trolling is reserved for Erie walleye fishermen. With that said, here’s how to catch those bronzebacks.

For Erie smallmouth in the spring there are four lures in the must-have column. These four lures – blade bait, jigging spoon, tube jig, and curl-tail grub – will cover 80% of the fishing situations in the bay and the lake. Another six or seven baits can be extremely effective at times. The baits that score under specific circumstances include spider jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits, soft stickbaits, spinnerbaits, topwaters, and Carolina-rigged soft plastic.

Hang around Erie smallmouth anglers long enough and you’ll hear them refer to the different “bites” that take place between April and July. Perhaps they may mention the blade bite, spoon bite, spinnerbait bite, Slug-Go bite, or topwater bite. These fishermen are referring to certain windows of opportunity when bass are readily caught on a particular lure. Some windows are very narrow and others extend over a longer period. The effectiveness of specific lures result from smallmouth’s location, forage target, and degree of aggressive feeding behavior.

For example, with 45-degree water, the best artificial is a small blade bait worked vertically by employing small lifts and drops of the lure. The rod tip should be moved no further than a couple inches – just enough to detect the blade beginning to vibrate. Early spring is the best blade bait bite.

When the water gets into the 50-degree range, bass become more aggressive and willing to chase larger, more active prey. Dragging a 4 or 5-inch curl tail grub along breaklines, around humps and over flats can be very effective in depths from 15 to 30 feet. This is the grub bite.

With bass spreading out on the flats during pre-spawn, there is a brief period of very aggressive feeding in relatively shallow water. In the bay, anglers need to quickly cover water in depths from three to eight feet. This is commonly referred to as the spinnerbait bite.

As more and more bass come off the beds and cruise the shallows looking for an easy meal, the stop-and-go drift retrieve of a soft stickbait reigns supreme. This is known as the Slug-Go bite. Although many fishermen do not realize it, this lure can be effective in the bay and the lake.

In early summer when smallmouth again school up to catch emerald and spot-tail shiners near the surface on calm days, it’s an excellent time to work a chugger or dog-walking surface lure over 10 to 20 feet of water. Thus the topwater bite comes on strong with water temperature hovering in the low 70s.

But if there are two lures that epitomize Lake Erie smallmouth, they are the tube jig and jigging spoon.

The tube jig, perhaps better known to some by the brand name “Gitzit”, is a lure that catches Great Lakes bass all season long. It is a hollow soft plastic with rounded head and multi-strand tentacle tail. A tear-shaped lead jighead – 1/8 to 3/8-ounce depending on depth – is inserted through the open end and pushed to the front of the lure. The eye of the hook is punched through the plastic and the line tied to the jig.

What a tube lure represents is a long-standing debate: baitfish or crayfish? But in reality, a tube jig simply represents food to a bass. Being an opportunistic feeder most of the time, a hungry bass will engulf the lure first and then determine if it’s worth eating.

In cold water, tubes may be dragged or popped lightly on the bottom. Later in the season, if bass are chasing bait at mid depth, a swimming retrieve – like a twister grub – is the way to go. And if bass are busting baitfish on top, the tube may be streaked through the surface frenzy and then permitted to fall like an injured minnow. Versatile – that’s why a tube jig catches smallmouth all year long.

Many long-time Erie bass anglers swear by only one color for their tube jigs – a greenish watermelon. A few insist on using only the Original Gitzit in color #200 green. But there are many quality brands of tubes on the market these days. And I have success with a variety of colors, including smoke pepper (black flake in smoke plastic body), firecracker (red, blue and silver glitter in clear plastic), sand (black and gold glitter in milky plastic), and more. By experimenting with retrieve and color, you will find the right combination for smallmouth bass on any given day.

A jigging spoon will likely be found tied to the smallmouth angler’s rod all the time, too. The Hopkins Shorty is the most popular, but other choices include Cripple Herring, Krocodile, Kastmaster, and Rattle Snakie spoons.

More often than not, anglers use a 1/2 or 3/4-ounce spoon when a lighter weight tube jig cannot be fished effectively due to choppy seas. However, anytime you observe suspected baitfish and gamefish marks intermingling on your depthfinder several feet above the bottom, then the circumstances are right for a jigging spoon. Use a vigorous rod snap to make the spoon jump two feet or more.

The radical spoon action detailed above will not always produce smallmouth, especially in the cold water of early spring. An alternative method is to lightly pop the spoon off the bottom with small hops.

Best Lures and Techniques for Spring Smallmouth

Targeting smallmouth bass in the spring requires a mix of finesse and aggressive tactics. The following lures and techniques have proven highly effective:

Blade Baits

When the water is in the low-to-mid 40s, smallmouth bass are sluggish and prefer a slow-moving presentation. A small blade bait worked vertically with short, subtle lifts is ideal for enticing bites.

Tubes and Grubs

As temperatures climb into the 50s, smallmouth begin actively hunting prey. Dragging a tube jig or curl-tail grub along breaklines and flats is one of the most productive methods.

Jerkbaits and Spinnerbaits

When bass start spreading out in shallower water, a hard jerkbait or a spinnerbait retrieved at moderate speed can trigger aggressive strikes.

Topwater Baits

By early summer, when the water reaches the 70s, smallmouth will actively chase baitfish near the surface. Working a topwater popper or walking bait in 10 to 20 feet of water can lead to explosive strikes.

Boat Access and Launch Points

Access to Lake Erie and Presque Isle Bay is easy, thanks to several well-maintained boat ramps:

• Presque Isle State Park: Multiple boat launches provide direct access to the bay and main lake.
• Walnut Creek Access: A popular launch site west of Presque Isle, ideal for anglers targeting main lake smallmouth.
• North East Marina: Located near the New York state line, providing another great entry point to productive fishing waters.

Catch and Release for Trophy Bass

Pennsylvania has special regulations for smallmouth bass fishing in Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie. From mid-April to mid-June, anglers are permitted to harvest only one bass over 20 inches, but most dedicated bass fishermen opt for catch-and-release. Releasing trophy bass helps sustain the fishery and ensures that these giants continue to thrive in the lake.

Weather and Seasonal Considerations

Springtime weather can be unpredictable. A sudden cold front or strong northeast wind can push bass back into deeper water, temporarily slowing down fishing. On the other hand, stable warm weather encourages smallmouth to move shallow and feed aggressively.

Anglers should monitor conditions closely and adjust their tactics accordingly. When the bite slows due to changing weather, downsizing lures and slowing down presentations can still produce fish.

Final Thoughts

Spring smallmouth bass fishing in Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie is a bucket-list experience for any angler. With world-class fishing opportunities, stunning scenery, and plenty of access points, it’s no wonder that bass enthusiasts flock to Pennsylvania’s North Coast every year.

By understanding bass movements, choosing the right lures, and adapting to changing conditions, you can enjoy an unforgettable fishing trip this spring. Whether you’re targeting trophy-sized bronzebacks or simply enjoying the thrill of consistent action, Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie won’t disappoint.

The post Spring Smallmouth Bass Fishing in Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie, Pennsylvania appeared first on fisherie.com.

I had arrived at Walnut Creek around 7 a.m. on Monday, October 18th, with my 6-weight rod in hand and hoping to find both water and fish. Rain has been stingy this year and the Lake Erie tributaries have all remained low and relatively clear. Heeding the call of mother nature, the steelhead have nonetheless crept in under the cover of darkness or discolored water and poked their noses as far inland as they dared, flitting from hole to hole. I started fishing in the new holes below the Manchester Road bridge. Pressure on our beautiful steelhead has been very high. With all the publicity “steelhead alley” has been getting this year, anglers from far and near have been pounding the water with everything imaginable. The press of too many anglers in a limited area has brought out the worst in both people and fish; boorish behavior and lockjaw.

I moved from pool to pool exploring the new holding water and looking for some elbow room. I enjoy traditional steelhead fishing and lean towards the use of greased line presentations, Spey-style flies, streamers, and wet flies. To me, the quality of the fishing experience, not the quantity of fish caught, is of primary importance. Finding adequate space to fish was difficult and the water flow was barely marginal for the tactics I prefer. After picking up several fish, I elected to abandon my preferred techniques and try small nymphs and spawn flies. Several more nice, fresh fish came to hand and were released in due time. But the fishing wasn’t very exciting. Without sufficient water depth and breadth, the real power and majesty of the steelhead is severely handicapped; steelies need water to leap, fight, and run!

After having a sandwich and some cookies for lunch, I debated as to whether I would stay at Walnut or try someplace else; Elk Creek always calls to me because of its greater water volume. I decided, however, to try the main pool just above the Manchester Road bridge. Earlier in the day the place was lined with anglers standing nearly shoulder-to-shoulder. Not exactly my cup of tea. But by now, the pool wasn’t too crowded. Guys walking down stream told me the fish had been pounded by innumerable anglers all morning and weren’t being very cooperative right now. Undeterred, I pressed on. When I got to the pool I couldn’t believe my eyes. There were hundreds of steelhead in the water and about a dozen anglers were scattered along the western (un-posted) shore. Every once in a while a bait fishermen would get a take and pretty soon another fish would be added to a stringer.

Being the only fly fisherman in the group, I positioned myself near the tail-out water where I had a little casting room and some current to work. I fished hard for about an hour and picked up two fish on streamers worked deep and slow. Clearly, the fish were uncooperative so I switched to 6X tippet and tied on an assortment of small (sizes 14 to 20) nymphs and spawn flies. As the ranks of anglers thinned, I moved up through the pool and managed to pick up a fish every now and then. The trick seemed to be changing flies and colors often. My challenge was to find and present something to the fish that they hadn’t seen recently and to find one that was willing to take my offering.

Around three o’clock I was giving serious thought to moving on to Godfrey Run and fishing in the lake for a while. I had already had a very good day on Walnut, releasing about a dozen fish brought to hand. Perhaps, I mused, it might be fun to fish the big water where a hooked steelhead could really fight and run and jump as much as it wanted.

As I headed back down towards the bridge, the sun finally peeked out from behind the clouds. I paused and thought: “Why not try fishing a dry fly for a while?” While I had never heard of Lake Erie steelhead taking dry flies, I had nothing but time to lose and perhaps I might even entice a steelhead to the surface just like the West Coast anglers! Searching through my dry fly box, I picked out my largest, bushiest looking fly, a very heavily dressed size 12 Adams. I rubbed some floatant on it and tied it to the business end of some 4X tippet. Fishing near the tail-out, I cast across stream and let the current carry the fly down stream for a while. Periodically, I would “skate” the fly and then let it resume its normal drift. On my second cast, just after skating the fly, it disappeared beneath a bulge of water. Fish on! After emitting an uncontrollable shout of surprise and joy, I concentrated hard on bringing the fish to hand to prove to myself that it had really taken the fly. Sure enough, the fish was fair hooked with my fly clearly visible, and firmly lodged, in the corner of its mouth.

Well, one fish caught on a dry fly doesn’t prove anything. So, I went back to work. On the very next cast, same result; fish on! Amazing! Even though these fish had been hammered hard all morning, they were still surface oriented and willing to come up to take my fly. I had a hard time believing what had just happened. By now, my two-in-a-row was attracting attention and soon several guys were standing around. After I released the fish, I explained to them, in response to their “what are you using” question, what I was doing. A fly fisherman in the crowd said that he had never heard of our steelhead taking dry flies. I said, “neither had I.”

Perhaps feeling undeservedly confident, I agreed to demonstrate my technique. I again cast across stream, let the fly drift, skated it, let it drift, and nothing happened. At the end of the drift, when the fly was directly down stream and at the edge of the riffles, I twitch the fly and the surface exploded with a savage take! After three spectacular jumps and several high-speed runs up and down the pool, the fish was brought to hand. What a magnificent 12 pound specimen! Beautifully chrome colored and heavily bodied, apparently fresh from the lsake, the steelhead looked amazingly like an oversized football.

After now having caught three magnificent steelhead on three successive casts, I thought that I should rest the pool (and my nerves) for a while. As the ranks of the bait-tossers thinned, I slowly moved into position to fish other sections of the pool. Again and again, steelies rose to my dry fly and, with each fish hooked, I marveled at their power and beauty. Although not all rises resulted in takes, I was truly surprised by their degree of surface orientation. Perhaps it was the novelty of the presentation, the sunlight on the water, the clarity of the water, the amount of flow, the water temperature, or perhaps it was some combination of these factors.

Of the six steelhead I caught on a dry fly and released that day, the final one to rise to my fly seared a lasting image in my mind. I was fishing the middle section of the pool and the current flow was relatively slow. I cast to the middle of the creek, let the current carry the fly, skated the fly, then drifted, then skated again, then drifted. Suddenly, as if in slow motion, a large head and dorsal fin emerged from the dark green depths. With mouth open and eyes fixed on my drifting fly, the steelhead porpoised on my fly with about the front one-third of its body coming out of the water. In hindsight, I still can’t believe that I didn’t yank the fly away from that fish before it struck. Instead, frozen, I watched in awe (and with my mouth open too) as this wondrous event unfolded before me not more than 30 feet away. The take was clean and true; the fight was on; the fish was acrobatic, determined, and exhilarating. As I led the fish to hand and then released it, I marveled at what a remarkable day and special moment it had been.

What a wonderful new dimension dry fly presentations bring to steelhead fishing in the Lake Erie tributaries. Truly my day on Walnut Creek had been memorable. Twenty-three steelhead played to hand and released; most notably, six of them had proven that our steelhead will take dry flies. Right now, I must get to my bench and try my hand at tying some bombers!

New Wilmington, PA
October, 1999

P.S.

Although one season hardly qualifies as “substantial” experience, I have learned a few lessons about dry fly fishing for Lake Erie steelhead. First of all, it was a waste of time tying Bombers. The flies are too big and noisy for our intimate streams. Instead, I recommend that one simply tie more heavily dressed than usual dry flies in sizes 10 through 14. I have had good success using Adams and Elk Hair Caddis patterns. The presentation trick is to not overdo the skating part and to show the steelhead something that they will recognize. I have found that repeated casts to targeted fish (sometimes 10 or more drifts over the fish) might be needed to provoke interest and a strike. I have also found it helpful to think of the steelies as trout and to fish for them accordingly; basically give them a drag-free natural drift, match-the-hatch presentation. I only skate the fly sporadically and for a short distance in order to attract attention, just as I sometimes do for trout.

By the way, I managed to catch a total of 12 Lake Erie steelhead on a dry fly during the 1999-00 season. While most of the fish were caught in the fall, I did manage to catch several in the spring. I think water temperature and freshness of fish are critical factors in contributing to success. I found that it was not possible to move a dark “river rat” fish to a dry fly.

New Wilmington, PA
October, 1999

Content by John Deegan, Jr.

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Deep nymphing, dead drifting, drift fishing, high sticking, chuck and duck. These are all terms I’ve heard, used to describe the same method. Anytime you can make it easier for any species of fish to feed anywhere in the world you will increase the odds of hooking up. That’s why this presentation technique is so popular, especially during the winter months. It works in every condition you will ever find on a river. (High-low water, cold-warm water, any species, clear-off color water, fast-slow moving water, close in far out, no room for a back cast, crowded conditions, etc. …).

You only want to lightly tap your weight on top of the rocks (3 light ticks is sufficient), giving your rod tip a slight bounce or 3-6 inch twitch when feeling a slight pause, stop or hesitation. If you slightly twitch the tip of the rod on the pause, then you are pre-setting correctly. If it’s a rock, you have just gotten over it, and kept your fly on the bottom. If you fully set, then a lot of the time you have moved your weight and fly so far off the bottom that your drift is over. If it’s a fish (rock?) then your line will not move and stop which means you should immediately set the hook. I pre-set the hook with a twitch, then set, if line remains still.

The first lesson I was ever taught when fishing for steelhead or salmon using this technique is if you pre-set on the pause or hesitation, and pull up a leaf, then you are detecting the slight pause or hesitation correctly. If you wait every time for your line to stop before you set, then you are missing fish. I always tell my clients – when in doubt, pre-set the hook, and if the line doesn’t move, PLEASE (politely) set it!

Not a day goes by when you can watch other anglers fishing and see their line pause with no reaction by them. Or watch the line stop dead for 3-4 seconds with no reaction. The reaction to the take has to be immediate or fly is spit out.

Here are several ways to help you detect subtle takes:

1. Watching the line in the water as it moves down stream on the drift. You will normally always see it before you feel it.
2. Feeling with your rod hand on cork.
3. Lightly touching your rod hand index finger to the line.
4. Holding the line in your other hand. The line should be held in your fingertips for greatest sensitivity.
5. There are some seasoned steelhead anglers who don’t watch their line in the water on the drift. Instead they look at their rod tip through the entire drift, letting the slight movement of the tip tell them what is going on underneath the surface.

Another take that not everyone is aware of is 2 or 3 quick taps in a row. I always tell my clients that if they feel 2-3 quick taps, set on it. If you stop to think about what you just felt, then it’s too late. You’ve just missed one of the easiest ways to determine a take.

Proper Weighting:

I sometimes change my weight 2-3 times without moving from the same spot. I work the water close, then farther out. Weighting is critical to helping you detect the takes. The key is to lightly tap the bottom, not dredge the bottom. Too much weight and detecting subtle takes is impossible.

This technique also works in your local streams and rivers for trout during high water conditions. It also works in the deeper, faster sections where traditional fly lines will not allow you to get down to the bigger fish.

Basically, telling the difference between tapping a rock and a subtle take is one of the most difficult skills to acquire when fishing in this manner.

Besides all the other pieces of the puzzle we have covered and will cover, hopefully these tips will help you all to be more in tune with your drift fishing. Putting all of this together consistently will put you into the 10% that catch 90% of the fish!

Happy Hookin!

Randy Jones

Randy Jones is a thoroughly proficient and professional full-time fly / spin fishing guide with 18+ years of fresh and saltwater experience. He has represented Orvis Corporation as a guide (18 years) and chief instructor of their 2-1/2 day Saltwater Fly Fishing schools. During the summer, Randy can be found guiding the Monomoy Island area (Cape Cod) where sight fishing on the flats for Trophy Striped Bass is his specialty. During the Fall, Winter and Spring Randy runs a drift boat and wade trips on the World Class Salmon River in upstate N.Y. for Steelhead, Coho, Browns, Atlantics and Kings. Visit his award winning web site at www.YankeeAngler.com.

The post Fly Presentation Technique – Detecting the Take and Proper Weighting appeared first on fisherie.com.

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 current speed close enough. Making your offering look real enough to even the smartest fish.

Jim Rusher once told me that in the wintertime it is sometimes advantageous to slow your drift down even further. This allows the lethargic fish time to move slightly for what it thinks is an easy meal.

Correct depth of drift

When I first cast into a new piece of water my first question is: how deep? This determination is achieved by raising or lowering the rod tip until light ticking of weight on bottom rocks is felt. The next step for me is to look at the distance between the surface of the water and end of the fly line. (I prefer to run an 8-11ft. butt section of 8 lb. test straight mono for steelhead, so the fly line never touches the water on the drift.) By this distance between fly line and water I know exactly where it should be on each successive cast, which allows me to set up immediately for each additional cast to achieve the perfect drift. The next question I ask myself is: am I weighted correctly?

Visual and non-visual characteristics of line

When drift fishing correctly the line between tip of the rod and the weight should be a straight line. If you try to dead drift with a bow in your line, you not only create additional drag which speeds up your drift making your fly look unnatural but you also create a lot of unnecessary snags on the bottom. Without a straight line (slack) your weight is simply slogging along the bottom looking for the quickest and easiest rock to call home for good. A lot of the time if you have slack in your line you will not feel the ticking sensation due to the vibrations not being transferred up through the line. Remember: with line straight from tip of rod to weight you will be lightly tapping the tops of the rocks, cutting down on drag, giving it a more natural drift and getting hung-up on the bottom less.

Angle of rod tip to line

To achieve a maximum dead drift and cut down on snags the rod tip should be directly over the line. If the rod tip is in front of line then you will be prematurely initializing the swing. Also, if the weight runs into structure, you will be pulling it into it and creating a worse snag than if the rod tip was over the line and twitched directly up and over any obstruction.

Pre-setting and setting of hook

Whenever you set and find nothing there, don’t return your rod to its original position unless you draw up the slack. If your rod is replaced to its original angle, you’ll end up fishing with a bow (slack) in your line because when you set you brought your weight closer to you. Getting hung-up will normally follow.

Common problems

If you ever catch yourself bouncing you rod tip constantly on the drift (more than 3-6 inches), four things could be happening:

1. Too much weight. Solution – Lighten-up or you’ll be getting hung-up all day. I keep 8 different sized bags of split shot with me to achieve the perfect drift, no matter where I’m fishing.
2. Slack (bow) line from tip of rod to weight. When bouncing the rod excessively you are simply picking the weight up and off a rock, dropping your tip back to its original position and letting the weight return to the snag-filled bottom below only to get caught up again. Solution – Return and re-read: Correct depth of drift; Characteristics of line from tip to weight; Pre-setting and setting of hook.
3. You are setting the hook on the subtle pauses and hesitations, instead of pre-setting with 3-6 inch twitch of the rod tip. Remember: if you do set the hook and come up empty then remove the slack by pulling additional line in.
4. You are obviously fishing in snag heaven, loaded with big rocks and boulders. Solution – keep fishing because these areas hold unpressured fish. In November the steelies love to hold in 3-5 feet of rippled, pocket water. Fast-moving water with big boulders is steelhead heaven. Normally these areas are not fished heavily by seasoned anglers because you will spend a fair potion of the day retying. Most guides avoid these areas like the plague. But sometimes the fishing can be “Outstanding”.

Besides all the other pieces of the puzzle we have covered and will cover, hopefully these tips will help you all to be more in tune with your drift fishing. Putting all of this together consistently will put you into the 10% that catch 90% of the fish!

Happy Hookin!

Randy Jones

Randy Jones is a thoroughly proficient and professional full-time fly / spin fishing guide with 18+ years of fresh and saltwater experience. He has represented Orvis Corporation as a guide (18 years) and chief instructor of their 2-1/2 day Saltwater Fly Fishing schools. During the summer, Randy can be found guiding the Monomoy Island area (Cape Cod) where sight fishing on the flats for Trophy Striped Bass is his specialty. During the Fall, Winter and Spring Randy runs a drift boat and wade trips on the World Class Salmon River in upstate N.Y. for Steelhead, Coho, Browns, Atlantics and Kings. Visit his award winning web site at www.YankeeAngler.com.

The post Drift Fishing Correctly with Fly Rod appeared first on fisherie.com.

Pennsylvania steelhead start collecting around the mouths of the tributary streams when the shoreline temperatures of Lake Erie drop to 68 degrees F. This usually occurs by mid-September, depending on that year’s particular weather pattern. Good runs of steelhead begin arriving in the tributaries by mid to late September if the early fall period is on the wet and cool side. It’s the cold, muddy run-off (created by fall rains) into a relatively warm Lake Erie that initiate fall runs of fish.

Fall steelhead are of the mint silver variety. Some steelheaders call them “chromers,” a far cry from their dark coloration of late winter and early spring. After they enter a tributary stream in the fall, they do not actively feed like they have in the depths of Lake Erie. Once in the streams, their stomachs shrink and they begin to live off their body fat and reserves. But ask any steelheader and he will tell you that they indeed “feed” and will take your fly with authority. This is a result of a strong, aggressive feeding instinct developed in the lake over the summer months.

Early fall tributary run-off, which can range from 65-50 degrees F, means active and aggressive steelhead. These fish move out of their way to take a fly in these water temperatures and hold in the faster-moving areas of the stream, such as pocket water, fast runs, chutes and the heads of pools. This is the opposite of winter steelhead. These ice-water fish take flies very softly, and at times, imperceptibly while inhabiting very slow current areas.

The major tributaries of Erie County include 12 Mile, 16 Mile and 20 Mile Creeks east of the City of Erie, and Elk, Walnut and Crooked Creeks west of Erie. Major access is available from Routes 5 and 20, which run parallel to the Lake Erie shoreline and intersect all these tributaries. There are numerous other tributaries of smaller size (such as Raccoon, 2 Mile, 7 Mile and 4 Mile Creeks), which have less fishable water but nonetheless are also good. All of these waters drain south to north in Erie County over ancient shale beds, which also contain large amounts of a greenish-clay. Over the millenniums, this run-off has eroded and carved the shale, creating ledges, chutes and sharp drop-offs in the stream beds. This is what makes Erie County tributaries so unique and challenging to fly fish for steelhead. These lake-run fish will use the maze of stream bed topography to their advantage for resting and holding areas.

The fly fisher who knows these areas intimately (low water is a good time to learn) improves his chances of finding and therefore catching steelhead. The initial steelhead runs of the fall are usually short. That is, the steelhead will not migrate as far upstream as they do when they get closer to their spawning time in early spring. This means the steelheader should concentrate his efforts on the lower part of the tributaries to intercept the bulk of the run.

As stream temperatures slowly drop into the 40’s and 30’s you will notice that steelhead push further and further upstream. Simply put: If you get rain, you’ll get runs of fish into the Erie tributaries in the fall. Knowing this, the astute steelheader will plan his fishing trips around weather systems. He monitors the weather and tries to get on the stream just after high water as it starts to drop and clear up. “Prime conditions” will occur when the water develops a slightly opaque green tint to it (a result of suspended clay particles). Steelhead are very catchable in this type of water because their visibility is just good enough to see your fly offering, but not too clearly. These conditions usually don’t last more than 24-48 hours due to the tremendously fast run-off rates of the Erie tributaries. Eventually when the streams become low and clear, the areas of fishable water are drastically reduced and the steelhead can become quite difficult to catch. These circumstances often require lighter tippets and much smaller flies.

If it is relatively dry fall with very little run-off, steelhead are still available in the tributaries. Look for them holding just above the lake in the first couple of deep pools and runs. Here they will make tentative probes upstream only to be held up by low water. This scenario can mean a really high concentration of fish in a relatively small area. Crowded fishing conditions are almost guaranteed. Waiting for run-off and steelhead movement upstream will spread steelhead out, as well as anglers, making for a better fishing experience.

Successful fly patterns used to catch Erie steelhead include wooly buggers, streamers, spring wigglers, nymphs, glo-balls and the ever-popular sucker spawn. Because fall steelhead are very active, they will chase wooly buggers and streamers with reckless abandon at times. In fact, “stripping” these flies in at the end of your drift can result in some hard-hitting hook-ups.

Egg imitations like glo-balls, sucker spawns, blood dots and scrambled are also deadly, but only when fished on a drag-free drift. Fish these imitations as you would bottom-bounce a nymph in trout fishing. If you stay on the bottom you’ll hook steelhead. For slow current areas along ledges, try some sort of floating indicator (like a little corkie) to suspend your fly just off the bottom as it drifts downstream.

Fly size and color are important considerations, especially when fishing egg patterns like glo-balls and sucker spawns. During high, turbid water periods, a large fly is a must (# 8’s and # 6’s) since it is very difficult for a steelhead to see your fly under these conditions. As stream levels drop and clarity improves, use # 14’s and # 12’s.

Fly colors range from black, brown and white (for woolly buggers, spring wigglers and streamers) to bright neons in chartreuse, orange, yellow and pink (for egg flies). Pastel shades of some of these bright colors are also good (especially cream). If you were to pick one color for the Erie tributaries, it would have to be chartreuse. It is extremely effective in the turbid water conditions of high run-off.

As far as specific fly equipment goes, trout-type fly rods in the 5-7-weight range work sufficiently well for the beginner to intermediate level angler. But as you fly fish for Erie steelhead more and more, you realize that the longer more limber fly rods (usually custom-made from spinning noodle rod blanks) are the ticket. These rods (10 1/2 feet is an ideal length) provide tremendous reach for line control and mending which is critical for drag-free presentations. They also can play the big steelhead on light tippets like 5X or 6X (which is sometimes required when the Erie tributaries are low and clear).

Trout fly reels also work well since storage of large amount of backing line is not required on the small Erie tributaries. But a reel with a progressive drag adjustment (with fine drag settings) will help to prevent over spin or backlash when a hot steelie makes a run, as well as protect light tippets.

A floating fly line (in a weight forward or triangle taper design) works best for fly presentations along with a long, tapered leader (9-12 feet). Tippet sizes used range from 3X-6X, depending on water clarity and flow. If you do go to a 5X or 6X tippet, be prepared for an increase in hook-ups but also an increase in break-offs. This is usually a result of line cuts from steelhead teeth or gill plates, as well as stream bed shale, which can be razor sharp.

Fighting fresh-run, fall steelhead is both a tremendous thrill and a challenge. After first hooking-up, try to keep your rod vertical and high to absorb the initial runs and surges. When the steelhead jumps, drop your rod to release tension in your line to prevent tippet breakage. Eventually the steelhead will begin to settle down. At this point begin to apply side pressure on the fish (in a pumping fashion) by bringing your rod down parallel to the bank. This angle of the rod is the most efficient way to put steady pressure on any fish and will quickly tire it. As you get your fish close to the net again, raise the rod high to absorb any unexpected surges (steelhead don’t like nets)

This article is an excerpt taken from the newly revised and expanded 2nd edition of STEELHEAD GUIDE, Fly Fishing Techniques and Strategies for Lake Erie Steelhead by John Nagy. Mr. Nagy is a professional guide on the Great Lakes steelhead streams.

The post Autumn Leaves and Silver Bullets: Pennsylvania Fall Steelheading appeared first on fisherie.com.

Admittedly, many anglers have stated that wire-fishing line can be hard to obtain, but good quality stainless steel wire line can be found easily. Generally any bait and tackle stores will stock spools of different poundage or will gladly order line for you. Also most of the outdoor catalog companies will carry stainless steel wire fishing line. Acquiring wire-fishing line can be effortless as well offering the benefit of low expense and a new feel to fighting a fish.

Certainly, using a product that will bear a resemblance to something that should be in a piano can be strange, but just as we learned to cast the open face spinning reel it soon be became familiar and pleasurable to use. Flexibility and ease of use in stainless steel fishing wire is measured the same as monofilament, in pound breakage. The most versatile for most open waters such as the Great Lakes is 12 pound. This will give the feel of normal line while offering a sense of assurance that when those extremely large walleye hit, they will be brought to the net.

Once walleye have finished spawning and begin to feed, a pattern will start to develop. On Lake Erie this generally starts the beginning of June and continues till the end of September. At this time, the plug is combined with wire to present a precise trolling match that consistently yields walleye. Whether using planer boards or flatlining behind the boat, the amount of wire line trolled behind the boat combined with a diving plug can provide some exciting moments.

The amount of line drawn from a spool can be measured by counting the number of times the line guide goes from left to right. Have one person hold the line and walk the line back until the line guide moves back and forth one time. Measure the length of line, angling terminology for this is “raps”. Often a walleye angler will say that the walleye are hitting a 20 “raps” or the line guide has moved back and forth 20 times. The length of line from one line guide movement is 10 feet multiplied by 20 “raps” which is 200 feet. Many reels are available that will handle wire fishing line with ease and reels that are made for trolling or bait casting will also offer line counters. However any reel that can hold 300 or more yards of line can be used with wire. When stainless steel fishing wire is used, it only needs to be matched with the right lure combination and trolled at the right feeding range.

Catching walleye consistently requires proper depth control and trolling the correct lure. The conventional lure that offers both ease of use and steadfast production is the plug. From deep diving to shallow diving they all offer the same benefit, precise depth. When fishing a large body of water such as Lake Erie, the large deep diving lure such as the Long A Bomber has proven very successful. Although any color or depth may work, a certain combination does seem to provide the best results.

On Lake Erie using a green or fire-tiger Long A Bomber behind a 4 foot leader of 20 pound test monofilament line will reach the depth of 35 feet when trolled behind 320 feet of 12 pound stainless wire. The strongest and most reliable rig is to twist the wire line onto a number 12 barrel swivel. Below the swivel, tie on a 4-foot leader of 20-pound test monofilament line and attach the lure. By switching to smaller plugs or smaller diving lips, this tactic can be used on any body of water, the amount of line trolled combined with the size of plug will give precise depth every time. The correct depth control plays an important part in consistently catching fish, but once the fish are found, that pattern will hold true during the entire feeding season.

Combining old techniques with new also works with the time tested worm harness. The stretch of monofilament will not give the feel of excitement from a lunker walleye. When fishing stainless steel wire fishing line every headshake, dive, and twist will be felt. When using a small diving disk and worm harness, trolling takes on a new purpose. Anglers from Lake Michigan to Lake Ontario are familiar with different versions of diving disks. But to keep lures consistently at a certain depths, the Big Jon diving disks has been the most consistent producer. The 13/4-inch disk in any color is adequate. Try to choose a good quality worm harness. When a good size walleye hits a worm harness, it is absorbing most of the shock. The wire is twisted directly to the diving disk and followed up with a 4-foot leader of 20-pound test monofilament line. By adjusting the amount of line, this trolling rig will run to depths of 20 to 35 feet. Start at 180 and gradually move to 220 feet. Once a pattern is found, this depth will generally produce the entire season. If undesirable fish start to be a problem, try a old “Captain’s” trick; instead of letting the crawler trail from the last hook, “ball” up the crawler on the bottom hook, it may look strange, when hooked 5 or 6 times, but the walleye really devour it.

Traditional open water trolling methods produce. But water clarity, fishing pressure, and lower walleye numbers dictate what changes to make in order to be successful. For all day action and size of fish, wire fishing line combined with time-honored trolling tactics can provide an unforgettable day.

Dave Adams is an author and professional charter captain who operates D & D Charters on the Pennsylvania waters of Lake Erie.

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If a tributary has an impassable upstream barrier like a dam or waterfall, spring steelhead will stack up below it. These areas will hold a concentration of pre-spawn, spawning and spawned-out steelhead.

Usually spring steelhead fly fishing requires locating spawning areas. Ideal spawning areas are riffles that are 1 to 4 feet deep which contain dark colored gravel bottoms. Next to these areas are usually deeper runs, pockets, or pools that harbor pre-spawn fish and spawning fish that have been scared off their beds.

Prior to spawning, a female steelhead moves into a spawning area and digs out a redd. She does this by turning on her side and making powerful upsweeps of her tail in the gravel. The current washes away loose gravel, forming a saucer-shaped hole that will hold the eggs. Males are attracted by this digging activity and begin competing for spawning rights, with the largest and most heavily kyped males winning out.

They use their superior power and large kypes (hooked lower jaws) to drive inferior males from the redd. After the female drops her eggs, about 20 percent of what she is carrying, the dominant male fertilizes them.

Sometimes one, or possibly two, sub-dominant males will also participate. The female will then move immediately upstream to begin making another redd. The displaced gravel from this redd covers the previously fertilized eggs downstream. The female continues this process until she is spawned out.

When you are fly fishing a spawning bed there are several things to keep in mind. If you don’t notice any spawning activity on the bed itself, fish the adjacent deep-holding areas. These areas often hold pre-spawn or spooked spawning steelhead.

Fishing on the redds has a simple strategy. Fish for the males or “bucks”. They are easy to distiguish from the females, or “hens,” because they are almost black, while the females are bright silver. If you catch the female first, the males will quickly scatter. These aggressive males are very territorial. They are not actually feeding, but they will chase flies to dominate the redd.

Before fishing, position yourself slightly upstream and to the side of the redd. If the water is less than 2 feet deep you have to be concerned about the fish seeing you. Avoid detection by keeping a low profile by crouching, or if necessary, getting on your knees. Locating yourself next to the redd with brush and trees to your back and wearing drab clothing can also help conceal your presence.

Next, cast your fly far enough above the redd so that it can reach stream bottom as it drifts through the redd. Mend your line to maintain a dead drift and keep a tight line so you are able to quickly set the hook. When a male takes your fly he will usually only snap at it, then quickly spit it out. So watch your fly carefully as it drifts through the redd, and set the hook at the appropriate time. If water visibility is good, you should be able to target a specific male. If you do hook a female, you will notice that their takes are much more deliberate.

A tandem fly rig of a large streamer or wooly bugger (size 4 or 6) as the point fly (bottom fly), with a smaller egg pattern or nymph as a dropper fly (top fly), works well when drifted over a redd. Spawning steelhead can become intimidated by the larger fly and will move away from it (usually toward you) as it is drifting downstream. When it makes this move it will quickly encounter the egg pattern or nymph which is drifting behind the larger fly. This smaller fly is moving toward a more inside position (where the steelhead has moved) and is often taken by the steelhead.

Drifting two smaller tandem flies over the redds is also very effective especially when spawning steelhead seem to be moving constantly on the redds. If a moving steelhead doesn’t intercept the point fly he will more than likely encounter the dropper fly as it drifts or swings over another area of the redd. To ensure that the steelhead sees at least one of these flies adjust the distance between the two flies on the leader to correspond with the approximate side to side movement of the fish.

Another technique is to stand directly upstream of the redd, without spooking the fish, and drop the fly right down onto the noses of the steelhead. You can sweep the fly back and forth in front of the fish or just hold it stationary. Amazingly, this technique can induce some tremendous strikes from spawning steelhead (especially males).

In off-color flows it will be difficult to see the fish on their spawning beds. This is usually the result of spring run-off that causes high, turbid water, or a spawning bed with a dark bottom. You can often spot the brighter females, as they turn on their sides and shake their tails. This action gives off flashes of silver in clear water and gold in murky water. Wearing polarized sunglasses on bright days is a tremendous help in seeing these flashes.Mentally mark this spot in the stream and fish to areas just downstream where the males will be holding.

Fishing steelhead spawning beds has its proponents and detractors. In the Pacific Northwest, this practice is strongly discouraged on rivers with wild steelhead because of concern that it is very detrimental to successful spawning. On the other hand Michigan steelheaders, however, seem to have no problem with fishing on the beds, even though 50% of their fish are known to be naturally reproduced.

Most of southern Lake Erie’s tributaries support steelhead runs which are based on stocking programs, not natural reproduction, so fishing on spawning beds is not a harmful to the fishery. On tributaries like the Cattaraugus River in New York, however, a significant amount of natural reproduction is developing. Here it makes sense to stay away from the spawning beds. This will protect what someday could be a self-sustaining fishery.

The Ontario tributaries on the northern shore of Lake Erie support steelhead runs that have been estimated by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources to be 90% wild fish. In order to protect this wild steelhead fishery most of Ontario’s tributaries are closed during the peak-spawning season. The normal open season for southern Ontario tributaries is April 29 to Septemper 30 with an extended season on most of the major tributaries from October 1 to December 31.

This article is an excerpt taken from the newly revised and expanded 2nd edition of STEELHEAD GUIDE, Fly Fishing Techniques and Strategies for Lake Erie Steelhead by John Nagy. Mr. Nagy is a professional guide on the Great Lakes steelhead streams.

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