Steelhead fishing will draw big crowds to Pennsylvania's Lake Erie tributaries this fall

The wait is all but over.

Chromers. Silver bullets. Ghosts. Whatever your nickname for steelhead, the large rainbow trout are swimming into the Lake Erie tributaries now and anglers from around the country, even the world, are looking forward to some of the best fishing action Pennsylvania has to offer.

People convene along Pennsylvania's Lake Erie shoreline and tributaries and along Conneaut Creek over the fall and early spring to target steelhead. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission wants to create as many places for the public to fish as possible ― and a look at the license plates from different states on vehicles at public access points shows it's not just working but necessary.

“The numbers suggest it’s an international event,” said Chad Foster, western region outreach and Eeducation coordinator for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. He said data from 2013 reveals steelhead fishing brought about $10 million to $15 million a year to Erie County.

“You figure at the price of everything these days, that could be close to $25 million worth of economic boost now to the Erie area,” Foster said.

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“All it takes, literally is for for somebody feel that fight, and feel that drag, and they’re hooked,” he said.

Observers have been watching autumn temperatures sink and waiting for rain events like this week's to bring fish out of the lake and into the shallow creeks. “The biggest thing to push the fish into the shallow is that cooler lake temperature,” Foster said. “But ultimately what controls good runs most of the years is the amount of water we have in the streams."

The 2021 season got off to a fast start because of rain events. “Last year was a tremendous year,” Ari Capotis recalled.

Capotis is a Pennsylvania Steelhead Association board member, part of the Pennsylvania Trout Unlimited Womens Diversity and Inclusion Committee and a certified fishing skills instructor with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.

“I think this year is going to be a little later start to the run, but I think we’re going to see the same tremendous amount of fish," she said.

The Fish and Boat Commission stocks about a million young steelhead and the co-operative nurseries 3-C-U and S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie raise about 100,000 steelhead and 500 brown trout to add to the waterways each year. The fish swim into Lake Erie and then return to the tributaries to spawn.

Foster said the agency also releases some large brood brown trout in the waterways in November. “We’re pretty much done with them as brood stock,” he said. “It’s a nice surprise when they (fishermen) hook in to some of those bigger brown trout."

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Rain tends to bring in more fish than just steelhead to the streams in the early fall. “You can catch a pink salmon, a king salmon, a coho,” Capotis said, adding that someone recently caught an Atlantic salmon in Walnut Creek. They are not plentiful like steelhead, but there are a few salmon swimming in those waters.

“You would be surprised at what fish will just come up in the tributaries late in the evening or early mornings just to see what’s going on,” she said.

Planning a trip to go steelhead fishing in Erie, PA

Foster recommends anglers download the PA Fish and Boat App for access to regular reports on fishing conditions as well as maps of public fishing access. Capotis recommended taking screenshots of the Fish Commission’s online maps and printing them for easy access.

The Fish and Boat Commission has secured new public access easements this year on Elk Creek and Crooked Creek. “The additional access is just wonderful,” Capotis said.

Access is funded through dedicated Erie Access Improvement Program monies the Fish and Boat Commission gets through the sale of Lake Erie permits.

“We are always looking for new access up there and that’s the main reason why we have the Lake Erie permits is to try to find easements surrounding our big Lake Erie streams that help us provide angling opportunities to the public,” Foster said.

Key to continuing access is angler respect for the property where they are fishing, especially private property. If people leave trash or cause problems for landowners who allow fishing, the property could be closed to future fishing.

Foster suggests checking in with a variety of the sport shops in the Erie area for advice before heading out.

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Bill and Lisa Noble, owners of Tudor Hook-N-Nook in Girard, are looking forward to the new steelhead run and seeing their customers.

The store is located off Exit 9, the Girard/Platea exit on the interstate 90/Route 18 intersection. It was the site for a major bridge project over the past year that hampered anglers access to their store. “We were so close to everything, but so far away,” Bill Noble said about the construction creating challenges for customer access.

But now the construction is over and he said they have plenty of inventory for those targeting steelhead.

“We’re a steelhead specialty shop,” he said, adding that they do have some tackle for walleye and other fish, too. “We coined ourselves the Steelhead Outpost.

As for the nature of the season ahead, “It’s way too early to tell,” he said. The first 2021 good run happened in mid-September when the area had a high-water event. Noble said the tributaries were fishable from then on through the several month season. “It was phenomenal. Everybody talked about the season last year being the best one in decades.”

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If you are curious about the water conditions, Capotis said the web cam at Avonia Beach at the mouth of Trout Run is a good resource. The webcam at FishUSA.com is a cooperative project by FishUSA, the steelhead association, S.O.N.S. of Lake Erie and Fairview Township.

The USGS online gauges are good, too, like the Brandy Run USGS Gauge. “That is really a phenomenal tributary to Elk Creek,” she said, noting its natural reproduction.

What to use when fishing for steelhead

Foster encourages anglers considering a trip but uncertain about their skill level to give it a try. It’s not that difficult for people who have fished for trout in the past to catch these silver bullets.

“The biggest thing is that they are just a big trout,” he said. “The stuff you use the opening day of trout season, you just have to change minor things about your set-ups, but that will still catch 90% of the steelhead,” he said. 

Foster sees people being successful with a wide variety of tackle and styles of fishing rods. “I’ve seen people catch them on 8-weight, 9-foot fly rods, and I’ve seen people catch them on 2-foot Barbie rods, like the kid rods. At the end of the day, these are just trout, and they like to eat.”

The keys are learning how to set up your float to put your bait at the right depth, knowing the currents and learning where the fish are hiding. “When you figure that out, you can really have some banner days there," Foster said.

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Egg sacs and skein work well in darker, deeper water because they emit a scent.

Noble suggests lake anglers use spinners and spoons. “Once the fish get into the creeks, for spinning gear you’re looking at live minnows, egg sacs, single-eggs, jigs, and for fly fishing the go-to's are stonefly nymphs, blood-dot eggs and a variety of streamer patterns.”

If you are not having luck, make minor changes to your set-up. Change the color of your bait or lure or the depth of your float indicator to try to get a finicky fish to strike.

If the water is clear in the streams, Capotis advises anglers to be stealthy on the water and to keep their silhouette off the horizon to avoid spooking fish. “If you can see them, they can definitely see you,” she said.

Capotis advises anglers to walk a bit to find fish that are away from crowded fishing areas in pools and riffles. Keep an eye out for no-trespassing signs.

“I think everyone should try it at least once,” Foster said. “They’re a blast to fish for.”

When to catch and release steelhead

If you plan on returning the fish to the creek, you should keep the fish in the water as much as possible, wet your hands and release the fish to the water as soon as possible. “We see a lot of catch and release,” Foster said about people having good days where they are catching plenty of fish. He said it is a good game fish for those who want to take up to three home each day. One of his favorite ways to enjoy steelhead is smoked.

In warm water conditions, Capotis said it can be difficult for steelhead to recover from a lengthy fight. She said if the water temperature is 70 degrees or higher, it’s a challenge for all types of trout to replenish their oxygen and you may want to keep that fish instead of releasing it.

The funding from the Lake Erie fishing permits has also provided fish cleaning stations at the Walnut Creek Access Area and the North East Marina.

Report your experience to the Steelhead Association

The Steelhead Association is posting signs advertising an angling survey to learn about anglers' habits and success. The 10 signs posted along Elk Creek include a QR code for anglers to easily open the form from their phone. The PSA plans to put additional signs out.

The association is tracking how well anglers are faring on different waterways, what methods they are using and which ZIP codes they are traveling from. 

The data is shared with various agencies and research groups in the Erie area to help with management strategies and planning. Last year was the first for the angling survey and resulted in more than 400 responses. The goal for this year is 1,000 responses.

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If you join the PSA, you can email the board of directors and ask for someone to teach you how to fish. “For that mere $20 (individual membership), in addition to basically having a guiding trip from a member who lives here and knows the area, you’re also helping a good cause,” Capotis said. The organization helps 3-C-U stock fish, conducts the angling survey and provides a newsletter. “If you want a fishing buddy, join the PSA," she said.

The bottom line is that people travel to Lake Erie for the excitement and fun that comes with catching powerful, large trout and everyone should work together to enjoy the experience. “With the increased interest and pressure, be polite and kind,” Noble said. “Be a good sportsman and a good fisherman.”

Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email on your website's homepage under your login name. Follow him on social media @whipkeyoutdoors.