Erie Steelhead trip report

[Eric Kruel]

I headed up to Erie this weekend to chase some steelhead with a fly rod for the first time.  I left Friday afternoon and met a friend at his place in Pittsburgh.  We originally planned on heading up that night but it started to snow so we decided to just drive to Erie in morning.  After a quick stop at Poor Richards to purchase my licence, some last minute gear and some helpful advise we headed to a spot on upper Elk Creek.  The temperature was 25 degrees with a few snow furies off and on though out the day, it was quite a change from the 60 degree weather we had when I left the DC metro area on Friday.  The water was low and crystal clear and had some ice around the bank in spots but was mostly open and fish-able with an occasional clump of slush and ice drifting by. 

We walked upstream and found a hole with about 5-6 fish holding in it.  I threw an orange crystal meth fly and hooked up with a big female on my first cast.  I fought her for a while and my buddy got her in the net.  Then he went to lift the net (which was way to small for this fish) up in celebration and she flopped out, threw the hook (which was bent back pretty good) and swam away.  I was pretty upset I didn't get a photo with her but happy I had caught my first steelhead on a fly.  We fished that hole a while longer with no hookups and continued to head upstream.  I hooked up with two more on the same fly one of which got off when trying to net and the other came off on its own.  I switched to a white crystal bugger and hooked up again, this time my friend successfully netted and maintained control of the fish for the grip and grin shot attached.  That was it for Saturday and we called it a day.

On Sunday we headed back to the same spot and walked down stream, we didn't get on the water till about 10:30 am due to a flat tire and some other issues.  Temperatures dropped over night and froze up the creeks, there was still open water to fish but only a channel running down the center for the most part and some spots were completely iced up.  It was a high of 19 degrees and conditions were tough.  We spotted a few fish but most were under the ice and almost impossible to cast to.  We decided to try another spot.  We headed to the mouth of Walnut and fished the Manchester hole.  We saw plenty of fish but didn't get any hookups or see anyone else catching any.  We didn't stay in that spot long before calling it a day due to the wind whipping in off of the lake.

I was happy with landing my first steelhead on the fly and can't wait to make my next trip back.

[Donald Rose]

Wow, nice fish!

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[Danny Barrett]

If you make it up again I have fun on Trout Run.   Its between Walnut and Elk.  You are fishing right on in the main lake.  I was tossing 3-4 egg patterns at at ime tryin to find which color they liked.  not a huge crowd, i hooked very few but learnt a lot.  Theres a black guy that uses a fly rod there almost every day i was told.  after meeting him, he is by far the master of steelhead.  he landed over 15.

On Tue, Feb 19, 2013 at 3:42 PM, Eric Kruel <ekru...@gmail.com> wrote:

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Dan Barrett

 

32 Highland Ave.

Morgantown, WV 26505

 

dannyt...@gmail.com

(540)-222-8064

 

[namfos]

Nice fish.  Also it appears cold enough that even the fish have snow on them.

[Eric Kruel]

Dan,

I have been to trout run before but haven't fished it.  I just went to see all of the fish in there, which is quite a site to see.  I would recommend that anyone going to fish that area stop and take a look.  I have seen people fishing the mouth, but haven't done it myself.  I know you need to be a certain distance from the inlet but not sure exactly how far so I just decided to avoid it.  When we were their it was pretty cold and windy which would have made fishing that area pretty miserable.  I am hoping to get a chance to take another trip this spring once it warms up a little bit.  

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[Danny Barrett]

I was unsure as well. But there were other people so I just joined the group. I hope to make it up there once water thaws again. I am currebtly in Morgantown WV for school. If anyone is headed up there nust give a shout.

Dan Barrett

WVU School of Enginering
Undergrad in MAE

(540) 222-8064
dannyt...@gmail.com

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