steelhead fishing

[novisibleleader]

Looking for some good info. on steelhead fishing in upstate NY i am heading up in mid april. Would appreciate any information regarding rod weight, line preference, flies, etc.
Thanks for your time
tightlines

[AFISHN]

Go here and read the forums carefully.The most knowledgeable fisherman for Pulaski/Great Lakes are here:http://www.salmoncrazy.com/
Tom

[GeoinMillbrook]

7 or 8 wt rod, 9&1/2 or 10 ft. A good heavy reel with lots of backing and a good drag system. If you are using a technique called "chuck and duck" - straightlining with a lot of weight to get down, pick up a "shooting line" -- a small diameter floating fly line that cuts throught the water easier than a WFXF line or a sink tip. I build my own leaders from 20lb amnesia and 15 lb maxima chameleon , with a step down to 10lb flourocarbon and either 6 or 4 lb tippet - also flourocarbon. In low clear water you have to go all the way to 4# to get many hookups, but then you end up breaking off too. Some folks only go to 8# which may be OK for fresh fish coming in from the lake since you use bigger, brighter flies for them. Used a small snap swivel about 2 ft from the fly with a weighting system that was very similar to the lindy tube weights.

http://lindyfishingtackle.com/tackleshop/customer/home.php?cat=394

http://www.combat-fishing.com/basicusefulrigs.html#Natural%20bait%20(or%20Salmon %20Egg)%20Rig%20with%20Slip

Got them at Whittakers Fly shop in Pulaski.

http://www.whitakers.com/index.html

Nice thing was they don't get hung up on the bottom as much as split shot and you can adjust the weight on the ones at Whittakers by cutting the plastic webbing at different points to give you 2, 3, 4 or 5 shot per tube and remelting the plastic together with a lighter.

Flys can be anything from single/multiple egg patterns, traditional salmon and steelhead patterns, to hare's ears and stone flies. I personally think it is more the presentation that matters. You get anything that looks edible to them near the bottom and they seem to take.

Good luck ! I was up there in late March and the fishing was very spotty - seems as though not much of a steelhead run occurs now, be interesting to hear if you experience anything different.

George

[novisibleleader]

Hey George thanks for the info. it was a big help! Fished little stoney in Pulaski on Sat. with absolutly no luck, saw a few fish but 0 hookups, i was interested to here that you said there is not much of a steelhead run anymore. Well thanks again and tight lines!!!!

Bob

[GeoinMillbrook]

Hi Bob:
I think there are more theories than facts, but the anectdotes and I guess some real studies say that the Steelhead runs in the Salmon river in Pulaski at least just ain't what it used to be. At the same time the Salmon runs are getting better. Most popular theory is that the salmon are eating the small steelhead as they are stocked/bred. So there has been a push by river fishermen and the state to limit the take of steelhead from the lake, hoping more will survive to make into the rivers. Lots of resistance from lake/boat fishermen, and the word was when I was there that the boaters/charters were more organized and had a louder voice and would probably win. If it's Salmon eating the steelies I am not sure the lake fishermen really make that much difference either. I have been watching the fishing reports and even after the big rains the steelhead fishing has been sucky. A few drop backs now but no one ever reported anything that sounded like a big run all year. Whittakers is posting pics fish caught in Alaska. The Douglaston Salmon Run reports sound pretty spotty as well. The locals we met think if there was a run it happened way back in February during a little thaw -maybe.
I have been doing a little reading and have heard that the same isn't true for all rivers in the Ontario trib system, not sure why the Salmon River alone would be on a decline if the steelies are getting eaten in the lake. Who knows.
After being up there I was a little disgusted by the "battlefield" - take a fish at any cost - sort of environment anyway, I think I'll be sticking with the Catskills, Berkshires and Adirondack trout fishing , nicer scenery and mostly cleaner and for me more fun, but to each his own of course !

Take care.

George

[stripedbass44]

check out this site....

www.yankeeangler.com.

Randy seems like a great guy and the website is great as well.

charlie