I'm a new kid on the block, miles away, fishing rivers off the Great Lakes. I'm from Cleveland, Ohio and started learning about Steelies about 2 1/2 - 3 months ago. I grew up fishing the Lake Erie Islands as a Walleye freak for nearly twenty years and I got finally got back on the fishing bike for the first time in about five years, except in the river this time. A friend had prompted me to river fish and subsequently happened across Chad on an online tutorial on You Tube as I started to educate myself on these fish. It was curtains at that point as I utilized your site ever since and recently vested as a premie member. Over a month ago, I hooked and landed my first using a float and spawn. The spawn was almost bigger than the mini-steelie, but I was hooked and all I needed was the smell of fish on my hands. Three weeks ago, I floated into a deep pool. That was the first time I saw major 'bobber down'. It went down hard and ran upstream on a diagonal for about fifteen yards and planted itself behind a boulder. Never saw him and gave up my leader. At least I tied my goods off the right way as it gave up the bobber and swivel. Two weeks ago, I was leaving with zero luck as my hands were stone cold. I saw a couple of seams down a 200 foot run and it was too hard to pass up. My preschool instincts were rewarded with a four pounder that broke water three times as it raced back and forth across the riffles on its way in. That was the most picturesque and intense fifteen minutes of my fishing career. These things fight more than Sheephead or Drum. That's a fight and I love this! I'm learning out of books, from the site and from my weekend excursions. Walking through the water when I'm done for the day has allowed me to see alot of structure, water activity and reinforce what I'm learning.
I realize that I can't share the topographies and locations that you fish, but I'm willing to apply the techniques you offer and what ever else you can do to improve my efforts. Maybe someday we'll be bridging the gap between the west and the east. I'll be keeping in touch.
Chad and cohorts...... Love the site and timeliness of any of your responses thus far.
Peace from the East, Johnny Koz
I understand Steelhead to be year 'round gig out here as Steelies take to the depths of the lakes during the summer months and are equally as exciting as the other three seasons.
