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Jason's Steelhead Video Hi Speed Only

Timing is everything when it comes to Steelhead fishing. I constantly hear people ask “when is the best time to go” and “where should I go”? The best answer I can give is “go often and hit all the tributary streams you can”. Obviously you will not catch steelhead in western New York in the middle of summer. But the inconsistent nature of these fish was never clearer to me than it was this week. I spent the last several days fishing up and down the shores of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. I covered hundreds of miles and fished many tributaries. Some were filled with fish my last trip in September but had none this trip. Some were unfishable on this trip because of rain or discharge from power plants and some were so packed with people it was not even worth trying. I did manage to have a few days where I hooked 50+ fish and a couple days that I only hooked a few. Small comets and egg patterns were the most consistent. This year more than ever it was the number of fisherman that amazed me. There were more people fishing than I have ever seen before. After a decade of fishing these rivers this year I saw 10 times the number of anglers. In the last two years many publications, web sites and fly shops have boasted about the numbers of fish in these rivers. I can tell you it is all true. However, many of the formerly anonymous rivers have been called out in recent years and the part these reports leave out is that many of them are very small with limited holding water and limited access. Many only fish well for a few days at a time when the flows are just right. A small amount of rain or snow can

render these streams unfishable for days or even weeks. Most are shale bottomed flowing through relatively urban area and are highly susceptible runoff. This concentrates the fishing pressure on a few select sections of river during small intervals of time. I fear that these conditions and all this publicity that there will be no escaping from Salmon River style crowds. I have also noticed the attitudes change on these rivers. Anglers who have traveled long distances feel they have earned the right to catch fish where they want and if they see someone catching fish they move right in. Anglers who have fished these waters for years feel it is their right to fish where ever they want. Please do not misunderstand me many anglers were very polite and I had no problem sharing my fishing spot or even my flies with them. For me a little company makes a trip more enjoyable and I have met some great people on these rivers. However with all this pressure eventually the trash, the parking, the limited access and the arguments will lead to changes in regulations and posted property. It has already started on rivers like Oak Orchard and the Salmon. I enjoy sharing my fishing experience with others and I too am guilty of naming rivers on occasion. Steelhead fever is a sickness we can all identify with. It is not like any other trout fishing and should be treated as such. When it comes to Steelies please show us the pictures, show us the techniques and tell us the stories but don’t name the rivers. It is the responsibility of every angler to preserve the secrets that make their secrets spots special.