Page 6 - Fishing Report | 12-17-15

forecasts, steelhead fishing conditions on Elk should improve throughout the week and
beyond as long as there is no ice cover.”

Gary @ Poor Richards; filed 11/15: “Catches are better than expected given the extreme
low water and clear water conditions. Steelheads are way up the streams – 10 to 15
miles on Elk. Need to finesse these fish with single eggs or emerald shiner. Forecast rain
and snow this week may improve water flow for average anglers come this weekend.”

Rick @ Trout Run; file 11/15: “A lot is happening here in Erie right now. Perch are all over
the bay. They are catching burbot off the North and South Piers on cut bait, herring or
stacking 5 emerald shiners on a single hook. Out in the main lake, lake trout are in shal-
lows spawning. Boat anglers are catching them in 15 feet of water on the East Side –
Shades Beach to New York Line – on bucktails, spoons and blade baits. Lake trout are
running 20 to 25 pounds. With streams low and clear some steelhead anglers are fishing
the creek mouths, especially The Wall at Walnut before sunrise; steelhead move in after
dark and move out after sun is up. Given the low water, we have an amazing number of
steelhead in the streams, further upstream. And the smaller streams like Crooked Tur-
key and Raccoon have surprising number of fish. I’ve been fishing Crooked Creek – los-
ing a lot of hooks in the brush but hooking a lot of fish. A 14 pound brown came out of
Crooked. The trick to catching steelhead right now is to walk the creeks searching out
fish; cannot stand in one spot and fish the easy holes. Walk and fish little undercuts,
moving water, etc. Not everyone can do what is needed right now to catch fish – but
steelheads are there. If we get the snow and a slow melt over the weekend, then more
anglers will be coming up for easier fishing. We will be open Christmas Day for your an-
gling needs.”

Becky @ Elk Creek Sports; filed 12/15: “With our streams low and clear, and given the
nice weather, more anglers are launching out of Elk and Walnut to chase steelhead
along the shore. Anglers are pretty successful. I am hearing minnows are working off the
boats.”