Steelhead anglers are hoping for rain

A dedicated corps of anglers is paying keen attention to the weather forecasts with hopes that a little rain will fall soon.

They are steelhead anglers, who have honed a special set of skills required to trick the wily trout that venture out of Lake Erie’s depths in the fall to seek spawning sites in the creeks and rivers.

October and November are prime times for Lake Erie steelhead action, particularly when rain swells and cools the tributaries, creating the perfect set of conditions that attract the big trout to the streams. Moderate runoff during and after an autumn rain squall raises the rivers, boosts the current and adds just enough color to the typically clear waterways to turn on the steelhead.

Active trout are the objects of steelheaders’ affections.

When conditions are good, it’s not uncommon to hook up and battle a dozen or more of the 6- to 10-pounders that populate the streams. Anglers employ a variety of tactics, depending on their own level of sophistication – everything from delicate fly fishing presentations to chunking hardware and dunking live baits.

Our area’s proximity to Lake Erie means we have relatively easy access to the fine action, and that has resulted in a number of anglers gaining expert status in finding and catching steelhead. Though I’m a relative novice at steelheading, I’ve enjoyed terrific action thanks to expert guidance by Chris DePaola of Austintown.

Seminar planned

Another angler who has focused considerable attention on Lake Erie steelies is Jim Breedlove of Mineral Ridge. He’ll share his knowledge and experience Thursday between 7 and 8:30 p.m. at a seminar at the Gander Mountain store near Eastwood Mall in Niles.

“The session will be for all levels of fishermen – from the bank to waders and boaters,” Breedlove said. “We’ll cover casting in the streams and trolling in the harbors and river mouths.”

He’s already hooked up this year with a number of big Erie trout, including one fish he estimated between 14 and 15 pounds. It bit a KO Wobbler that he was trolling in a river mouth a few days ago.

“The fishing is just now starting to warm up, since we’ve had such good weather this year,” he said. “The water is only now beginning to cool down enough to pull the steelhead in.”

Breedlove has been fishing the streams and harbors for more than 25 years, annually making up to 15 trips for steelhead.

He and others have learned numerous tricks to entice steelhead, including where to pinpoint the best locations and the various presentations that are most likely to result in hookups.

And once the fish bite, the fun really begins. Battling a 10-pound steelhead on light line – sometimes as wispy as 6-pound test – is like a pee-wee football player trying to tackle Jamal Lewis.

But the fights can be won, and experts like DePaola and Breedlove prove it time and time again. Find someone who’s experienced Lake Erie steelheading and invite yourself along on his or her next trip.

You’ll almost certainly come home with great memories.