2005 Fall Steelhead Report/News

As a very dry/hot summer continues into early September most of the Lake Erie tributaries are bone dry with little steelhead movement to date. Even Cattaraugus Creek in New York could use some rain right now although some "jack" or 2 year-old steelhead have entered the lower part of the river.

Multiple rain systems finally worked their way through the Lake Erie watershed (starting in mid-September) which resulted in periods of good tributary run-off and the beginning of a gradual drop in night time air temperatures and more importantly lakeshore water temperatures. This could initiate the first steelhead runs of the season but since average Lake Erie water temperatures are warmer than normal for this time of the year (71 and 69 degrees off Erie, PA taken 9/15 and 9/29 respectively) it should not be expected to be a significant run. A lakeshore temperature of 68 degrees or lower in the fall is ideal for attracting large numbers of steelhead to the mouths of Lake Erie tributary streams (prior to their movement upstream).

October has been relatively dry putting a damper on fresh runs of steelhead into the tributaries especially in Ohio and Pennsylvania (although the Lake shore temperature off Erie, PA has dropped to 60 degrees as of 10/19).

The end of October (10/24) has finally brought a change in the weather pattern with cooler temperatures and good amounts of precipitation working its way into the Lake Erie region. Several tributaries, including Elk and Walnut creeks in Pennsylvania, have received some good run-off from the rain along with decent runs of fresh steelhead, especially in lower portions. Cattaraugus Creek in NY has been slow so far (11/3) with steelhead scattered throughout the river. 

November has produced a few good runs of steelhead into the Pennsylvania tributaries (a result of run-off from rain episodes). But by and large the tribs have been running more on the low/clear side delaying the big numbers of fish typically entering the tribs in November. Even the leaf drop is behind this fall with leaves still on the trees well into November. The runs on Cattaraugus Creek in New York started slow but picked up by the end of the month. An unusual winter blast hit the Lake Erie region Thanksgiving week but should be temporary with warmer temperatures and rain forecasted.

The late fall season (from the end of November into mid December) has been unusually cold and snowy in the Lake Erie region making for tough steelheading conditions (partial freeze over and morning slush and ice flows). Many of the bigger tributaries like Cattaraugus Creek in NY and the Grand River in Ohio provide the best opportunities for open water areas due to the larger flows. On the smaller tribs look for open areas in the faster runs and riffles. Hopefully this upcoming winter will break the trend of total freeze over on the tributaries (the norm the past few winter seasons) and bring some welcome thaw periods of snow-melt and/or rain before the late winter/spring thaw in March.

Around the Lake Erie region there are several items of note to the steelheader.

In December 2005 The Great Lakes Regional Task Force (consisting of the federal Great Lakes Inter-agency Task Force, the Council of Great Lakes Governors, the Great Lakes Initiative, the Great Lakes tribes and the Great Lakes Congressional Task Force) proposed a 15 year, $20 billion plan for cleaning up the Great Lakes. This is an effort (mandated by President Bush in 2004) to coordinate ongoing Great Lakes cleanup efforts and restoration work that has been criticized by a United States Government Accountability Office report as "disjointed" up to this point. Some recommendations of the plan include addressing the following issues:

-proliferation of invasive species (new federal laws are recommended to prevent invasive species from entering the lakes).

-deterioration of animal habitats.

-toxic hots spots, polluted tributaries and wetlands (to reduce discharge of mercury, PCB's, dioxin, pesticides and other toxins into the Great Lakes).

Initial Funding for this plan in the US fiscal 2007 Federal budget will be a challenge ($300 million is hoped for) due to the devastating hurricanes of 2005. 

In Ohio further renovations are being planned at the Castalia fish hatchery to facilitate steelhead egg procurement and rearing from returning Little Manistee strain steelhead in the Ohio Lake Erie tributaries. Presently, Little Manistees eggs are obtained from Michigan on a yearly basis to support the Ohio Department of Wildlife's steelhead program. Improvements have already been made at the hatchery to help improve the average size of Little Manistee smolts to the 6 to 8 inch range which could mean a higher survival rate for them after being stocked in the spring.

The collapse of the Daniels Park Dam last spring on the Chagrin River should allow good numbers of steelhead to run up into the upper part of the Chagrin River (although during low water periods it will still obstruct some steelhead movement). Good public access exists for the steelheader on this upper water on the North Chagrin Reservation in Willoughby Hills (4 miles total) but many sections of this upper water (including the East Branch) are private and posted.

Ohio's Governor Bob Taft on October 6, 2005 officially announced that Conneaut Creek has been given wild and scenic river status by the state (16.4 miles from PA line past Creek Road covered bridge/wild status and 5.4 miles past Creek Road bridge to the old Penn Central Bridge or "arches" area/scenic status). This designation mandates that any public project that might effect Conneaut Creek and its resources will be subject to a thorough review, ensuring that no threat is posed to the waterway and at the same time not compromising the rights of the private property owners along the stream. The designation also gives the affected property owners a chance to participate in preservation programs which obviously can only improve the fishery.

Lake MetroParks announced the opening of the Grand River Landing Park in Fairport Harbor, Ohio on 800 N. Clair Street (official opening 11/12/05). The park will feature a small boat launch that will provide small boat access to the lower Grand River and Lake Erie. New bank access will also be opened up to steelhead fisherman along the river. 

The lower part of the Ashtabula River is slated to be cleaned up by a total of $50 million of funds contributed by the EPA, the state of Ohio and number of companies that contributed to the pollution. The targeted area is the lower 2 miles of the river which contains high levels of PCB's. Starting in September 2006 river sludge will be pumped out and sent through pipes to the Fields Brook watershed (3 miles away). Here the sludge will be "dewatered" (a process that seperates contaminated sediment from the water). The remaining water will be treated to meet EPA water quality standards and pumped back into the river. A 19 acre landfill will be used to store the sediment.

In Pennsylvania long term plans are in the works by several agencies and groups for the removal and/or installation of fish ladders on 3 dams on the lower part of 4 Mile Creek on the east side of Erie, Pennsylvania. This will allow for steelhead migration further upstream past the Lawrence Park Golf course towards Wesleyville where potentially good public access exists.

On December 7, 2005 (7:00 p.m.) at the Girard High School Auditorium Pennsylvania's DCNR held a public meeting in regard to it's prefered alternative for the development of the newly created Erie Bluffs State Park located at the Elk Creek access area. In early January 2006 the DCNR announced it's plan for future management of Erie Bluffs State Park. DCNR spokesman Michael DiBerardinis said that "the plan is to create a nature based park that will allow visitors to experience, understand and appreciate the property's steep bluffs, rocky-cobble shore, undeveloped creek corridors and plateau." It includes proposals for development of trail networks, lake view observation points, a small nature inn, group camping and remote/primitive camping for backpackers and paddlers. Steelhead fisherman interested in viewing the entire plan can find it at www.dcnr.state.pa.us (select Find a Park/Erie Bluffs). 

Results from a 2003/2004 creel analysis and economic impact study of the Pennsylvania Lake Erie steelhead tributary fishery by biologist Chuck Murray of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and M. Shields of Penn State University has shown that all aspects of the steelhead fishery have improved since the last survey in 1993 including angler effort (trips), catch rate, steelhead catch and steelhead harvest. The new survey shows an impressive 0.630 steelhead per hour catch rate (one steelhead for every 1.6 hours fished), a harvest rate of 0.150 steelhead per angler hour (about one of every five or 22% of steelhead caught), over 200,000 angler trips taken and a catch and release rate of nearly 80%.

The survey also showed that steelheaders are in favor of adopting a $3.00 Lake Erie stamp but less so if the stamp costs more. Finally, the survey showed that steelhead anglers provide a notable contribution to the local Erie economy including $9.5 million (conservative estimate) on trip related expenses and supporting 219 jobs in the Erie area.

Any Pennsylvania steelhead fisherman wishing to report illegal activity on the tributaries are encouraged to call a Pennsylvania Waterways Conservation Officer or the Pennsylvania State Police (phone numbers listed below). Violation information should include a detailed description, location and time, suspected violation, type of equipment used, vehicle description and license plate number. Area bait and tackle shops, local sportsmen's clubs and the Walnut Creek Access office have wallet size "turn in a poacher" cards free of charge that also list these phone numbers. 

• WCO Brook Tolbert, West Erie County: cell (814) 566-7869
• WCO Ed Stuart, Central Erie County: cell (814) 572-0066
• WCO Jim Smolko, East Erie County: cell (814) 572-0078
• WCO Tom Edwards, Northwest Region Office: 814-337-0444
• PA State Police, Lawrence Park (East Erie): 814-898-1641
• PA State Police, Girard (West Erie): 814-774-9611
• Walnut Creek Access Office: (814) 833-2464  

In New York a creel survey was completed in 2003/2004 by biologist Jim Markham of the New York DEC on New York's Lake Erie tributaries. The survey showed an identical steelhead catch rate (0.630) to Pennsylvania's 2003/2004 creel analysis but with less angler effort (78,607 angler trips taken) and a higher steelhead catch and release rate of 87%. The survey also showed that steelheader's wanted to keep the creel limit at 3 steehead but normally keep only 0 or 1 fish. Based on this information the DEC feels there is no need to reduce the creel limit below 3 steelhead since catch and release is predominately practiced. Results from a 2004/2005 creel survey by the DEC showed overwhelming support for no kill/artificial only water on select sections of some New York Lake Erie steelhead tributaries. The DEC is considering the following areas as no kill/artificial only water: 18 Mile Creek (18 Mile Creek Park/lower park boundary to upper park boundary on main branch, not including the south branch in park) and Chautauqua Creek (from south Gale Road up to dam/1.3 miles).

Public comment/feed back on this proposal (and other regulation changes) can be directed to Bill Culligan at wjcullig@gw.dec.state.ny.us and Paul Mckeown at pemckeow@gw.dec.state.ny.us (the DEC is presently in the "official public comment period" right now for regulation changes).

The DEC has also been considering a proposal to allow a dropper fly rig on it's Lake Erie steelhead tributaries. This two hook terminal rig is popular (and legal) with fly fisherman in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The DEC doesn't feel it will become a new regulation due to the history of snagging with this type of a rig in New York's Lake Ontario tributaries and the directive to keep regulations uniform for the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario watersheds.

New York steelheaders are to be reminded that vendors are no longer allowed to sell lead sinkers less than 1/2 oz. (it is still legal to use lead sinkers or split-shot on New York waters though). This is an effort to prevent accidental ingestion of lead from harvested fish which has resulted in the deaths of some locals and also to help protect wildlife from the toxic effects of lead. The DEC is also encouraging anglers to voluntarily use non-toxic alternatives to lead such as tin or tungsten when fishing. 

A recent regulation change by the DEC (increasing the minimum size for trout from 9 to 12 inches) was instituted to primarily protect NY's Lake Erie lakeshore plantings of hatchery brown trout from angler harvesting prior to their movement from the lakeshore to the main lake. Since 2002 the DEC has been stocking the Lake Erie lakeshore with domesticated browns from it's Rome, NY hatchery. Returns have been excellent, not only along the lakeshore (particularly Barcelona Harbor) but also in tributaries such as Chautauqua Creek, Canadaway Creek and Cattaraugus Creek.

Finally, a new parking lot has been installed by Erie County off Lake Shore Road on 18 Mile Creek allowing for angler access all the way down to the lakeshore.