Erie Steelhead Dec 7 -10 2011

The rains came and so did the fish. I was there from late Wednesday to mid day Saturday and it was a trip to remember. Upper elk is full of spawning and even post spawn fish who had a liking to streamers on the swing. Incredible action on old beat up fish on Wednesday and Thursday, well up river, much further than I have ever ventured before. Many of the fish looked like they had gone through the dryer on spin cycle. Some gravel beds were littered with spawning pairs that completely ignored everything we threw at them. But once we found a pool or some decent holding water, there was often a player on every bend or so. Some of the females were obviously spawned out and had little fight. The old horse males who hang on a little longer to protect their spawning grounds had a bit more fight left in them but nothing like a fresh from the lake silver steelhead is supposed to exhibit. But we were more than 20 miles up river, these fish have seen extreme drought and flooding conditions in a creek not much wider than a pick up is long. It's easy to see how they may have taken a beating.

First fish of the trip on Wednesday afternoon from upper Elk.  I dropped my kids off at school at 8am in Maryland and still managed a few hours on the water that afternoon. This is probably an average female steelhead that was still relatively fresh and had not spawned yet.  This is the more or less the cookie cutter size or "regular grade" Erie steelhead of about 5 or 6 pounds and 22 inches long.  The other fish that afternoon were similar in size and therefore didn't get a photo shoot.  With dirty conditions, poor visibility, i.e. perfect water clarity, the white bead was still very effective.  This has been the top producer for myself and my fishing partner John Chucoski from The salmon river to Erie this season.  8mm white bead pegged two inches up the line fished under an indicator on 6 pound tippet, on a 6 wt fly rod and a number 10 or 12 black bird hook. AKA steelhead crack.

On Thursday morning we decided to hit lower Walnut at one of the most popular spots in the entire Great Lakes tributary system.  The thought was that the high water would bring in massive amounts of fish and mid week peak hunting season would keep the crowds down.  Plus I was hoping to show a couple green steelhead fishermen mind boggling numbers of fish even if it meant we had to fight the crowds.  Notice no one in the back ground?!  With a few fish to play with but no where near the numbers that are usually there.  I netted this fish before it had a chance to wake up.  Not a whole lot of fight to it for some reason but it may have been the largest fish of the trip.  A variety of factors go into a steelheads fighting ability; water temperature, how fresh the fish was, how much oxygen they receive, whether it has been caught before. I think this fish was just a little cold and a little lethargic being that it was holding in some fast pocket water.  If this fish was caught in early November, Matt would have seen his backing probably more than once. 

 

On Friday we decided to stay a little closer to the lake but hiked miles on one stream into NY and found gold or better yet Silver. Numbers were incomprehensible. I told my guys, one of them new to steelhead fishing that if you can find unmolested fish who haven’t seen a fly yet that day, chances are you'll catch them. I said the day before that one of my secrets is to walk far enough and fast enough to be the first person at a pool. Well, Caleb took that literally. Often bypassing and not fishing mediocre water to find that hidden treasure that may or may not have been around the next bend. If it wasn't for the one other hardcore fishermen out on Friday who kept alternating pools with Caleb, I don't think we ever would have ventured as far up river as we did on Friday. This one guy obviously knew what he was doing, as he did not spend more than a few casts at any one pool and was on a mission to fish a certain section that was only accessible by helicopter or a very determined fishermen. The two strangers chased each other so far up river that eventually the flat, featureless bed rock turned into an excellent pool:riffle:run ratio and with it the fish. These steelhead were not the way upper river spawned out fish that ran back in October. These fish were in near perfect condition, some fresh and dime bright silver, so full of piss and vinegar that you would think they were November fish, not December. A few snow flakes were in the air, we had pretty much the entire stream to ourselves and it was just steelhead fishing zen. I for once fished slower today and picked at the leftovers behind Matt and Caleb. But I'll take leftovers when there's ample reserves. Beads pegged up the line, in white, 8mm in size was deadly. Something most of those fish probably have never seen before. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of those fish have never seen any fly for that matter. Egg flies such as sucker spawn, glow bugs, san juan worms, stone flies and wooly buggers all got action too.  We just may have been the first fishermen these fish have ever seen. When that happens, success will follow. With the growing season over now the streams retain water and color for much longer than they did in early November and October. Thus prolonging the "perfect" green conditions needed for epic numbers on the Lake Erie tributaries so prone to flash flooding.  We were there at a perfect time when the streams were just receding from a high water event.  Friday was one of the better days I've had on those tribs in 10 + years. It took a little determination to put it all together but I'll take it. It was a group effort.

Here's a perfect pool with perfect water clarity with no one else around.  Most of the fish were holding in the narrower faster water to the left of the picture, not the usual, deeper, slower water towards the right of the picture. 

Here's Caleb working the deeper water.  Matt managed to land three fish from this pool prior to me ever getting there. 

Here's one of the three fish that Matt landed from the pool above.  Notice the girth of this fish and her color. She was full of attitude. 

Some beautiful scenery that is always that much more spectacular with no one else around. 

Here's one of my larger fish from Friday.  This old male had been in the stream a while but was still full of vigor. He's posing next to my size 14 boot and may have pushed that magic 30" number.   

On Saturday another one of the Depp brothers was going to meet us in the morning. I had promised my wife and kids to be home for dinner in Maryland but I also wanted to put Timothy on his first steelhead. Maybe even his first trout. Talk about getting spoiled. Well, we fished upper Elk again and once again had the place to ourselves. Tim first started off with a spinning rod and a spinner. Water temperatures had plummeted, air temps were well below freezing, our guides were icing up immediately and to say conditions were difficult would be an understatement.  The snow was coming down so hard that it made it difficult to focus on the float.  I let Tim use my noodle rod rigged with egg sacks under a float and within seconds, before I could even turn around he's already hooked up. This continued for the next few casts too. I think he hooked three fish in three casts from an area we had already beaten to death with flies. But like so many steelhead do, they managed to find freedom. Finding, then hooking steelhead is only part of the equation. Landing them is a skill only mastered after quite a few trials and errors.

It was nearing mid day when I had said all my goodbyes and was a little disappointed I couldn't get Tim into his first steelhead. I decided to take a few casts at the last pool of the day near our cars. Well, this one pool was well occupied with fish. I hooked up with a better than average fish and was able to pass the rod to Tim so he could land his first steelhead. Success! This particular fish went home for dinner and believe it or not, she had already spawned. I later learned that Tim hooked up quite a few more times on his own that afternoon as I battled the snow squall towards home. I managed to make it home by 7pm which found me instantly soaking my sore muscles in a hot bath.  To say steelhead fishing isn’t a sport is sacrilegious in my eyes.  When you hump all your gear, food, water, miles into steep topography, then go to battle with a fish as psychotic as a steelhead, you need to be on top of your game.  Crossing the river dozens of times, leg pressing the current on every step is not your typical pond fishing experience and not for the faint of heart.  But I wouldn’t have it any other way.  As Larry Dahlberg once said, “A Good fishing spot is almost directly proportional to the amount of effort it to took to get there", or something like that anyway.   

My relaxing bath was soon rudely interrupted  when my 5 year old son came cannonballing into the whirlpool after he returned home from a friend’s house. I'll take it though. I think it’s almost time to show Ryan his first steelhead. 

The net job on Tim's first steelhead. 

Notice the smile.

Steelhead round 2, November 2011

November 16, 2011

The plan was to do another birthday steelhead trip with my best friend Diego for his birthday.  I was just recently his best man in Michigan this past summer.  We hadn't had a chance to do a hardcore trip together since, or really fish together since our "battle in the woods", salmon fishing on the Pere Marquette.  We caught a case of salmon fever that trip and hadn't really had a chance to cure it.  Most of our trips in Michigan were cut short due to chores and wedding duties.  The salmon in that river beat us up so bad that we needed redemption.   Redemption would come in the form of a high flying acrobatic steelhead.  We just were not sure exactly where to go.  Fish the Lake Erie tributaries or Lake Ontario?  With there being no water in Erie, we decided at the last possible second while on the highway to fish the Salmon River in Pulaski, NY because of the minimum base flow of 335cfs in this river.  But we knew crowds could be an issue as this is probably the most popular Salmon/steelhead fishery on the planet.  Except this time of year, most of the salmon snaggers have gone home and the river is over run with actual fishermen... for the most part. 

We  Fished Sunday (11/13-11/16) afternoon through Tuesday afternoon from the bottom of the river to the top.  We floated mid river the first afternoon and immediately got into small steelhead, like 16 inches small.  Not the super dinks but not a typical 3 year old either or two year old for that matter. Then hit some decent fish in the 20 inch category.  Got beat up by one or two biguns, mostly throwing beads on fly rods as it out fished egg sacks under floats on noodle rods.  Crowds were terrible near Pineville, never seen anything like it down there, even during peak salmon season. We first looked around Altmar and just laughed.  Even for a Sunday afternoon it was insane.  The Pineville parking lot was just about full!    But once we floated past the bridge trolls and short walkers, it was wide open. 

We decided to hit the DSR all day on Monday.  Started in the upper DSR, we were the first people there but later had people immediately below us and right on top of us when the rest of the river was wide open.  I had to say something about getting up late and expecting to fish over top of me.  I said to myself the next person who walks in this tailout is getting an earful.  Well, the next one did and I let him know about his rudeness.  I've been fishing that river since a young kid and learned long ago you sometimes have to stick up for yourself.  Some of the enchroachers got the idea, other’s didn’t so we worked further up stream finding a prime pool deserted and all to ourselves.  Again, small steelhead.  Like 16-20 inches.  A 20 inch trout is an awesome fish no matter where you are, still took plenty of drag, acrobats like you wouldn’t believe but not the slammer 4 year old 30 inch fish I was hoping for.  There was an unbelievable number of small steelhead around.  A lot of those 12 inch fish, silver as can be and a lot of those 16-20 inch fish too.  Most of these fish were caught on blue egg sacks under floats in the heads of the pools or the extreme tailouts still considered fast water. 

Here's your typical smaller silver bullet. We caught mostly fish this size and smaller which were not quite picture worthy but are still full of piss and vinegar. 

I later worked down the smaller of the two braids in the river and worked a favorite stretch of water with floats and egg sacks.  Nothing.  Then switched to the fly rod with a white bead and one of the first casts hooked the behemoth I was after that took me for a ride.  You wouldn't believe what I had to do to land it.  I wasn’t in the greatest position to land a fish and had to do some rock hopping, tree ducking and sprinting to catch up to the fish but it finally happened.  Mission accomplished. I can die a happy man now. 

Later that afternoon we took the kayak up from the estuary to access the harder to reach water.  Figuring we would get an extra half hour of fishing if we didn’t have to walk back to the parking lot by 5pm.  We hit the first few pools in the estuary.  Quite a few guys for this late in the game but jam packed with fish proposing and jumping everywhere and they were ALL steelhead.  A very friendly group of guys too who half took a boat up and the other half walked down from the top. They immediately invited us to join them even though it looked filled to capacity to me.  But the numbers of fish were unbelievable, the estuary was like salmon season except they were all steelhead.  However, they didn’t want to cooperate at first. Or at least not for us as others were hooking up. 

So we hit some fast water upstream in a perfect looking section.  Maybe two feet deep, maybe less.  The perfect holding water for steelhead when the water temperatures are still not too cold, i.e the upper 40’s.  The perfect water temperature for the most insane runs, and fights.  More like all out brawls.  God I love steelhead.  This section had it all,  Perfect gravel, cobble, the perfect lie to intercept the bounty of salmon eggs.  Plus I had it all to myself.  My friend chose not to follow me across the river, even after I phoned him to say he had to cross to fish this area properly and I was on fish.  Blue beads were getting annihilated.  They were hitting them so hard they were literally running off with them.  Sometimes it would happen seconds after the bead hit the water on an upstream cast and this rocket would explode out of no where to grab the bead and dart back to its lie. Other times they would intercept it on the end of the swing like spey fishing and almost pull the rod out of your hands while fishing one BB shot under and indicator.  Insane action for that last hour of light.  Landing percentage was terrible though. But again, many, many small steelhead.  Maybe a few made that 20 inch size.  Even some of the jacks, like the 12 inchers were colored up and no they were not rainbows.  However I did hook an enormous rainbow that I almost landed but didn’t and landed a handful of 20 inch silver bullets.  My best friend Diego joined me from across the run/riffle and hooked up almost immediately but was having trouble landing them as that side offers little area to beach the fish.  I was across from him carrying the only net.  So he left for more favorable landing water and missed the evening flurry of hookups. Sorry dude.  I was later joined by two respectable fishermen who shared the run with after asking if it was okay.  Definitely some gentlemen fishermen in the DSR besides the guides and the few a holes up river.  On the way out we just had to cast at the pool that has been off limits since September and would you believe it but I caught a king.  First I hooked up with a steelhead on an egg sack.  He was head shaking violently, jumping, kart wheeling, but then the hook popped out and I was left with a different, heavier, slower bull dog fight.  The hooked pulled from a steelhead and into a big fresh king.  It was snagged unfortunately but I still landed it.  Fresh looking king in mid November!? You don't see that very often. Cool.   We did see a few active spawning beds in the DSR too by the way. 

Final day, I need to get a fish landed for my best friend and we need to hit the road at noon according to him.  So the lower fly zone it was.  We entered about 6am on a Tuesday, not many people yet but some preferred spots had people with lanterns, lawn chairs just staking them out.  No big deal, I like fast water/riffle/run fishing.  We had a whole side all to ourselves and from what I saw we out fished just about every other person there who were mostly  throwing long leaders/tippets and lots of weight.  However it was good to see some guys fishing indicators and much less weight.  We rigged beads above nymphs under indicators and one or two BB or BB2 Shot 8 to 18 inches from the fly and had non stop action all morning long.  Even had a double.  Many, many small steelhead again, like that 20 inch category.  Very few fresh fish, almost all had some color, some had fight, others did not.  We did get into a few absolutely massive fish that I could have sworn were kings except they were silver.  Didn’t stand a prayer landing them.  Salmon eggs were everywhere in the gravel.  Thousands of them.  They looked white/yellow, 7mm maybe.  Guess what, 8mm white bead above a prince or stonefly nymph did the trick.  Not sure if they were going for the bead or the nymph, my guess is the bead.  I couldn’t keep track of numbers too well but I’d say we were both well into double digits as far as hook ups and possibly landings as well.  The few fresh fish I did catch were again, small but fresher is always better.  However, not to knock the old horses as many of them were full of spunk too.  Noon quickly turned into 1:30pm so at least I got another hour and a half out of my friend.  The look on his face when he was hooking all those fish was priceless.  Till next time. 

You know you are doing well when you both land a fish at the same time.  That's a memory that will last a while.  Mine's the bigger one btw.  HAAHHA

A nice brown showed up to the party too.  Diego's best brown trout.  Even though we have browns this size in Maryland, I'll take them when we can get them.  Diego was thrilled with this fish even though it fought like a wet rag. Sorry but they just aren't steelhead.

Your typical upper river steelhead.  We lost more than  few that were twice this size.  It's always better to have played and lost than never to have played at all. 

We stayed at the steelhead lodge which was fantastic this time. We stayed in the main lodge, we each got our own room with a double bed, excellent soup and hospitality. It was good meeting pinrod, and smokequeen. Thanks for the info guys. It’s always good to talk fishing with real fisherman and woman. Let’s do it again sometime. 



As I sit here and write this the conditions are about as prime as can be for most of the Erie and lake Ontario tributaries.  The rain the last few days did the trick.  The time is now. This next week will offer epic steelhead action on just about any drainage ditch in the great lake's water shed. It's a great time of year. Too bad life got in the way and I couldn't just turn into a steelhead.

Birthday Steelhead

I usually get to plan a birthday trip so this year was no different.  Except there was no planning involved.  With my unemployment status, my schedule opens up some opportunity to take advantage of the post weekend crowdless conditions.  My new boss, my wife, said I should go fishing.  So I did.  It was Saturday afternoon when we discussed the idea of me going away for a couple days.  My birthday was on Tuesday so I had very little time getting anyone else to go with me.  I made a few futile calls to fellow fisherman folk but got the same old expected answers.  You know, I can’t, too busy, I don’t know….  But no worries.  There wouldn’t be anyone to slow me down.  I’m not a stranger to fishing alone.  Even in college when I was single and in my 20’s I would disappear for a few days on my own to fish.  It helps me think.  The only thing that matters is where and how I should go fishing.  I’m usually pretty good at that.  It was late on Saturday night when I finally finished packing my car.  I knew I was going steelhead fishing but the where wasn’t exactly fine tuned yet.  I knew it was somewhere along the great lakes coast but was it going to be Erie, Pa which requires rains for excellent and ethical conditions?  Or was it going to be the Salmon River in Pulaski, NY that has a reputation for insane crowds, unethical fishermen who mostly only snag fish and disturb otherwise cooperative fish?  Erie did receive rain on Thursday and Friday resulting in perfect conditions for Saturday but how long were the perfect conditions going to hold?  Throughout the day on Saturday while joining the family at a pumpkin patch, I kept checking my new smart phone for up to the minute conditions.  I was able to view a live web cam of river conditions when I’d pretend to be making an important call.  Unfortunately I could see that the water was receding in Erie, Pa much faster than I usually like.  Once it gets too low, the fishing usually suffers as the fish either retreat back to the lake or simply just shut down in the clear water. 

So, my alarm clock was set for 4:30am once I finally climbed into bed a little after midnight.  I had both New York state and Pennsylvania maps in the car and just figured I’d figure out where to go later.  It wasn’t until I past I 70 that I made up my mind to head to NY for some of the larger, although less numerous Lake Ontario Steelhead.  There isn’t a fish that swims in fresh water who fights as belligerently as a fresh October steelhead.  Specifically in the salmon river which usually flows at near white water rafting levels.  When an angry steelhead gets hooked, all hell breaks loose.  Throw in some potentially life threatening fast water into the equation and  one could say it is about as exciting as fishing can get.   I finally get on the road at 6am loaded down with three fly rods, 2 spinning, floats, noodle rods, a kayak, life jacket and about 100 granola bars.  Even though it was a birthday trip, I had to do this on the cheap. 

I made excellent time and arrived into Pulaski around noon.  I just drove 400 miles with a kayak on the roof in less than 6 hours.  That is only possible when the construction on I 81 isn’t bad and when you leave before sunrise.  But it wasn’t until 2pm when I first saw the river.  I had to set up accommodations for the night, get a fishing license, set up a float plan etc.    

I started Sunday from Pineville around 2pm. Plan was to float in the kayak to 2A. I ran into a popular guide I know from the internet named Shane Thomas.  He was on his way out and reported good steelhead action up river and gave me some pointers on what beads to use and what water to be cautious about. I have a 14' SOT kayak and figured I'd be fine although I was a little unfamiliar with the water below sportsmans pool. Thanks for the advice Shane.

Well, I didn't hit a fish in quite some time. IT's getting late and I set up all alone around Sportsman’s. I had just switched from a glow roe to a light blue bead on the fly rod and started hooking up very well. These fish were hammering the bead as it was swinging through the current under an indicator and one or two .05 gram shot about 12 inches from the bead. It was almost like spey fishing as they were hitting it on the swing and the strike was insanely intense. I missed a few absolute hogs too as they jumped and threw the hook.

I had a lot of problems keeping the bead in place with the fly rod. I went to three different places to get different tooth picks because I knew I would have this problem. Even on the drive up I was stuffing my pockets with tooth picks from a restaurant I stopped at for breakfast. But I did end up landing a few nice fish in a quick 4 hour float and took out at the steelhead lodge instead of floating down to 2a. Which I'm glad I did because it was a LONG float from the steelhead lodge to 2a which I found out the next day.

That evening I stayed at the steelhead lodge. They are running a special right now for anyone staying with them in October. I had no idea at the time when I booked the place either. THe special is a free nights lodging anytime from Nov. 1-the end of March and a free kayak rental in the summer for a day. Cool. I often come up in the summer to hunt skamanians and just to fish the river with no one around. I've hooked 1 skamanian in 10 years of trying. I guess I’m stubborn.  A skamanian is a summer run steelhead.

That night I met some guys from Sweden. They came all this way to fish for salmon on the salmon river. I said what about Atlantic salmon in Norway and sweden? They said, it's all "Gentlemen" fishing and is expensive, plus you rarely catch anything. "Gentlemen" fishing is spey fishing, no weight. No snagging. No BS long leaders. I asked what's expensive, he said about $100 a day. I asked how much was the flight over here? He said about $800. Then there's car rental, fishing license, food. Uhhh??? I would have gone Atlantic salmon fishing in Norway. What about you?

So Monday morning I drop in at Altmar and float down past the unemployment pool in the dark as I am very familiar with this section of river. Funny that there were drift boats parked under the Altmar bridge and all over the unemployment pool. I eventually got out near the wires and fished beads near spawning salmon in the hopes of finding some steelhead. Old salmon were everywhere around the schoolhouse and wires. Fraziers run was full of salmon, fresh and old, so was the bovines. Not a ton of people either. Then made it past the trestle and that's where everyone was. Not in the trestle but well below it. Lots of fish around, mostly fresh good looking salmon and tons of steelhead along with 6 drift boats. But no one was hooking up and this was around 9. I saw one steelhead landed in 2 hours. ON my second cast accros the river from the crowds using a bead I hooked a good steelhead but it was short lived. The fishing was very slow for some reason. Yea I could have used a long leader and weight to line the fish but decided to move on.

Made it to Pineville area. LOTS of salmon moving through the fast water and mostly hiding there away from the people in the pools. I saw very few fish in the pools but all seemed to be in the fast water or runs. A nice steelhead was hooked by a pinner in the crowds at Pineville. Didn't see him land it but this thing was BIG.

I continued to near sportsmans which was so good to me the night before. But not a thing for me except a salmon on a bead that threw the hook near the bank. I was hunting steelhead and coming up empty big time. There were a few drift boats that kept swapping positions with me throughout the day and they were having a tough time too. Most every drift boat I saw was fishing beads too, either on fly rods or noodle rods under floats.

I decided to float on past 2A. Never seen that water between there and 81. But wow, that's some rough water, even at 350cfs plus a little runoff. Not easy to negotiate in a 14' kayak. I ended up running into a famous writer/fly fishermen named Larry Coburn from Maryland near Clarks Falls as he had private access. Which by the way I didn't see one fisherman between 2a and 81 except this guy from MD and a few spey rodders under the bridge.

I set in on some gravel areas chocked with spawning salmon well below 2a. Here I finally was able to see steelhead as often they are practically invisible. To me anyway. I wear costas and have better than 20/20 vision but steelhead in that river always manage to vanish. But I'm not really into sight fishing but watching this one small steelhead harass this spawning salmon was cool. It would dart into the bed and dart out. I ended up spooking the female salmon but the steelhead stuck with her. As soon as I changed bead colors she nailed it. Fish on! Finally. Instantly air born, maybe 20 inches or so. She threw the hook on the second 5 foot high jump. I also fished a noodle rod with floats and fresh spawn bags from stocked trout I caught back home. Nothing touched egg sacks, from store bought to fresh for some reason.

It was near dark and I had to really get a move on if I was going to make it to the ballpark before dark. Again, some serious water in that area to negotiate in a kayak and once again, void of people.

Finally made it with 20 minutes of light left and a little wet. I took on a lot of water but with a SOT kayak it just drains through. I Didn't lose any gear so I guess it was a success but the fishing was just tough. Plus I was doing almost as much kayaking as fishing but did get to see some new water. Most people were near the trestle, near Pineville and near Sportsman’s. Everywhere else was wide open. But it also so happens that's where the fish were too.

Once I took out at the ballpark I talked to a guy who said he had an incredible day on steel fishing the pocket water. He was throwing lots of weight and long leaders. Not my thing. But he did say the place was jam packed with steelhead. Woulda shoulda coulda. Called the steelhead lodge and got a ride with my kayak back to Altmar for $10. Can't beat that.

Tuesday was my birthday and I had the morning to fish before having to drive back home in time for dinner with the family. I ended up putting in 7 hours on the water from 6am to 1:30pm. I started in the lower DSR using the kayak under the cover of darkness to access some hard to reach water. I almost didn't bother with a stiff 20mph west wind too. Of course the guides had beaten me to the best spots. Some of the guides in those pools had their clients constantly into steelhead all morning long. It was nonstop hook ups and their clients were completely clueless. I would see them somehow chuck all this weight on a fly rod and watch the drift. The rod would be violently shaking, no question there was a fish on but they would wait for the fish to "eat" the fly longer and then set the hook like they were bass fishing. Anywhere else in the world while drift fishing a fly for trout, you have about .05 seconds to set the hook on a strike while nymphing before they realize it’s not food.. But with long leaders I guess you can wait 30 seconds to set the hook. The fish has the line in its mouth and can't shake it lose. But guess what, the clients would still hook the steelhead and often land it too even when it was obvious they hadn't a clue in the world. Go figure. This was the only pool that had anything going on from what I could see. The meadow was dead when I checked it and anyone else not in this pool was coming up empty. Of course no one else was getting anywhere near these guides either. But all they were doing was having their clients line steelhead with LONG leaders and tons of weight. Such BS! Fish a float or swing through there with a weightless fly please. No need to bottom bounce a long leader through there now that the salmon are gone. Well, actually there was a decent push of salmon that morning. Fresh fish too with tight eggs. I hooked a few on skein and fresh bags but couldn't land them. Oh, More than a few of the guide’s caught and released steelhead floated down belly up too. But many made it for another day.

I hooked up a few times on fresh bags in the morning but couldn't seal the deal. Beads were getting ignored. I finally got a little solitude and landed a beautiful fresh male steelhead of about 10 pounds. He jumped several times too. Awesome fish. So I finally found my birthday fish. When I die, please bring me back as a steelhead. There's just nothing like them. They will forever haunt me in my sleep. This year looks just like the last few years. Maybe even better. The numbers of steelhead around already is insane. I just can't seem to put it together but can’t complain either. I Found solitude and a few fish to play with. The energy of these fresh fish is incredible. Leaves were a major issue on Tuesday in the wind but on Sunday and Monday it was dead calm most of the day and very fishable. The colors and scenery were about as ripe as can be. That’s what I call a successful trip. 

Tight Lines,

Jon Grifiths

New Orleans is alive and well

I am writing today because I have an update to one of my favorite recent adventures.  Once you read the report below you will understand.  Us humans never cease to amaze me.  Maybe this story is the reason why I finally started blogging and not just write long emails to people, some of which could care less.  In my eyes this story had to be told to a new audience, something a little different than your average fishing web site which is where I usually post stories like this.  In the past year I have thought about my New Orleans trip a few times and the great southern hospitality I experienced. But I never thought I’d hear from a guy I met down there ever again.  But then, in the back of my mind, maybe I did.  It truly was a once in a lifetime experience and I was definitely in the right place at the right time. Well, shortly after I returned home and wrote this report up on www.tidalfish.com, I finally got around to mailing it to my new friend and barber. A whole year and a few months have passed now and I never heard back. Maybe the story got lost in the mail. Maybe he didn't like me. Maybe I should have contributed more gas money? Well, this weekend I get a phone call from an unfamiliar area code. I almost didn't answer it but then thought it could be for some dream job in Montana offering me 6 figures to fish for a living. Okay, maybe not. Well, it was my friend Jack, the barber inviting me back down. I couldn't believe it. I have since lost his contact information and thought I'd never see that place again. Plus I was certain the oil spill devastated his camp. Well, not so much. The place is alive and well. A little more fresh water in the marsh this year than usual but the fish are thriving still. Might just have to check out some flights.

Live New Orleans Report 11:30pm, Saturday February 20th, 2010

I'm here because my wife has a conference starting tomorrow. We decided to take a few days and arrive a little early to see the city together and make a little vacation out of it. But, this also just so happens to be near one of the greatest red fish destinations on the planet. The last two nights have just about cleaned me out and killed every last remaining brain cell. I'm in early tonight because I have an appointment of my own at sunrise.

I can only imagine how insane the super bowl and actual Marti Gras was. Forget New York. This is the place that doesn't sleep. We retired last night sometime before sunrise, returned in the afternoon and the bars were exactly the same as we left them. The locals we talked to were begging for a reprieve from the partying that hasn't stopped because every weekend the place exploded when the Saints were in the playoffs and just last week was the official Marti Gras. I don't think it ended.

Quick story about my luck yesterday. I was walking down the streets in desperate need of a haircut. I found a little barber shop hidden down some alley (actually (Corner of Canal and Decatur Street). My wife and I walk in and were the only customers. I was told to sit down and there like as if it were destiny, on the mirror I'm facing are several pictures of bull red fish, exactly what I was looking for. The rest is history as we talk fishing for who knows how long as my wife sits a little impatiently and reads through every one of their magazines. This guy is the real deal. We talk about 1/8 oz jig heads and their quality and strength, popping corks to braided line, high speed closed face reels to floro carbon and tarpon toad trailers. Then someone else pops in for a quick word to say hi and they talk about his next trip, tomorrow, back to the bayou at his own fishing lodge. He shows me pictures of the shack style home on stilts that can only be reached by boat and was one of the only places in the area that survived Katrina. Plus it had a nice 19' bay boat beached along side. He says he can easily collect a dozen oysters right off his deck and it’s located practically at the end of the world, just north of Venice where the only inhabitants are red fish, and plenty of them. His last trip down he caught over 200 trout but that was Thanksgiving. I mention how I'm desperately trying to go fishing and how I have my waders and may drive to Biloxi or somehow shove a kayak in the back of a ford focus. I try my best to pick his brain. Right then he offers to take my wife and I fishing. I look to my wife for approval and she's fine with it. She says she'll be busy with classes and business until Tuesday and didn't need me around till our departure flight. A warming trend has arrived and the sun even came out today. Temps are expected to hit 70 on Sunday but then another front moves through for Monday. I even saw a magnolia in bloom today!

But I also have a guide booked for Monday and the guide found someone else to split the trip with me so I'm only paying half the price for a full day. But the barber guy definitely knows what he's talking about and he's fishing through till Monday. I brought a fair amount of tackle with me in my large duffel bag, including two rods, a travel spinning and a 9wt fly rod. After a couple pairs of my wife's shoes and my fishing gear, I barely had enough room for one other change of clothes. But who cares. I'm going fishing and that's all that matters right now. The clock is ticking. I was so tired today that I fell asleep in a deafening 4D show at the WWII museum where you feel as if you are right there on the beaches of Normandy taking on heavy fire from artillery.   The last few days and nights in and around Bourbon Street have completely kicked my tail. But why do I sit here now on the edge of my seat, writing to you guys and filled with anticipation of hitting the bayou at first light? I need to go to sleep as I'll be navigating past endless drunks in a tiny rental car before sun up tomorrow. If I can just find my way out of the city, I think I'll be okay. Wish me luck.

It’s Wednesday and I’m safely back at home now already dreaming of endless marsh habitat, fresh oysters and blackened redfish. The camp was located right on the water about 30 miles north of Venice, near an access canal to the Mississippi and Marina called Empire. It is located on west side of the river surrounded for as far as the eye could see in either direction in salt marsh. The closest other building was miles away and was an oil rig. Unfortunately muddy water and cold temperatures slowed down the fishing but even I was capable of forgetting about fish for a minute and absorb the breathtaking scenery. We managed a few reds and the knowledge and experience of the two gentlemen I fished with surpassed my fishing ability by 100 fold. Even if they were loaded up with ugly sticks and large gold snap swivels and I had st croix rods and floro carbon armed with berkly gulp, their techniques were the ticket. But the experience was second to none. We ate oysters that I caught while wading in less than 5 minutes, we had fresh red fish, blackened by a true, native from Louisiana. I made a few friends for the future and learned a thing or two too. I'm already planning on returning when the weather gets warmer and the trout and reds invade the area by the thousands. My two new friends Jack and Gerry have been fishing there for over 40 years, owned boats for equally that long and have built three camps in that area since the 70's. They both said they have never seen the fishing that slow. But come spring or after a prolonged warming trend, things change very quickly. A guide would have cost me several hundred dollars and would have only have been for a day. This trip was closer to 36 hours of the best of southern Louisiana hospitality could offer. I originally thought I’d only fish for the day and use the guide the next day. But after a little convincing on their part, and numerous comments of “don’t be bashful” I found myself on the phone to my wife (unbelievable we had cell phone service) and spending the night. All I brought with me was a few granola bars and a bottle of water. We ate like kings for two days and their cooking out surpassed any meal the French Quarter had to offer. The camp had all the comforts of home with satellite TV, AC/ heat, gas stove, bathroom with a shower and new mattresses. It was powered by a 10kw diesel generator and they collected fresh water from roof runoff. However, it had recently been so cold that a PVC pipe had burst cutting off our fresh water supply.

I learned how to shuck an oyster, pop a “cwaark” (popping cork), blacken a red fish and distinguish all the different holding areas red fish prefer. Numerous times I tried to chime in and say one area looked better than the other. Actually I was awestruck by every nook and cranny as it all looked too perfect. Deep channels and rips that I’d fish back home were void of fish because these areas were patrolled with larger predators such as dolphin. The secret to the fishing was in the furthest back bays and ponds only a few inches deep rendering GPS completely useless and only accessible to the most experienced captains. The channels were littered with prop destroying tree trucks hidden like mines in areas that were once recently dry land. The center of the bays would be void of fish. Your lure or bait had to be right up against the grass as the reds patrolled these areas where smaller bait fish and crabs took refuge.

Jack and Jerry both commented how quickly the marsh habitat is disappearing. Vast areas that only a few short years ago were dry land was now all open water. Remaining telephone poles dotted the land that was recently accessibly to the main land. They said the area is losing over 3 to 4 football fields of land per day as the gulf advances further inland each day. Old ruins of previous camps were partially submerged as a reminder of Katrina’s furry, only home now to barnacles and crabs. The whole trip was something I’ll never forget or probably be able to ever duplicate. Trips like that cannot be planned or repeated or could ever possibly come with a price tag. It was just a good example of being at the right place at the right time. What if I got my hair cut back home before my vacation like everyone else? ON Tuesday before my flight I popped in to Louisiana Haircutters for one more good bye and to drop off a bottle of whisky as a measly thank you. Even then, with customers waiting in line we shared stories for another ten minutes or so. But it had to come to an end eventually. Back to the grind, the snow and the mortgage. No more hurricanes for me for a while and I wish the same for my new friends. New Orleans is alive and well with 2010 expected to equal tourism days of pre Katrina. The 1.5 mile long convention center awaits your next business meeting. But I’m quite certain I won’t return without a trip to salt marshes of lower Louisiana.

Now for the pictures
Bourbon Street on an average Thursday night.

My Wife Courtney and I atop some balcony. I had to be careful with the picture taking.

My new found friend and barber, Jack as we depart Empire Marina loaded down with essentials and siding to repair the camp.

Looking back at the Marina and Highway 23 bridge which was destroyed during Katrina. A picture made the national news where a large ship had washed up onto the highway at this location. Plus a Dolphin snuck into this shot when I took the picture. I had no idea it was there and just got lucky.

Here's Jack and I on plain moving at 40mph weaving and bobbing around oyster reef markers.

Some fishy looking habitat miles from anywhere.

Home sweet home for a couple days.

Diesel Generator allowing for all the comforts of home.  What you can't see in this picture is how Jack jumped when the flash went off.  We were struggling a little bit trying to get it started.  There was smoke, sparks, coughing sounds, you name it.  Well, I took the picture with a flash and Jack thought the whole thing just exploded.  Sorry about that. 

Keep an eye on that cork, pronounced cawwarrk, aka float in the steelhead world.

The view from the porch.

One of a few reds that showed up to the party and joined us for dinner.


Net job on a 10 pound red. For some reason didn't get a clean picture of this fish that Gerry caught but it was the largest fish of the trip and more than comfortably fed the three of us that night.  Accompanied with fresh salad, French Wine, fresh bread, green beans and mushrooms. 

What happens when you try and pick up oysters without gloves. Rookie mistake.

Some hot sauce from the French Market.

A highly recommended char broiled,smothered in cheese oyster dish from Dragos. They are famous for this dish. I could have eaten 4 dozen, easy.

Jackson Square