Milty

Many ways to land a steelie without hurting it or spookin it too much,..just gotta plan in advance!!!

Actually on the river,...a net will spook steelhead once it gets close after the main fight...and many times this will be the 'breakoff/self-release point',...I thought that was well known...is it different with specks on the lake?

Just a joke Dan,...Beleive me i would take some of those nice brookies you guys get up there anytime i get the chance..and I do know how big they get too,...down here we gotta settle for what we have,..Steelies,..noone on the river really uses a net for them,...after all how do u get a 24-30" fish in that net without hurting it?,..;theres no need really!!!

I dont want to catch any trout that would fit in that net...lol,..well maybe a few small residents in the summer,...otherwise,..unless your fishing on top of a peir,...no net required...on the river that is....

nice lookin fish !!! thanks for the candy,..cant wait for that rain a comin!!!

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Hey Shep,..does your sandbox have calcareous sand or non-calcareous???

I agree with what you said here wholeheartedly,...In fact about 50% of the time I head out I also bring an ultralite 9'6" spinning rod,..just have much better results with the floating set-up, however when the bite is strong and aggressive, I occasionally break it out to switch up the fun,..a different kind of fun,...but fun nonetheless!!! BTW,..none of what you said in response to my post was taken the wrong way in the least,..this is a discussion board and input is what it is all about,..as for the gimps (same ones everytime) that feel the need to throw a jab,...just like u said,..i wonder what they would say on the river,...or not say for that matter....

If u want to catch the most stealhead on the river, leave the hardware at home,...get an ultralight (4-8lb) rod in a length of 12'6-13'6 or even 15'. More important than the rod (IMHO) is the reel. You might want to start with a good spinning reel with a very good drag (atleast 8 bearings), ideally you want to move to a centre pin. Use 8lb mono main line with 3-5 g raven or drennan floats (or smthn similar) shotted appropriately below the float to match the float size,..then to a micro swivel and 2-3' of good flourocarbon leader in the 3-5lb class depending on brand, again i reccomend raven or drennan. Use a #12-14 hook and wetflies, steelhead jigs, pink worms and steelhead eggs for bait. Spinners will work only when the fish are very aggressive, which isnt all that often. In conditions when spinners work and you are floating instead your float will go down like a large mouth just hit it,..these times are rare,...most often a steelhead hit is hardly detectable to the untrained eye and it takes alot of confidence to set that hook and set it well...and risk a hook up with a stick or the tree behind you,...it takes alot of learning to become a good steelheader,...by all means bring a 9 ' lite action spinner with you,..but the long rod, ultralight CP combo is defintaely the way to go if you want to catch fish!!!

I have.... as for the fatigue,..could be a couple things,..1) liver, 2) vitamen D deficient ....As for the legs I just saw a commercial on tv the other day about some revolutionary breakthrough cure for the jimmy leg syndrome,..definately google it. Also, for the fatigue it may be chronic fatigue or whats that other one......ummmmmmmmm...damn..this is gonna bug me,.....aw yes fibramyalgia,.....southern O is deficient in iodine and so it may likely also be a thyroid thing...Best to do some research!!! dont rely on Doctors in Ontario,..not gonna get into a whole thing about it,..just my advice!!!

Nice Lookin shakers,....definately a good sign,..I hope u put a couple back for me to catch....

Good Job guys,....PS,..Ken I didnt teach you all of what I know,..that would be silly...lolol

Definately have to try to cast more than 20' to see what can go wrong for a newbie on the pin,...the first few outings (or season) can be very frustrating especially while trying to fight a fish with a birds nest at your feet...lol...give it a try sometime Roy,..you might be surprised,...PS,..makes the fight on any type of fish that much more challenging and rewarding!!! IMHO of course

Nice work,...My season is only just starting,...you shoulda capped it all off with that 30+ nook u posted a month ago or so...

Cant go wrong with Maxima 8lb for main line,..I like the Ultragreen due to where I fish,...never had a problem,...had my last spool on for an entire season,..landed plenty of steelies and nooks!! If your eyesight isnt that good go with the chamelion!!!

Pretty sweet lookin start,..I admire the hard work, dedication and craftmanship from all you rod builders....my only question is,..can you clean it easlily? I peronsally fish with roe and skein,...(as well as jigs, flies and pinkies),...but my rods get to be a mess real quick when the action is hot,...acetone works well to get that roe juice off,..but its not that easy,..I would hate to see a masterpeice all gummed up....just wondering as I would love to build my own rod one day!!!

You mean you fished with Ken and didnt Catch anything...theres a shocker...lol...usually everyone else is catching,..Just kidding!!!

You're right to a degree Solo,...I actually live right besdie one of those crowded lake O tribs,..I rarely fish it however. Within one hour of TO,..I can show you productive spots that even on warm sunny October days you might only see 5-6 other anglers,..and its not like down here,..you would acutally stop and talk to these guys cuz they made the same effort you did. Actually I remember 6-7 overcast outings in a row last year in oct/nov where I got into multiple fish and never saw another angler, except my buddy. Ive been doing alot of homework since then as well as mapping, plan to have many many more of these spots before too long. cheers!!!

LOL...I guess there are men and there are boys.....just kidding....I stationed myself 100% secure and have no worries.... Stickin to the local gutting stations like East rivers,..is one kind of fishing,..now hiking and prospering areas where most others arent willing to put the energy,..and expericening natures challeges,..and still catching fish,..IMHO,...is what it is all about.. Not just talkin Niagara by any means...but I see many pics of anglers posing on rivers on this and other sites,..with 10 other anglers in the background,..I personally despise those situations,...and would much rather make the trek to chrome,..and have beavers and deer and herons as my neighbours on river....any thoughts....?

Gettin there,..waitin for some other pics my gf took with her cam,..she made the hike just for the leaves...lol

Gettin there,..waitin for some other pics my gf took with her cam,..she made the hike just for the leaves...lol

It was sooo hot in the sun yesterday,..I almost jumped in to cool off...lol...with this rain today..i expect to have some local reports very soon.... ....lol...

Got back this aft,...and water was quite muddy as many had warned,...thanks for all the replys and pm's btw,...only fished for an hour or so...very warm in the sun indeed,..saw many salmon surfacing and hooked into one for about 5 seconds...lol...water seemed way too warm for steelhead,..but Im definately heading back there in the near future,..gotta love the challenge of the biggest river of all!!! Intersting currents...lol,..surface flows one way and your float flows the other...and then theres the undertow,..see your float go down,..but its water pulling it...lol

Anyone been drifting the whirlpool in Niagara ? Heading down for a night away with my lady and thought I meet sneak in a few drifts if it is worth the hike down to the water..Will be fishing from shore, first time there, any tips would also be helpful. My plan was to drift roe and jigs deep with the CP and/or toss some hardware....thanks in advance!!!

Sweet Report and nice Pics..ALL OF THEM,...with beauty fish like that,...I would love to see 5 angles of each one...lol..seriously though...tuff go this year so far for sure....were u by chance very close to the mouth of the pareticular trib you were on? cuz up river I havent seen hardly any chrome off G-bay tribs yet this year!!!