justin elia

Both the Islander and all Raven models are good reels. Both companies have great customer service, I doubt you will have a problem with any model you buy or accessing parts. I have personally used both the Raven Classic/SST 2 and Islander IS and dont have any complaints. Welcome to the wonderful world of centerpinning, you won't go back. Good luck. J

Paul Almaza from Anglers International does a great job for Raven. I doubt many people have had bad experiences with their customer service.

For all boaters that plan to fish NY waters, please ensure you read over the NY boating requirements. For my particular boat which is 19' 6", what differs from our rules is having a daytime signaling device (distress flag, daytime flares etc.) as well as a type IV floatation device (ie. life ring or throw cushion). There are also new regulations on life jackets, please read up and ensure your safety equipment is adequate. After searching high and low, I finally found a store in the GTA that carries these products. West Marine (specifically in Oakville). When I asked the guy who worked there he was really suprised that they had them in stock. http://www.nysparks.com/recreation/boating...oatersGuide.pdf

Lazlo, First off, great thread! I'm sure many anglers, new to steelheading, are learning as well. Below is a link to shotting patterns. 90% of the time, I will bulk shot. I would also suggest one of two things, 1) wait for a decent amount of rain so that the rivers rise and fish them while they drop and clear up (your chances of hitting some fish will be higher), and 2) if you are adament on hooking into a steelhead before we get rain, target the estuaries and river mouths. Fish will move in and out waiting until the rivers rise so they can make their way upstream. Good luck. http://www.anglersinternational.com/Shotting%20Patterns.pdf

FGP, wait for a decent amount of rain to fall (15-30mm) and raise the water levels of the tribs. Fish the rivers on a clearing trend and you'll more than likely get into some steelhead. You are probably doing everything right, but timing is more important. 8lb line is fine, if its flouro.t When fishing in clearer water, you may want to scale down. You may also want to try spinners so you can cover more water. Maybe you can be more specific on each of your outings (ie. river, water clarity, bait, etc) and someone here can help you out.

Contact Islander, Im sure they will ship them to you or ask your local shop to order them for you. If you run into any problems, let me know and I'll ask my contact at Islander to help you out.

Ive been reviewing the Islander for the past year. I wrote a review on WFN if you want to read it. www.wfn.tv/blog/justin Great reel for the money. Upgrade bearings though if you get it.

I have some spare bearings (brand new in the box) for Raven reels if you would like to buy them from me, alot cheaper than that website. Removing and replacing bearings is a simple job, especially on Raven's. Plus, its nice to have a spare set with you incase you need to change while on the water. You can PM if you would like.

Tony, Louis, myself, Bill, Mike (solo), Dave L. and another are booked for next year and can't wait. Its definitely a box ticker on the bucket list. I'm really looking forward to this trip.

Fishing at night can be really good. You may want to increase size of your biat (ie. roe bags/jigs/worms) as there will be very little light. You should also consider using spinners or crankbaits as these lures give off alot of vibration which is easier for the fish to track. Basically you want to take advantage of the senses of the fish that are utilized most during night time; smell and sound. Fish will use their lateral line to track down moving baits. The nice thing about it is that usually, no one is around. Good luck and report back and let us know how you made out. All 3 are night time fish from various rivers: Best of luck. J

Depends on what type of fishery you want, put and take or self sustainable. In my opinion, a self sustainable fishery with wild fish makes for a far greater fishery. There is a definate difference in hatchery raised vs. wild steelhead. Relying constantly on a stocking program is the easy way out.

We were in NY on Tuesday, not today. Hope you hit some fish where you were. Believe me, I wouldn't have picked NY over your destination if I had the choice.

Not many fish around and they are all spooked after the first 30 minutes of light. Tons of Salmon still around and too many anglers hovering over the pools and runs. I would wait until we get a significant amount of rain before going that way or hunting season starts.

Aaron and I decided to hit up some NY tribs for some browns. With a lot of hard work and patience, we landed a few browns and had some steelies mixed in. The water on the Lake O tribs are extremely low and clear, so we had to scale down our presentations to light leader, small roe bags and small flies. For a weekday, both tribs were stuffed full of anglers.....and some non-ethical ones too. I would hate to see it on a weekend. Enjoy! Nice female Brown!!! Aarons beauty This male took a small purple jig Close up

One of two set ups, 1) triple surgeon knot connecting leader to main, and improved clinch on the hook. 2) Polomar knot connecting main to swivel, improved clinch for leader to swivel and leader to hook. When its bitter cold, I use the second method.

Its actually sickening to think about how much those Salmonids cost us. Gas money, Lisences, Gear, hotels etc.

If you're going to target Salmon and Trout in the rivers and streams, its the most effective and efficient way to fish for them. There are casting video's on line and pictures of presentation set-ups. With the internet, you should be able to pick it up quickly. Also, dont be affraid to ask for help on the rivers.

Credit, Bronte would be considered medium sized rivers, Niagara/Saugeen would be considered big water.

Danjang, When I first started steelheading, I used a Fenwick HMX 12'6" rated 4-10. Its got good back bone, fast taper, not too heavy and lasted a while before it broke, due to my own fault. It should still have stainless guides, and the diameter of the top guides are larger than avg., making for less ice blockage in cold weather. It should retail for around $125. You may want to look at used rods as well.

J, You do not need insurance for using a boat on the water; however, I would contact your insurance company and ask them specifically regarding towing of the boat on the car/truck that is insured. I would also make sure that the tow capacity of the vehicle is rated enough to tow the boats weight. Should you get into an accident and the vehicle is not rated to pull your boats weight, I can easily see the insurance company backing out of any compensation. Safety first, and get all your questions answered in writing by your insurer. Some good companies with year round coverage are State Farm and The Co-operators. These two companies allow you to use the boat anually, most others call for a lay-up period which means you can tow, but you can't drop it in water during the winter months. Usually from Dec 1st until the end of March, every company is different. Good luck! Justin

Bill,All of our fish hooked with the exception of 3 skippers, were all 7-10lbs. Did you guys notice larger than average fish too?Just a few from the day with Louis.

Everybody schools Louis, I even out fished him on Quinte for Bass this year. Hang em up old man! J

Everybody schools Louis, I even out fished him on Quinte for Bass this year. Hang em up old man! J

Garden worms, nightcrawlers and plastics all have a place for steelhead. Bring an assortment and experiment. They all work! Good luck! Justin

Agree with Solopaddler. But if your budget is $200, find one used as they usually retail for around $300 plus. Upgrade bearings if you buy new.