Forecast for steelies is a bit cloudy

[Spiel]

Forecast for steelies is a bit cloudy

 

Fishing /By Will Elliott

01/20/08

buffalonews.com

 

Seasons change. Fishing seasons have their peak periods. Rainbow/steelhead trout season remains open throughout the year in Great Lakes waters. But in the lower Niagara River, “steelie” season gets fully under way after waterfowl seasons end in mid-January and river waters begin to clear.

 

Boaters and shore casters have some wind protection in the lower river’s deep escarpment. Powerful currents level waves. But water clarity depends wholly upon water conditions up current.

 

A good ice covering on Lake Erie assures lower river steelie anglers better trout tallies. Not so, so far this steelie season.

 

Tuesday morning, I joined a staunch trio of steelie specialists trying to hammer a few steelheads. Capt. Frank Campbell did chartering chores for Bill Hilts Jr., a Niagara County fisheries promoter, Capt. Bruce Blakelock of Riverside Sport Fishing and me for a few drifts along the not-so-straight strait known as the lower river.

 

Conditions looked good Monday, but by Tuesday a modest stain had moved into lower river waters. Capt. Vince Pierleoni of Thrillseeker Charters, the only other charter boater on the river that morning, had clients and had netted one steelie.

 

Pierleoni had boated eight trout the day before, but a solid stain — not chocolate milk, but milky — made things less than visible for feeding fish. Campbell went with both live minnows and smaller egg sacks to get their attention.

 

Both Campbell and Blakelock had clients do fairly well before the latest round of discolored water. “We had eight [steelies] in less than two hours, when the water was clearer last week,” Campbell said, as we bumped drift rigs along bottom near shore in Devil’s Hole.

 

Pierleoni’s people hooked another trout about an hour later, but our totals included just a couple of hits and the start of a running count of lost sinkers, leaders and hooks.

 

Campbell moved us down river and, on the second drift past Artpark, Campbell set up tight with shore and Blakelock finally locked into a nice, brightly colored steelie that fell somewhere between the five- and six-pound mark.

 

After a quick group photo, the steelie went back in the water, we went back to hooking another fish, and we ended with that one silvery steelie and an uncertain count on the lost tackle items.

 

Cell conversations with other charter captains confirmed Campbell’s read that the steelie run has begun. Lake trout numbers have dwindled, but lower river waters are solid with steelies. Fishing will improve as water clarity gets better.

 

“They [fishermen] are doing better each day,” said Nick Custodi at Village Hardware Bait Shop in Lewiston. Custodi has sold crawlers, grubs and assorted live baits, but starting this year he has installed tanks for baitfish at his shop next to Clark’s Restaurant.

 

Custodi’s bait and tackle operation will be set up for the Roger Tobey Memorial Winter Steelhead Tournament, which the Niagara River Anglers Association (NRAA) stages each year in mid-February.

 

This year, NRAA officials will be set up for registrations and weigh-ins at Lewiston Landing on the morning of Feb. 16 for a tournament that can see any entrant take one of the top three prizes.

 

Steelhead fishing conditions — in general throughout the winter and specifically during the tournament — change each year. Campbell did not bring in a steelie from heavily stained waters during the 2006 contest. In 2007, his two clients took first place and had another steelie weighing more than the second-place finisher.

 

Boaters who have winterized their vessels can book charters with any of about a dozen charter options. Here is a brief listing of captains who regularly fish for steelies in the lower river during the winter: Cinelli’s Niagara Guide Service, Chris Cinelli, 479-2812 or Joe Cinelli, 773-7910; Great Lakes Charter Service, Phil Rowan, 759-1127; Sparky’s Charters, Mark McGranahan, 418-6632 ( www.sparkyscharters.com); Ernie’s Guide Service, Ernie Calandrelli, 609-3064; Fish Hook Charters, Eric Elenfeldt, 694-6995; Hawg Master Charters, Jim Taylor, (800) 464-0103; Niagara Region Charters, Campbell, 284-8546; Niagara River Guide Service, John DeLorenzo, 297-9424; Riverside Sport Fishing, Blakelock, 754-4101 ( www.niagarafish.com); Roy’s Fish Niagara Guide, Roy Larson, 692-1438; Thrillseeker Sportfishing, Pierleoni, 778-7536; or Thumbs Up Guide Service, Joe Fonzi, 438-2366.

 

Hilts provides a fishing update for the lower river on the Niagara County Fishing Hotline at (877) 325-5787. This hotline also supplies a copy of the Greater Niagara Hot Spot Fishing Map, which provides a listing of fishing sites and charter captains and other useful fishing information for areas in Erie and Niagara Counties