Lake Erie steelhead, Erieau

[lhousesoccer]

I made a trip back home to Ontario last week. We grew up on Lake Erie (and the rest of my family still lives there) and have always fished it, but aren't really set up for trolling on the big lake. So this year my two brothers and I got our Dad a charter for steelhead for his 65th birthday, since he doesn't do much of that type of fishing.

 

We went out of Erieau on the Trophy Taker, with Jeremy Brooks, who also happens to be a good friend of one of my brothers. http://www.trophytakerfishing.com/

 

We had a great time, and Jeremy had no trouble putting us on fish. We left port just after 7am and had the first fish in the box before 7:30. Wrapped up at 1pm and brought 19 home. Probably lost more than a dozen. Those steelies are insane!

 

We had multiple double-headers and even a triple-header at one point, and we landed all three fish.

 

Funny story - one of my brothers dropped two fish at two different times overboard, trying to get them in the box. We circled around each time and were able to net both of them and get them back in the boat!

 

We ran two downriggers down between 25 and 35 feet, and only 18-inches back! We had one 10-pounder that tripped the rigger and before any of us could grab the rod, the steelie was 10-feet in the air right at the transom, coming from 35' down!

 

We had only 2 fish I think off planer boards running lead core. Most of the fish were off the downriggers and a good number on dipsy's set 30', 60', and 90' back. No consistency there - all fired all day.

 

I'm not trying to do any unsolicited advertising here, but I just want to say the Jeremy does an awesome job and is a real pleasure to fish with. I'd recommend a trip on the Trophy Taker to anyone wishing to fish western Lake Erie.

 

Here are some pics:

 

The Trophy Taker at port in Erieau

 

Heading out

 

All set up and ready to go

 

Waiting for the rods to go off, enjoying the morning sun!

 

First fish in the boat!

 

Dad gets one on

 

Double-header!

 

Dad with an 8-lber

 

My one brother always seemed to be standing by whatever rod went off - rod hog!

 

I seemed to be the sheepshead king that day.

 

Fighting the triple-header

 

All 3 fish landed from the triple header!

 

A couple nice ones

 

Heading back after a great day.

 

Back at port with our catch.

 

Back at home. Now the work starts.

[laszlo]

Wow. You must LOVE!!! eating steelhead.

[lhousesoccer]

Some of it will be given away, no doubt. Some will be smoked. The rest frozen. That's the thing with trolling like that - live release is tough. You might think you're live releasing, but you're not. We saw that clearly with the two fish my brother accidentally dropped back into the lake while trying to put them in the cooler. They stayed on the surface long enough to turn a 27-foot boat around with planer boards, downriggers and dipsy divers all in the water, and net it. Those fish are played out to exhaustion even after a short fight, when they come from that deep and are played at 3 mph. They're going to die anyways, so you might as well keep them and use them.

[danbouck]

Looks like a great day!

[laszlo]

Some of it will be given away, no doubt. Some will be smoked. The rest frozen. That's the thing with trolling like that - live release is tough. You might think you're live releasing, but you're not. We saw that clearly with the two fish my brother accidentally dropped back into the lake while trying to put them in the cooler. They stayed on the surface long enough to turn a 27-foot boat around with planer boards, downriggers and dipsy divers all in the water, and net it. Those fish are played out to exhaustion even after a short fight, when they come from that deep and are played at 3 mph. They're going to die anyways, so you might as well keep them and use them.

 

I didn't know that about downrigging for Steel. Good to know. Thanks.

[BillM]

Some of it will be given away, no doubt. Some will be smoked. The rest frozen. That's the thing with trolling like that - live release is tough. You might think you're live releasing, but you're not. We saw that clearly with the two fish my brother accidentally dropped back into the lake while trying to put them in the cooler. They stayed on the surface long enough to turn a 27-foot boat around with planer boards, downriggers and dipsy divers all in the water, and net it. Those fish are played out to exhaustion even after a short fight, when they come from that deep and are played at 3 mph. They're going to die anyways, so you might as well keep them and use them.

 

 

There are a lot of people that will disagree with you on that But this isn't a place for that discussion.

[lhousesoccer]

There are a lot of people that will disagree with you on that But this isn't a place for that discussion.

I'm sure there are alot of people that would disagree, but from what I saw, those fish were done once they were in the boat, and I'm not the kind of person that will let a fish die and go to waste ...

[blaque]

Get them battery packs chargin on the electric filet knife..........Holy Mackadoooooo

[Joey]

Great report, looks like you all had a super day.

 

I also agree on them being played out. I've tried every release technique on the salmon/trout in Lake O and I'm not so sure they've all made it back to life. Mostly the very strong, large ones do make it, the smaller ones, not so much.

 

We have a philosophy about all the people who get upset on here about fish not making it. If anyone is so concerned that the fish might not live, then they shouldn't fish for them in the first place, because there is ALWAYS that chance it will not make it!

 

Enjoy your fish!

 

Joey

[BillM]

I'm sure there are alot of people that would disagree, but from what I saw, those fish were done once they were in the boat, and I'm not the kind of person that will let a fish die and go to waste ...

 

I don't think I've had one shaker that wasn't going completely insane once it was actually in the boat, regardless of what depth it was pulled up from.. I can definitely say I've never had one play dead once it hit the deck. But you're right, it's better it's in the box then floating belly up in the lake.

[corvette1]

congrats jeremy sure does put you on the fish nice day of steel

[streamerstripper]

if they are all going to die when you hook them trolling why even have regs on the lake?

 

I'll say what others arn't - if fish are landed and unhooked with care they will swim to see another day more often than not.

 

No knock on your great day - I'm sure it was special sharing that with your family. Good times for sure. I just don't agree with your justification.

 

 

[ctranter]

In be4 this thread takes a plunge... Great pics looks like you had a great day too. It's all about havin fun with Dad.

 

 

If anyone is so concerned that the fish might not live, then they shouldn't fish for them in the first place, because there is ALWAYS that chance it will not make it!

 

This, at least this has been true for me when trolling any body of water with large baits. I've never released a tributary steelie that didn't survive, but I'm using tiny hooks and take precautions while unhooking. I don't know how many fish I've hooked on rapalas and spinners that have swallowed the hook, making it impossible to release the fish without dying. I'm sure some know it all will reply to this claiming fish can survive with swallowed hooks but I'm fairly confident that is Bull. How the hell would it eat again?

 

Even the P3TA-est angler runs the risk of killing a fish while fishing. Sure you can fish with barbless hooks but there's not much you can do when hooked in the gills or behind the esophagus.

[DRIFTER_016]

Awesome trip!!!!

 

I don't see what the big deal is about keeping a bunch of fish for the table.

Especially since they are within their limit and legally fishing.

Plus the yanks plant about 10 billion of the bloody things each year for crying out loud.

 

Enjoy the feast.