Steelie Help ....Spoontang ???

[Whit's Whaler]

Hey Spoontang,

You seem to be really knowledgeable about Lake Erie's steelhead fisherie. I'm trying to learn more about it. This is my second year fishing Erie, I used to fish mostly up on Lake Michigan for Salmon and Steelhead. Last year I learned alot about trolling for walleye by reading your posts. I think that I've got the gear (downriggers, in line boards, dipsies, etc.) but I don't know where to go, when to go, or what lures to use to pick up a mixed bag of walleye and steelhead. I've heard that the steelhead bite starts to pick up around July/Aug and occurs more in the central basin than over in the west. I live over near Cleveland. I've got a 24' Boston Whaler Outrage that is trailerable, so I can go to the fish.

What advise can you give me?

Thanks.......

[jig]

Hey Spoontang,

You seem to be really knowledgeable about Lake Erie's steelhead fisherie. I'm trying to learn more about it. This is my second year fishing Erie, I used to fish mostly up on Lake Michigan for Salmon and Steelhead. Last year I learned alot about trolling for walleye by reading your posts. I think that I've got the gear (downriggers, in line boards, dipsies, etc.) but I don't know where to go, when to go, or what lures to use to pick up a mixed bag of walleye and steelhead. I've heard that the steelhead bite starts to pick up around July/Aug and occurs more in the central basin than over in the west. I live over near Cleveland. I've got a 24' Boston Whaler Outrage that is trailerable, so I can go to the fish.

What advise can you give me?

Thanks.......

hi i'm not spoontang but i can tell you that the steelies do like little cleos green/siliver and blue/silver . and you can get them out in northeast out past the mountain i dont know how deep but i have talk to guys out there after fishing and they have told me about catching them out there . hope i am some help. i get them on the cleos in the fall at the mouths of the streams.

[spoontang]

Hey there Whit. Im back. I just did a 7 day fly in trip in Northern Canada. The six of us caught 812 fish. mostly eyes and a few perch. Enough bragging and on to the question at hand. If you start to fish steelies, walleye will seem fun, but not near the rush and excitement as steelies. I have always fished the North shore of Erie this time of year through Labor Day. I also fish lake Michigan and Lake Ontario for salmon and trout. This is a time when the steelies show up near Lorain. Many of the fishermen in the Cental Basin post reports with coordinates.....Hands down, the best steelie lure I have ever used is Orange Crush or Double Orange Crush. Jig is right on the money with the other color patterns. It sounds like he is also an avid steelie fisherman. Your equipment sounds more than adequate. You can run stackers above your cannon balls that gives you the ability to run 6-8 lines. Steelies like it fast. 2.5-3.5 MPH is the norm. The area I fish, we almost always double limit steelie and walleye. We catch the occasional King salmon mixed in too. Stay in touch and we can talk about making a run together.....Spoontang

[jig]

yes i fish for them when they come in to the streams in the fall and lake from shore on lake

[spoontang]

Isn't it amazing more people don't fish for them? I view them as the most fun thing to catch on the lake. I fish walleye and enjoy it, but mostly to bide time to steelie fish. I will most likely make my first trip steelie fishing this weekend and then again next weekend. I can't wait.

[jig]

Isn't it amazing more people don't fish for them? I view them as the most fun thing to catch on the lake. I fish walleye and enjoy it, but mostly to bide time to steelie fish. I will most likely make my first trip steelie fishing this weekend and then again next weekend. I can't wait.

where do you go to fish for the steelies right know and how far down would they be do you go out to the trenches in central basin

[spoontang]

I run to the North shore near Wheatley Canada. The central basin holds well too, but it is nearly the same boat ride. 40 miles or so. The fish are in the top 15 feet of water. That means lighter line and longer lead from the ball. Alot of fishermen are reporting the fish is out of the water before the line releases.

[jig]

I run to the North shore near Wheatley Canada. The central basin holds well too, but it is nearly the same boat ride. 40 miles or so. The fish are in the top 15 feet of water. That means lighter line and longer lead from the ball. Alot of fishermen are reporting the fish is out of the water before the line releases.

are you using downriggers or flat lining do you have to go claer out to the trenches to get steelies

[spoontang]

I use 4 riggers and dipseys, leadcore, deep crankbaits or whatever works. I'm not sure of the trenches you are talking about. Is that underwater structure in the Central basin? I know they catch them on the line 10 miles North of Lorain and follow that line East.

[spoontang]

here's another good Wheatley youtube video. It's not mine but it is a good. It's an incredible fishery right in Lake Erie few know of. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbhKKt0Kdtg ENJOY- Type in Wheatley steel in the bar at top if you need to. Here's another http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwZDmOprtxE look at the date