Conference wahoo::fishing

    
      I DON'T KNOW OF ANY STEELHEAD FISHING IN THESE PARTS OF NEW ENGLAND,
    BUT THERE'S A LOT OF RAINBOW AND LANDLOCKED SALMON HERE.. I DRIVE
    TO LAKE ONTARIO,THE PULASKI AREA FOR COHO'S AND STEELHEAD'S,WHICH
    ARE RUNNING NOW.. THE STEELHEADS RUN INTO DECEMBER MAYBE INTO JANUARY.
    GOOD LUCK
    
    ARNIE

    
    
    If I'm not mistaken I believe there is some heavy action this time
    of year in NY, Pa. ect.
    
    I would like to find out also.  Never fished steelhead, but from
    what I have seen in my armchair/TV adventures it looks like fun.
    
    TBDW
    
    

     I have been fishing the east shore of Lake Ontario/Pulaski area
    for the past 5 years and have a ton of information which I'll be
    happy to share with you. Give me a call at 234-4410, or send VaxMail
    to PIGGY::VARLEY. Love to talk about those Ironheads; in fact, Jack
    (The Lavender Bassassin) hagerty and I are going up in two more
    days. I'd like to learn some more on spinner fishing for steelies,
    so if you have any experience please let me know. As I type this,
    I realize I should have sent this VaxMail rather than entering it
    here, so I apologize. Try note number 494; there's some info there
    although in at least one of the notes you might want to divide the
    weight by 8 (slight exaggeration). Big fish come into the Salmon
    River around Dec 10, with a normal weight of 12 lbs. A big one would
    be over 16, and a real big one over 20. Fishing is primarily spawn
    sacks, marshmallows or plastic eggs and floating jig heads using
    pencil lead and surgical tubing. Let's hear more about how it's
    done in the MidWest.
    
    Tight lines,
    
    Jack.

    re Tabcad::Castilla,                                     
               I have fished Northern Michigan for many years for Coho's
    around Manastie by Lake Michigan, but a couple weeks ago I went
    to Lake Ontario and catched a couple for King Salmon, Boy are they
    bigger in size and weight they weighed 35 & 38 boy what a fight
    about 20 minutes per fish, If you want I'll call you next October
    and see if you want to go. P.S. GOOD EATEN TOO     WIZzard

    
    
    re; .4
    
    
    Hey, Bickes....
    
    Unless you want to hear from my attorney stop that "WIZzard" stuff.
    
    It's just too close.
    
    THE BACK DECK    W I Z A R D !!
    

Jack,
    All the fishing that I do for steelies is with a 11 ft custom made
    graphite "noodle" rod. I generally use a very light 4 lb test leader
    and fish a Spring Wiggler nymph. Charteuse and natural colors work
    the best for me. This fly has also worked on the big chinooks that
    run in the fall. I usually use a 2 to 3 ft leader attached to a
    three way swivel. I attach my main line which is 10 lb test  Golden
    Stren (steelhead  take the fly very gently and line watching is
    the best way to detect a strike) for high visibility to one of the
    eyes and a 4 inch dropper line for split shot off the other eye.
    I use a heavy duty fly reel with the smoothest drag available with
    at least 250 yards of line loaded on it (sometimes you need all
    250 yards of line). I fish this rig the same way you fish a spawn
    sack, ON THE BOTTOM!!!! If you are going to fish for these sassy
    brawlers I strongly reccommend using a hook hone and sharpening
    your hooks on a regular basis (it seems trivial but it makes a world
    of difference). When running the fly through holding water watch
    the line carefully because most of the time it will hesitate just
    slightly and the steelie has picked the fly. When you set the hook
    HANG ON!!!!!! As far as comparing this fish to a chinook salmon,
    to me there is no comparison. Pound for pound the steelhead is the
    fightenest critter to ever wear fins. The chinook is brute force
    with no finesse, the steelie combines both features. By the way,
    how far is the drive to Lake Ontario/Pulaski area. 
    
    Good Fishin,
    
    Steely Dan
    
    
    

    Tell me more about this Steelhead fishing.
    
    I am now here in the Pacific NorthWest, and everybody seems to be
    into it.  It seems that the best time to fish for these monsters
    is in the Winter.
    
    I'm hearing people talking 18-22 lbs fish in the rivers.
    
    Is a 9' pole a good size?  What action?
    
    It seems that a lot of people are using 10lb test.  Seems like you
    need a big reel since they seem to like to run.
    
    What about these cluster eggs?  It looks like there is a lot of
    preparation going on here.  I hear things like, dry them on the
    refrigerator for a day and then process them with borax.  
    
    The whole things sounds pretty exciting nd I can't wait to give
    it a try this winter.
       
    Anybody out there done any steelhead fishing in Northern Washington?
    
    I saw an article on it in Sports Afield this month, but it is the
    usual thumbnail sketch type article.  They focused on Oregon.
    
    Brett.
    

    I'll try to help you out.
    
    I've fished for them for many years in the NW, lived in Seattle
    for a few years and am now living in Portland. I went out last weekend
    on the Wilson and got one, so I've got the skunk out of the bag
    for this year.
    
    Re. size - Yes there are 18-22 lbs out there, but 8-12 are more
    common.
    
    Your pole size is fine and 10# test will do great.  I suggest you
    go to sporting goods store to get ideas on bait, but I use "corkies",
    "okie drifters", spinners, etc.  I usually use some yarn for color
    (red or chartruesse) and if you are using an egg loop when you fish
    with eggs, it makes it easier to open the loop and handle the mess
    of eggs when your hands are freezing.
    
    When I lived up their, I fished the Skykomish, Green, Snoqualomie
    and the Nesqualie.  For your first time, drive up to the town of
    Sultan on the Skykomish, check in at the local sporting goods store
    and find what they're hitting on and go for it.  You'll see where
    they are fishing when you get there.  Note:  Stand and watch for
    awhile before you throw into the middle of the fray.  Someone might
    get a little testy.
    
    If you want to travel south a little, the Cowlitz, E & N fork of
    the Lewis are good.  Contact Bob Reed (Boeing Account team) and
    find out where he's going.  I talked to him yesterday and they have
    been getting some.  Tell him I told you to call.
    
    Ken Corbett
    Nesqualie  

    Wow!  That's great info.  I never fished for steelies before, but
    I am dying to try.  
    
    It's all the people talk about in these parts.
    
    I always loved trout fishing.  In Florida you can get brakkish trout
    up to 11 pounds.  In the NE you can get a few rare trout over a
    couple lbs.  But this sounds like *real* trout fishing.
    
    Thanks for all the help!
    
    Brett.