October 2, 2008. Two days of heavy showers have Lake Erie tributaries flowing higher and a bit muddy. They are fishable, but not the greatest. The forecast for the coming weekend looks promising, and this may be the start of the much anticipated "fall run" of steelhead. Fish that have staged in the lower sections of the streams are on the move. How far they travel has yet to be seen. Fish have been spotted as far south as the Legion Hole, so it is a good bet they will reach Sterrettania by the weekend.
Catch rates for the past three days are mixed. The south winds earlier in the week made Trout Run and Godfrey Run popular spots. Skein, Power Bait and lure anglers did well. When the winds shifted, the lake was not fishable. The lower sections of Elk and Walnut Creeks produced fair catches, but not the high numbers to which many anglers have grown accustom.
Reports and photos from the eastside streams show a good flow and a fair number of fish caught.
If you are planning a trip soon, you should see good conditions. Early season baits like Power Bait, egg sacs, jigs/maggots and lures will catch their fair share of fish. The fly anglers always seem to do well and this fall should be another good year. The anglers I talked to are catch steelhead with a nymph-woolly bugger tandem rig.
A young man from West Virginia does best with black jig and maggot fished at night with a glow stick bobber. He never uses a lantern. He says it scares the fish.
Check out http://www.fishsteelheadalley.com for dozens of up-to-date photos and fish catching video from some popular stream locations