Brookies & Youngsters

Small Sream Brookies on the Fly

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A look downstream from Camp

Look At this one !

Gotta love them Brookies

Can you take it off the hook for me ?

Get the NET !

Instruction Time

Sweet Fish !

Happy Fishmen !

See Ya on The Water,joelB

Conneaut & Steelhead 004

Orange Eggs & Spam 4/2-3/11 "The Dropsies"

Fooled by an orange Skein Fly,sunday Morning I'm sure most of you have read or heard of the Dr Seuss classic,Green Eggs & spam.......well this is my version,Orange Eggs & Spam,as Orange Eggs where the only fly I could get hooked up with most of the weekend,but fun as had by all. Charlie with aome PA Steel The fish won the war,but we had a few victorious battles,to our credit. I fished with a couple of Good Eggs,from Toledo,this weekend,who in short order are quickley becoming Steelhead addicts. Manastee with some broad shoulders The water in NW/PA & NE/OH,still seems to be a little cold & hopefully the over the next few weeks conditions will improve.The waters had a nice ting with a good flow,warming tempatures will should help the fishing improve. Ready to Swim

Nate's first tast of Steel

The Camera's Eye

Nate & Tim admiring the catch of the day

Nates 1st Steel,a photo of a photo

A good fight was had,a victory for me !

See ya on the water.............JoelB

Erie Steelhead VS Alaskan Rainbows 2010

Tim with a good buck Erie Steel 11/2110

With prime Steelhead fishing,just around the corner,my thoughts,drift back to
this past fall & late summer,and a question's that have haunted me for the past few years now. Alaskan Rainbows verses Lake Erie Steelhead,which is the
superior fish ?

Erie Steel ala Jay,right out his front door 11/2110


With my first trip to Alaska,in August 2009,I left The Naknek River Camp with
an education,on the native & very wild "Bows of Bristol Bay ! Being a fairly avid
Erie Steelheader,making the 2 & 1/2 hour drive Mup-Erie,for over 10 years,
I headed to Alaska with Fresh Silver & Sockeye on my mind.

Post Thanksgiving Erie Steel 11/2010

Cole & Denver,early October,Erie Steel 10/2110

My first day on The Naknek River,in August of 2009,left me with a whole new

respect for Wild fish,as we caught & fought,a good number of Bows,right at the

boat dock,on small flesh flies,egg patterns & beads. These hearty Native Bows are hearty bread no doubt about it. The 14'' to 20" fish we caught by the dock

fought like Erie's 24'',Steelhead . I didn't pay much more attention to the rainbows,the rest of my trip in 2009,as I was completely enthralled with the

Coho's & Sockeye,but I had a much different attitude,in 2010,I was going to go

"Big Bow Hunting" & we hit "The Egg Drop",just right our last day in camp.

Tom had us on the fish & we boated 7 Rainbows from 24" to 29",lost maybe 10

more of that size & a few bigger ones.........my mind was made up,no doubt.

Kurt with 32" of Naknek Rainbow 8/2010

Alaskan Bows,nothing like them,IMHO,last day on The Naknek

River,The Naknek River Camp,our host lodge is in the background,

you can fish right out the front door !

Jay with a good Naknek Bow 8/2110

Tim & a Trophy,late September Steelhead 2010

Don't take me wrong,I am a very very happy camper with our Erie Steelhead,and glad we have them now & far into the future,but The Wild Alaskan Bows,got a hold on me..........on another note,we also found out that

Fresh from the Salt Coho's/Silvers,are quite a bit feistier than their Great Lakes

cousins also.

More Erie Steel,early October 2010

Jay with some early season Steel,September 2010

29" of Alaskan Rainbow,on the Naknek,another one of

my last day on the Naknek River,fishing "The Egg Drop"

Jack with a Brooks River Bow 8/2010

Brooks River Rainbows are NO pushover,the will challenge anyone !

Elk Creek Ice 2011

Up Stream Elk Creek Acess

The Mud Hole " Ice Up"

Whitemans Bridge,downstream veiw

Girard Boro Park

Whitemans Bridge,upstream

Boat Launch @ Elk Creek access

Post Thanks-Giving 2010

Jason with a nice Buck,on Pa Deer opener

Sweet Cheeks ! Fooled by an Early-Girl Skein Fly

Post Thanksgiving fishing,I thought the fishing would be better,with the recent

Thanksgiving rains,& a small dose of snow,to the Erie tribs,but Saturday AM found us in good colored water,but with a slightly heavy flow....and BURRR,was it cold ! The fishing improved as the week-end went by,with Sunday & Monday's conditions improving,daily. Productive flies where Skeinflies,Wiggle-Stones,PT, Real Polish Nymphs & Minnow patterns.

Jason hauling another one in

Meet 3 good-fellows from Chicago,good bunch of guys,who share the passion,as many of us for Steel,they fish PA or Michigan weekley,we swaped flies & stories
and they indroduced me to alot of the Real Poland,histroy,flies,food & Tyskie,a very good polish beer..........Nostrovia !

Helios Assult on Elk Creek Pre Thanksgving

Tim aka Da Fish Dog,with a good Buck

The Dailey Double in The Net 11/19/10

First catch of the day for me,just a baby !

Having played in Rock & Contemporary Christian Bands much of my life,I have a pretty good idea about good gear & equipment. Having average gear,and being an average musician,will keep you pretty much average,but get yourself some top of the line gear,and your averages goes up a few notches. I learned this lesson about life & music,playing in traveling bands in the 70's & 80's,in Bars,Frat Parties,Churches,Weddings & too many many other dives to numerous to mention. Well where fishin now,as my 63 Fender Precision Bass,gather a little dust ! I recently made a major upgrade (for me) with a recent purchase of one of Orvis Helios rods,and let me tell you one thing,it is one Sweet Stick !

One of my victims,in the net

29 " of Erie Steel,on 11/21/10

The Youngs (father & son) with a nice pair,a trophy

Steelhead & Trophy Brown,caught Friday,while fishing

with my friends Greg & Tim,on Friday 11/19

" The Daily Double"

Tim likes to knot & de-knot

My 7wt,10' Helios,teamed up with a recently purchased Mirage reel,worked very well for me,as I had a good # of Hook-ups,that gave my new rig a good workout. I had heard it would be like learning to fish all over again,when fishing the The Helios,I found that untrue,but the way it cast & the ability I could pick up the most supple of takes,was awesome !

One more time,fooled with an Iced Pheasant Tail

The steel was eatin nymphs,in a BIG way on Sunday

This Manistee,fell victim to a SA Stone/Black

So if your looking to upgrade on your Steelheadin gear,give The Orvis Helios

a try...........I think you'll like it. more to come later ! Post-Thanksgiving Post