Steelhead fishing in Erie is often considered a feast or famine endeavor, but that’s not always the case. Contrary to many other fisheries around the Northeast (and Pacific Northwest) where falling water levels spell an angler’s best chance at success; the best time to target steelhead in the Erie area is while the streams are on the rise and becoming increasingly murky (not muddy). This fact should not be regarded as absolute however since fishing by nature is unpredictable but it is a good rule of thumb, especially for the Erie area.
For example, Elk Creek is a considerably larger stream than nearby Walnut Creek and the rates with which they recover from high water conditions differ greatly. Walnut Creek should clear faster than Elk especially near headwaters due to its smaller stature. Furthermore, nearby Crooked Creek, which is significantly smaller than Walnut Creek will rise and fall during the course of one rain or snow event at an even greater rate.
During the early stages of a rain/snow event, when the first evidence of rising waters is first visibly apparent try targeting tail waters of smaller streams in the area. Begin at the downstream end of the chosen stream and work up. Fish should become active there first as the water rises and triggers a feeding event.
The idea here is to fish individual streams during their optimal water conditions to take advantage of feeding trout being triggered by rain or snow events. When waters become too fast or muddy on one stream that does not necessary mean that other nearby waterways are necessarily experiencing the same conditions. After many of the days anglers may have given up a persistent angler may find high quality fishing conditions on streams incorrectly thought to be washed out.
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