Elk Creek, PA fall run buck steelhead that took a bead-head scrambled egg ("top fly") on tandem fly setup. Fish was very active, like most fall steehead, and caught along a "seam" in a fast water riffle/run area. "Bottom fly" was Nagy Flash Nymph.
As of December 20th, the Lake Erie water temperature (degrees F) off Toledo Cleveland Erie Buffalo
News Around the Great Lakes and the Lake Erie Region
2018 Lake
Erie Steelhead and Brown
Trout Stockings
The Pennsylvania Fish &
Boat Commission (PF&BC) stocked approximately 98,966 brown trout in its Lake Erie waters (the only fishery agency stocking brown trout into Lake Erie presently). The PF&BC has now developed a captive brood stock
source for its Lake Erie brown trout program. In previous years it had
depended on the NY State Dept. of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) for
certified IPN free brown trout eggs.
The primary
stocking strain of steelhead in Lake Erie for New York Pennsylvania Lake Erie strain which is a fall/winter runner that
has been described as a “mutt” due to its Chambers Creek, Skamania and
domesticated rainbow background. Ohio Michigan Ontario
Average mean
length of yearling steelhead stocked by Lake Erie stocking agencies in 2018 was 7.09 inches. MI
averaged 7.6 inches, PA averaged 7.32 inches, OH averaged 7.52 inches and NY again had the smallest
size at 4.96 inches.
The NYSDEC, in addition to
their yearly steelhead smolt stocking, also stocked 76,291 surplus fall
steelhead (Little Manistee strain) fingerlings into Chautauqua Creek in 2018.
These fingerlings were obtained from the Castalia Fish Hatchery in Ohio
Also, the NYSDEC stocked 49,000 fall fingerling and 4,350 fall yearling domestic strain rainbow trout (into Cattaraugus, Eighteen Mile, Canadaway, Chautauqua Creeks) to replace their Lake Erie brown trout stocking program which was terminated in 2017. These domesticated rainbows are from NY’s Randolph State Fish Hatchery.
Also, the NYSDEC stocked 49,000 fall fingerling and 4,350 fall yearling domestic strain rainbow trout (into Cattaraugus, Eighteen Mile, Canadaway, Chautauqua Creeks) to replace their Lake Erie brown trout stocking program which was terminated in 2017. These domesticated rainbows are from NY’s Randolph State Fish Hatchery.
A NYSDEC Cooperative Net Pen
Project with the Bison City Rod and Gun Club produced 10,000 unmarked yearling
steelhead in 2018 (which were released into the lower Buffalo River
For 2018 Lake Erie
steelhead/brown trout stocking by specific tributary locations (by
state/province) please go to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission/2018 Lake Erie
Coldwater Task Group Report (pages 37-38):
Sea Lamprey
Wounding rates
recorded by the NYSDEC of Lake Trout in Lake Erie (which have traditionally been an
indication of Lake
Erie sea lamprey
populations) have remained relatively stable the last 20 years but are still
above target levels acceptable for the Lake . The NYSDEC has also found lamprey wounds
on Lake Erie warm water species such as burbot.
Surveys by the
Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) in the last few years (including adult,
juvenile and larval assessments) have shown that the biggest source of Lake Erie sea lamprey production could be the St
Clair River versus the traditionally monitored and treated streams in the
eastern basin of Lake Erie
Tributaries
scheduled for lampricide treatment by the GLFC in 2019 include: Buffalo River
Asian Carp
An August 2019
released study by the University of Michigan Lake Michigan .
The study showed
that these voracious feeders not only target algae and plankton (which is
actually declining in Lake Michigan due to reduced phosphorous pollution and invasive zebra and
quagga mussels) but can feed on dead organic matter or “detritus”. Invasive
mussels discharge enormous amounts of nutrient dense waste (a form of detritus)
onto the Lake
Michigan lake
bed every year.
Since earlier Asian
Carp studies did not look at the flexibility of Asian Carp feeding habits as
well as how deep they can feed (which increases their survivability if and when
they enter Lake
Michigan ), the Asian
Carp threat to the Great
Lakes becomes
even more serious.
The US Army Corps
of Engineers (USACE) has recently approved a $778 million plan to block Asian
Carp from entering the Great Lakes . Ground zero for the plan is a concrete channel and electric
barrier at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in the Illinois River . The plan is waiting congressional
approval and funding. The state of Michigan Lake Michigan from the Chicago Waterway System. Illinois Great Lakes .
Lake Erie Prey Fish
NYSDEC’s The Lake
Erie Fisheries Research Unit (LEFRU) performs several lake surveys yearly
geared toward understanding
predator/prey fish community in Lake Erie . These studies
include trawling to assess prey fish abundance, studying predator diet and
monitoring the lower web food.
Initial trawling
surveys showed rainbow smelt have been the dominant forage fish in the
lake. Goby abundance was initially high (after their introduction in the late
1990’s) but has now dropped to lower numbers.
In recent years,
the NYSDEC says that the prey fish biomass in Lake Erie has generally been lower due to lower
adult smelt abundance and variability in emerald shiner recruitment. Also,
there has been a shift in predator diets from smelt to a more diverse diet
including goby, yellow perch and other fishes.
A general trend
of declining forage base in Lake Erie since 2014 has not indicated a decline in growth and condition of
predator fish like Lake Trout (although recent declines in walleye growth and
condition have been observed). Further studies are needed to determine if the
declining Lake
Erie forage base
is affecting Lake
Erie steelhead
populations.
Mass Steelhead Marking
Fishery agencies
of the GLFC are continuing to develop a plan for mass marking steelhead in Lake Erie .
The plan looks to
find the impact of steelhead in the Lake Erie fishery (namely the forage base), performance of specific fishery
agency stocking programs and improved management polices to benefit tributary
steelhead fishing. The proposal will include lake wide and specific agency goals,
a steelhead study plan and logistics to implement the mass steelhead marking.
Based on the
current lake wide steelhead stocking levels, it is estimated that it would cost
$218,700 ($0.117/fish) to clip/tag all steelhead stocked into Lake Erie by all fishery agencies.
Ohio
Harpersfield Dam Lamprey Barrier Project
In 2018, work on the
Harpersfield Dam Lamprey Barrier Project on the Grand River , OH by the USACE included a review of the Project Partnership Agreement
(PPA) and the barrier design. Priorities for the design include an 18 inch drop
between dam crest height and dam tail water elevations. Also, water flow
velocities high enough to prevent sea lamprey passage during flooding events.The USACE also awarded 4.3
million dollars to the construction vendor in 2018.
Construction of the barrier began in the fall of 2018 with completion of the project expected in 2020. As of October 2019 the project is 40% complete with work expected to continue through this winter depending on how severe the winter is.
Construction of the barrier began in the fall of 2018 with completion of the project expected in 2020. As of October 2019 the project is 40% complete with work expected to continue through this winter depending on how severe the winter is.
There are some restrictions during construction at the dam site according to the USACE including: limited parking, no fishing at the dam and no put-in/pull-out spot for kayaks and canoes.
USACE videos of dam project:
(See past 2015 Fall Steelhead
Report in the right menu bar for more background information on this project).
Arcola and Euclid Creeks
The USACE is working on two
other projects in Ohio Lake County , OH
The Euclid Creek project
addresses the 185th Street/I90 Euclid
Steelhead Expo
The Ohio Central
Basin Steelheaders and Cleveland MetroParks will be sponsoring the 26th
annual Steelhead Expo on Saturday, September 21st, 2019 . It will be held at the Rocky River Nature Center North Olmstead , OH from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm .
Vrooman Road Bridge
According to the Ohio Dept.
of Transportation (ODOT), construction is continuing the building of a new
bridge over the Grand River, with completion of the main bridge expected by the spring
of 2020.
The project also includes a
free-standing pedestrian bridge to access trails on the north side of the Grand River (which is planned to be completed in the fall of 2020).
The project will have impacts
on Indian Point and Mason’s Landing Lake Metroparks on the Grand River . This includes 3.5 acres of land permanently acquired from Indian Point Park
Lake Metroparks will be
compensated for affected lands by gaining 2.6 acres at the old Vrooman Road
bridge site and an additional 14.9 acres purchased by the state.
The ODOT says that during
construction, Indian Point and Mason’s Landing parks will remain open to the
public (but some temporary closures are possible). It is to be noted that Mason’s
Landing Park Vrooman Road
To view a live work zone cam of Vrooman Rd
New Public Fishing Access
According to Scott Bollinger,
statewide Public Access Program Manager for the PF&BC, the Lake Erie Access
Improvement Program (LEAIP) is very strong right now. With $3,127,685 in the
account as of September 2019 (which came from Lake Erie Fishing Permit sales)
they are actively pursuing a number of land acquisitions and easements using
this funding.
Bollinger says that in
addition to acquiring public access, LEAIP funding is also used for
constructing public parking areas, installing signage, boating access and
riparian and fishery management.
According to Bollinger, a
number of new properties could close this year, with some being ready for
angler use this upcoming steelhead season.
These include a property
along Crooked Creek off of Happy Valley Road Lawrence Park , PA
(Note: It usually takes 6-12
months after PF&BC approval for property acquisitions/easements to become open
to the public. Also, for more specifics on these property locations see John
Nagy’s 2018 Fall Steelhead Report and News in the right menu bar.)
In addition, Bollinger says
the LEAIP has some habitat improvement programs on 7 Mile, Elk and Cascade Creeks
as well as working with the Erie Port Authority to improve public access to
Presque Isle Bay at the Holland Street Pier.
For a detailed interactive
online map by the PF&BC of Lake
Erie fishing access in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Steelhead Association Fall Run Banquet
The Pennsylvania Steelhead
Association (PSA) will be having its annual Fall Run Banquet on Saturday, October 26, 2019 (3-9 PM) at the Colony Restaurant & Banquet Facility, 3014 W 12th Street, Erie, PA 16505. The banquet will be honoring PSA founding fathers John Bodner, Matt Hrycyk and Joe Egnot.
Springville Dam
The Springville Dam Ecosystem
Restoration Project on Cattaraugus
Creek , NY Erie County , NY
The selected plan for the
project will lower the existing spillway from 38 to 13.5 feet to serve as a sea
lamprey barrier. A 15 foot wide rock riffle ramp (denil fishway) with seasonal
lamprey trapping/sorting capability is included in the design. Requests from
the National Historic Registry will be fulfilled by preserving a portion of the
original spillway on both banks to show the original structure.
For a video of the Springville Dam PPA signing and discussion of the project please go to:
In the meantime, James
Markham, Senior Aquatic Biologist with the NYSDEC (along with NYSDEC inland fishery biologist's), are continuing a research
project they began in 2017 on some of the major tributaries of Cattaraugus
Creek, upstream of the dam. The goal of the study is to obtain a base-line of the fish community now in place above the dam to determine possible impacts once the steelhead pass over the dam.
The big questions are what is the carrying capacity of this upper fishery? Can it sustain both steelhead and wild trout populations? Also, what impact will this have on wild steelhead reproduction in the Cattaraugus, which is determined to be around 15% by the NYSDEC below the dam.
High hopes are that wild steelhead reproduction would substantially increase, even to the point that stocking the Cattaraugus with hatchery steelhead, would not be needed in the future (although there is a good number of steelhead from other Lake Erie fishery agencies running into Cattaraugus Creek).
The research project will include pre-fish data (collected prior to fish passage over the dam) and regular collection intervals (every 2-3 years) after fish passage over the dam.
The big questions are what is the carrying capacity of this upper fishery? Can it sustain both steelhead and wild trout populations? Also, what impact will this have on wild steelhead reproduction in the Cattaraugus, which is determined to be around 15% by the NYSDEC below the dam.
High hopes are that wild steelhead reproduction would substantially increase, even to the point that stocking the Cattaraugus with hatchery steelhead, would not be needed in the future (although there is a good number of steelhead from other Lake Erie fishery agencies running into Cattaraugus Creek).
The research project will include pre-fish data (collected prior to fish passage over the dam) and regular collection intervals (every 2-3 years) after fish passage over the dam.
In June 2019, the NYSDEC released a study called "The Upper Cattaraugus Creek Fisheries Management Plan." Please go to: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1629197503780864 to view this study.
See past John Nagy Fall
Steelhead Reports and News (in the right menu bar) for background information on the Springville Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project.
NYSDEC Tributary Angler Survey
Results from the
NYSDEC 2017-2018 Tributary Angler Survey showed an average steelhead catch rate
of .56 fish/hr which is a significant improvement versus 2011-12 and 2014-15
surveys (total angler effort also increased).
Despite the
increase (which are among the highest steelhead catch rates in the country),
total catch rates remain well below estimates from surveys done between 2003
and 2008. Yes, those were the glory days!
The NYSDEC
Tributary Angler Surveys (which are done on a 3 year cycle) help the NYSDEC
monitor fishery performance and evaluate progress of goals set in the NYSDEC
Steelhead Management Plan for Lake Erie steelhead tributaries.
Salmon River Fish Hatchery Fishery Unit Experiment
According to James Markham, NYSDEC Biologist, the Salmon River Fish Hatchery (SRFH) in Pulaski, NY, will be conducting a Fishery Unit Experiment in 2020 to determine how they can increase steelhead smolt (yearling) size prior to stocking. Hatchery in-flow water temperature (which is very low) and water flow rates are thought to be limiting factors in steelhead smolt growth rates at the SRFH. The hatchery plans to cut steelhead production in half to determine if that could result in bigger smolt size. The end result of this will be a 50% reduction in steelhead smolt stocked in the NY Lake Erie steelhead tributaries in 2020.
Keep in mind that the NYSDEC, of all the fishery agencies in the Lake Erie watershed, stock the smallest average mean length of smolt steelhead into Lake Erie (4.96 inches). It is a known fact, that the smaller the smolt stocking size, the lower the survivability (return rates into the tributaries they were platnted).
Also, past studies have shown that most adult steelhead returning into the NY Lake Erie tributaries are non-NYSDEC steelhead and have come from other fishery agencies around the lake, including PA and OH. If the experiment is successful at the SRFH, and produces larger size yearling steelhead, it could mean better return rates for NYSDEC steelhead (even though steelhead smolt stocking numbers would be less).
The Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District (CCSWCD) is working on removing an old dam (including stream restoration) on Silver Creek at Smith Mills, NY. Construction for the project is projected to be started and completed in 2020. Presently a hydraulic study is being done by a consultant which will go to the NYSDEC for review. All necessary permitting for this project should be completed by the spring of 2020 according to David Spann of the CCSWCD.
The dam removal has the potential to open up some of the best habitat on Silver Creek to steelhead but since the stream is small and habitat limited it will not have major impacts as far as steelhead natural reproduction goes. Of course, new steelhead fishing opportunities will open up as a result of the dam removal.
Silver Creek Dam Removal
The Chautauqua County Soil and Water Conservation District (CCSWCD) is working on removing an old dam (including stream restoration) on Silver Creek at Smith Mills, NY. Construction for the project is projected to be started and completed in 2020. Presently a hydraulic study is being done by a consultant which will go to the NYSDEC for review. All necessary permitting for this project should be completed by the spring of 2020 according to David Spann of the CCSWCD.
The dam removal has the potential to open up some of the best habitat on Silver Creek to steelhead but since the stream is small and habitat limited it will not have major impacts as far as steelhead natural reproduction goes. Of course, new steelhead fishing opportunities will open up as a result of the dam removal.
Much of the fishery data and information
for this 2019 Fall Steelhead Report was referenced from the 2019 Great Lakes
Fishery Commission/Lake Erie Coldwater Task Group Report, the 2019 NYDEC
Lake Erie Annual Report and various USACE fact sheet reports.
More detailed information on fly fishing for Great Lakes Steelhead can be found in John Nagy's classic book "Steelhead Guide, Fly Fishing Techniques and Strategies for Lake Erie Steelhead." (Now available in an eBook version). His "Steelheader's Journal" makes a great companion book to the Steelhead Guide. Both books (including the eBook) are available by going to the right menu bar for ordering information.
