Fall steelhead “chromer” caught on Lake Erie tributary stream
As of September 11th, 2025 the Lake Erie water temperature (degrees F) off Toledo was 68 degrees, off Cleveland was 70 degrees, off Erie was 68 degrees and off Buffalo was 68 degrees.*
*Please go to the USGS real-time temperature data in the right menu bar for water temperatures for select Lake Erie tributaries.
As the days or “photo-periods” become shorter and the Lake Erie lake shore begins to nudge down to 68 degrees F, in early to mid September, steelhead (including some brown trout) will begin staging along the Lake Erie lake shore and tributary mouths as a “pre-spawn” movement.
Early cool fall rains and tributary run-off (54 degrees F or less) will initiate the first steelhead “runs” of the season into the lower part of Lake Erie's tributary streams. The smaller size tributaries (which cool quicker in late summer/early fall) will result in some of the earliest steelhead action in “steelhead alley” region of OH, PA and NY. Remnants of fall hurricanes can bring bonus run-off episodes on the tributaries during dry falls.
2024 Lake Erie Steelhead Stockings*
*2024 steelhead stocking data not available yet
Lake Erie steelhead (smolt) stocking numbers for 2024 include: PA (817,488/51.6%), OH (466,520/29.5%), NY (251,104/13.6%), Michigan (50,048/3.1%) and ON (32,992/2%)).
This steelhead stocking total for 2024 (1,582,152) was a 11% decrease from 2023 and slightly below the long-term (1990-2023) average annual stocking of 1,837,578. Since 1993, annual stocking numbers have consistently been in the 1.7-2.0 million fish range for the Lake.
100,000 of Pennsylvania's steelhead stocking total in 2024 also included 100,000 Shasta strain rainbow trout (obtained from the ODNR). These fish were fin clipped (adipose fin) to determine their return rates and contribution to the fishery. Pennsylvania total steelhead stocked in 2024 (including rainbow trout) was down from its annual stocking objective of 1 million steelhead yearlings. This reduced stocking (which is even lower in 2025) was a result of changes in hatchery rearing and facilities available to the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PF&BC) for steelhead production (see below under PA).
50,000 of NY's total steelhead stocking total in 2024 also included domestic rainbow trout from the NY's Bath State Fish Hatchery, which in combination with steelhead stockings, was above their annual stocking target of 192,500 steelhead. Cattaraugus Creek received 20,604 surplus steelhead as a result of this above average stocking target.
Juvenile steelhead stocking in Ohio for 2024 was 16% above target objective of 400,000 yearling steelhead (including Shasta strain rainbow Trout).
The 2024 stocking strains of steelhead by the Lake Erie fishery agencies are 97% “naturalized” Great Lakes strains (with West Coast origin). They are as follows: PA (Lake Erie strain collected from Trout Run nursery waters and Shasta River Rainbow Trout), NY (Washington Strain collected from Lake Ontario's Salmon River in NY), OH (combination of L. Manistee River strain and Shasta River Rainbow Trout) and MI (L. Manistee River strain/Lake Michigan).
2024 Lake Erie Brown Trout Stockings*
*2024 brown trout stocking data not available yet
The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PF&BC) stocked approximately 163,394 yearling and adult brown trout in its Lake Erie waters in 2024 (the only fishery agency stocking brown trout into Lake Erie presently).
This was a substantial increase from 2023 and a big increase in the long-term (1990-2021) average annual stocking of 87,412 Brown Trout. The increase was a direct result of the PF&BC's decision not to raise steelhead anymore at its Tionesta State Fish Hatchery, which made more room for brown trout rearing (see below under PA).
These fish are in support of a put-grow-take brown trout program that was initiated in 2009. This program supports both an inland PF&BC brown trout fishery for tributary spring trout anglers and a Lake Erie lake-run brown trout fishery based in the Lake (with the potential of trophy lake-run brown trout “running” into the lake shore/tributaries on a fall spawning run). The PF&BC plans in 2025 to stock even more Brown trout to help make up for the steelhead stocking deficit.
Ohio
-The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) continued stocking the Cuyahoga River with steelhead in 2025 after its initial stocking in 2024 (both stockings included 60,000 steelhead juveniles). The Cuyahoga River for decades had a long history of industrial pollution and abuse (so polluted it famously caught on fire in the late 1960's). Conservation efforts in recent years cleaned this river up to allow these steelhead stockings and opened up 32 miles of public access to steelhead fishing.
-In 2024, the Harpersfield Dam lamprey barrier on the Grand River, was retrofitted with a second steel lip (on the upper barrier) to solve a nappe vibration that occurred under certain discharges. On Conneaut Creek, key landowners have rejected a new permanent lamprey barrier project on the river. An alternative to the barrier could be repairing the Bessemer Dam (located in PA on Temple Run a tributary of the East Branch of Conneaut Creek) and using portable electrical barriers to prevent escapement upstream.
-The Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders Association will be holding its 31st annual Steelhead Expo, Saturday, September 27th, 2025 at the Rocky River Nature Center in North Olmsted, OH.
-Chagrin River Outfitters will be running a series of steelhead instruction schools in 2025 (Steelhead 101, 201 and 301) starting in September and going through November in Chagrin Falls, OH. Call Dan Pribanic of CRO at (440) 247-7110 for registration information.
Pennsylvania
-In 2024 and 2025, the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission (PF&BC) reduced its yearly steelhead stocking with the purpose of keeping all steelhead eggs obtained from returning Lake Erie fish in the same basin. (Approximately 800,000 steelhead in 2024 which included 100,000 Shasta strain rainbow trout and down to 500,000 steelhead in 2025 with no rainbow trout).
In the past, the PF&BC sent fertilized steelhead eggs to the Tionesta State Fish Hatchery, which is out of the Lake Erie watershed. The Tionesta Hatchery had been annually producing stocking size smolt steelhead (averaging 400,000 to 500,000 per year).
After the PF&BC tested a false positive for Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) at the Tionesta Hatchery, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommended to the PF&BC not to move any eggs out of the basin to prevent the spread of VHS. This forced the PF&BC to rear all steelhead at the Fairview State Fish Hatchery, which the PF&BC is now actively working to modify and expand to increase its steelhead rearing capacity and get back to its yearly steelhead stocking of 1 million yearlings.
The PF&BC expects it to take 4-5 years to get back to its yearly target steelhead stocking total. Adult Pennsylvania steelhead runs will be down in coming years (with 3-year-olds starting in 2026) but the PF&BC plans to make up for less steelhead with record lake run brown trout stockings. The PF&BC also hopes that stray steelhead (adult steelhead that have strayed from their home PA juvenile stocking tributary to nearby states in Lake Erie) will take the biggest hit on reduced steelhead adult return rates.
-In 2025, the PF&BC awarded a grant sourced from the PF&BC Lake Erie Access Improvement Program (LEAIP) for Phase II of the McKean Conservation Area Project located on the upper part of Elk Creek in McKean Township, PA. Phase I and II project features include: pavilion, parking, signage, ADA accessible trail (all completed) and more formal parking, rain garden, ADA fishing platform on Elk Creek.
-In 2025 the PF&BC approved the purchase of a property easement in Girard Township, PA along North Creek Road for $170,000 from MJS Improvements (using LEAIP funding). The property easement included 7.52 acres and 535 feet of total stream footage along Elk Creek (between Whiteman's Bridge and the Conrail RR tunnels) and is located next to a 5.5 acre property already owned by the PF&BC known as the former PF&BC Coho hatchery. The PF&BC plans to remove all structures from both sites and develop formal parking areas and better access to Elk Creek.
-In 2025, the PF&BC approved a special regulation for fishing on Walnut Creek between Route 5 and Manchester Road bridge. The regulation limits fishing in this area to one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset to prevent steelhead anglers from disturbing residents with any flashlights or headlamps when accessing Walnut Creek at night.
-The Gilmore property off Beckman Road provides good access for steelheaders accessing Elk Creek south of I 90. The Outdoor Corps (an affiliate of the PA DCNR) has recently made improvements to the access corridor to Elk Creek (on the Gilmore property) starting at the parking lot on Beckman Road. This includes clearing paths, covering paths with crushed concrete and stone, and installing a set of wooden steps down the steep descent to Elk Creek. The PF&BC plans in August 2025 to double the size of the existing parking lot.
Steelheaders should be aware that the Beckman Road bridge is closed due to a rebuild (opening 2028) and that accessing the Gilmore property off Beckman Road will require a detour off Tannery Road (taking Keefer and Franklin Roads).
-The Pennsylvania Steelhead Association (PSA) will be holding its 4th annual Fall Run picnic on Saturday, September 27th @ 2PM at the Pleasant Ridge Park Pavilion, Girard, PA. This year's honoree is Jim Simonelli who has volunteered for many years with the PSA, the 3CU Trout Association and the Gem City Fly Tyers. Tickets are available at PSA general meetings, local tackle shops, online and at the door.
New York
-In June 2025, the Seneca Nations of Indians (SNI) amended their fishing regulations on Cattaraugus Creek to require any non-tribal members wishing to fish in restricted areas on Cattaraugus Creek must be accompanied by an enrolled SNI member. A map of these restricted areas can be found at: https://sni.org/community-services/conservation/
-The NYDEC says its fishery experiment at the Salmon River State Fish Hatchery (begun in 2021) to increase the size of spring steelhead yearlings was initially successful, by grading and growing juvenile steelhead as large as possible inside and then supplementing the outdoor hatchery raceways with warmer inside water during the colder winter months. But in recent years the benefits of this hatchery technique has stalled and even reverted to pre-experiment sizes.
The NYSDEC says that this was likely due to limitations in water quality and quantity at the hatchery. Future improvements at the hatchery to increase dissolved oxygen concentration are hoped to increase juvenile steelhead growth.
Fishery studies in the Great Lakes have shown that producing and stocking a larger steelhead yearling increases initial smolt survival rates and eventually better adult return rates. Studies have also shown that stocking steelhead smolts lower in the tributaries increases smolt survivability and adult return rates (a strategy that the NYDEC has started implementing).
Lake Erie Tributary Angler Surveys
-A 2023-2024 tributary angler survey (on the Ohio steelhead tributaries of Lake Erie by the ODNR) showed an average steelhead catch rate of .23 fish/hour. This was slightly below the catch rate goal of .25 fish/hour set in 2020 by the Lake Erie Committee of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. This survey is planned to continue in 2024-2025.
In contrast, a tributary angler survey partnered by the PF&BC and the Pennsylvania Steelhead Association on Pennsylvania's steelhead tributaries (also in 2023-2024) documented an excellent .97 fish/ hour catch rate.
The NYSDEC, has an ongoing 2024-2025 tributary angler survey on the Western NY tributaries of Lake Erie, designed to monitor steelhead catch rates and angler effort.
