As a first-generation fly fisherman, these videos are a lifesaver. I would have no one to teach me the basics to first get on the river and start catching fish. And once out there, I started meeting other great people who were so generous to teach me tricks and tips once out there. These videos along with the generosity and kindness of the fly fishing community is the only way I could've gotten into this amazing hobby, and I am so thankful for it because it brings me such great joy to get on the river. I know I will give back when I am older and I see a younger, new fly fisherman who needs some help getting the hang of it. Giving back to a sport is sometimes better than receiving.
The clean water act was a Godsend for the Great Lakes and fishermen alike. When I lived in the area the pollution and algae blooms made fishing unproductive if not impossible. It’s really good to see the massive improvement in fish populations and conditions.
"Some people say they're not real steelhead.....we're not going to get into that argument here. We're going to have some fun and catch some steelhead"🤣🤣🤣🤣
Bro, that T shirt rocks! Just soent two days at Pyramid. Caught 1 15.8 pounder, got a “15 pound club” pin from the lodge. Never saw another fish. Its cold out there!
Really useful video-thanks; I have a long term ambition to fish for Great Lakes steelhead and had it not been for our bat-eating bolshevik brethren I would have been over in Michigan UP in May from U.K. Ive still got a plane ticket so I thought of having a go in fall; do the fish run when the rivers rise from summer levels with rain? And I guess its a second spawning run rather than fishing for trout that have been in the system since spring? Would late September be a reasonable time to visit? October better? Lastly I would also like to have a go for US Bass- is that possible in UP September/October? B e grateful for any info-prefer to fish fly but will have a go with anything.... Tight lines to all-stay safe-Tom
Robert-Thank you so much-most kind ; that is the clearest summary I have heard and seems wholly logical- I wont take up your kind offer to contact just yet as I am waiting for the UK to sort out where we are 'Allowed' (Grrrr!) to go-and when- but if you dont mind will do so when the picture is clearer Tight lines to you! Tom
Tom, I'm from Michigan. We never go to the UP for lake run species. We always go to the lake Michigan tributaries. Best season is last week of September, first week of October for King Salmon. I've been told that the best time for fall steel is November 15 but I have no idea because we're all deer hunting. I guarantee that you will have the river to yourself but be sure to wear orange and nothing brown as there are around 800,000 rifles in the woods. You can catch steel all winter but the "peak" fishing for steel is late March, early April. I say "peak" because you can see, hook and land multiple fish per day, but they're lethargic. I do a trip around christmas every year and usually get 1 or 2 in a 2 day trip but the fight is waaaaaay better. In my opinion, and if I were going to make the trip that you are, I would target kings. The weather is so much nicer and it is absolutely world class. I fished only 3 days last year because there was a torrential rain last fall that ruined my 4 day trip after just 1 day. But I landed 25 and lost easily 4 times that. Check the local regulations though because some of the rivers close October 1. If you planned, being here the final week of September you'd have no issue. There are 4 rivers that get a massive run of kings at the same time. Granted the steelhead are beautiful, and they have the best strike on the swing. But nothing fights like a King.
Also if you want to target bass go to a southern state. As much as I love michigan the bass fishing is nothing like tennesee, alabama, florida etc. Unless you go to lake saint clair in the spring but you'd need a boat and that would be an expensive trip. Walleye (zander) fishing is phenomenal in spring too and you'd have a chance at both.
@@rivaking4569 Crikey Riva-Thanks for that-that's a whole new ball-game I need to research-but its great to have new ideas and very kind of you to take the trouble- if I may I will get back to you if I am struggling to understand the position-Tight lines and best regards-Tom
Yes that is included in the third segment. Spey rods are a little big unless you use very heavy sinking lines. Rods considered switch rods are more useful in these mostly smaller rivers.
Talk about out of date information. Great Lakes Steelhead is what they are and have always been called. If it makes you feel better, they are running towards the salt, there is unimpeded access from many of the rivers they spawn in to the Atlantic, though admitedly it is a one way trip over the Niagara falls from the Grand River, or Maitland. But the rivers that flow into lake Ontario are all two way to the sea. It is a mystery to me why they don't focus on getting the Atlantics that belong there back. One problem would be all the people with spears who would empty the rivers, and you would not have a sport fishery, if that was what you wanted to have. Steelhead are not as desirable for food. Now, maybe calling them "Trout", is a better idea.
@@HondoTrailside Where have you been. They have been working on the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon reintroduction for a decade. www.bringbackthesalmon.ca They have been successfully introduced via the St. Mary's River and are now seeing naturally reproducing Atlantics in the upper Great Lakes as well. Other programs have also placed them in lower sections of the upper Great Lakes with stocking programs in rivers like the AuSable in Michigan, where they migrate to and from Lake Huron. Concerns about the Great Lakes Chinook sport fishery population prompted more interest in Atlantics, because they willingly eat things like gobies. Chinook were planted back in the 60s to deal with the exploding invasive Alewife populations. They were successful... maybe too successful since Chinook are finicky about their prey food and the populations of Alewife has crashed in both Lake Huron and now Lake Michigan. It hasn't been as easy to introduce Atlantics into the Great Lakes apparently due to a thiamine deficiency, but more recent reports are now showing some natural reproduction. In the mean time, hatcheries and stocking are still highly relied on.
As a first-generation fly fisherman, these videos are a lifesaver. I would have no one to teach me the basics to first get on the river and start catching fish. And once out there, I started meeting other great people who were so generous to teach me tricks and tips once out there. These videos along with the generosity and kindness of the fly fishing community is the only way I could've gotten into this amazing hobby, and I am so thankful for it because it brings me such great joy to get on the river. I know I will give back when I am older and I see a younger, new fly fisherman who needs some help getting the hang of it. Giving back to a sport is sometimes better than receiving.
After all these years, Tom still gets so excited about landing a fish. He truly is living the dream.
The clean water act was a Godsend for the Great Lakes and fishermen alike. When I lived in the area the pollution and algae blooms made fishing unproductive if not impossible. It’s really good to see the massive improvement in fish populations and conditions.
Totally agree
Crowded is an understatement...
"Some people say they're not real steelhead.....we're not going to get into that argument here. We're going to have some fun and catch some steelhead"🤣🤣🤣🤣
Great video. Very informative.
Well done Tom.
Bro, that T shirt rocks! Just soent two days at Pyramid. Caught 1 15.8 pounder, got a “15 pound club” pin from the lodge. Never saw another fish. Its cold out there!
27 year's into steelhead fishing and I never get board of it! Great video guy's!
you from Washburn WI? I grew up going to my buddys cottage on Madeline Island. It's favorite spot on earth.
Great learning video. thanks
I swear Tom is the bob ross of fly fishing lmao 😂
Bravo
So, is there a difference between high sticking and Euro Nymphing?
FINNALY !!!!! A very good video for catching steelhead on all techniques!!!! thanks a lot!!! i like Jeff Blood!!!!
Jeff is awesome
I might be wrong but the animation of the improved clinch knot sure looks like a Trilene knot.
Foragefarmer A Trilene
knot goes through the eye twice.
I was thinking the same thing!!!
Really useful video-thanks; I have a long term ambition to fish for Great Lakes steelhead and had it not been for our bat-eating bolshevik brethren I would have been over in Michigan UP in May from U.K.
Ive still got a plane ticket so I thought of having a go in fall; do the fish run when the rivers rise from summer levels with rain? And I guess its a second spawning run rather than fishing for trout that have been in the system since spring?
Would late September be a reasonable time to visit? October better?
Lastly I would also like to have a go for US Bass- is that possible in UP September/October?
B e grateful for any info-prefer to fish fly but will have a go with anything....
Tight lines to all-stay safe-Tom
Robert-Thank you so much-most kind ; that is the clearest summary I have heard and seems wholly logical- I wont take up your kind offer to contact just yet as I am waiting for the UK to sort out where we are 'Allowed' (Grrrr!) to go-and when- but if you dont mind will do so when the picture is clearer
Tight lines to you! Tom
@Robert Pelletier Brilliant-And thanks again-and you and yours be sure to keep safe-Tom
Tom, I'm from Michigan. We never go to the UP for lake run species. We always go to the lake Michigan tributaries. Best season is last week of September, first week of October for King Salmon. I've been told that the best time for fall steel is November 15 but I have no idea because we're all deer hunting. I guarantee that you will have the river to yourself but be sure to wear orange and nothing brown as there are around 800,000 rifles in the woods. You can catch steel all winter but the "peak" fishing for steel is late March, early April. I say "peak" because you can see, hook and land multiple fish per day, but they're lethargic. I do a trip around christmas every year and usually get 1 or 2 in a 2 day trip but the fight is waaaaaay better.
In my opinion, and if I were going to make the trip that you are, I would target kings. The weather is so much nicer and it is absolutely world class. I fished only 3 days last year because there was a torrential rain last fall that ruined my 4 day trip after just 1 day. But I landed 25 and lost easily 4 times that. Check the local regulations though because some of the rivers close October 1. If you planned, being here the final week of September you'd have no issue. There are 4 rivers that get a massive run of kings at the same time.
Granted the steelhead are beautiful, and they have the best strike on the swing. But nothing fights like a King.
Also if you want to target bass go to a southern state. As much as I love michigan the bass fishing is nothing like tennesee, alabama, florida etc. Unless you go to lake saint clair in the spring but you'd need a boat and that would be an expensive trip. Walleye (zander) fishing is phenomenal in spring too and you'd have a chance at both.
@@rivaking4569 Crikey Riva-Thanks for that-that's a whole new ball-game I need to research-but its great to have new ideas and very kind of you to take the trouble- if I may I will get back to you if I am struggling to understand the position-Tight lines and best regards-Tom
Are tandem rigs allowed in NY for steelhead ?
No
Do you ever use wetfly swing? Spey rods?
Yes that is included in the third segment. Spey rods are a little big unless you use very heavy sinking lines. Rods considered switch rods are more useful in these mostly smaller rivers.
The great lakes steelhead came from a tributary in California that they ran in from the ocean just as they still do to this day!
More steelhead run here than there
There's multiple strains from different locations on west coast I think.
Did anyone else feel like Tom was getting annoyed with Jeff while they are talking in the tavern talking about indicator rigs?
Great upload! I believe you'd like my content too. Keep up with the fantastic work!
👍🎣🎣
Lmao, we're dealing with what we have, stained water that was high and has fallen.
Not real steelhead yet if you watch the videos from the guys from addicted they said ours fight just as hard if not harder than the west coast
Genetically, west coast and great lakes steelhead are exactly the same.....simple concept.
If I move from LA to NYC .....I'm still human....
First, somehow connect the great lakes to an ocean......
Tom talking over Jeff every 3 sentences irritated me so much lol
These are lake run trout. Steelhead run to the salt.
Talk about out of date information. Great Lakes Steelhead is what they are and have always been called. If it makes you feel better, they are running towards the salt, there is unimpeded access from many of the rivers they spawn in to the Atlantic, though admitedly it is a one way trip over the Niagara falls from the Grand River, or Maitland. But the rivers that flow into lake Ontario are all two way to the sea. It is a mystery to me why they don't focus on getting the Atlantics that belong there back. One problem would be all the people with spears who would empty the rivers, and you would not have a sport fishery, if that was what you wanted to have. Steelhead are not as desirable for food. Now, maybe calling them "Trout", is a better idea.
any rainbow that migrates from a large body of water be it either a lake or ocean is a steelhead.. atleast thats what ive read
anyway who cares either way there fun fish
@@HondoTrailside Where have you been. They have been working on the Lake Ontario Atlantic Salmon reintroduction for a decade. www.bringbackthesalmon.ca They have been successfully introduced via the St. Mary's River and are now seeing naturally reproducing Atlantics in the upper Great Lakes as well. Other programs have also placed them in lower sections of the upper Great Lakes with stocking programs in rivers like the AuSable in Michigan, where they migrate to and from Lake Huron. Concerns about the Great Lakes Chinook sport fishery population prompted more interest in Atlantics, because they willingly eat things like gobies. Chinook were planted back in the 60s to deal with the exploding invasive Alewife populations. They were successful... maybe too successful since Chinook are finicky about their prey food and the populations of Alewife has crashed in both Lake Huron and now Lake Michigan. It hasn't been as easy to introduce Atlantics into the Great Lakes apparently due to a thiamine deficiency, but more recent reports are now showing some natural reproduction. In the mean time, hatcheries and stocking are still highly relied on.
Not sure if could fish with a guide. Could be I don't deal well with jokers such as this guy.
Trout. Not Steelhead
Ok why do you call female steelhead hens and males bucks. Dosen't fit. Great Lakes steelhead are steelhead.