April 25th and 80 degree's of Chrome & Feathers!

BLUE SKY'S AND AMAZON WATERS!

AMAZON ON THE CHAGRIN! 4-25-2009

RODNEY'S CHROME 4-25-2009

PHILLIP'S CHROMER 4-25-2009

Switch Rod Testing Grounds 4-23-09

Welcome to my Switch Rod revolution! Today was supposed to be a comparison of a couple of switch rods, but after fishing with my signature series rod, I didn’t even think about trying another rod! Not because I’m biased or anything, but from the first cast, to the last roll cast of my short period on the water, I was truly impressed with the way this rod handled!
This rod was really put to the test on some very small water, and it passed with flying colors. When I arrived at a familiar spot, I was instantly called out with "Hey! You’re Herb from Steelheadquarters!" from a loyal reader named Ray. After formal introductions, I rigged up the switch rod and made my first cast.....bam fish on! This was about a 16" stocked rainbow from a few weeks ago and was a perfect specimen! Wow! This rod then continued to impress me with the ease of use, and was about to really be put to the test!
Ray and I then headed for more holes farther upstream and we soon found them, a school of about 40-60 fish. Right about the second or third pass, and Fish On! I really thought this rod was going to break when a big buck smashed my fly, and after several aerobatic displays moved right into some fast water to try and dislodge the hookset! Trying to videotape this while fighting a fish is hard enough, but try it with a big 32" fish and it’s a little tougher than you can imagine, and the reason for the shaky clip.
From the butt grip to the first stripping guide is exactly 32 ¾" inches. This big buck was placed next to the rod and was very hard to handle, but you can see his size relative to the grip and first guide at (16"). Very nice fish and the best one of the day, I just wish I had a camera man to follow me around and shoot video, but I’ll have to set things up on the tripod, the only problem with that is; once I have everything set up, I don’t catch a thing, or end up out of the frame trying to land a fish! So I’ll get it all figured out soon....Most of the fish I saw today were getting some color, and with temps hitting the upper 70's from Friday through the week-end, this could be some of the last runs of the Season. I’ll keep my nose to the ground and my ears open and let you know! Nice meeting and fishing with you Ray! I’m sure we’ll meet up again as I’m getting stronger every day!
Steelie Bum rods are going to be the next big thing here on Steelhead Alley, and something worth putting my name on, and standing behind with a Lifetime Warranty! Stay safe and as always, Fish On!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Thank you to those individuals who saw the previous post, and made things happen! Thank You to everyone who responded, someone finally got the message and I hope it was from my doing, but I'll never know!? The main thing is; a crew of about 20 showed up yesterday, and things are getting done on those units with damage! Again thanks for all your work!

Now that that is over with I'm heading out east to fish and test these new switch rods. Going to be like a one arm paper hanger with all this equipment but you know me, I'll manage somehow!
The rivers are still a little high right now, but the feeders clear first, then the bigger boy's will fish on Friday! The Chagrin is over 600cfs right now and will fish at 440cfs by friday.
Stay safe out there and Fish On!

11 Days After The Fire And Still No Relief for Residents!

I am completely and utterly shocked and appalled that a Condominium complex that caught fire on the day before Good Friday, would continue to ignore and leave a few residents living in the soot lined walkways and surrounding units!
Lost Nation North Condo’s in Willoughby should be ashamed of themselves! At least get in there and clean the soot off the walls and windows of the couple of residents that remain there!! What is wrong with you people?? Didn’t you have fire insurance? If not then you need to be sued!
One week after the event, and most people would have cleaned things up, but the only thing I can see, and from my video and photo’s, is that they strung up lights! That’s it! GIVE ME A BREAK!
Here is my son and his cousin in the bedroom window one week after the fire! Sure don’t look like anything has been done to me, except maybe the lights! Pretty hard to accept, and the reason I’m posting this and the pictures.
Someone probably knows someone, who can get the ball rolling! My brother really saved everyone in those units that night at 2:50am, if he had not done what he did, when he did it, someone would have passed away!




If you can help them out, email me here with suggestions; steelhq@aol.com Stay safe out there and Fish On!

Backyard BBQ Fit For A Hero!

Weather was picture perfect, company was, more than perfect, and my cheddar cheese and bacon burgers with deep fried potato wedges, and fried green beans went over well! All my friends called all day; "Where are you?" "How come you’re not here?" "The fishing is great!" were all ringing in my ears, and I heard this ring all day long!
First of all it was a spectacular day weather wise, and I’m sure there were a lot of fish being caught on all the major tributaries in Northeast Ohio, but I could not go out and play, not that I didn’t want too, but I have a valid and nerve racking reason why not, and it has nothing to do with my recent surgery.
Last week, on Thursday my son Dominic wanted to spend the night at his cousins place, since we had plans for Good Friday and the Easter week-end. Of course we said it was fine and thought nothing more about it, as my wife and I headed for home. About 5am we were both startled awake by my brother and sister-in-law, with the kids in tow?? Whaa? Was all I could muster that early in the morning, when my brother said the unit just a few doors down caught on fire and everyone was evacuated! Holy Shit that woke me up, and I said come on in and sit down.
So the kids, my nieces and nephew, and my son did a little camp out in the family room and
on Friday, the next day my brother and I decided to drive over the Condo’s in Willoughby to see if the fire Marshall would let them back into their Unit to get some things for the kids to wear.
I walked around to the side that had the most damage, and that Unit was completely gutted! The Units on either side had heavy smoke & water damage, and almost every Unit was touched somehow.
When he was allowed back in, we walked through the door and closed it behind us and you couldn’t even smell the smoke that was wafting through the Condo’s. We went upstairs to my nephew Tony’s room and looked out his window. Couldn’t hardly see a thing everything was black! So I quickly went back outside and around the stairs to the landing and walked to his bedroom window and as I got closer, I felt this big hole in my gut, and when I saw the outside of the window I was shocked, breathless, and welling with emotion as I realized my Son and Nephew were just inside the glass that almost melted from the smoke and heat!
As I walked around I got to speak with a couple other residents who could not return to their Units and they all told me my brother was the one who raced around to all the Units banging on the doors and yelling "Fire, get out!"
He even got the fire extinguisher and gave it to the woman who said "Help me! My place is on fire!" and had to tell her how to use it before going from unit to unit and then waking his wife and kids to get out of the building. By the time everyone was out from all the units, the first responders were arriving on scene and shortly the fire officials were in charge and began to put out the fire. This was at 2:49am and when they spoke with all the residents, they soon realized my brother had done what he did, and he said to them; "I’m not a hero, I just helped everyone else get out, and maybe they would hopefully do the same for me!"
When I realized how close this has touched my family, I soon began to plot my backyard BBQ for the Hero in my life right now, and not even consider fishing this week-end, because I was giving my brother his reward for just being aware that night, because he told me, they hear people yelling all the time, and for some reason he said; "I had to look out the door, something crawled up the back of my neck when I heard Help me!" And that’s when he sprang into action! Nice job bro, you really did a great thing, and this BBQ is for you......Fish On, Breathe On, Live On, and most of all Right On!