Steelheadquarters

Busting my CP Cherry!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:42:00 +0000

MATT BANGS A NICE BUCK!
I LOST MY CHERRY BABY!
MY FIRST HEN ON THE CP
NICE BRIGHT CHROMIE!

BRIGHT BUCK ON THE CP!

ANOTHER BRIGHT BUCK!

I'M LOVING THIS CP THING!

Today was one of those days, I got all my gifts wrapped last night and figured the Chagrin was not fishing so I did some chores around here and I got a call that the Grand was all slushed up and not fishing. So I decided to hit the Chagrin just to see what she looked like and what I saw was calling my name!

So I drove home as fast as I could without getting a ticket and geared up! This time I took a bucket full of confidence and some fresh spawn and hit up a favorite spot! Second pass and my float said "dunk" so I set the hook and it was on! My heart was racing because I didn't want to lose this fish and all my instincts took over and in a matter of 5 minutes I had her on the beach! Wooooooooooooooooooooohooooooooooo! I popped my cherry on the CP and man it felt goooooooood! Just so happens that Jim was following me around again, and he saw my virginity fly out the window! Now that was fun! I quickly rigged up another sack and Bam! Fish on again! Then Bam! Jim hits a fish and we have a double!

Well just to make a long story short, I got 4 more fish and lost 2 others! What a day! I'm really feeling the tug of the darkside now, and already thinking about my new set up! Looks like my noodle rod and spinning reel will see some dust now that I've been bit! Good lord that was a blast! Even more so when you have the pics and memories! I can't wait to get out there again and let this CP fly!

Chagrin is getting low and clear. I'll keep an eye on things and let you know how it goes the next few days! Until then keep your Knots Tight and Fish On!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Video from the Darkside!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:07:00 +0000

Tales From The Darkside! Part One! Friday Fishing Forecast For Steelhead Alley!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:56:00 +0000

Kingpin Double shots with a fat Hen!

Joe again!

Joe with a nice bright Hen!

Joe with a hefty fresh Chrome Buck!

This Center pinning thing has everything turned upside down inside my brain right about now! I mean when you really extrapolate all the intricacies and delve into the technical side of this shit? Whoa man, this has really got me searching deep for all the other possibilities, and what that could reap.

The first thing I have to say is, even though I thought I knew what I was doing before, what a tongue twister that was to type let alone say, I really didn’t get it until I received the most valuable assistance and advice from one hell of a Steelhead Hammer Joe. He was able to critique everything I was doing wrong and within minutes had me set on my journey into the dark!

As a lifelong fly angler, plus spinning, along with many other forms of fishing under my belt, this so called journey to the dark side, has always piqued my interest while fishing Steelhead Alley for the past two decades. These guy’s would come in and set up a superman drift and pull fish that had been pressured by my flies and noodle rod left and right. And really made it look so simple!

So today I started out on my own, determined to fish exclusively with the Kingpin Series 1 lined with 20lb Dacron backing and P-Line 12lb main line with an 8gram float. By myself I managed to tangle my line about every cast for the first 30 minutes, and damned glad I left my switch rod in the trunk. If it had been with me, well let’s just forget about that and move on. So after another 15 minutes of spooking all the fish out of that hole, Joe and Mike showed up and asked how the fishing was for me? So I showed them my nest and after a quick laugh, they rigged me up right and gave some much needed advice, since I legitimately wanted to give it my best. I was determined to do this!

After a few more casts using the Pull Cast method that Craig at Erie Outfitters has taught me, and the right rigging methods, I was soon getting into the swing of things when bam! Fish on! And Bam! Knuckle buster! Ouchh that shit hurt! And after a few nice head shakes and rolls, the fish came off! Wow! That was fun! I mean I felt every little nuance with that hook up and if you don’t remember there is no drag, then you’ll know what I mean when I say, knuckle buster.

Of course all around me Joe and Mike are just putting on a Steelhead CP clinic! Even the other anglers around us using their spinning rods, and fly anglers were having some success, but every other 100ft drift and they were into chrome! Some nice fish as you can see, and the more I watched them, the more I became determined to master this cast and set up as well. Soon I was placing my casts like I had been doing it for hours, and then right at the tailout of a well placed drift my float took a dunk! I raised the rod and palmed the reel, and yeah baby! I was hooked up again, but this time it was a nice fish, and the power was awesome, but it was a battle as the fish rolled, while Mike and Joe shouted instructions to me, and then I realized how far downstream that fish was. So I started making my way there, when it came off too! F%$# that hurt! I mean that was a nice big fish, compared to the other hook ups I had, it was thick!

So now I’m really into this Dark side shit, and I’m digging these unbelievable drifts, and it’s a learning curve for sure, but very nice indeed. It’s definitely not for just anyone either. I’ve been fishing all my life and without any instruction it well, sucked! Then Joe gave me some pointers that without it, I would have just given up by then, and that would have been that, but I’m an apt pupil and soon was pounding fish like them! Okay except for nothing landed, but hooking up and feeling that feeling, I was there.

Well suffice it to say, my obsessive compulsive disorder for Steelheading has been temporarily satiated by this experience. However my journey into the dark side has just begun! It was a blast fishing with you guy’s, and all the great advise paid off in a big way! My next time out with the CP will be a lot more productive now that I’m armed with the valuable information you guy’s helped me with!

Now to end a perfect day..............maniacally thinking about the next time out and how I’m going to present my bait and flies? Hummm, this is going to be interesting.....

This week-end should see some great fishing on all Steelhead Alley tributaries as they drop and clear. The Chagrin was fishing very well this morning and really all into the afternoon. She started out at 210cfs and has dropped to 171cfs as of right now. The Grand is at 697cfs and fishing very well as reported to me. Maybe I’ll hit up some old fishing holes with my new toy!

Fishing should remain good all week-end provided things don’t open up and let us have it! Well scratch that, because it's raining with some sleet right now. Keep an eye on the skies, and drifing those flies.

Stay Safe out there and Fish On!

Craig Lewis of Erie Outfitters: Pull Cast

Wednesday December 16th Steelhead Alley Report.

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:06:00 +0000

Today was yet another one of those strange days where everyone but you were catching fish? Was it because of my sacks? Was it perhaps my BO? Or was it that today my role was to freeze my ass off, with wind chills in the teens, hard temp at 22 degrees I mean come on! The nice 15 knot winds slicing through my face was enough to keep most logical anglers off the river, but me? No way man! I'm in like Flynn!

Joe was the one who really enjoyed looking at some new water! Just after arrival on his first pass and he smacked a nice hen in the tail out section. That was a great sign for myself and John who was just as excited as me. A few minutes later Joe had another one on and then a couple more! Okay now I realize my eggs were sitting in the car all day from the day before, so I tried some of Joe's eggs since he was the one into Chrome, and no way! Nada a damn thing for me. Just wasn't in the cards for me today, but i did manage to turn a couple fish, just no hook ups.

All in all it was fun. I got to show a couple friends some new water and put them on the money, while I played frosty the snowman with the ice all over my guides. Nice job Joe, I think it was that cool looking camo float you picked up from Craig at Erie Outfitters that did it today! We both used the same sacks, same set-up and the only difference was the float! Hey Craig I'll see you tomorrow!

With the temps dropping in the low 20's tonight look for more Ice and slush to build up, but the water should be prime for tomorrow! Make sure you layer properly or it's not fun to try and fish when you're frozen stiff! Stay safe and remember to keep your knots tight, and your waist belt tighter!

Fish On!

UNBELIEVABLE! MY CAMERA STILL WORKS!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:18:00 +0000

Wow! Now I'm really impressed with the quality and durability of my Olympus E-Volt DSLR! After it took a bath in the Chagrin over a week ago, I let it dry out for a week and completely took it apart and cleaned everything, replaced the batteries and memory card, (all data was lost on the cards) but it still works and that is the most awesome feeling in the world!

As far as the fishing is concerned, well let's just say that it's not happening at the present time. I looked at the Chagrin, The Rock, Euclid Creek, and didn't even bother with the east side after checking the flow charts. The Grand is over 1,900cfs and most of the smaller creeks are running high as well. So I decided to play with my camera and some flies just to make sure it's ready for the next adventure, and hopefully not a repeat drowning! You can bet the strap will be around my neck next time!

I'm going to head on over to the new ORVIS Store later tonight so I can make out my Christmas wish list, can you say Hydros honey? These rods sure are sweet looking and I'm dying to get my hands on one. My Helios is by far the best of the best, with only one small flaw. It's just too damn handsome and well made that I'm still a little hesitant to fish with it! Besides, It looks great on my office wall!

With the rain ending tonight and a transition over to snow, I expect the Chagrin to start on the drop. She's at 524cfs right now, and once it drops below 400 it's fishable with hard bait, and 240cfs or less with the flies!

Stay safe out there and Fish On!

Friday Fishing Forecast on Steelhead Alley

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:46:00 +0000

This is the time of year that really gets any die hard Steelheader excited! Why? Because it's Frozen Fish Sticks we're all after! Most people would think we were insane and downright out of our mind to wade the rivers and tributaries of Northeast Ohio in this kind of weather! And hey, they're right! We are a breed apart, maybe the brain is a little numb from the bitter cold temps, ice all over the line and guides, from fighting Chrome, but it's pure Nirvana in my estimation!

All area tributaries received another dose of rain before the temps fell, and the snow started flying which brings me to this forecast;

Rocky River is still a little high, but dropping fast at 421cfs.
Chagrin River is at 235cfs and also clearing fast. She's a slush bucket!
Grand River is still up there and flowing at; 1,300cfs but dropping pretty fast as well!

The East side smaller tributaries are the first to clear and fish with the bigger water taking somewhat longer before you can fish it. Bait of choice right now is spawn sacks, minnows, and jigs and maggots.

For us fly guy's, sucker spawn and all other egg patterns are working well, along with buggers and nymphs. Guides are freezing up so make sure you dress for this occasion! Take care and Stay safe out there, add more layers than you normally would because it's COLD!

Fish On!

Steelhead Alley Chagrin River Report Monday 12-07-09

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 00:43:00 +0000

Fresh run Skipper on a bugger!

Ahh the smell of Chrome in the morning!
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Now go home and make some babies!

Can you say here Fishy, Fishy?

Kevin was all smiles with this hen!

Today the Chagrin was right back down to low and clear conditions. Saturday turned out to be the day for me. I went 8 for 12 on the Chagrin early in the day starting with sucker spawn, and prince nymphs under an indicator with the Prince as my point. I got some sweet photo's and Brian even helped me out with some grip and grins of my fish! Thanks dude I really appreciate that!

The only bad part of my Saturday was that while I was shooting a couple other guys fish, I didn't think to put the strap over my head and when I was done clicking I let the camera fall! OMFG what the hell did I just do?? Yes I did! There she was sitting on the bottom of the river looking up at me. So I swallowed my pride and reached in and pulled her drowned ass right out of the drink! So to make a long story short, she's drying out and hopefully when I decide to turn her on, she gets turned on! Ha ha sounds like porn, but my camera is my companion wherever I go, and thankfully I carry insurance just for that sort of thing. But the bummer was losing the pictures and not a $1,000 dollar camera. Hell I can get another one, it's those grip and grin I wanted to share, but at least I still have a back-up digital waterproof one!

At least I'm not carrying that skunk around with me. On my way to another honey hole I ran into Jim again from Fish With Jim Outfitters!? Are you following me, or am I following you Jim? Anyways he was out with some clients in from Pittsburgh, (and just like the Steelers are gonna do it to the Browns), they were smacking the shit out of Chrome!! I mean come on dude it's not fair that you get all the fish, and then leave me to catch only one! Hey man nice job again, and of course next time we run into each other, I'm heading farther up-stream! No need to try and compete with your cured eggs! You gotta share that secret recipe with me one day! I promise I won't tell!

On another note, I'll be out in Fairport Harbor tomorrow at Grand River Tackle hopefully stocking up on some much needed material for my newest breed of flies. Since I have some time to kill I may as well stock my boxes again. If you are looking for a good deal on fishing tackle then you need to be there for the store closing 50% off sale!

Looks like we'll get another dose of rain/sleet/snow in the next day or two, and I don't have to tell you that we really need the rain again to bring some color back in the tribs. I will be out and about in the next few days so keep an eye out for me, and nice meeting you today as well Chris! Next time we'll fish a little longer and tell some lies, and swap some flies!

Stay safe out there, and keep 'em warm, the toes that is.

Fish On!

Friday Fishing Forecast on Steelhead Alley!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:40:00 +0000

Hey my friends it's FRIDAY! I hope you had a great week, and now that we have some flow in all tributaries along Steelhead Alley the fishing should be fantastic! This week-end should see some awesome numbers of fish spread throughout the streams of Northeast Ohio and Pennsylvania.

I will be doing this Friday Forecast from here on in and you can rest assured it'll be about one thing only, Steelhead Fishing. Of course all the smaller feeder creeks and ditches will fish and clear first, so be sure to check them out also. The Grand is still flowing over 2,000cfs and won't fish this week-end at all.

The Chagrin is falling fast, and when I stopped by Daniels Park this afternoon it was still high and muddy. The guage is reading 453cfs which means it'll be fishing tonight and tomorrow. That means good news for all you Steelhead Fanatics me included! Just keep in mind those temps are starting to drop and that means one thing, BRRrrrrr it's getting colder! Make sure you layer more than you need, because you can always remove it, and grabber my coals!

A couple e-mails from anglers on the web (Alan) sent me in some photo's of his recent trip to New York's 18 Mile Creek, (figures! I didn't go this year as I have been working real hard to bring more content and all new video's of Steelhead Alley to Steelheadquarters.com) Man I set the bar high for myself, and without any help from anyone. I'll keep plugging away at it until I get it right, and if you know me, I'm anal that way, or more mildly put, very meticulous in what I do.

Also, my buddy from Cool water fish Adam, sent me this nice picture of a fat little Brownie! Nice fish Adam, what a pig! Did you see that kype? Looks like he's the big dog in that water! Be sure to stop by his website and check it out! Adam is a great angler, and an avid fisherman for multi-species fishing, hell he even caught a 5lb Pacu in the Sandusky River! WHAT A CATCH!!! Keep an eye on this guy, he has a way of catching some unusual fish! Very nice Adam, we have to hook up and fish soon! I wanna catch an alligator in the Hoga!

So that's it for this rant, and just because that picture taking monkey's blog and forum is gone, I guess he's trying to re-invent himself as a photographer now, doesn't mean it's for good! It's a start for now, we'll just have to wait and see what this polemonkey is really up to, and I sure hope you all do the right thing, and shop for a centerpin reel right here in Ohio.

Adam Demarco over at Paine Falls Centerpin makes a damn fine series of reels right here in Northeast Ohio, and all you CP fisherman want to know where to go for forums and other cool centerpin info? Then head on over to Float Fishing Connection for all your float fishing needs, Dominic runs a great site there with loads of cool stuff for the floater in you!

And if you really want a good deal on a centerpin reel, then of course you have to head on over to Erie Outfitters! Craig has all the newest stuff on the market and will help you in any way he can, besides, it's the ONLY shop besides ORVIS (and they don't carry CP'S) any where near the Chagrin River!

Oh yeah, there is another shop on the Chagrin I forgot to mention, Laguna Tackle and Deli on the corner of Hopkins and Lakeshore! Any place else I may have overlooked is involved with that picture monkey, and not worth your trip! Buy any ORVIS HELIOS at ORVIS on Chagrin Blvd. and you'll get a free Battenkill LA Reel! Now that's a sweet deal!

Stay safe out there and as always Fish On!

Another iconic Local business serving Steelhead Alley closing the doors!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:21:00 +0000

Wow! You have to hate this news! As many of you local Steelheaders know, Bruce has been an ongoing inspiration for anglers all accross Ohio for almost a quarter of a century! 25 Years! Holy Moly what a ride though, huh Bruce?

Anyways I will be sad to see that shop close it's doors. It's been fun Bruce and I wish you all the best! I found this on the website Grand River Tackle:

------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Valued Customer, Steelheader, Worm Drowner, Big Fish Story-Teller and Friend,

Because of the difficult economic times Grand River Tackle will be closing its doors at the end of 2009. Beginning on Tuesday, December 8, 2009 all in stock merchandise will be 50% off. So come in and stock up on the variety of fishing tackle that we carry. This is a great time to get some fantastic holiday bargains. It has been an honor serving you in the past years but the economy will not support the business. So come in, check out the sale, and bid your friends here at Grand River Tackle farewell. It was an amazing 25 years doing business with you. The coffee will be on through the end of the monthJ

Thank you for your patronage, from all of us at Grand River Tackle.

Forgot the Video! Enjoy

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:47:00 +0000

Here is the short clip I shot today! Enjoy......

A New Dawn, A New Day! Steelhead Alley Update!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 04:57:00 +0000

Run little fishy, but you can't hide!

Very defined lateral line!

Nice Buck on the Chagrin!

Matt's all smiles! Hell I would be too!

John's nice cheeky buck!

Jim's one of many fish caught today!

Here on Steelhead Alley you will see a plethora of anglers from all walks of life, and the one thing we all share in common, is a love for the sport of angling. Today is a new day, and I refuse to dwell on Previous Postings so I thank all 926 responses to the previous post, and now that it's over, I'm moving on to what I have been doing for the last 9 years online! That's talking about fishing for Steelhead Right here on the Alley.

Today I headed to a popular spot simply because all the other spots I checked were full? Hmm, everyone off work today? Felt like the weekend, or are there some calls in sick with the swine flu? Ha ha whatever the reason was, it was good to get out there and address my addiction, before the rain set in. Speaking of which, it's been raining pretty good on and off since about 5pm

(Mr. Morse I told you it would rain by 5pm any luck on those gills?).

When I arrived there were people in my spot! Didn't I phone ahead and make reservations? Guess I forgot, or the Steelhead Goddess has simply screwed up and double booked it with Fish With Jim Outfitters! Man that dude can cure some eggs! I mean when I arrived, one of his friends had a fish on, then another and yet another! So I just stood there and shot some pic's. We talked and did some networking, and then they did what you would never expect from a guide!? They invited me in to fish with Jim. Imagine that! I should have taken him up on his offer of spawn sacks! They were into fish the whole time I was there, and it made it a bit tricky for me to fish as I was shooting some pic's and some video, but it was what I consider to be a good day!

Jim, Matt, John and your friend, it was my pleasure meeting you guy's today and I'm sure we'll run into each other again. I never hooked into a fish while they were there, but when they left I went 3 for 4 in about a half hour. Soon after that I called it myself and headed out for that long minute ride home. Hell I could care less about getting into fish, it's my addiction that I'm blaming for this problem, but nonetheless it was nice talking with those who share my passion and my pain.

Now, to answer 67 e-mails about Ben's letter to me. It takes Balls to fess up and write a letter like that, knowing that there is a chance I'll post it, but I do have to say that I thought it was strange for someone to Rag on someone else they don't even know! So after looking back at all those posts from the Blog that has left a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths. I can get a pretty good feel of that writing style and all the bad syntax and morphology along with spelling errors and figure out it was that dumb ass Swatsky after all!

So props to you Ben for stepping up to the plate and writing me that letter! Like I said before, it takes balls to write that apology openly! So I accept it, and hope you have better luck picking your friends, or who to associate with in the future.

John, Sam, Mark, David and Susan your hat's are in the mail tomorrow!

Since the rain has been coming down pretty steady, I'm looking for a real good blow out on most if not all Steelhead Alley tributaries from Ohio to New York! That means only one thing, CHROME! There will be a nice push of fish in the system and very hungry as they drop! Keep your lines wet, your knots tight, and

Fish On!

DAMAGE CONTROL 101

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:48:00 +0000

Damage control 101, never ever POST anything on a Blog, then take it down! That's what the master says, and we all know he's right 99.9% of the time! Huh Swat! So now you're in Damage control, and have removed all other posts pertaining to me? Why?

Are you running scared?

Yes you are!

Who the Hell in their right mind would buy anything from you in the first place is missing a few screws! Keeping it Local? I don't think so monkey brain, not when you consider all the other locals you have burned, bashed and ripped off! Keep your HBE reel, nobody here in Ohio will ever support you or something from Switzerland!

Your true colors are shining through loud and clear! Give a man a rod and a liar is born, give that same Monkey a camera, and you have a picture taking Monkey! Period! Nothings changed, except maybe your pea brain!

The Heart of Steelhead Alley is in Lake City Pennsylvania polemonkey, and not Chagrin Falls! Every Steelheader from the Great Lakes knows this already, and they are laughing at you! I have over 23,980 e-mails to prove that, as well as my supporters who will not step one foot into a shop that far up the creek! Steelhead don't get any farther than that, and by that time, are so beat up, pressured, and full of bling, a cane pole can catch them.

So please help all of us to understand what a really cool guy you are, and why the flyandfloatfishing link on your blog, takes them to some picture taking monkey's website?

How come you were 'Kicked out' of PA? Answer me that Swatsky? Or should I let everyone know the real reasons????!!!!

Go suck on some more licorice monkey brain, and oh wait a minute, can we please see one more post about that stupid ass reel!?

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Sorry to all my fans for this latest rant, but when you run a tight ship like I do, and provide assistance to millions of web visitors, and ask for absolutely nothing in return, then speaking my mind about one local retard is what I'm allowed to do, whenever I want, and wherever I want!

To all the other's who have no clue as to what the hell this is all about, don't sweat it, I've got it all under control. You will never see my sites disappear, never down for maintenance, and NEVER! EVER, will you see a post of mine erased!

That's just how I roll baby!

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UPDATE: 12-01-2009 4:47pm

FlyandFloatfishing is gone!

That's what you get for messin with the BEST!

Winds of Change on Steelhead Alley!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:07:00 +0000

Well it looks as though I was right again! I let it all wash under the bridge and the gutter rats want to bring it back up again, maybe to fester in their own bile? Anyways Ben See sent me this letter, maybe in hopes that I'll accept him into my circle......which will never happen, but I thought it would at least shed some light on what that guy Swat is up to.

I just wonder how long before Dan realizes what a BIG mistake it was to hook up with a snakehead pit viper? WAKE UP DAN!

Enjoy;
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From: Benjamin J See Benjamin.see@sbcglobal.net
To: steelhq@aol.com
Sent Mon, Nov 30, 2009 12:19pm
Subject: WTF was I thinking.

Herb,
I have never met ya, but boy o' boy, were you guys right. I truly wish I had never met the Swatsky, as I am just another soldier in the line of his fire. I have made mistakes in my life, and this is truly a lesson learned. Guilty by association is most likely my lesson learned.

Taken advantage of doesn't even come close to what has happened to me. After speaking with the other fallen soldiers, it sounds like our stories are all the same. Used, abused, and then bashed.

Just as some FYI, if you or anyone else gets emails from ben@fnf. then they didn't come from me. It appears that Swat has changed my email password, but worse than that has used it to send out a mass email to others. I guess he is just showing his true colors at my expense.

I will pick myself up by the bootstraps and move onward.

Herb, like I said I don't know you, but I just want to apologize.

Funny thing is that I didn't use the FNF blog site, and that was Swats bullshit. Though I stood by the past year as he bashed you, never saying anything. I finally stood up, and was mowed down in the process.
My association with Swatsky could be the biggest mistake I have made in a long time.

I wish you continued success with your endeavours.

Ben See

Scouting Pennsylvania with a New Switch!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:40:00 +0000

10' 8" 6wt. switch rod from LAUREL RIDGE RODS

Blue Stripping guides

Close up of reel seat.

View from the back!
Adam casting in the mud hole!
Hen I hooked into with this rod!

I spent some time on Elk scouting for fish with my newest edition Switch Rod from Laurel Ridge Rods, and I have to tell you, it is one sweet rod! Built on a Rainshadow IF 10'8" 6wt. blank this rod really pops! All the appointments are perfect, from the blue stripping guides to the silver thread wraps, and cool reel seat, not to mention the custom grips! Wow, I'm truly impressed with this rod from Adam over at Laurel Ridge Rods! The action is rated at medium fast, but I found it to be fast. The rod perfromed as well as some of the others in my arsenal costing much much more, and I'm sure will become another extension of me on Steelhead Alley!

I did manage to entice a few strikes from the passing Steel, and every one of them liked what I hooked them with, just not the gold color they were used to! All in all it was worth my time, but very low and clear, I also managed to restock another fly box with all the jewelry these bad boys were sporting! 6X tippit did the trick with no shot, and they are spooky! At least the rain should give another push of fish, and stain things up a bit!

Here in Ohio, the rain overnight has brought up all the tributaries along the Alley. This was much needed, and will help move more fish through the system. Stay safe out there, keep an eye on the weather as it's about to change again, and as always Fish On!

Winds of change are still blowing on the Alley, and as Shops come and go, websites come and go, and blogs come and go, you can always rely on me to be there flying my kite in the winds of change! So bye bye Ben, Swat don't want you around no more as you are in the way of his dirty deeds!

Man I love this shit!

Happy Turkey Day on Steelhead Alley!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:18:00 +0000

From my Family to Yours,

Have a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

Chagrin River Report 11-19-09 Steelhead Alley Update!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:58:00 +0000

Fresh Steelhead Buck!
Denny Let's the fish get his wits before taking off!

Denny's Nice Buck Steelhead 11-19-09

The much needed rain settled in overnight and gave a rise to the Chagrin River. I decided to head out and hit a popular spot to see if anything was going on and upon my arrival I shot a clip of Denny Gant with a nice fresh Lake Erie Steelhead Buck! Enjoy the clip, and it's good to fish with you Denny, after you left I hooked 2 and landed one myself.

The river is on the rise and there are a ton of leaves. Every other drift was met with a big leaf! Looks like this rain will wash some of them out of here, but we really need a lot more to blow them out properly! Sucker spawn and egg patterns were the ticket today. Of course my spawn sacks did it for me and that small dose, has fed my addiction for at least another day or two!

Look for fresh Steelhead on a tributary near you and remember to stay safe and Fish On!

Steelhead Alley River Report and Update from my perspective!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:22:00 +0000

Cory's Atlantic!
George's First Steelhead!
Jeremy's 2nd Seelhead ever!

Adam's Coho from Steelhead Alley!

Pictures sent in from the past week on the tributaries of Steelhead Alley. Also a photo from a reader in Sweden who sent this picture in of an Atlantic Salmon. Nice looking fish Cory! Of course Adams Coho was a little beat up! Look at the conditions we are faced with on the Alley, Extremely Low and Clear water conditions all the way to NY.

The Chagrin is in dire need of rain and I don't mean a little, she needs a whole lot to bring her up to where it's sporting again. Yes there are some fish to be caught, but with things the way they are, these fish have seen it all thrown at them.

Small flies #14 #16 and 5X tippet with micro split shot. Be sure to sign up for ERIE OUTFITTERS ANNUAL STEELHEAD TOURNAMENT ON THE WEST SIDE, AND LAGUNA TACKLE ON THE EAST SIDE. 100% Payout. See each shop for rules and other details, pretty much standard for those familiar with how it works. Anyways things are slow and low and not worth my time until we get some H20.

Stay safe out there and as always;

Fish On!

Steelhead Alley Update from SteelHQ

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:27:00 +0000

Here fishy fishy! My Sons Bluegill!
Practicing the strip and pause!

Nice fat Cat on the fly!

Man I don't have to tell you how bad we need the rain right now! Everything is low/clear all along the Alley with the exception of one or two places, but other than that, we need a fresh push of fish, and only mother nature can provide this for us. I'm not going back out till it rains long and hard!

So on a recent visit to , my mother/father-in-laws for some good home cooking and football on the tube in HD, we also got to wet a line out back in the little pond. My son soon had bluegill and a smallie, then I handed him my rod with a nice 6lb catfish that smacked a Senyo bead head woolly bugger, but he quickly handed it back saying; "No dad, it's your fish! You take the hook out!"

Ha! The nerve of that kid! He figured me out real fast on that one, so after pretty much catching and releasing most of the other fish in the pond, we went in for some grub, and R&R. Stay safe out there and do that dance, we need it bad!

Fish On!

Getting that stink off my back! Steelhead Alley Fishing Report November 12th 2009

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:16:00 +0000

Nice little skipper landed 11-12-09 Chagrin
Another fresh little hen 11-12-09 Chagrin

This one was 29" and full of eggs!

This big pig was ready to spit some roe! 11-12-09

Okay! That's it! Even though I felt that skunk yesterday, I took a bath in it today and washed that smell off of me! Hit the Chagrin again today, and even though things are on the low/clear side, I did manage 6 hook-ups and 4 landed. Man that feels good! The first 2 fish were small bright skippers that hit without moving my indicator at all!

The third and 4th were alot bigger and put up a great fight, but then were released to fight again. When I headed out this morning, there was frost everywhere, and a little edge ice on the Chagrin. If we don't get some rain and a lot of it soon, we may be in for some trouble if it stays this cold in the am!

The Chagrin is very low and gin clear. The tannic stain from the other day is gone and nothing but clear visibility. Do your rain dance and lets get things moving around here again! I won't head back out until the rain shows up! Stay safe out there and thank you to all who have become a Fan of Steelheadquarters on facebook. Great new stuff is coming your way!

Fish On!

Finding Old Video: A look at what my then 5 year old had to say about 911

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:57:00 +0000

After the 911 tragedy in 2001 I was watching the news like everyone else and my son walked into my office and said to me: "Daddy, why did all those people have to die?" What do you say to a 5 year old? So I explained the best that I could about helping those people who got hurt and he sprang up and into action! He said he wanted to help make a video for people to help donate to the Red Cross. It was so touching that I thought I lost this clip but now I have found it and want to share it here;

It makes me Proud to be American!

Then about a week later he saw the President on TV and said to me: "Dad, here's my dollar to help those children in Afghanistan! Hey let's make a movie like the last one for the Fighter Fighters in NY!" So I turned on my web cam and he said this! Wow, they sure don't stay young forever!

God Bless America and our Veterans

Fall Fishing Northeast Ohio Photo Montage!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:11:00 +0000

Another Fun Filled Day on Steelhead Alley!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:07:00 +0000

One Fish, ORVIS Store with SAO, then out with good friends at Bogey’s Comedy Club. Pretty much a rewarding day I would say. When I arrived at my location at 7:30 am it was looking to be a long slow day. Low and clear water, was what I was faced with along with that nice tea stain from all the leaves! Weather was beautiful with lot’s of sunshine and other guy’s out fishing, but other than that, it was a great day to be out, and the water temp was about 48 degrees.

My first few drifts at a favorite spot produced nothing for me, and after a couple more casts I changed the flies (my point and dropper), and made a few other small adjustments (removed the lead), and then I did it all over again with a Senyo bead head woolly bugger. After a little walking and scouting, I soon found a perfect little narrow piece of water that had a nice deep cut along the shale ledge, and so I started making passes right away, knowing Steelhead will hang along the ledge. Several more drifts and nothing again, so then I switched to a larger sculpin pattern from SAO and on my first pass with the new fly, just at the beginning of my first swing, and BAM! Fish On! Nice fat hen brought to hand. When I looked at my watch it was 10:15am and that was enough work and play, and a hell of a fix for an old Chrome addict like me so I called it a day!

Getting home I had to do the normal list of mundane "Honey Do’s" and today’s was (leaf duty) then it was off to the New ORVIS Store for another Photo opportunity, this time however I did not bring my credit card or cash, because I had no intentions of buying more stuff (yeah right), I was there strictly with Greg Senyo of Steelhead Alley Outfitters and Patrick Robinson doing a nice little Steelhead Alley presentation for those attending. This was another fine event to showcase Ohio’s only ORVIS Endorsed Guide, Steelhead Alley Outfitters, and the 2008 Fly Tier of the Year recipient Greg Senyo.

These guys are the real deal folks, not just on the water but off the water as well! They are the kind of guy’s you would gladly welcome into your home on any occasion, and I’m proud to be associated with them both as an angler, and on the web. They put on a great SlideShow and demonstration featuring the many opportunities of huge fish their clients and guides are catching! Gear selection while fishing Fall and Winter on Ohio’s tributaries, awesome fly patterns and selections, plus a host of other valuable information for any new or experienced angler. I can honestly say that anyone attending these Seminars will walk away from that experience a better Steelheader, not only from the information you can glean from speaking with them personally, but also see and maybe get some of the Hottest fly patterns around! See my SAO FLY Review here>

After what I considered to be a successful day on and off the water, my wife surprised me with another offer of a date for 8pm that evening. Of course I gladly accepted, (like I had any say in the matter), and soon we were off with friends to Bogey’s Comedy Club in Willoughby Hills. Being the Steelhead comic that I am here on and off the Alley, of course I was looking forward to a nice cold one, some great company, and of course a good laugh or two sounded like the perfect ending to a productive day.

Well my friends I had a good day on Saturday, and I hope you did as good if not better than me! Even though the water conditions are extremely low and clear, there are fish to be caught. Just remember to cover as much water as you can, switch up patterns and sizes, and make some changes to your presentation and who knows, maybe you’ll be able to keep that stink off your back side on your next outing. We really need rain for a fresh push of fish and until then, stay safe out there and as always,

Fish On! ><)))’>

Chagrin River ORVIS Store! The Only Shop on the Chagrin River for Steelhead Gear!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:21:00 +0000

ORVIS on the Chagrin! There is a God after all!

Candy little fishy?

Drooling like Homer here! DOH!

This is where I started losing it!

ORVIS Waders and Boots!

Starting to part with Ben!

This Store has it all!

View from the back!

Looking back and waving goodbye!

Jim Lampros w/Rainbow!

I don’t have to tell you about ORVIS. If you’re an avid fly fisherman like myself then you know the name. Feeling a bit down like the flow on the Chagrin River, I decided to swing by the new ORVIS store right here in Northeast Ohio! Why on earth would you shop at some other outfitter on the Chagrin, when ORVIS is located just a stones throw away? Unless you like paying some other guy his markup and overhead, go for it! As for me and my friends, we’ll gladly pay ORVIS directly, and get some of the sweetest flies on the planet!

As soon as I pulled into the parking lot along Chagrin Blvd. I knew it was going to be a madhouse! Well I was right! I almost had to park across the street, but after a few minutes I finally got a spot then headed into my demise.

Everything was hectic to say the least, people all over and a big long line at the register! Wow! I knew I was in for a treat, and there it was right in front of me! A beautiful wall mural of a brown trout slipping below the surface, and the rods! Like Homer Simpson, I started to drool and mumble unintelligible musings looking around at all the "Candy" that lay before me, and I want more! Any angler could really do some damage in there, damage to the right rear pocket that is! While browsing, I was fortunate enough to meet the new Fishing Manager there Jim Lampros.

Jim seems like a great guy, and from what I hear, a pretty good fly angler as well. Born and raised on the East side of Cleveland, Jim has extensive experience fishing "Steelhead Alley" and even started his own curriculum of "Beginning Fly Fishing" at the Miami University of Ohio, plus he led outdoor fishing excursions for the Universities Outdoor Pursuit Center. Kudo’s to you Jim, all that experience from WorldCast Anglers in Idaho, and also a graduate of The Western Rivers Professional Guide School! Very nice credentials indeed, but we still need to hit the Chagrin and wet a line together. Congratulations on your new Managerial Position at ORVIS and I sincerely wish you all the best!

The new store was everything you can rely upon and expect from Orvis, quality on every level, with a pleasant staff of friendly people ready to assist you at all times. They have just about everything else a Fly Angler needs for fishing, and some very experienced angling employee’s like Jim Lampros and Blair Cameron to guide you, why go anywhere else! There is no place else, I would spend my money. It’s the only Shop I would recommend on the Chagrin River, that’s just the way it is!

I had a small window of opportunity to see how the Chagrin looked, after losing some weight at ORVIS, and it is low and clear. The Grand is dropping as well, but the good news is, there are fish to be caught! I snapped a few pic’s of my excursion to ORVIS, and the Grand so enjoy! I’ll be on the water this week-end with my new friend and the editor of KYPE Magazine George Douglas! Tight lines to all, and remember to always Fish On!

BIG BEAT 2009 Part 2

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:36:00 +0000

Hank Hess was on hand to help Rock the Beat!
Hank Hess and Indians Drummer John Adams!

Hank Hess Playing around!

Billy Coakley Video

My last post regarding this event was quick and put together in about 5 minutes, and the reason for it being a multi part post. No it’s not always about fishing here on SteelHQ, this is my blog and I call it as I see it! Family first, fishing second, community third, like it or leave it!

This event again was sponsored by Stebal Drums in Willowick Ohio, and I don’t mean to reiterate some of my previous rhetoric, but this is more of a fill in with a few more photo’s and all the other groovy details for all you kids, parents, and anglers out there interested in music.

First of all, this was a charitable event co-sponsored by the Mr. Hollands Opus Foundation ( http://mhopus.org/ ) to help raise money and buy drums for our local schools, to replace funds that have been affected by government cuts, and bureaucratic red tape, otherwise known by you and me, as bullshit! This goal to attempt to break a world record for drummers is in my mind, a fantastic idea! With the sole purpose to keep music education a part of our children's education, and to keep music in their lives! Music does make kids smarter, it teaches them the beauty of commitment, rewards, inspires and enriches their lives forever! We’ve all heard of that saying; "Music makes the world go round!" It is after all a Global language!

Last year Stebal Drums raised $4,700.00 dollars which was used to purchase a complete Marching set of percussion instruments for Cleveland’s All-City Arts Drumline Program, and this year they showed up with those drums to demonstrate their appreciation! Very cool indeed, and I’m proud to have been a part of that with my son. More about this later, when I edit the HD video!

Fish On

Laguna Station Holds 1st Annual Steelhead Contest in Mentor Ohio!

steelhq@aol.com (Steelheadquarters) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:29:00 +0000

1st Annual Steelhead Contest! Laguna Station in Mentor!
Good selection of rods and reels and more!

Tie your own spawn sacks? John has plenty Of material here!

Need Jigs? Laguna has them in every size and style!

Live Bait, snacks, and fishing gear?

My friend John! I know you said no pictures! :)

My longtime friend John Bucks over at Laguna Station (formerly The Minnow Bucket) gave me a shout about his New Steelhead Contest he's hosting this season, since Grand River Bait and Tackle, has not sponsored their Steelhead Tournament this year, and so John decided to start this Annual event for Steelheaders all across Northeast Ohio.

John has been a staple of the Mentor Community for a long time, and his new location across from the Mentor Lagoons has served anglers and boaters for many years. He has a small Deli with beer and wine, snacks, and fresh produce, along with many other items you will find handy for an enjoyable day on the water.

The contest is pretty much the same as Most Area Tournaments;

$15.00 entry fee, contest runs October 23rd to March 31st. 2010 and the TOP 10 Fish are awarded 100% payout! Anything over 28" inches to qualify and the point system is; 16 points per inch, and 10 points per pound.

Full Rules and Entry forms are available at Laguna Station. For those not familiar with Mentor, it's right on the corner of Lakeshore Blvd. and Hopkins Rd. (Or across from Mentor Lagoons)

8320 Lakeshore Blvd. Mentor, Ohio 44060 440-257-7046

The Chagrin is dropping very fast and most fish have really spread out since this last bit of rain last Friday! I will be out in the next few days to see what's what, and to wet a line since I have that urge to get hooked up with a chrome fix! I'm a Steelhead junkie, and I know it! Nothing better than a Silver Bullet on the end of my line, coursing through my veins and into my heart! I can almost feel the russssshhhhZZZZZZZZzzzzzz

Stay safe out there and remember to Fish On!