Hello and Help Please.

This place usually has all the info

POOR RICHARD'S BAIT & TACKLE   
6821 West Lake Road • Fairview, PA 16415 • Phone 814.474.5623

http://www.poorrichardserie.com/

ORIGINAL: beerman

Elk Creek and Walnut Creek are good starting points. In general the closest you are to the mouth
of each stream the more crowded it will be.
Most times after a major rainfall Elk is fishable in about 48 hours.
While most times Walnut will be ready after one day.

Checkout the gauge on Elk. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/uv?04213075

I am familiar with the guages for Michigan stream flow...what is considered a high, medium and low flow for the Elk?

Welcome to the boards.

Not sure if you have accessed these maps yet, but this will give you a great idea for starting points: http://www.fisherie.com/Maps.asp

Parking and access areas are well marked on the maps, and if you go to the PA Fish Commission website and follow the links for steelhead fishing, you can find even more detailed maps with public access and easements. All the info on starting points you could want is just a few clicks away.

If by starting points you mean you want someone to tell you where the motherlode of fish is located, that might be a little tougher. On Elk you'll find fish from top to bottom right now. You really can't go wrong anywhere on Elk. You might have to walk a little to find fish. Walnut might be a little different. Runs of fish on Upper Walnut the past few years have been been pretty poor. Not sure what this year is like though. You'll always find fish on Walnut near the lake though in the Project Waters.

Smaller streams can be hit or miss, depending on recent rainfall amounts and water levels. I think on some of the smaller ones, steelhead go back to the lake on low water. Some areas and holes can get hit hard and fished out. But if there's been recent high water, you'll probably find fresh fish.

Read through this thread to understand how to read the stream gauges in Erie: http://forums.fishusa.com/HELP!!!/m_437076/tm.htm

I'd target upper Elk in December.  Bring light line and small flies as you're more likely to find it low and clear than otherwise.  Used to fish the Clinton and PM when I lived in MI.  It's a way different game here.  You'll soon find out.  Hit me up, PM, a few days before and I can give ya a conditions outlook.

Do yourself a favor and skip Walnut, or just go there to watch if you need a laugh

Depends on what stretch and what creek you are fishin if you are going to be around any hunters. It's never a bad idea during hunting season to make yourself visible. I used to hunt the woods surrounding a golf course and most of your golfers there would wear orange or bright colors.
 
BH

Only time I fished on frst day I wore orange, a hunting license and a 629 44mag