RAIN RAIN RAIN...

Need more than rain, Brother
need more fish  than anglers
 
I'm not so sure that will happen .
 
most everyone thinks rain events trigger  major runs .
I don't think that holds true...but most do...and as a result, it  also triggers "major runs" of anglers
It's always hoards of anglers and mayhem after a  good rain
 
me personally, I've always enjoyed fishing low n clear conditions .
even though the bite is generally tougher
(with the occasional exception of happening to have just the right color, action or flavor they turn on to)
but in "general", low n clear is usually a tougher bite
 
Reason I like the low 'n clear?
Most anglers will wait for/prefer  better conditions ...so it's generally less crowed
second...you can closely observe  the fish and their  behavior.
  That allows one to adjust tactics and/or offerings til you get positive reactions ..no sense in continually tossing the same  junk  the same way over and over if not getting any positive reactions like looks or chases
 
don't be afraid to try crazy "out of the box" offerings either
I once put on a giant soft plastic bass bait and tossed into a pool of lethargic/uninterested   fish  I couldn't get a reaction from after an hour or more  of trying all the "normal" flies n stuff .
as soon as it the water, I had  fish chasing it
 
I've learned the most about steel by fishing low n clear...simply because it allows close observation of fish
I learned they can see surprising far upstream, as  I've observed fish from 30-40 ft immediately react as soon as my junk  hit the water and move up to chase/investigate and/or take my offering .
 
I've learned they might have eyes in the back of their head too...as I've observed similar in reverse  ...where they peeled from the pack to chase down stream  an offering that went by them..and was 25-30 feet behind them before they made a move 
 
 
Fishing low n clear has always been enjoyable to me
Even when/if the bite is slow ..(which is far more common than not for me)
 
..L.T.A.

I'm with you on the low clear fishing G man ,very challenging but you learn the secrets by watching fish in high spooked clear conditions. Always was my favorite time too.
Not only love seeing the strike, but get to watch how easy and quick fish spit back your offering for a miss ! You learn how to micro tune your fishing.
 
Catching these big Trout in these small ditches is fun but the bigger the river the more you really get to see the true power of fiery fighting Steelhead. Give that 10lb. Steelie a nice strong river current and 50 yard wide river and see how many double digit days you have !        

would you rather walk 25 miles in desert conditions or 25 miles in cooler more comfortable weather. I don't believe the whole rain triggers runs thing fully.. but **** does a cool rain feel good after a day of being in the summer sun.

Rain is "associated" with low pressure. Low pressure is associated with animal activity of some sort, But that window is small and if you can learn it and capatilize on it it is some of the best time you can spend on the water. So low pressure brings cooler temps, accumulation of sort, and brings their movements to a peak window.
So.. in my opinion rain, really is only a result of low pressure that is a necessity to ease over populated fishing areas.. if you had Erie tribs to your self with very little to no pressure year after year.. I think you will be finding your self not asking for rain as much!!

That being said the fish would be stacked up ( "stuck" )in the lower reaches and you'd most likely be able to go in there with any fly, live bait or lure and have a blast on un pressured, unmolested fish.. rain would be unwelcome if it wasn't for the over crowding thAt is Erie... it is needed to "spread" the fish that run not "trigger a run" to the lower reaches where they are trapped and the onslaught begins.

workcanwait....
 
 
Fish move better and hit better in high wateR

 
EE-YEP.
Better conditions makes more of them willing to bite
 
In prime conditions, it not uncommon to see fish being hooked up and down the creeks by all level (experienced and non) anglers
But when the water clears and one can actually count fish, more often than not, it's not due to mass waves  of new fish.
It's due mostly  to the fish  being less finicky
 
there are exceptions.
I recall some years ago (Fall '99 or 2000 maybe?)
we had two weeks of steady rain in late Sept/early Oct
Racoon got FULL of fish like I've never seen it
 
for the creeks with plenty water to enter (like Elk) been my observations over the years, they come in regardless of rain events in numbers great and small.
Til a a good rain, they simply continue to stack up down low.
with a heavy rain, then  most will skedaddle upstream
 
only a couple seasons I can recall where we had a wet Fall.
Those were the seasons the fish were truly spread out all Fall .
Many complained there weren't  many fish....that wasn't so...it was more due to them not being trapped in the  major holes.
There were pockets of 5-6 to 10-12 fish all over...you just couldn't see 'em and had to chuck your junk in "fishy looking" water to find them
 
'...L.T.A. 
 
 

CAPTAIN HOOK
 
 

 
 
 
 
First run on a popular creek a few years back. Actually not as easy as it looks !   

 
LOL....no doubt in my mind
when fish in a pool are facing lots of different directions ... figure you're gonna have to work the bag of tricks to make something happen
 
 
..L.T.A.

CAPTAIN HOOK
Remember the days when you walked the creeks and seen several holes like this and hardly anyone around !
 

 
yep...especially in low n gin clear/no flow conditions
 
more than a few times over the years I walked to the big hole down stream at Struesion to have the whole hole and hundreds of fish to myself
same for the old bridge abutment hole there
 
fished the Conrail tubes in Oct with hundreds of fish all to myself as well
On a weekday, it wasn't unusual for the tubes to get light pressure
 
 
yessir...spoiled indeed
 
..L.T.A.

I seen a school at the RR tubes one year that was just unbelievable ! It started at the end of the far left tube and went almost to the fast water tailout. Remember that was when that hole was like a small lake at least 4-5 ft. deep or more in the center ! If I say 3 to 4 hundred fish I would not be exaggerating. It use to be hard to wade out to the tubes back then. You had to go way up to the top of the hole and you just barely could make it out!
 
Use to be able to drive up there from RT.5 and park there.  
 
Fished in those tubes too long a few times and when you came out your eyes hurt from the sun ! LOL...
 
Seen lots of rod tips broke or damaged in there from guys swinging on fish and hitting the wall !
 

That run out below the tubes is so filled in and shallow as compared back then. Wish I took some pictures to show how it looked then.

CAPTAIN HOOK
I seen a school at the RR tubes one year that was just unbelievable ! It started at the end of the far left tube and went almost to the fast water tailout. Remember that was when that hole was like a small lake at least 4-5 ft. deep or more in the center ! If I say 3 to 4 hundred fish I would not be exaggerating. It use to be hard to wade out to the tubes back then. You had to go way up to the top of the hole and you just barely could make it out!
 
Use to be able to drive up there from RT.5 and park there.  
 
Fished in those tubes too long a few times and when you came out your eyes hurt from the sun ! LOL...
 
Seen lots of rod tips broke or damaged in there from guys swinging on fish and hitting the wall !
 

That run out below the tubes is so filled in and shallow as compared back then. Wish I took some pictures to show how it looked then.

Yes Hook, that was my go to spot for YEARS!  ill have to dig up some old pics.  Started fishing Erie about 1992.  I bet I caught a few 1000 fish out of that hole.   I am sure we fished that hole together many times...  95% of my trips started right there and finished there..  My best memory was a trip from Indiana that took us 6 hours instead of 2 because of the snow, had to change under the RR bridge at the top of the hill because of snow.  Close to 4 ft of fresh snow fell during 2-1/2 days and didn't see another person.  Squalls were so hard that we couldn't see each other fishing both sides of stream at times.. Couldn't even begin to guess how many fish we caught.  A bad crowd back then was 4-5 guys fishing during the week, now, its not even enjoyable to me now.   Spend most of my time in Michigan for salmon and steelhead in the fall..  Nothing better than catching Kings on crank baits!!!