reesefisher33
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WINTER RUN STEALHEAD
I HAVE BEEN FISHING STEALHEAD ABOUT 6 YEARS NOW AND EVERY YEAR I HERE ABOUT THE WINTER RUN STEALHEADS AND THE BIG MALES COMING IN. ONE GUY TOLD ME THAT RIGHT BEFORE THE ICE HITS THE SHORES THE BIG RUN OF MALES HITS ERIE TRIBS. WHAT IS THE TRUTH BEHIND THIS?? HE HAS PICS OF REALLY NICE MALES AND FRESH FROM JANUARY 1 2007. PLEASE WOULD LIKE SOME INFO.
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mikeg
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RE: WINTER RUN STEALHEAD
2008/12/18 13:15:56
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First off....welcome to the forum. You may want to turn off your caps lock. It seams like you're yelling at everybody!  To answer your question... PA steelhead don't really have a "run"! FIsh come in all year long until the ice blocks them! Most fish are in the creeks by Decemeber. However, a lot of smaller (first year) year move in during the winter and into spring! Hope this helps!
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joebaker79
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RE: WINTER RUN STEALHEAD
2008/12/18 13:31:36
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I have caught large males and females in January and February near the mouths. Not sure if it's by chance or if there is some truth behind large fish just coming in for the first time in the winter. My largest fish to date was around 14 lbs and came on Jan. 5 2005, or maybe 2006 can't remember. My longest fish ever was a 33" female in late December. She was only around 10 lbs, real thin fish for the length.
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genieman77
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RE: WINTER RUN STEALHEAD
2008/12/18 13:35:18
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to expand on what Mike said
the over whelming majority of Pa steelies are in by early Nov.
I've noticed in years past that a small "winter" run , usually happens about this time of year.
However, it's NOT a "major" run of fresh chromers like in the Fall.
You'll catch 10 old ones to one fresh
So what that duud told is "partly" true.
A few fresh ones enter, bit not a "big" run compared to the Fall runs
It might seem like though if you happen to be on a pod of fresh dumb fish
..L.T.A.
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reesefisher33
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RE: WINTER RUN STEALHEAD
2008/12/18 13:43:25
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thanks guys, I thought the same but I here a lot of stuff never know whats true, my winter steelhead trips have been great so far with nice fish but never a lot of fresh fish.
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wishfishin
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RE: WINTER RUN STEALHEAD
2008/12/18 14:02:32
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I heard someone say that one reason so many bigger fish are caught late in the year is the drop in water temps and corresponding sluggish metabolisms. It's not that big fsih aren't present earlier in the year--it's just that on average, fewer will actually be landed. That makes a lot of sense to me.
On the other hand, I think the heaviest fish of all tend to be pre-spawn females just before they drop their eggs.
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egg sac
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RE: WINTER RUN STEALHEAD
2008/12/18 14:17:16
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ORIGINAL: wishfishin
I heard someone say that one reason so many bigger fish are caught late in the year is the drop in water temps and corresponding sluggish metabolisms. It's not that big fsih aren't present earlier in the year--it's just that on average, fewer will actually be landed. That makes a lot of sense to me.
On the other hand, I think the heaviest fish of all tend to be pre-spawn females just before they drop their eggs.
Under most circumstances I would agree with the prespawn femmales being the heavyest.But the 3 largest Steelhead ever landed in Pa were all males The 20 lb state record..the 20 lber from 6 mile creek and the 19 1/2 lber from elk creek. The females do look alot plumper then the males and get extra weight from the eggs they carry. But the males have way more meet on them for the same lenght and girth making them quite a bit heavyier when fresh from the lake. The males do however drop weight at a fast rate when in the stream as they are way more active then the females are. Most of your largest Steelhead seem to stay lower on the streams.Niot sure why but most of the 13 lb plus seem to always get caught in the lower ends of the streams. Granted a few will go way up the streams it just seems the bigger percentage of real hogs stay down low...
post edited by egg sac - 2008/12/18 14:22:18
SO MANY FISH SO LITTLE TIME. WHY ARE ALL THE PLACES I HAVE YET 2 FISH SO FAR AWAY?
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glen
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RE: WINTER RUN STEALHEAD
2008/12/18 15:32:23
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ORIGINAL: egg sac
ORIGINAL: wishfishin
I heard someone say that one reason so many bigger fish are caught late in the year is the drop in water temps and corresponding sluggish metabolisms. It's not that big fsih aren't present earlier in the year--it's just that on average, fewer will actually be landed. That makes a lot of sense to me.
On the other hand, I think the heaviest fish of all tend to be pre-spawn females just before they drop their eggs.
Under most circumstances I would agree with the prespawn femmales being the heavyest.But the 3 largest Steelhead ever landed in Pa were all males The 20 lb state record..the 20 lber from 6 mile creek and the 19 1/2 lber from elk creek. The females do look alot plumper then the males and get extra weight from the eggs they carry. But the males have way more meet on them for the same lenght and girth making them quite a bit heavyier when fresh from the lake. The males do however drop weight at a fast rate when in the stream as they are way more active then the females are.
Most of your largest Steelhead seem to stay lower on the streams.Niot sure why but most of the 13 lb plus seem to always get caught in the lower ends of the streams. Granted a few will go way up the streams it just seems the bigger percentage of real hogs stay down low...
THE 4 LARGEST I'VE CAUGHT WERE MALES WITH LENGTH AND GIRTH. THEY WERE CAUGHT IN OCT. AND NOVEMBER. IT'S WINTER NOW AND I'VE FISHED THE LAST TWO WEEKS WITHOUT SEEING MANY SILVER FISH. FISHED MOST OF JAN THE LAST 2 YEARS AND IT WAS MOSTLY OLD FISH.[I FISHED NEAR THE LAKE] GLEN
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dano
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RE: WINTER RUN STEALHEAD
2008/12/18 18:29:07
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ORIGINAL: egg sac
Most of your largest Steelhead seem to stay lower on the streams.Niot sure why but most of the 13 lb plus seem to always get caught in the lower ends of the streams. Granted a few will go way up the streams it just seems the bigger percentage of real hogs stay down low...
I've noticed the same thing, Tom. I've heard many arguments to why that is. But the one theory that makes sense to me to is the fact that: Larger steelhead are aggressive by nature. They got big by being aggressive feeders. Aggressive steelhead are the easiest to hook. So once they enter the stream, they get caught rather quickly.
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Kokanee Killer
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RE: WINTER RUN STEALHEAD
2008/12/18 18:31:20
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Hey egg maybe the big hogs are just way too fat and lazy too swim way up lol lol i agree but i will say i think the hens fight harder just my opinion
I have become comfortably numb
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whatsajob614 
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RE: WINTER RUN STEALHEAD
2008/12/19 09:59:40
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I agree with Wish. I almost guarantee that we all have hooked into something that just ripped the line off immediately. I think some of those have to be monsters early in the season that just flat out have too much fight in them to land. A lot of them are landed in the colder temps because of their sluggishness. Only an opinion, but obviously at least one other person here shares it.
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Panfisher
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RE: WINTER RUN STEALHEAD
2008/12/19 12:18:52
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"I think some of those have to be monsters early in the season that just flat out have too much fight in them to land. A lot of them are landed in the colder temps because of their sluggishness. Only an opinion, but obviously at least one other person here shares it."
That said then some of the fish I hooked in Oct were "hogs" cause they broke me off like I was using sewing thread. I never had a chance.
The only thing better than 1 day of fishing is 2 days of fishing.
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