Are you guys smoking crack or something? There are no steelhead in Loyalhanna Lake, period.

Those are rainbows that either came down from above Latrobe, or came from Keystone Lake via Keystone Run and into the Loyalhanna. I've found that once they hold over for about a year or so in the lower end they tend to turn bright silver in color.

I figure their diet might consist of more baitfish than anything in the lower end/lake, and that could play a role in the coloring. Weird part is the Tiger trout in that area tend to be VERY bright silver also... which points back to my assumption on their diet playing a role.

In conclusion, all you caught were hold over rainbows that took up residence in Loyalhanna Lake. I've caught plenty of hold overs like that from Latrobe down over the years fishing for bass with spinner baits/top waters.

ORIGINAL: jimhalupka

^ lol, who the smoke are you?

I'm a friend, family member, lover, and fiherman extraordinaire! In this case though I'm the guy who's actually interested in this post, and interested in everything about the fish I catch. Their colors, their environment, their origin, and their lives. I don't give a hoot whether they are steelhead, but I do give a hoot about why these are silvered trout. Excuse the interest...

I'm also the guy who sees an awful lot of smugness of these boards. It's kinda sad that I got a handful of PMs telling me to forget about this site after I recieved worthless info on my first thread about Erie steelheadin. Then to see all these people post smart comments, and deem other peoples posts unworthy. It's irritating. When you're in the middle of a stream and a guy who ran outta hooks comes up and asks if you can spare any, do you reach into your pocket and hand him a bottle cap and crumpled up receipt? No, because that's worthless... I guess maybe that's what some people would do...

Most importantly, you can always count on me to be a jack@$$. I'll meet you at the boat launch, Loomis.

.

ORIGINAL: wrighter00


I'm also the guy who sees an awful lot of smugness of these boards. It's kinda sad that I got a handful of PMs telling me to forget about this site after I recieved worthless info on my first thread about Erie steelheadin. Then to see all these people post smart comments, and deem other peoples posts unworthy.

Most importantly, you can always count on me to be a jack@$$. I'll meet you at the boat launch, Loomis.

1) nice hero shot avatar.  very impressive.

2) if you think you're getting worthless info from this site, the logical thing to do would be to leave and never come back.  no?

3) a person that thinks there are steelhead in loyalhanna, and a person that demands someone "meet them at the boat launch", is an idiot.

Are you guys smoking crack or something? There are no steelhead in Loyalhanna Lake, period.

Those are rainbows that either came down from above Latrobe, or came from Keystone Lake via Keystone Run and into the Loyalhanna. I've found that once they hold over for about a year or so in the lower end they tend to turn bright silver in color.

I figure their diet might consist of more baitfish than anything in the lower end/lake, and that could play a role in the coloring. Weird part is the Tiger trout in that area tend to be VERY bright silver also... which points back to my assumption on their diet playing a role.

In conclusion, all you caught were hold over rainbows that took up residence in Loyalhanna Lake. I've caught plenty of hold overs like that from Latrobe down over the years fishing for bass with spinner baits/top waters.

Exactly right, dude...  Tim and I have personally caught a number of stocked trout down through Latrobe, including some very nice sized Tiger Trout.  You would be surprised what a trout can tolerate.  There have also been trout caught below where they stock at yellow creek on route 954, and even many miles further downstream where it meets up with black lick creek.....believe it or not, I have caught Trout there....If you have ever seen that, you would know exactly what I'm talking about, its JUNK.  I have also caught numerous trout at Loyalhanna shore fishing and fishing in a boat.  Trout definitely can move many miles in one day, it wouldn't take long for a trout stocked at Kingston to make it to the Lake....

 

i believe you loomis!! i have also caught trout in the same area, another of my favs is right below 422 a goodways, that is a very nice stretch that no one believes holds trout.

Tim

Having re-read my post I have to admit it is poorly wrtten in parts and left out a few details. I was being sarcastic about trout re-producing in Loyahanna Lake. Should have followed that last sentence with a wink. Admittingly, I have NOT fished Loyahanna Creek below Latrobe for about 12 or 13 years now. Me and my dad used to fish the section near Keystone State Park for bass, but we would always stop at the mouth of Crabtree Creek because Loyahanna Creek turned solid orange from that point looking downstream. Maybe things have changed since then. Hopefully it is not as bad as it used to be. That was the "deadzone" I was refering to. As for below Keystone Lake, I have seen trout caught directly below the dam before in that hole below the waterfall, but I have never seen anything below there. If you have, then I certainly believe you. The only section I really fish on Loyahanna at the present time is the DHALO section in Ligioner.

How far up are the steelheads?

what size fly rod would be appropriate for steelies in this lake? 

i've seen more steelhead in the wash from the kingston dam than at trout run with a lot less people fishin for them. you should see the run in november when the water gets high, you can stand on the roadway behind sleepy hollow and catch 'em with your hands

"Steelhead and other deepwater, big-lake rainbows are more silvery than stream fish, with less of a side stripe."
Steelhead are an anadromous strain of rainbow trout. That is, they spend most of there life in the ocean or in the Great Lakes and return to tributary streams to spawn.
Rainbow trout are the landlocked form, so to speak, as they do not have a tendency to migrate from one body of water to another. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission plants steelhead rather than rainbow trout in the Lake Erie drainage. PA fish and boat.

Hence they are rainbow trout in a lake, not a steelhead strain.
They do not spend the majority of there life in a GREAT lake or the ocean, so therefor not a steelhead strain.
They probably don't even spawn, then alone return to the stream (HATCHERY) where they were born. Hence they are not a Steelhead strain

ORIGINAL: DJ2007
Hence they are rainbow trout in a lake, not a steelhead strain.

So they're Lake Trout?

They do not spend the majority of there life in a GREAT lake or the ocean, so therefor not a steelhead strain.

Idunno man, Loyalhanna Lake is pretty great.

They probably don't even spawn, then alone return to the stream (HATCHERY) where they were born. Hence they are not a Steelhead strain

Um....wow...

juSSt twOO thE stAWp sYNe dUUd. moWntIng mEn wANt tO keTCh deM aT deLaY haRVissT, neVr haPPn. yOOz bIg sPuuN tiP wyTh nYTekraWLr aNNd dRIe fLy adN yU wiL haMR dem. tRussT mE.

loYuLsNaGGa

it all makes sense to me.

Ligonier beach is awesome, tons of milfs and silicone there for a young man to Enjoy all summer long.  Def don't bring ur g/f with u.