"Folks, like Grendel, Joebaker, and Skip, must remember fishermen lining 12 mile from the mouth all the way to the tunnel. Same thing with 4 mile, from the mouth to the dam."
 
I do remember those days pete, but I have to be honest with you on something: i am not convinced that the lower numbers of fish on the eastside, or westside is such a bad thing.  As I have gained experience in life (with the help of a wise woman and an 8 yr. old), I learned that the challenge of things is what makes the value of it.  If it comes too easy or in copious amounts, how can that be special or rewarding?  I can recall fishing 7-mile all day long (only seeing maybe 1 or 2 other anglers) at the Aquarium hole.  Yeah, at first it is cool; all those fish and easy to catch.  But after awhile, I asked myself, "Is this really fishing."  Towards my final days in Erie, I would go fishing stop after catching 3 (mostly releasing them at that point - but always loved to keep em for smokin').  I think it would be a good thing for the sport if the numbers went down some more.  From what I have been reading and hearing from friends up there, it is still too easy to catch a limit. I have not been up to fish for steel in 2 years - quite honestly I do not miss it at all.

my opinion is a dying lake erie aka dead zones
no oxygen
no life
no steelheds

yes it exists






That may be true...but can u give us a bit of proof? Beyond just saying "it exists."

Seriously?  I guess in a society that leans towards the "give me more" side of the spectrum, there is a problem.  I am willing to bet it has nothing to do with fish neither. 

If I'm seeing 20 fish go by on stringers, I'm going to ask what they were caught on...WF

ORIGINAL: camemup

ORIGINAL: FiveMilePete

Wow, I never thought of that. Thanks a bunch. I'll have to try that. I haven't caught one steelhead this year yet.

no offense pete, but you're not that impressive.

Never said I was. But I'm not a beginner like you implied.

ORIGINAL: World Famous

If I'm seeing 20 fish go by on stringers, I'm going to ask what they were caught on...WF

I did once. The gruff reply was "Don't you worry bout what we caught them on." Found out later from a young guy who lived on the creek and was watching them, it was 1 ounce spoons under large floats.

And Spoon, nobody said there's no fish, just less fish. Much less on the east side, and never even mentioned 20 mile.

Bottom Line - There may not be the fish numbers that were present in the mid 90's to early 2000's, but if someone cant find enough fish in the erie tribs to warrant a worthwhile outing, the expectation level is WAY to high.

I haven't been up to steelie fish in quite a few years. There was a lot of fish to be caught. Maybe with the HYPE from the web,TV,News papers how the steel-head fishery in ERIE IS world class!! Not sure how many they stock now as compared to then,But I am sure that the numbers fishermen has more than likely doubled or tripled since last i was there. Maybe this is the problem ( large amount of fishermen with roughly the same amount of fish being stock and taken )

When glen, plumbob and slick grace Erie waters, they ARE world class.

+ 1,000,000,000
 

This is so true - and it all will come to an inevitable conclusion as well.

ORIGINAL: campbell8272

Seems to me like alot of the guys complaining about the old days are spoiled little kids. Just be happy you have a place where you can catch a 30" fish in knee deep water. Not many places around like that. Around my parts(western ny) its hard to find a stream without a nice oil film floating on top of the water. If you can manage to catch one fish over 12", you consider your day a success. Just be happy for what you have and quit crying because you cant stick your hand in a barrel and come out with a fish everytime

I don't think anyone's really crying or complaining. Just disagreeing with the folks that are saying, oh hell, the numbers are the same as they've always been. And when the numbers are decreased and the number of fishermen are quadrupled, it's getting harder and harder to find a spot to fish where you're not rubbing elbows with a neighbor, especially on the east side. I hardly ever fish weekends anymore, and I can usually find somewhere to fish that's not a circus. I've gotten a NY license the last few years, too. Like I said before, and Capt. Hook said, sure we were spoiled. But don't tell us nothing has changed.

Amen.

The huge numbers of the "good ole" days, that you pine for are the REASON for this.

" it's getting harder and harder to find a spot to fish where you're not rubbing elbows with a neighbor, especially on the east side."

If you would have had HALF the number of fish all along. You would have been happy then, and just as happy today.

I read the original post , nothing more of this thread and all I have to say is that I am having no trouble finding and catching steelhead.

That Is All .........

With the exception of the Catt., the NY Erie tribs are just as small as the PA tribs. Lake Ontario has the Salmon river, which I used to fish years ago and consider it to be bigger water suitable for 2 handed swinging and the lower Niagara which is about as big as it gets. Grew up in Lewiston on the lower Niagara. Back then it was crammed full of silver bass, which were a lot of fun for kids to catch, but no trout or salmon.