Here is a report on my trip out west to visit daughter.The fishing out here is not even close to what it was 4+ years ago.Fish numbers are way down,people numbers are way up,and the streams that I fish (or sections of them) are much different than before.
It is apparent to me that the return of Steelhead on the Erie Penna. tribs is way down this year and has been declining the last 3-4 years.In the "old" days there were fish present everywhere through out the streams,now they are few and far between and the name of the game is a lot of walking or look to get into the honey holes and combat fish.I feel fortunate that I experienced the good years I did as they were great!
When I first visited the Erie tribs the week days were great as we used to fish some of the upper stretches and see very few other people.Now every day is a weekend with loads of people everywhere,I can only imagine what a weekend is like.
These streams change dramatically with every high water event.On this trip I visited several stretches of what was really great fishable water to find them totally different and the difference was not good.Where there were deep runs now they are shallow riffles,holes filled in,a couple of long sections of stream that were great stretches of water are now shallow featureless water.I guess when I come again I'll have to explore some new areas.
I caught a couple fish the three days I was out but it got to where that when I got up at 5AM Friday I almost said the heck with it the 100 mile drive is n't worth it,but I went anyway and nothing changed it was still disappointing.Now that the weather is cold and lake affect snow is in the forecast I'm folding it up for the coming week and staying close to the fire,it's not worth the drive anymore.

Thanks for the Update and good to hear from you.. Bummer about the changed conditions but I'm sure playing the rod a little helped..
It gets tough for myself as well to take the 186mile plunge these days but also glad to see the pic's from folks that make the treks ..
My favorite ice (sorry) waters are about 100-150 mile run and it seems easier to do even though at times requires much more work but it's a total 180 from open water for me..
 
Enjoy the time with family, the Thanks of Giving next week and the warmth of the fire..
See ya in the Fall, unless you get frisky :)

It's 500 miles for me to get to the SR...I will continue to go, fishing pressure be darned....I won't fish Erie anymore though it's much closer.  Fishing crowds help the local economy, it's why this whole thing exists.
 

hot tuna
Thanks for the Update and good to hear from you.. Bummer about the changed conditions but I'm sure playing the rod a little helped..
It gets tough for myself as well to take the 186mile plunge these days but also glad to see the pic's from folks that make the treks ..
My favorite ice (sorry) waters are about 100-150 mile run and it seems easier to do even though at times requires much more work but it's a total 180 from open water for me..
 
Enjoy the time with family, the Thanks of Giving next week and the warmth of the fire..
See ya in the Fall, unless you get frisky :)

Hey Rich if we get a warm spell in December maybe we can get together on the SR.If there's no ice the Steel could be frisky.Then there's always April

Nothing stays the same. Sorry to hear about more fisheries that have declined. Still fish, but lots of annoyance and  doing a dance to get around the crowds.  I saw some videos lately. Three deep on small waters. Pass, for me.

Well that sucks. Sorry to hear , enjoy time with the family and the up coming holiday. 
 
20 + years ago when I first started fishing the SR ,  fishing was really slow and tough, many trips were no fish trips , but there were no people either. 
I would take those days back in a heart beat . 
 
I am curious why the fishing interest  has grown so much over the years , where other outdoors   activities have dropped way off ? For example hunting and camping in my area are way down , but go by the cape cod canal  on any giving day and it is combat fishing all season long. , even cape cod bay is overcrowded with fishing boats everywhere. 
 

Kinda think there is an ebb and flow to Steelhead fishing and the resulting numbers of folks who follow it. Think it seems to follow fish populations and the amount of time each up or down swing takes for many to perceive it and react through participation.
 Have fished Spring Steel- for example- on the SR and its tribs for about 30 years.
    In the beginning of my time  there were many fish- and some large ones too-few Spring fishermen. Ya could walk from Tressel all the way down to the bridge on a  Spring day and only see a couple of other guys and a very few boats. In short order many fishermen ( not by todays standards) seemed to show up. When the bottom kinda fell out of the fish numbers it took a season or two but the participation numbers fell too.
 A few upriver favored May spots were mine alone for a long time- now that fish numbers and participation have come back those places are fulla 0'dark 30 guys and now I avoid them.
 In the 'slow time' commonly fished feeders a lot and had active fish regularly- now they are slashed and burned and avoided  too. Guys are often berated now for fishing those small places because of lousy methodology by many..
 Almost wish for a decrease in fish so as to clear the river of competition for a while  lol.
 Anyplace that gets well advertised with fish numbers and angler success will have the resulting pressure. Could be Bluefish ,Stripers or any species in a particular place-advertise success and 'they' will come.
 Yes the Web has some culpability but have ya ever heard the clerk at your local Tackle shop tell somebody the fishing is lousy ???
 Everyone wants the same fun we have -its not the same but--- hard  to complain.
    When I first started in April someplace in the early to mid 80s some old timer- who likely didnt appreciate a newbie in 'his waters' came over and gave me some tips- the cycle continues--as always- we were all the new guys showing up  at a favored  place at some point in time. 

You're correct on the ebb and flow,my fishing buddy and I were planning a trip to Erie second week of Dec. but decided to scratch it as what I saw does n't warrant the 6.5 hr drive,motel costs,etc.I talked to a few guys while fishing and it turns out most of them were relative newcomers,5 yrs. or less.So these guys were not around 10 yrs ago when it was a Steelhead fantasyland and if the numbers of fish stay at these levels I'm sure many will quit making the trip.
Maybe it will turn again but I doubt it will ever be what I experienced when it was fantastic!

Yes by all means, please stay home everyone, I'll be upere and it will be worth it for me!

Yes if I lived a lot closer I would certainly be chasing Steel there too,there's still fish there but not as many but way too many people for those little ditches.Like I said it'll change but in the meantime those that live far will lose interest.