I have never used a fly rod, nor have I ever targeted steelhead. I'm pretty sure we have them down in Lake Ontario. I keep pretty busy on Pickeral, Pike, Bass, and the odd Lake Trout.
Have caught Brown's, in the stock ponds around here. Up north in the small streams I used to fish a lot of Speckle Trout. Have yet to catch a speck down here.
I dig trout fishing though it's not as good here in CT as it is in NY, these are my best for the family, all in NY
Native Brook Trout 5.1lbs Ausable River Mepps dressed O bucktail
Rainbow Trout 17.8lbs Genesee River mouth w/ Lake Ontario Little Cleo
Steelhead 24.2 lbs Genesee River egg sac
Brown 27.4 lbs Lake Ontario trolling a nightcrawler
King Salmon 44.3 lbs mouth of Genesee River and Lake Ontario on the Summerville Pier egg sac
Landlocked Salmon 6.7lbs Mason Lake nightcrawler
Rockbass 2lbs Indian Lake
Largemouth Bass 7.4 lbs Sacandaga Reservoir
Smallmouth Bass 6.2lbs Mohawk River
Nothern Pike 36lbs Sacandaga Reservoir (Sunset Bay)
Walleye 14.2 lbs Mohawk River
Pickeral 5.2lbs Mayfield Lake
Bluegill 2lbs Mayfield Lake
Black Crappie 3.3lbs Sacandaga Reservoir
American Eel 6.4lbs Chucktanunga Creek
Tiger Muskie 27lbs Mayfield Lake
Bullhead 5lbs
I have hooked a few huge Lake Trout in Indian Lake Lee, never got one in, easily 40-50+lb fish. There is a dropoff that goes from about 8ft to 120+ ft down and there is some monsters there. Lake Ontario has them (they think in the 100lb range but they just have not been landed). Strongest damn fish next to a King Salmon without a doubt
Rockbass 2lbs Indian Lake
Largemouth Bass 7.4 lbs Sacandaga Reservoir
Smallmouth Bass 6.2lbs Mohawk River
Nothern Pike 36lbs Sacandaga Reservoir (Sunset Bay)
Walleye 14.2 lbs Mohawk River
Pickeral 5.2lbs Mayfield Lake
Bluegill 2lbs Mayfield Lake
Black Crappie 3.3lbs Sacandaga Reservoir
American Eel 6.4lbs Chucktanunga Creek
Tiger Muskie 27lbs Mayfield Lake
Bullhead 5lbs
I got a 30 lb lake trout on Lake Michigan along time ago. But it was like deep sea fishing more than just good Ol trolling or bank fishing. I've nvr done the fly thing. Should try it though
In Minnesota a few times I've caught a walleye trolling and had a Muskie or northern grab them . One time I pulled in a half of a walleye lol
3 years ago I lost a Muskie in buck lake about the size of that northern. He wouldn't fit in net. Had on 8lb test. Fought him got atleast a hour and he finally ran and bent the swivel open and he was gone!!
Here is a photo I scanned from when I caught my biggest fish. A 14 lb Pickeral, right from shore. Caught right behind me where the photo was taken. I was 19 in this pic.
Here is a photo I scanned from when I caught my biggest fish. A 14 lb Pickeral, right from shore. Caught right behind me where the photo was taken. I was 19 in this pic.
14lbs??? Typo??? That looks the same size as my 5lb'er
Jason, that Walleye was nice but where I fish at the foot of the Erie Canal Lock (I think #17???), they average 8-10lbs easy. Up on the Sacandaga, if you go RIGHT NOW and fish off the Sacandaga side of the bridge, you will catch 5-8lber's all day and maybe some bigger ones. They are still spawning right now. Been a longass time since I got to fish up there, last time was in my early 20s. You have to let them go but it's fun as hell catching them, I use a Rapala sinking minnow for them (3 inch). When they run up Redwing Creek, you can literally walk on them so I know what you mean about grabbing them by hand LOL. Salmon are like that in the Genesee River. Once they hit the Kodak Hawkeye Dam, they can't go any futher since it's about 80 ft up with no fish ladders