4 Ways To Prep For Steelhead Season

Steelhead trips are right around the corner, and with each passing day we get closer to some of the most exciting fishing of the entire year!  Fall and winter mark the return of these great fish from Lake Erie as they enter the Pennsylvania tributaries for their yearly migration.  The action can be fast and furious and it's not uncommon to land several 26+ inch fish in a single morning!  Even though we're still a few months away from the peak of the run, it's time to start thinking about steelhead and what anglers need to do to get ready for the fast-approaching season!

​1.) Stock Up on Flies
It's no secret that steelhead love egg patterns in a variety of colors and sizes depending on the stream conditions.  Thanks to their large size and fighting prowess, break-offs are inevitable and it isn't out of the norm to lose a dozen or more flies in a given day on fish or snags.  Because of this, anglers need to be well stocked on all of their egg imitations and other nymphs.  There's nothing worse than finding the color and size that works that day only to run out of flies halfway through the morning.  Avoid that disappointment by starting to stock up now and have healthy numbers of all the top steelhead producers!

2.) Check Your Gear
Leader and tippet tends to go bad unless it's stored appropriately, and there are few things worse than hooking that first fish of the year and quickly losing it thanks to rotted line.  Take some time in August and September to check on gear from last year and be sure it is in top shape for the season to come.  It's easier to order a few things now in anticipation of the run rather than do it in the middle of the season!
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3.) Scout Some New Water
Many of us are guilty of falling into the trap of only fishing familiar water.  It could be a run or hole that produced fish in years past, or one that is holding fish that day, but either way scouting new sections of stream can yield fantastic results!  The tributaries change from year to year and new spots are formed while old ones are changed, so constantly scouting and knowing where the fish hold is crucial to success.

4.) Book a Guide Trip!
Our professional guides spend a ton of time on the Erie tribs and quickly get dialed in to where the fish are and what they're eating.  Going on a trip with Wildwood Outfitters can really flatten the learning curve of steelheading and get you on some of these great fish right away.  From mid-November through January we'll be on the streams nearly every day so booking early gives you a leg up on choosing prime dates.  lt's also the perfect situation for those who don't have their own gear since we provide it all!

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