Serving  all of "Steelhead Alley" in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York     Turkey Creek Oh, Conneaut Creek Oh, Grand River Oh, Chagrin River Oh,  Rocky River Oh,  Vermillion River Oh,  Twenty mile Creek Pa,  16 mile Creek Pa,  12 Mile Creek Pa,  7 Miile Creek  Pa,  Walnut Creek Pa,  Elk Creek Pa,  Crooked Creek Pa,  Racoon Creek Pa,   Cattaraugus Creek NY,   Zoar Valley south branch,  Clear Creek NY,   Canadaway Creek NY,  Silver Creek NY,  Chataqua Creek NY,                      WE GO WHERE THE FISH ARE....................... 

Home
River Reports
Meet The Guides
Reservation Form
Fly Shop
Best Time 2 Fish
Available Dates
prices and packages
lodging page
Garden River
Steelhead School
Preparation Tips
Ohio Steelhead Fishing
Winter Fishing
Fall Fishing
Western PA tribs
Cattaraugus Creek
NY Trophy Browns
NY Salmon River
Local Flyshops
Camping
stream_etiquette
bait_for_steelhead
extremesteelheading
megasteelhead
ohiosteelheader
fishthegarden
Online Photo Album
Spinning Tactic's
Steelhead Alley Links
for sale

Call 330-565-5457 

e-mail us at

dfishinfool@aol.com

Dfishinfool's fly shop click here

Western Steelhead alley Map

Google Map of Cleveland Ohio

Central Steelhead Alley Map

Google Map of  North East Ohio

Eastern Steelhead Alley Map

Look for this symbol

make sure your fishing with a Steelhead Alley Pro

Honesty is our number one priority at Steelheadschool.com  We want lifelong customers. We strive to exceed our guests expectations.  Our guarantee is simple. If your not 100% satisfied with anything we do contact us.  If we can't make it right. We will give you a full refund. No questions asked.

The original

"Steelhead School" 

 Since 2001

Nov 6th, 7th, and 8th 2009

Often imitated but never duplicated.  We have over 150 satisfied Graduates thru the years. It is a three day adventure into the world of fishing Steelhead Alley.  Our team of local steelhead pro's teach you everything you need to know to be a successful steelhead angler. It also includes a nine hour tour of the hot spots on the streams. We will cover, When to fish where, knots, rigging terminal tackle, leader construction, fly selection, reading water, fighting fish,  spin, fly, spey and cenerpinn techniques plus thee hours of hands on fly tying.  All you will need are an Ohio fishing license and a pair of chest high waders. . The weekend is value priced at $350 per angler and included in the price is two nights lodging. Contact Don at 330-565-5457 for more nfo.

 

Bill Rusinko at Realistics Taxidermy is the only one I will trust with my trophy fish,  He lives in Michigan's UP and he is an expert at correctly painting our great lakes species.

 

Blog's from the Alley's  Steelheader's

 

This link takes you to Greg Lum's blog.  Greg is a good friend of mine and an expert with the center pin.  He is on the river almost every day and his reports are funny but accurate.

 

Bob Williams blog is full of good info and stream reports.

 

Joe Montello is a local steelhead expert.   Check out his blog.

 

www.inthedrift.blogspot.com/

Mike Engelhardt's Blog is packed with great photography and stories of his adventures.

 

Ohio DNR Info

OH Fishing Report

Ohio Steelhead Fishing

Ohio Steelhead Info

 

 

The Best informational book on fishing "Steelhead Alley"

 

John Nagy has updated his great book on Lake Erie Steelhead fishing.

Tube flies are all the rage on the alley.  If your interested in tubes you gotta check out Tony DiBenedetto's web site tubeflytech.com

 

County Visitors Bureau's

Dfishinfool's Guide Service is a proud members of the Ashtabula County Convention and Visitors Bureau.  Their website lists local attractions, the areas fine wineries, hotels and other information on the area.

 

Our Team of Guides have the required permits to Guide on Lorain County Metro-Parks property. Lorain County is host to some beautiful well appointed parks.

 

Dfishinfool's Guide Service is a proud members of the Lake County Visitors Bureau

 

 

Helpful links on rigging your spinning outfit for Steelhead

We trust quality RedWing floats and terminal tackle on our guided trips

Here is a great link from Redwing Tackle on rigging up your Spin or Pin outfit

 

 

Team Member Guide Websites

DDon Mathews and Dfishinfool.com have been your Source for Steelhead Alley info since 1997

 

www.extremesteelheading.com

Jeff Novak's website.  Jeff travels the Great Lakes Guiding Anglers.

 

Guide and Commercial fly tier Mark DeFranks website. Mark will tie your custom flies.  From Trout to Tarpon their the place to call.

 

Guide Dick Keagy is a true OhioSteelheader check out his website

 

www.fishwithtrout.com

Guide Travis McAllisters website. 

 

 

Ben's Bait and Tackle Garden River Ontario

 

ATTN:  Clubs, Trout Unlimited Chapters, Sports Shops

We have put together a great Power Point Presentation on Fishing "steelhead Alley" its not just a bragging guide with a bunch of big fish pictures.  We have put together an informative lesson on steelheading.  It contains many tips we have learned in our 10 year history of Guiding Steelhead Alley.   The principals we show you can be applied to many other fisheries. We offer this presentation at a very reasonable cost of $100 plus our fuel expenses.  We have a high Definition Power Point projector all we need is a screen or blank wall and a group of fishermen.  Feel free to contact Don at 330-565-5457 to set up a date for your club meeting.

 

Area Fishing Clubs

Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders

Pennsylvania Steelhead Association

3 c u Trout Association

North West Pa Trout Unlimited

SONS of Lake Erie Club (save our native species)

Neshannock Trout Unlimited

Emerald Necklace Trout unlimited Cleveland OHF

Firelands Fly Fishers

North Branch Boys Fly Fishing Club Toledo Oh

North Coast Fly Fishers

Tri County Trout Club

 

Other Great Clubs

Buckeye United Fly Fishermen

Derby City Fly Fishers

Northern Kentucky Fly Fishers

Bluegrass Trout Unlimited

Louisville Trout Unlimited

 

"Steelhead Alley"

Steelhead Facts

All of our streams in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York hold fish during the winter months December- March 

MOST YEARS ALL OF OUR STREAMS FREEZE OVER IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY

New York Steelhead fishing is best in October thru December but most years the Cattaraugus Creek s the first stream to get a run of fish

Pennsylvania Steelhead fishing peaks in November and December but gets runs as early as September.  They are the most heavily stocked streams on "Steelhead Alley" and hold the most fish per square mile.

Ohio Steelhead fishing starts in October and lasts until early May.  Ohio streams are usually fish the best in the spring.

After Fishing

Biscotti Family Winery 440-593-5403

Buccia Vineyards 440-593-5976

Popular local winery..!!Debonne Vineyards 440-466-3485

Emerine Estates 440-293-8199

**Fool's Favorite Great food**  Ferrante Winery 440-466-8466

Fools wife's Favorite Grand River Cellars 440-298-9838

Harpersfield Vineyard 440-466-4739

Laurello Vineyard 440-415-0661

Markko Vineyard 440-593-3197

Great place..!!  Old Firehouse Winery 440-466-9300

** Great Wine live music **  Old Mill Winery 440-466-5560

  **  My Favorite wines **  South River Vineyard 440-466-6676

Tarsito Winery 440-224-2444

Lakehouse Winery 440-466-8668

Variant Family Winery 440-466-1314

 

Area Rental Homes

Conneaut

Orange Street Rentals in Conneaut Ohio rents out a nice home in a quite neighborhood minutes from Conneaut Creek. 440-593-4546

Painesville Area

Fairport Harbor Rental Home for very large Groups. 8 BR Sleeps 20.  Vey Nice views of lake 440-773-2741

Fairport Harbor Cottage Sleeps 6 with nice Lakefront views. 440-773-2741

 

Our Favorite Lake Erie Charter Boats

If you want to catch a bunch of Perch without spending a bundle.  Check out the Edward John head boat out of Erie Pa. Just $28 for adults..!! Call 814-883-7622

My Time Too Charters

Capt George Neil runs a 30' Baha out of Ashtabula Harbor  He will put you on the fish 330-637-0989

 

Capt Don  lives right on the water in Fairport Harbor.  His boat an gear are first class 216-337-1208

 

Capt Ray Clark runs out of Ashtabula Ohio in a 30' Baha Give him a call for some hog eyes and perch. 440-241-2214

 

Procaster Charters

Everybody tells me Capt Gary Raymond catches fish when no one else does 440-964-7594

 

Lake Ontario Charters

If your looking for some huge Lake Ontario Browns and Salmon I would call Capt Brian Edwards and Fatal Attraction Charters out of Sodus Bay in Fair Haven NY   315-754-8914

Guides We Recommend

If your ever fishing in central Kentucky look up are friends at Cumberland Drifters for a great float trip

 

If your looking for a guided trip on the Mighty Muskegon or the surrounding Michigan Streams give Chad Betts a call at 231-652-3189

John Valk runs Grindstone Angling .  They are located in South Central Ontario Canada. I have used John as a guide in the past.  He is pleasant and nice to fish with. I highly recommend John as your guide if you travel to the area.  Grindstone Angling also has a very nice flyshop.

 

A neat new concept in floats. 

Quality eggs straight from Alaska to your door

 

More great websites by local steelheaders

The Great Lakes Steelhead Chronicles: A Guide's Eye View of a World Class Fishery

The Great Lakes Steelhead Chronicles provides an overview of the developing Great Lakes steelhead fishery through the eyes of local outfitters and guides.

Topics include:

• The Lakes, Fish, and Rivers

• Fly Fishing Heritage

• Steelhead Culture

• Fishing Techniques and Flies

• Economic Value

• Environmental Issues

Featuring top Great Lakes area anglers Jerry Darkes, Kevin Feenstra, Rick Kustich, Bob Linsenman, Ray Schmidt

 

 

 

 

 

 

No B.S. Ohio fishing reports and Pennsylvania fishing reports compliments of licensed professional Steelhead fishing guide, Don Mathews and the team of guides at Steelheadschool.com

Here at Steelhead School our primary focus is on steelhead fishing on Steelhead Alley in Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.  During the summer months our team of guides keep on fishing and Guiding for Trout and Warm Water species.  I'll post some of their adventures here.  We will be back to steelhead fishing the Alley on October 1st.  If your into steelhead I invite you to check out our years of old report archives.

7-14-09 Ohio and Pennsylvania fishing report I spent the last few days camping out on Presque Isle in Erie Pennsylvania with the family.  I made it out a few times fishing Presque Isle Bay from the Kayaks with limited success.  We got a few decent largemouth and bluegill in Marina bay fishing deer hair poppers but the pike avoided us.  Warm water temps probably had them in deeper water.  We had planned on hitting the big lake on Saturday for smallmouth but severe thunderstorms and high winds meant the bay was the only game in town.  So we never got to use the boat.  Travis "Trout" McAllister and a buddy pulled a legal limit of 15" plus walleye from the Shenango River this week.  What's amazing is they caught them all in the mid afternoon on subsurface Caddis patterns. Yes I said Walleye on the fly rods..  Trout has also been hitting some HUGE carp on dry flies on  The Shenango River but the trout fishing hasn't been very good.   Good Fishin..!! Don

7-11-09 Ohio Fishing Report Update from Lake Erie  WOW what a day 120 perch in 50 minutes can it get any better than that? Perch are averaging 10" but most day its a mixed bag with lots of jumbo's. Perch fishing is on fire and the reports are the walleye are just beyond the perch.  We have been fishing for Smallies after were done perching BUT we haven't had much success ??  Been hitting all the normal hot spots around the mouths of  Raccoon, Crooked and Turkey Creeks but were finding the smallmouth are few and far between.  Good Fishin..!!  Don

7-10-09 Ohio and Pennsylvania fly fishing report  I had the pleasure of fishing with Master Rod Builder Mark Crouse today.  Mark was up from Morgantown WV with some friends and I took them out on my boat Perch fishing.  We put in at Conneaut and made a 6 1/2 mile run out to a favorite mussel bed of mine in 64' of water.  We put our 120 fish limit of perch in the box by 10:00. Jack and the folks at Snug Harbor, right by the boat ramp on Rt 7, not only provided us with excellent bait but they made short work of the fish cleaning duties.  For some reason I seem to end up with two times more meat when they clean my perch..LOL..   Mark is a transplant here from Germany and he has brought is old world craftsmanship with him. He brought along a few of his custom spinning rods and I can honestly say they were the lightest and most beautiful spinning rods I have ever seen. The hand woven artistry was amazing.  Mark specializes in Salmon, Steelhead, and Carp rods and he also sells rod building components.  Dwane has a couple of Marks new switch rod designs and were going to hook up at Roaming Rock Shores Lake soon so I can cast them.  I can't wait..  On the big pond.  The Perch fishing is heating up out of Ashtabula and Conneaut and limits are the norm.  I ran into Dick Keagy at the boat ramp this afternoon.  They were taking his son in laws brand new 28' Stripper out for its maiden voyage.  WOW what a boat. He just got his Captains license and now he has a awesome new ride.  They ended up pulling a quick limit of perch.  Good Fishin..!!  Don

6-29-09 Ohio Fly Fishing Report  Summer has arrived in NE Ohio.  This is a bad thing for the stream fishermen but a good thing for the guys with Lake Erie boats.  I had a group of three die hard fly fishermen on Saturday. We hit the Grand River in Ohio for smallmouth. It was a real tough day with bluebird sky's but they gave it 110% and managed to land about seven or eight on wooly buggers. The topwater action was nill this morning. We gave it heck with poppers and hoppers but couldn't find any takers on top.  Most of the fish they caught were smallish river smallies. To be honest if these guys weren't firing out 60' casts with perfect retrieves we probably wouldn't have landed anything.  The water is as warm as bathwater and the fishing is slow right now. I wish I had better reports from the big pond but it's been pretty slow as well.  Massive Mayfly hatches came off last week and the fish gorge themselves on these tasty bugs.  I did get out Perching and smallmouth fishing last Friday out of Fairport but it was a tough day on the big lake as well. We got a few smallies and about 30 perch for our efforts. The Perch are out in deep water now.  The Walleye guys are doing a bit better and some of the Captains are pulling limits.  If the weather cooperates I'm going to head out tomorrow. Good Fishin..!! Don

6-25-09  Ohio and Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Report  Hit the Grand River for smalies today. We started at daylight and man does that come early this time of year.  First stop drew a blank but we stayed mobile and our efforts paid off.  We found a good concentration of fish and ended up getting a dozen or so.  Mostly river smallies in the 8-12 inch range.  A big deer hair popper and Marks rubber leg hopper worked very slowly was the ticket.  I took a short walk up a feeder stream and was surprised to see a steelhead holding in a deep riffle.  No one must have told this guy that just downstream a few miles is the cool depths of Lake Erie.  After fishing I stopped at GR Tackle in Fairport Harbor and they told me the Perch fishing has been slow but the guys are getting some Walleye and Smallmouth on the Lake.  I'm going to head out tomorrow and I'll try to post a report.  Good Fishin..!!  Don

6-18-09 Ohio Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Report  Floated the middle Yough on Tuesday.. What a blast..!!  We decided it was a dry fly day which wasn't probably the smartest move but we caught a mix of Browns, bows and smallies. No big numbers but some quality fish. It was real windy and that didn't work in our favor.  The evening hatch was dismal and picking my way thru the class 3 rapids in the wind kept me busy.  We saw only a couple of other fishermen in our 11 mile float.  Now before you hook up your boat and head over there are a few things you should know.  First off it is a long ride and even on an all day trip you will spend more time paddling than fishing.  If you have standing rails on your boat it will make it much easier to fish on the move.  Secondly Ohiopyle State Park caters to rafters.  There are no real boat ramps designed for trailers and if you want to use the ramp in town you will need to get special permission from the Park Rangers. The Rangers are nice guys but of course your safety is their number one concern.  They will want to inspect you craft to be sure it is rated for class 3 whitewater. The Middle Yough has the potential to be a great driftboat fishery.  The water is easy to row and the fish holding structure is great.  Plus with some natural reproduction happening the fish hold over the summers well letting them get to true trophy sizes.  Like many of our streams in Ohio and Pa no one seems to realize the additional money a driftboat fishery could bring into the area.  In these troubled times for our local economy's anything they can done to attract new visitors should be explored.  Sometimes a simple little boat ramp costing a few thousand dollars has the potential to draw hundreds of cash wielding tourists to the area each year. Don't believe me  ??  Take a ride over to the Pere Marquette River in Michigan.  Last time I was over there I had to wait in lines at the boat ramps for my turn to launch.  I'm not trying to discourage you but if your going to plan a float on the middle Yough do your homework before you go.  Heavy rains moved into the area on Wednesday so we didn't float again. Instead we spent the day at the Cabelas store in Wheeling.  Here in NE Ohio the heavy rains have everything high and muddy it will be a few days before I can get out on the Erie tribs for smallies. So it looks like I'll be Perching tomorrow on Erie.  Good Fishin..!!  Don

6-16-09 A nice Middle Yough Pennsylvania Brownie

6-16-09 Mark DeFrank with a middle Yough Pa Brown

6-16-09 Elephant Rock near Ohiopyle Pnnsylvania

6-14-09 Ohio, Pa and Maryland Fly Fishing Report  Sorry I haven't posted in over a week.  I also apologize for getting behind on my e-mails.  My excuse is simple...I was Fishin..  Man, did the Casselman River spoil me last week.  We arrived last Monday morning at daylight.  Mark was in double digits before the sun was fully up and it only got better.  Were talking lots of fish.  In our first two days easy triple digits landed..Yes I said TRIPLE DIGITS.....   What amazed me was the lack of other anglers.  The Browns slammed dry fly's all day long and the Rainbows were hot under the surface.  We got a few swim up Brookies from PA. We failed to land any Trophies over 22" but all the fish we caught were nice sized, a good bit bigger than I'm used to in Pa. The Casselman has prolific bug hatches, is fairly open to cast, and is easy to wade, making it the ideal place for beginner fly fishers.  We stayed at  Mesach Browning's Cabins on the River.  The cabins aren't all finished yet but the owner Rodney is hard at work and there just about done.  Rodney didn't skimp and the cabins are spectacular with hand laid stonework and all the conveniences of home.  I especially enjoyed the fires next to the river at night.  Next spring were going to head right to Maryland after steelhead Season.  Were going to team up with Mesach Brownings Cabins to offer guided trips as well as three day all inclusive Trout Fishing Schools on the Casselman River.  We have been wanting to hold a trout school for a few years now. I'm excited about the Casselman River and Mesach Brownings cabins,  I think this is the Ideal location for a trout school.  Watch for the details in the coming months.

Mesach Brownings Cabins

We also got to spend some time on Marks home waters near he Yough in SE Pa.  We had wanted to float the Yough but the flows were still to high so we ended up doing some hiking to some of Marks secret spots.  Once again Mark knew right where to go and the action was non-stop.  If your Rafting the Yough or in the area and your interested in a trout trip in SE Pa give me or Mark a call and well hook you up. 

Casselman River in Maryland

In NW Pa Jeff has been just about living on the water.  The trout fishing has been good on upper Conneaut and a few other unmentionables but the numbers are thinning out from creeled fish in the easier to access areas of the stream.  He has been doing a little walking to find numbers. He also reports many PA Smolts holed up near the springs on upper Connie instead of dropping back to Erie like there supposed to do?

While fishing the Casselman I saw two big mink climb out of a deadfall and disappear downstream.  About five minutes later little heads started poking out of the deadfall.  Before long four baby mink were haming it up for me. I watched the four youngsters play for almost 1/2 hour before momma came back and hurried her clan off into the brush.

Travis repots good fishing last week. He hit a nice 20 inch Brookie last week in the Allegheny River in North Central Pa.  They did a float on Tionesta Creek and successfully fished several other streams in the area despite the massive hangovers I'm sure they had from the Bachelor Party for Travis..  Yager Bombs anyone ???  Grinning...

I talked to Greg Lum yesterday and he has been staying busy fly fishing for Big Carp on the lower Rocky.  Chumming them up with corn as been the secret to these wary fish.

Dick has been hitting the Big water on Erie for smallmouth and Perch with mixed results.  The Perch fishing has been good during west winds in 30-40 foot of water out of Bula and Connie.  But the old Lake Erie saying that "Winds from the East fish bite the least" seems to be true this year so far. I also have heard of some good inshore Walleye action out of Conneaut.  I got the big boat all ready to go but I haven't had her in the water yet.  Things should heat up in the next few weeks and a Perch dinner sure sounds good..

A friend was out fishing for smallmouth on the Grand River up on my property last week.  He reports good numbers of fish but he did his best in the lower river.  I'm hoping the rain later in the week doesn't muddy it up to bad for a smallmouth float trip on Saturday.

Now that the yard is mowed and the honey do's are done once again, I'm hooking the Drift boat up tonight and heading back to Pa and the Yough tomorrow. If the water levels are good I'll stay a couple of days  BUT I'll be home by the end of the week fishing the Erie tribs for Smallmouth.

I'll keep you posted..Good Luck and Lets Go Fishin..!!  Don

6-03-09 Ohio and Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Report I haven't had much time to fish this past week. My daughter Ashley graduated High School Saturday and its been a real hectic week with lots of company in from out of town.  We are real proud of Ashley. She graduated with an Honors Diploma, She was Class President as well as president of the National Honor Society and Beta Club. Her GPA was 3.96. She will be attending Ohio State this Fall as a Political Science major with plans of attending law school.  As you can see she didn't play hooky fishing nearly as much as I did.  Were real proud of you Kid !

Travis and the guys are heading over to the Allegheny National Forrest for the weekend.  It's Trout's bachelor party and something tells me the fish are in trouble.  I would like to wish Congratulations and Good Luck to Travis and Tarra..!!   FYI Travis has been putting a hurting on the NW Pa trout last week.  He's been getting some real impressive fish. Now if I could only get him to take some pictures..Grinning..

I'm sick of talking to Mark and hearing about all the fish he's  been catching.  So I'm heading down to the Casselman River in Western Maryland with Mark next week to check it out myself.  Were going to stay in a streamside cabin and Mark is going to show me around his home waters.  I have been waiting a long time to fish this Jewel and can't wait.  I'll post a report when I get back.

Our summer schedule is actually starting to fill up quite well.  It's nice to see such an interest in fly fishing for warm water species. If your interested in a trip don't hesitate to call and discuss the many options we have to choose from.. Good Fishin..!! Don

5-26-09 Ohio and Pa Fly Fishing Report Got out in NW Pennsylvania this morning for a few hours with a friend and had a nice time.  Brought a couple of feisty Browns to hand on a one of Marks Caddis patterns. It cooled off quite a bit today but we still haven't got any rain to speak of. Saw a nice sized musky lurking in the fast water and got a follow up on a tube fly but he wouldn't commit. I don't know what I would have done if I would have got him hooked up on the little Scott 4 weight anyhow.

 We Have a new logo.  A fellow Steelhead fishermen and friend Jeff Quire did the art work for us.  I think he did a great job.  Watch for many changes to our website in the coming months. Were committed to being the best source of Steelhead Alley info on the net..!!

I have been going over my equipment and trying to get stocked up for the fall season.  I thought I might mention a few new pieces of gear that made my life easier on the stream last spring.

FLY LINE I spooled up all of my rods last spring with new Cortland Fly line. 555 Dyna-Tip in Alvacado with a sage tip to be exact.  Well.. It Rocked.!!  The tips float higher than any other line I have ever used making mending a breeze. It stays on top even in a stiff current. After years of experimenting with different fly lines one thing became obvious to us. Cortland Lines last better than the rest.  Winter fishing is brutal on a fly line and some will only last a few outings in sub freezing temps  I have had Cortland lines last thru three seasons of hard use.

WADERS  Call me cheap if you want.  I call it being Frugal.. I just can't bring myself to forking out $400 for a pair of waders that will soon be plowing thru a mulafloria rose thicket along the stream.  Waders just don't last thru the abuse I give them. So I have reserved myself to low to mid priced boots.  That's why I'm a master of fixing holes with Aqua Seal. Other than the obvious briar holes I notice that my waders always seem to eventually wear out at the inner leg seams.  Orvis took note of this also and moved the seam to the back of the leg this year. WOW it worked. My budget priced Endura waders made it thru 60 days so far with out any wear to the seams at all..!! So if you also have problems with your inner leg seams check out the new line of Orvis waders.

WADING BOOTS  I have been wearing LL Bean boots with studded Aqua Stealth soles for almost four years now.  I'll never buy another pair of felt boots again. I think with the drive to stop invader species felt is going to soon be a thing of the past. Besides Studded Agua Stealth grips way better with no snow build up..!!   Your Ankles, Knees, Legs, and other body parts are worth the added cost of studded boots it's the way to go.  Several companies have came out with their own versions but I like the support of the LL Bean River Keepers.

FLY RODS  We all love our Scott Fly Rods. They cast great and are super durable and are hand crafted in the USA.  We were worried when we heard that they were coming out with a new line of rods this year. We ordered a total of ten of the new A-3's with much anticipation. When they arrived I noticed that mine seemed exactly like my older A-2's with a newer lighter reel seat.  This suited me just fine because my A-2's were like trusted friends to me. Scott Rod has another winner in my book..!!  With well over a thousand steelhead in the net we only have one rod to send back and it took a fall.

FLY REELS  There are lots of good reels out there.  Nothing matches the sound of the clicker on an Abel...BUT reality is I need a super reliable reel at a reasonable cost. I love Abel reels but have you priced one lately? On the other hand if your drag isn't steelhead smooth you might as well stay home.  Orvis has another winner in my book with it's Battenkill Large Arbor Big game reel.  I use the #4's on my seven weights and the drags are great.  Set them and forget them.  That's the way it should be.  I back them off every night and then set them all to the number three position in the mornings. Orvis quality is so good on my reels that they all get set the same.  Plus the huge spool diameter gobbles up the line.

Salmon Egg's from Alaska?  With the ban on fresh eggs due to VHS this might be one alternative.  Triple Threat doesn't use hot chemical cures and gets the freshest eggs.  Give them a try.

5-25-09 Ohio and Pennsylvania Fly fishing Report Happy Memorial Day  Thank a Vet today for all the freedoms you enjoy..  Gotta keep it short. The fishing has been very good this past week. Mark and Myself were over at Penns Creek and the Green drakes are just starting, the next two weeks should be fantastic. I can't wait to get back..   Penns Creek is just a short drive from State College so there is plenty of hotels and camping nearby.  I still have openings on June 8th and 9th to fish the area. The NW Pennsylvania trout fishing has been good also. Travis and Jeff have been catching some real nice fish but I'm sworn to secrecy on where. We can get you out just about any day in NW Pa. I have posted a new link about the egg ban below.  Good Fishin..!!  Don

http://www.agri.ohio.gov/public_docs/news/2009/05-07-09 VHS Proclamation.pdf 

5-18-09 Ohio Fly Fishing Report Just back from Trout Fest in Townsend Tennessee. We went down for Trout Fest.  Mark DeFrank made the drive down with me and we had a blast..!!  The people were super friendly and we never heard a Turkey call the whole weekend. LOL.. The show had a good turnout and I had fun just talking with so many knowledgeable fly fishermen. The number fly fishermen in East Tennessee is HUGE.  Now I know why. The streams are beautiful and they have a great trout fishery.  Mark dazzled everyone tying his awesome dry patterns although he tied mostly tubes at the show.  Both of us were way behind on fly orders so it was sort of a working trip for us.  I worked my but off tying Crystal Minnows and I got all of my fly orders out in today's mail.   We got to spend a couple of days fishing Little River in the Smokey Mountains National Park last week.  No fish have been stocked there since the 70's resulting in very wary wild trout.  We didn't catch a whole lot and the ones we caught were tiny to us but I wouldn't trade any day of steelheading for the experience of fishing such a wild place. There wasn't a huge hatch but we saw quite a few Golden Stones in the evenings. I wanted to thank the guys at Little River outfitters for all the good advise while we were down there.  They have a well stocked fly shop and they ship free anywhere in the US. If your ever in the area it's a must stop.

Jeff, Dick and Travis did quite well Trout Fishing in Pennsylvania while we were gone.  Jeff got a 16" and 14" Brown's yesterday in upper Conneaut.  He also killed a couple of Sea Lampreys he found spawning up there.  He tells me the larger one of the Lampreys was 24 inches long.

All the excitement around here is the new Egg Ban south of Rt 90. I don't know a whole lot about it yet but you may no longer be able to use fish eggs as bait south or Rt 90 in Ohio unless they come from a VHS free certified facility. Here s a link to an article about the ban.  http://www.news-hearld.com/articles/2009/05/12/sports/nh864760.txt   I'll post more once I read the actual language of the ban.

Well I have to keep it short because I gotta get the Yard mowed....  Travis, Mark and Myself are heading out to Penns Creek this week to do some scouting around.   Were also going to be down in Maryland fishing the Castleman. We found a place that rents streamside cabins on this Jewel of a stream at a very reasonable price. Were in the process of putting together some great trout fishing packages for you. We have guides available every day for Pennsylvania or Ohio Fly fishing.  Give me a call at 330-565-5457 and we will tailor a fly fishing trip around you.

Smokey Mountains..What a view for this Ohio Flatlander

Marks Foam Back Caddis on Little River Tennessee

 Trout Fest Here we come We are heading down to Eastern Tennessee Thursday for Trout Fest.  A friend of mine works for Little River Outfitters in Townsend and he talked me into coming down.  We will have our steelhead display in the main tent for the weekend long event. Our guide and commercial fly tier Mark DeFrank will be joining us and he will be giving fly tying demonstrations at our table. The event grows each year and they expect over 2,000 fly fishermen to attend.  Lefty Kreh, Joe Humphries, Bob Clouser and other fly fishing legends will be on hand to teach their craft. We plan on staying awhile and enjoying some Smokey Mountain trout fishing. So if your attending the event stop in our booth and say Hi.. Good Fishin..!!  Don

5-08-09 Ohio Fly Fishing Report  I let Travis and Jeff talk me out of steelhead fishing this morning.  I had a blast today and the change of pace was nice. We fished the Shenango river for a mixed bag of fish.  It was non stop action all day long.  I caught trout, stripers, whipers, white bass, crappie and perch on the fly rod. I let them all go but Travis donated his catch .  We used the fly rods and we hit the trout on #14 light Cahill's.  There were quite a few Caddis hatching today and the trout were rising everywhere. To be honest most of the time we ignored the trout and stripped big bunny leaches and minnow patterns.  We got some nice fish but the excitement of the day was Travis getting spooled by a massive striper that was probably close to 20 lbs. It broke off once he ran out of backing so we will never know how big it was. The guys have been pounding big numbers of trout and some of the browns this week have been over 20 inches.  We have guides available every day now. I'll be out chasing steelhead this weekend and I'll post a report ..Good Fishin..!! Don

We are working out our schedules and we have openings all summer long.  We are taking reservations for our fall school, and fall guide trips right now.  Now is the time to call Don for one our best dates. 330-565-5457

 We live for steelhead but we fish all year round.  We will be chasing the Central Pa hatches the next couple of months and the Central Pa trout fishing can be superb.  Our staff of PA icensed guides can put you on the fish.  We also have fly fishing opportunities in NE Ohio for warm water species from the shore and drift boat.  There are several stocked trout streams and tailraces in NW Pa that we can guide you on. How about monster carp in the shallows? So many fish so little time.  If your planning a fishing trip give me a call and we will design a trip around you. call Don Mathews 330-565-5457

5-08-09 Travis big streamer fooled this one

5-08-09 Way too much fish cleaning for me

Fall Steelhead School Nov 6th, 7th, and 8th 2009 We are taking reservations now. It will be held the the Comfort Inn Ashtabula Oh. Still just $350 an angler and that includes two nights lodging.

click for 5-07-09 Ohio Fly Fishing Report

http://www.steelheadschool.com

For More "steelhead Alley" Fishing reports Click here

We want to hear from you

contact us

dfishinfool@aol.com

330-565-5457

Tackle we depend on..!!

Online Fishing License

Save valuable stream time, buy your fishing license online the day before your trip.

\OHIO LICENSE

\PA ONLINE LICENSE

\NY FISH LICENSE

Webmaster - Guide Don Mathews

330-565-5457

All guides listed below are self employed.  We have joined forces.  We believe that by networking together on the stream our group of local guides can give the best steelheading experience possible.  We guarantee it.. Feel free to call any of us at anytime to check on availability or to just talk fishin..   Don't be fooled by the NEW wave of guides in Ohio.  These guys are your true local steelhead pro's

Guide  Jeff Novak

www.extremesteelheading.com

330-984-7406

Guide  Dick Keagy

www.ohiosteelheader.com

330-646-8150

Guide Travis McAllister

www.fishwithtrout.com

330-399-2746

Guide Mark DeFrank

www.defranksflies.com

724-317-8582

Guide Bob Williams

www.screamingreels.net

440-487-8111

Guide Kurt Bitikofer

A

Greg Lum

TTo book a trip with any of the above guides please call Don Mathews at 330-565-5457 .  He handles the website and our central booking calendar at steelheadschool.com  You may also call your guide of choice at anytime with questions or to check on availability.

Stream Maps

Ohio

Pennsylvania

New York

Best Area Bait and Tackle Shops

Anglers who travel to the area are in luck.  Dan, Eric and the team at FishUSA are there for you.  They stock what you will need.  Don't waste your money at the marts. FishUSA will have your order to you very quickly.  They also have a storefront in Erie Pa. with everything they stock available there.   You can stop there and get online prices on the spot.  Tell them I sent you.

Gary and his wife Dot run a great baitshop near Walnut Creek in PA  called Poor Richards  I have been a customer there since Gary bought the place many years ago.   The prices are good.  The selection is great, with everything you need to catch fish, fly or spin.  They clean fish and will exchange your fresh caught steelhead for a smoked fish on the spot.  Check them out..!!

Jim runs Folly's End fly shop and campground.  Jim bought the shop a few years ago from my good friend Larry.  Jim has done a great job of keeping the shop well supplied for steelhead fishermen and done some nice improvements to the campground.  Clyde Murray has worked at the shop for years.  He is a steelheading icon. Clyde's friendly advise has caused the demise of countless steelhead.  The shop is located on the banks of Elk Creek in one of the most productive sections of stream. You can park on the left side of the driveway going down to the shop. From there you can access the stream to fish. Please stop in the shop and let them know though.

Bruce has run the Grand River Tackle shop for years.   They have a great selection of Steelhead gear as well as lake fishing tackle and live bait.  Bruce is a steelheading pioneer.  They are located near Painsville on your way out to the Fairport Harbor boat ramp

Barcelona Market is located just a half mile ease of Chautauqua Creek on Lake Rd.  The have NY fishing licenses, bait and steelhead tackle.

Stop in and see Frank at TMF Orvis if your ever near Ravenna Ohio.  Frank is about as good natured and friendly as anybody you will ever meet.  He runs a very neat and tidy shop that has a great selection of fly fishing gear for the steelheader, trout fisherman or saltwater angler. His fly tying material selection is great.  They also have lots of quality rods and reels. 

Chagrin River Bait and Tackle

Located in Eastlake Ohio selling fishing licenses bat and some steelhead tackle. 440-942-9716

Erie Shore General Store

Some bait and tackle located in Eastlake Ohio 440-942-3470

Karran Shop

Karan Shop has bait and steelhead tackle plus a selection of Lake Erie Tackle. Located at 413 South Ridge  Geneva, Ohio (440) 466-3561

Elk Creek Sports

 I have known Dan Seaman since I started guiding in Pa.  his shop Elk Creek Sports is open early has licenses, shiners, bait and everything else the Steelheader needs.  He is located on Rt.5 right at Elk Creek. 

BAC Bait and Tackle has Several stores with a great selection of fly tying materials, bait, tackle, rods, reels and waders. Located around Erie Pennsylvania

Neshannock Creek Fly Shop is located on a nice trout stream about an hour or so south of Erie they have a great fly fishing selection

Erie Outfitters

Craig Lewis runs Erie Outfitters Located in Sheffield Lake Ohio.  They have a great selection for the steelheader as well as lake fishermen.  There is a nice launch down the street that puts you about 6 miles from the sandbar. A lake Erie fishing hot spot in recent years. Erie outfitters has shiners, bait and licenses.

Area Camp Grounds Open year round

Jim and Clyde at Folly's End have a great fly shop on site at their riverfront campground. You can access one of the best sections of Elk Creek from their campground.  They offer daily stream parking and camping. As well as seasonal camping.  If your near Elk Creek stop in. They will hook you up.

Uncle John's Elk Creek Campground is located right on the stream near the mouth of Elk Creek.  Fishing is very good on their property.  John is a great guy and he let me hold my Boy Scout Merit Badge Classes in one of his cabins for free.  The cabins are for rent they are new and are very nice.  The showers and restrooms are great The place is always clean and well kept.  It is very angler friendly. He offers daily stream front parking for a small fee.

Indian Creek Campground Geneva Oh  Phone 440-466-8191

Best Area Chow

Cleveland, Willoughby, Mentor, Painsville

If you can' find something you like to eat in Cleveland  your in trouble.  I'm not going to waste your time trying to list hotels or restaurants in the Cleveland or the burbs.

Geneva

Best Friends Restaurant Located right at Exit #218  Good Breakfast and reasonable prices. 440-466-0041

Chops is located right at Exit #218 On Rt 534.  They have a nice dinner menu and serve some local wines

Ferrante Winery is my favorite place.  Don't wear your waders. Good Italian food.  Meals are $10-$20.  Located 5 minutes from Exit #218 call 440-466-8466

Ashtabula

Crows Nest Restaurant Follow Rt 11 north and you will dead end in their parking lot. Good choices lots of selections reasonable prices.  The monster bowl of Chili will warm you up.  440-964-2696

Conneaut

Beef and Beer Great food for the money.  Home cooked meals.  Daily specials, Hearty burgers.  Bottled beer your real likely to run into one of us there. They Even have a fish tank table. Located Right at I-90 Exit #241 Right near the state line.  440.593.3667
 

Biscotti's Restaurant  186 Park Ave Conneaut  Local favorite Pizza and Italian food Call 440-593-6766

 Fairview Pa

Crowleys is just 2 1/2 miles south of I-90 on Rt 18. Great food but don't wear your waders. They have a grill in the center of the place and you can cook your own steaks if you want. Call 814-774-8450

Avonia Pa

It's hard for me to drive by Avonia Tavern Just West of Walnut Creek on Rt 5. Great Wings and Burgers all the food is great and they have reasonable prices.

Erie Pa

Teresa's Deli is located at 5360 West Lake Rd.  Just a short drive from walnut creek.  The subs are fantastic and a big hit with the area fishermen all 814-833-6913

Follow I-90 to Peach Street and there are a lot of choices.  Quaker steak and lube wings are a local favorite.  Or jump on I-79 North to Mill Creek Mall.  All the big chains are in town. 

NorthEast Pa

Lighthouse Inn 3704 East Lake Rd is our favorite over that way. 814-899-9300

Plummers is located East of 20 mile Creek on Lake Rd just across the NY state line.  They have good burgers and cold beer