Conditions:
Rapid snow melting combined with almost daily precipitation has causes creeks
to swell and conditions to be more suitable for whitewater rafting (not
recommended) rather than relaxed fishing conditions. The remaining snow run
off combined with predicted precipitation over the next few weeks should keep
the creeks high and muddy. A break in the precipitation and some clearing
will return us to prime fishing conditions. The recent freeze we had triggered some early season ice jams. This occurs
when the frozen streams begin to thaw and large chunks of ice break off and
move down stream. The broken up ice will become bottlenecked and begin to
build up in the tighter sections of the creeks. Eventually these jams will
break loose, often quickly and without warning. Anglers should become
familiar with such conditions and be cautious especially during a thaw
period. An unsuspecting angler can be hit with moving ice and washed
downstream in a matter of minutes. Winter Stream Angling tips:
All is not lost though.....fish can be caught by the skillful angler no
matter what the conditions. When the creeks are high and fast, running fish
tend to move closer to the banks to hold in the slower moving water. While
you are standing on the bank casting out as far as you can, the fish are
probably right at your feet. In these conditions, its a great time for live bait and bright easily visible
baits. Minnows, skein, eggsacks, and the bright colored Powerbaits work
great. Glow ball sizes 10 to 12 in orange, red, chartreuse, and even yellow
can work in muddy water. Plenty of split shot will be needed to keep your
bait on the bottom. 1/32 to 1/8 oz. marabou jigs in black, white,
chartreuse, pink, and orange can trigger a strike and do not require as much
added weight. Winter tips for fast water conditions:
1) In cold fast water conditions, try to make a habit of looking upstream
frequently. 2) Be on the lookout for moving debris. 3) Watch for rapidly rising water conditions. 4) Fish can be caught in high fast water, but it if often best to fish from
the bank. 5) Always try to fish with a buddy, or at least be with shouting distance of
other
anglers. 6) Life jackets are a good idea in high fast water conditions. 7) Loose waders (the large rubber type) can fill rapidly with water if you
fall in...The
tighter fitting neoprene will not fill up as easily and provide more
warmth. 8) If you fall in the fast water there isn't much to do but ride it out.
Pulling your
knees to your chest will trap air in your waders and help keep you
afloat. 9) Wade cautiously...creek bottom conditions can change frequently
throughout the
course of the winter. Where to go:
Often times the East side tributary streams clear first. Walnut will usually
clear before Elk. In high fast conditions, the Walnut Creek Basin is usually
very fishable. In high fast moving water, the Walnut Project Waters can be fished from the
bank and of course the Wall at Walnut is always accessible. Wading the
Walnut Project Waters in "washout" conditions should not be attempted. The Marina at Trout run is not affected as much by rain and runoff and can
offer good fishing when the streams are muddy. Even during the winter we often have calm Lake conditions making the
lakeshore at Trout Run worth a try. Law enforcement:
Anglers should be advised that officers continue to patrol are areas
throughout the winter months. Foul hooked fish are more common with winter
stream conditions, especially with the large numbers of fish we are
experiencing this year. Possession of any foul hooked fish is a violation
and can result in a costly fine. Foul hooked fish should be played no more
than necessary and released immediately unharmed. Litter continues to be a problem that we all need to be concerned with. In
the cold weather, we are often in such a hurry to get into our nice warm
vehicle that we forget about the coffee cup we set on the ground or the
sandwich wrapper by the back wheel. Policing your area when you leave will
go a long way in keeping a good name for our angling community. A favorite recipe for your Holiday:
One of the hardest things to do is keep something wet lit! Especially
something slimy and cold like steelhead or coho Steelhead and Coho are to easy smoke. Whether it's salmon, steelhead or trout, this 'smoking' brine recipe and
flavor tips are sure to bring your neighbors running. Hopefully they've
brought along a nicely chilled bottle of "Chardonnay' or a half rack of Full
Sail Ale or Indian Pale Ale (all of which are great to have with smoked fish). Fillet the fish as usual. Then cut into 2 or 3 inch chunks. Be sure to cut
off the belly fat. The tail section should be 4 to 5 inches in length and
that is reserved for the cook! Basic Brine
For every one quart of water dissolve:
1 Cup of White Sugar
1/2 Cup of non-iodized Salt
1 Cup of Brown Sugar If you want a smokey bolder taste add:
1 T of Liquid Smoke
1 T of Worcestershire Sauce Soak the fish skin side up in a non metallic bowl with a tight fitting lid in
the refrigerator overnight. Shake the container every few hours if possible Gourmet Herb Brine
This must be added to the basic brine prior to curing overnight. To the basic brine above add: 1/2 Cup finely diced Onion or 1/4 of Dried
Minced Onion
2 T of Coarse ground Black Pepper,
3 T of Dried Parsley,
1 T of Dried Oregano
1 Bay Leave
2 T of Minced Garlic or 1 T of Garlic Juice
3 T of dried Cilantro Maple Flavored Brine
This must be added to the basic brine prior to curing overnight. To the basic brine above add: 1 ounce of Maple Flavoring
1 Cup of Maple Syrup
1 Cinnamon Stick Cooking
Plug in your smoker and let it preheat. Pull the fish from the brine
solution and rinse under cold water. If you used the Herb Recipe above do not rinse the fish. You may want to
roll the fish over and pull it from the Herb mixture meat side up which will
allow all the wonderful spices to stick to the meat. Place the chunks of fish on racks that are on paper towels. Dab of any
excess moisture and allow the fish to air dry for 45 minutes to an hour. If you are using a wet smoke, save the brine for the moisture pan and fill to
1/2 to 3/4 capacity and place in the smoker while it preheats. If your using the plain or Herb brine, try using Alder chunks and chips for
the flavor. If you used the Maple brine or used any other sweet brine, use Hickory! You
may want to try and sprinkle some Brown Sugar on the meat while it's drying.
It will give the fish a Teriyaki flavor when it comes out of the smoker. Smoke for 1-1/2 to 3 hours. Add chips or chunks at the beginning and at the 1 hour time frame. Check often and when the fish flakes, it's done! Enjoy! A year end thanks from Officer Bowser and Officer Leighton:
As this busy year comes to a close, we would liked to take the opportunity to
thank everyone for the countless kind letters in response to our weekly and
monthly reports. We will continue to give you as much interesting
information as we can. We hope we've been able to keep you informed and up to
date with regard to the great sport fishing our area has to offer. We would
also like to commend the many anglers who throughout the year have assisted
us in our duties and contributed to keeping our area clean. Remember the
Holiday season is a great time to introduce someone to the great sport of
fishing....something we can all enjoy for a lifetime. (Fishing Licenses make
great stocking stuffers) John and I wish you a great Holiday season and a
wonderful New Year.... John W. Bowser, Water Conservation Officer,
Randy Leighton, Deputy Conservation Officer,
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
West Erie County
Jwb014@aol.com
Rglerie@aol.com
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