# Fall vs Spring Steelhead on the Huron



## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

I am not understanding why fishable numbers of steelhead (few and limited locations) end up over the ladder in the springtime, yet no information is found anywhere of them passing the ladder in the fall. The Grand gets fall steelhead all the way to Lansing, so what gives on the Huron? Has anyone ever targeted fall run fish above Flat Rock? I remember reading net statistics from when the ladder was first installed. I do recall fish DID pass then. Perhaps not having boat access in this stretch really dampers people from trying when covering water would be the name of the game with this river's scenario.


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Swampbuckster said:


> I am not understanding why fishable numbers of steelhead (few and limited locations) end up over the ladder in the springtime, yet no information is found anywhere of them passing the ladder in the fall. The Grand gets fall steelhead all the way to Lansing, so what gives on the Huron? Has anyone ever targeted fall run fish above Flat Rock? I remember reading net statistics from when the ladder was first installed. I do recall fish DID pass then. Perhaps not having boat access in this stretch really dampers people from trying when covering water would be the name of the game with this river's scenario.


Typically it is a low water situation, and warm Temps. til later in the Fall. At times there is hardly enough weater for them to reach the river. I'd bet with high/very high water, you'll get fish.


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

METTLEFISH said:


> Typically it is a low water situation, and warm Temps. til later in the Fall. At times there is hardly enough weater for them to reach the river. I'd bet with high/very high water, you'll get fish.


Ah, this is a very good point.Not to argue, but one of the better fall/winter seasons I had (below Flat Rock) was in 2012. The year we had an extreme drought with ultralow water levels. They managed to find their way into the lower then. Never fishing Huroc and up close to the coffer, are they able to pass that during low water levels?


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Swampbuckster said:


> Ah, this is a very good point.Not to argue, but one of the better fall/winter seasons I had (below Flat Rock) was in 2012. The year we had an extreme drought with ultralow water levels. They managed to find their way into the lower then. Never fishing Huroc and up close to the coffer, are they able to pass that during low water levels?


I'd be willing to bet that there were a lot of Minnows in that local... Steelhead love minnows, and will congregate around large numbers of them. An East wind can help them get in there if its strong and long enough to raise levels at the mouth. I remember the hot dry early Summer that year... then lots of late Fall rains....


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

METTLEFISH said:


> I'd be willing to bet that there were a lot of Minnows in that local... Steelhead love minnows, and will congregate around large numbers of them. An East wind can help them get in there if its strong and long enough to raise levels at the mouth. I remember the hot dry early Summer that year... then lots of late Fall rains....


Okay, Yes, I remember a few rains during that fall but it was never enough to do anything with the water levels. Living on a major Huron trib myself, I remember the levels were at an all time low. Although, one small water raising event could have pushed a few fish up river. I forgot to take into account East winds. That could have played a role as well. I have been to the mouth of the Huron to Erie once and it definitely is a giant sand trap. I really think dredging the mouth could have a direct improvement on the steelhead returns. Even for the sake of boaters and anglers navigating the mouth, and the broke down marina on the South river bank would benefit as well.


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

I think it may help too. Although it could just be that there just is not enough habitat in the Huron to draw large numbers of fish. If theres enough water to stay upright fish will get through to were they want to be. There's a stream in D'born that gets more S&S than the Huron does I believe....


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

METTLEFISH said:


> I think it may help too. Although it could just be that there just is not enough habitat in the Huron to draw large numbers of fish. If theres enough water to stay upright fish will get through to were they want to be. There's a stream in D'born that gets more S&S than the Huron does I believe....


I actually used to live across the street from a branch of it as a kid, near Hines Drive in Livonia. 
I find it amazing that it offers more habitat than the Huron. But then again, I believe its gradient is a little faster than the Huron and is made up of more of a gravel bottom. It is pretty darn urban though.


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Swampbuckster said:


> I actually used to live across the street from a branch of it as a kid, near Hines Drive in Livonia.
> I find it amazing that it offers more habitat than the Huron. But then again, I believe its gradient is a little faster than the Huron and is made up of more of a gravel bottom. It is pretty darn urban though.


So is the Grand in downtown G.R. . Fish will find there prefered habitat, our best rivers are those that have never been planted. Habitat draws fish. If they'd remove all the Dams along the Huron we'd have fish all the way to Milford. Gramps used to tell me of the wild Rainbows in the Huron around Hamburg before the Dams. It was all rock, however people insisted on building in the flood plains so they Damed it all up to hold back the water. Now it's just a receptacle for treatment plants.


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

METTLEFISH said:


> So is the Grand in downtown G.R. . Fish will find there prefered habitat, our best rivers are those that have never been planted. Habitat draws fish. If they'd remove all the Dams along the Huron we'd have fish all the way to Milford. Gramps used to tell me of the wild Rainbows in the Huron around Hamburg before the Dams. It was all rock, however people insisted on building in the flood plains so they Damed it all up to hold back the water. Now it's just a receptacle for treatment plants.





METTLEFISH said:


> So is the Grand in downtown G.R. . Fish will find there prefered habitat, our best rivers are those that have never been planted. Habitat draws fish. If they'd remove all the Dams along the Huron we'd have fish all the way to Milford. Gramps used to tell me of the wild Rainbows in the Huron around Hamburg before the Dams. It was all rock, however people insisted on building in the flood plains so they Damed it all up to hold back the water. Now it's just a receptacle for treatment plants.


Wild Rainbows? You mean introduced and naturally reproducing? I was under the impression the Huron was too warm of a system to support cold water species such as trout. Unfortunately, never ever will all the dams be removed on the Huron!. I seem to recall 92 total along the entire watershed?! It is a shame. Kind of a scar left over from the Industrial Revolution. And we are left with toxic sediments coagulating above them:nono:


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## downfloat (May 3, 2007)

Swampbuckster said:


> Wild Rainbows? You mean introduced and naturally reproducing? I was under the impression the Huron was too warm of a system to support cold water species such as trout. Unfortunately, never ever will all the dams be removed on the Huron!. I seem to recall 92 total along the entire watershed?! It is a shame. Kind of a scar left over from the Industrial Revolution. And we are left with toxic sediments coagulating above them:nono:



Agree!!! A waste of what could of been!!


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## jjc155 (Oct 16, 2005)

Swampbuckster said:


> I am not understanding why fishable numbers of steelhead (few and limited locations) end up over the ladder in the springtime, yet no information is found anywhere of them passing the ladder in the fall. The Grand gets fall steelhead all the way to Lansing, so what gives on the Huron? Has anyone ever targeted fall run fish above Flat Rock? I remember reading net statistics from when the ladder was first installed. I do recall fish DID pass then. Perhaps not having boat access in this stretch really dampers people from trying when covering water would be the name of the game with this river's scenario.


I've caught huron steelhead at french landing in the fall, so they do make it up the ladder at Huroc.

J-


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

jjc155 said:


> I've caught huron steelhead at french landing in the fall, so they do make it up the ladder at Huroc.
> 
> J-


Thanks for the response. It gives me a glimmer of hope this fall hearing this.


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## pinhead (Oct 4, 2008)

Not having fished the lower stretch by the mouth, how hard is it getting a boat in from the mouth? Is it even possible? Where would you put in if you had a 17ft sled? Thank you in advance.


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

pinhead said:


> Not having fished the lower stretch by the mouth, how hard is it getting a boat in from the mouth? Is it even possible? Where would you put in if you had a 17ft sled? Thank you in advance.


I think you would be fine launching at the Pt. Mouilee (sp) launch. The mouth is rather shallow and sandy but your jet should be able to work its way upriver. I've been to the mouth before, however only once, but it was during the winter with low water levels. I was able to navigate my 6hp prop drive through it, just had to watch where I went.


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## mfs686 (Mar 15, 2007)

There is also a launch right at the mouth off of Jefferson.


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## Westsidesfury (Jan 21, 2015)

Not really that hard to keep your boat in the water at the mouth. We were trolling it the other day trying for the first wave of steelies that are staging before the push. They are being caught in the mouth its just the problem of navigation. You can get around the mouth easy its just random shallow areas that have threats.


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## DDogg (Dec 8, 2012)

Did you get any steelies trolling?


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## Westsidesfury (Jan 21, 2015)

Us? No skunked but others have. Next cd front and good series of rain and it should be game on.


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## DDogg (Dec 8, 2012)

Did u guys put in at Jefferson and go out?


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## Westsidesfury (Jan 21, 2015)

Sure did my friend.


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

As water temps begin to cool with the colder weather, it'll be soon and a few fish should start showing up in the system. I'm going to plan my first float trip i'm thinking around mid October. I have a whole lot of "new" old plugs to get wet. And a couple of new stretches to pass the time with.

On another note, did anybody hear about the body found in the Huron at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor? Not everyday a body shows up in _that _stretch!


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## jjc155 (Oct 16, 2005)

Swampbuckster said:


> As water temps begin to cool with the colder weather, it'll be soon and a few fish should start showing up in the system. I'm going to plan my first float trip i'm thinking around mid October. I have a whole lot of "new" old plugs to get wet. And a couple of new stretches to pass the time with.
> 
> _On another note, did anybody hear about the body found in the Huron at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor? Not everyday a body shows up in that stretch_!


Actually happens more than is reported. Couple times a year in that stretch. 

J-


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

jjc155 said:


> Actually happens more than is reported. Couple times a year in that stretch.
> 
> J-


Humans are instinctively attracted to water!


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

It is thought the best Fall Steelhead runs are related to the amount of Salmon spawning activity in a given river. Few Salmon ='s few Steelhead. The Salmon spawn (Egg's, Alvin, Etc.) is a huge food source for Steelhead. Hopefully it is a learned activity, that would perhaps mean a few more decent runs in the previously good Fall Steelhead rivers. After that... it does not look good. The Ohio and Pennsylvania rivers that recieve decent runs in the Fall have huge amounts of minnows that the Steelhead follow to feed on.


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

METTLEFISH said:


> It is thought the best Fall Steelhead runs are related to the amount of Salmon spawning activity in a given river. Few Salmon ='s few Steelhead. The Salmon spawn (Egg's, Alvin, Etc.) is a huge food source for Steelhead. Hopefully it is a learned activity, that would perhaps mean a few more decent runs in the previously good Fall Steelhead rivers. After that... it does not look good. The Ohio and Pennsylvania rivers that recieve decent runs in the Fall have huge amounts of minnows that the Steelhead follow to feed on.


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## jigsnwigs (Feb 6, 2011)

METTLEFISH said:


> It is thought the best Fall Steelhead runs are related to the amount of Salmon spawning activity in a given river. Few Salmon ='s few Steelhead. The Salmon spawn (Egg's, Alvin, Etc.) is a huge food source for Steelhead. Hopefully it is a learned activity, that would perhaps mean a few more decent runs in the previously good Fall Steelhead rivers. After that... it does not look good. The Ohio and Pennsylvania rivers that recieve decent runs in the Fall have huge amounts of minnows that the Steelhead follow to feed on.


I don't see how fall Steelhead runs could be related to the amount of Salmon spawning activity. In general(at least in the tribs I fish) most Steelhead don't enter the rivers until after the kings have completed there life cycle. Weather related? Yes.


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

I would say yes, a few steelhead may come up the rivers for an easy meal but besides that, other instinctive reasons dictate them to head into the rivers during late fall, early winter. Skamania for example, with the right weather patterns migrate up rivers throughout the summer. No food source determined there timing to enter. If skams enter during the summer months without food source, there has to be other reason besides the egg factor for the other strains. After all they all do there spawning activities around the same time in the spring. I find it hard to believe rivers with little or no salmon returns that the sole purpose steelhead enter in fall was because there were a lot of minnows in that particular system. The Huron, and Clinton and any Lake Huron trib for that matter still have returns during the fall regardless of the numbers of salmon, if any that enter those systems. This happens year after year. If it was strictly egg related, why like jigsnwigs stated would the steelhead run be somewhat behind the salmon runs? Also, why is it known steelhead enter during any large fall/winter rain events or snow melts? Why do we have better fall/winter runs with warmer temps and high flows? Those answers prove the point beyond the egg factor alone.


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## Westsidesfury (Jan 21, 2015)

Look at Steelhead alley too. Best steelhead runs anywhere. And its all Lake Erie based. The salmon really don't have much of an impact on their cycle. Steelhead have a diverse diet just as many other species do. Like you said they chase up minnows on the alley's tribs in OH and PA, but salmon don't affect their runs that much. They go in the tribs during these times because of their biological clock ya know? They come to situate for the spawn in spring they head on their way when its time just as skams spawn in warmer patterns.


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## Westsidesfury (Jan 21, 2015)

Now because of the thing that the water is still warmer in the fall then the spring the steelhead that come into the Huron during the fall and early winter months are not in the same places as spring. Deeper water is the key for this river, anything above Flat Rock impoundment is considered dead of steelhead during the fall yet some make it up its not really good searching water as it is shallow compared to below Huroc Parks very deep holes. A lot dont ever make it to the park during the fall in the first place so thats why many abandon it but putting in the time still produces but its about the deep water.


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

Westsidesfury said:


> Now because of the thing that the water is still warmer in the fall then the spring the steelhead that come into the Huron during the fall and early winter months are not in the same places as spring. Deeper water is the key for this river, anything above Flat Rock impoundment is considered dead of steelhead during the fall yet some make it up its not really good searching water as it is shallow compared to below Huroc Parks very deep holes. A lot dont ever make it to the park during the fall in the first place so thats why many abandon it but putting in the time still produces but its about the deep water.


I beg to differ about finding deeper water above Flat Rock. I've found quite a few holes averaging 7-8 feet. A few over 10 feet and one that topped out at 22 FOW. These were winter levels as well, not high water. These were read with my Vexilar rigged to my 12ft v bottom, 100% accurate.


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## srharris88 (Jan 14, 2012)

Swampbuckster said:


> I beg to differ about finding deeper water above Flat Rock. I've found quite a few holes averaging 7-8 feet. A few over 10 feet and one that topped out at 22 FOW. These were winter levels as well, not high water. These were read with my Vexilar rigged to my 12ft v bottom, 100% accurate.


I would love to fish the water about flat rock, but where do you launch? I have a pretty heavy jet sled that i need an actual boat launch/


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## srharris88 (Jan 14, 2012)

The best season by far we have ever had on the huron was the fall of 2006. Meaning best not just for the Huron but best season we have ever had including west side rivers.


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

srharris88 said:


> I would love to fish the water about flat rock, but where do you launch? I have a pretty heavy jet sled that i need an actual boat launch/


There are no launches above Flat Rock for larger boats. You would have to get creative. There are a few drag in locations you could take advantage of with a small Jon boat


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## happyhooker2 (Nov 11, 2005)

METTLEFISH said:


> I think it may help too. Although it could just be that there just is not enough habitat in the Huron to draw large numbers of fish. If theres enough water to stay upright fish will get through to were they want to be. There's a stream in D'born that gets more S&S than the Huron does I believe....


Where in Dearborn have you seen salmon and steelhead? I ask because as a kid we use to see salmon occasionally out of this drainage ditch in Allen Park. Not sure if it was a branch off the Rogue or where its origin was. I've heard other stories in recent years also.


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## esskategl (Sep 21, 2014)

Second time fishing the lower Huron. Got this hen at about noon today. Very fresh.


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## FISHCATCHER1 (Nov 18, 2010)

Nice one !


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## happyhooker2 (Nov 11, 2005)

Very nice. I'm gonna start searching here in the next couple weeks myself by boat.


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## Swampbuckster (Nov 28, 2010)

esskategl said:


> Second time fishing the lower Huron. Got this hen at about noon today. Very fresh.


Great job!


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## IT.Fisherman (Aug 10, 2012)

Nice catch esskategl!

This will be my third year fishing the Huron. Been having the itch to go bad lately. I'll have to check it out soon, probably when the weathers bad and keeping me from the stand. 

First two years I only saw one fish in the water, saw two caught, never hooked one that I know off but I've had one or two peel a lot of line before snapping off.


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## METTLEFISH (Jan 31, 2009)

Swampbuckster said:


> I would say yes, a few steelhead may come up the rivers for an easy meal but besides that, other instinctive reasons dictate them to head into the rivers during late fall, early winter. Skamania for example, with the right weather patterns migrate up rivers throughout the summer. No food source determined there timing to enter. If skams enter during the summer months without food source, there has to be other reason besides the egg factor for the other strains. After all they all do there spawning activities around the same time in the spring. I find it hard to believe rivers with little or no salmon returns that the sole purpose steelhead enter in fall was because there were a lot of minnows in that particular system. The Huron, and Clinton and any Lake Huron trib for that matter still have returns during the fall regardless of the numbers of salmon, if any that enter those systems. This happens year after year. If it was strictly egg related, why like jigsnwigs stated would the steelhead run be somewhat behind the salmon runs? Also, why is it known steelhead enter during any large fall/winter rain events or snow melts? Why do we have better fall/winter runs with warmer temps and high flows? Those answers prove the point beyond the egg factor alone.


Summer run fish typically migrate far inland and therefore start their runs early in the year, then spawn very early in the year, in January/February/March. It goes far beyond Eggs. Eggs hatch, and creat millions of little Salmon for the Steelhead to consume. After all, the Steelhead are in Egg production mode in the Fall/Winter, and it takes a LOT of energy to produce viable spawn. The guys I know that fish Ohio and Pennsylvania use minnows a lot, those Creeks are packed with minnows (food) in the Fall.There is also the Rainbow factor in them. Some fish like the river environment, some fish like the big water. High water equalls easy traveling, the water color offers cover, and the flush puts lots of food items in the water. Think of moving water like Air, does a cool breeze feel good on a hot Summer day? Does a blowing wind feel good on a cold Winter day?

All the reading I have done links the best Steelhead rivers out west, to the rivers with strong production of Salmon. Food sources equall predators. It could just be better spawning habitat, and prefered Temps.. The Huron does not have a lot of good spawning habitat due to the damming of the river. We will have to wait and see how the lack of Salmon in rivers that previously had strong runs of both Salmon and Steelhead produce in the future. I would expect far fewer and over all smaller Steelhead for several reasons.

P.S. A friend of mine's Son operates Alaska Fly Anglers in S.W. AK., they're targeting Rainbows in the teens right now. They only target rivers with strong Salmon runs for the Rainbows, as they are there eating eggs, some even eat rotting flesh of Salmon.


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