# Wacked them at the Huron!!!!!



## maak (Aug 15, 2006)

RyGuy525 said:


> there are lots of other places to fish than those 5 rivers. I'm wishing i wouldn't have even posted about this now. If everyone thinks ohio stellhead is such a joke i'll just keep it so myself.


 You got fish, dude. I don't see anyone else sharing any fish porn on this forum. The Huron and Clinton are pitiful right now. Thanks for posting.


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## quest32a (Sep 25, 2001)

RyGuy525 said:


> there are lots of other places to fish than those 5 rivers. I'm wishing i wouldn't have even posted about this now. If everyone thinks ohio stellhead is such a joke i'll just keep it so myself.


Noone here thinks they are a joke, but it is a much different fishery compared to the MI fishery. Ohio just gets a ton of fish in the rivers, way more fish per mile of river compared to MI. And this early in the fall a good number of fish are PA strays. 

Having said that I plan on heading that direction this winter to fish with Treven. In fact, if you read a few of the mags you might see a picture of Trev holding an Ohio steelhead. I know he fishes there a lot, and enjoys it. Just as you did. Its just different. 

Good work on the fish.


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## Treven (Feb 21, 2006)

maak said:


> There's a couple of things I don't understand. First the numbers: Ohio only plants 400,000 steelhead total, in only 5 rivers. I have'nt totaled MI, but I know it's alot higher. Are Ohio fish just alot easier to catch?
> Secondly, A "short trip to Ohio" ? The closest river that they stock , Vermilion, is about the same distance for me (Ferndale) as the Rogue, Manistee or Grand. Do they have a decent wild population in other rivers ?
> Any info appreciated. It would be nice to have an option when the water is low around here.


-OH gets a fair number of strays from PA in the fall/early winter as PA stocks the ever living hell out of thier streams. A lot of the fish in OH tribs right now are PA fish. OH has a 2 fish limit which I whole heartedly feel helps, compounded also on the fact that there are less meat hunters in OH compared to MI. Different mentality down there, I have definitely noticed. 

-OH fish are easier to catch, plain and simple. It's based on many things (sheer numbers and to an extent, intelligence are the top 2 IMO).

-I agree on the drive times approx. to the Grand and tribs, but Manistee is about an 1.5hr longer trip. I live in Royal Oak and have a camper in Wellston , even at $2.50 a gallon, there still are no short trips IMO.

-No decent wild population at all, it is a completely fabricated fishery that is stocked every year.

-It is a very nice option when conditions are rough here in MI, it's a ball down there at times. Racking up numbers down there doesn't have the mystique that it does up here though. Up here it's a challenge to not only hook up, but to fight them as well. Down there, a numbers day leaves you longing for some butt kicking attitude I have yet to hook a fish in OH and think "Oh man, there's no way I'm even going to see this fish!" 2 minutes into the battle. Enjoy it for what it is, fabricated and easy at times-yes, but very fun when you put yourself into the right mentality! OH DNR has acess points on thier site, which is quite helpful.


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## Treven (Feb 21, 2006)

RyGuy525 said:


> there are lots of other places to fish than those 5 rivers. I'm wishing i wouldn't have even posted about this now. If everyone thinks ohio stellhead is such a joke i'll just keep it so myself.


You are missing my point completely, it's no joke in the least. Just keep in mind the complete differences in fisheries is what I am getting at.


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## jellybread (May 4, 2008)

Treven et al,

I think that we're just arguing about semantics here. Admittedly, I don't have hands-on in Ohio (just friends in Cleveland who feed me vicariously). What I have seen in the last 15 years with the transition to the Manistee strain is that the fish look very similar to ours here in Michigan (at least on the east side, where 10 pounds is now a decent fish).

With respect to the intelligence of the fish, Ohio and Pennsylvania plant the fish with tremendous density. If Michigan planted fish like this, I believe that they would act the same - much more aggressive and easier to catch.

Some of these _creeks_ get near 100,000 fish and flow next to nothing. For reference, the Au Sable gets 150,000 steelhead per year and it dwarfs the size of the Erie tribs by a wide margin (maybe the size of all of them combined?).

So yes - a different fishery but my comments were more toward the size of the fish. We don't seem to have big fish here and they don't have 'em there, either. Oh - and, as a side note, the emerald shiner are back:

http://www.iaglr.org/jglr/db/view_c...able=yes&topic_id=&mode=toc&volume=34&issue=3


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## Treven (Feb 21, 2006)

Aiiiight, I'm on the same page as far as size of fish is concerned. I honestly believe that Lk MI fish do have a slight (few inches, weight is about equal though) edge on the avg. size over Lk. Erie, but yes they are very similar. In all honesty, my overall biggest fish came from OH last year. My longest fish, if not spawned out (male), would have been a riot though, this spring on The Big.

I see you were referring a lot to the East side MI tribs now, which I only really fish one and it's around here . Can't comment on Lk Huron fish except I hear things are starting to rebound for you guys. I was only comparing Lk MI tribs to Lk Erie tribs, your comments make more sense to me now! Sorry for the confusion.

Good thing the shiners are back too, as the Erie fish are fat lfootballs that gorge themselves on them.


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## mmac1318 (Feb 5, 2007)

RyGuy525 said:


> there are lots of other places to fish than those 5 rivers. I'm wishing i wouldn't have even posted about this now. If everyone thinks ohio stellhead is such a joke i'll just keep it so myself.


Dont worry about it Ry keep fishing and posting some of us appreciate it.


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## Reel Addiction (Mar 5, 2008)

mmac1318 said:


> Dont worry about it Ry keep fishing and posting some of us appreciate it.


 
i agree. keep it up.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Ohio gets a much larger percentage of their planted fish returning. They plant a lot, but a LOT more of those plants come back; whereas in MI we are seeing diminishing returns with the same size plants, over time. And our fish are getting smaller, and on average are probably on parr with OH fish. 

One major difference between the typical Ohio trib, and Michigan trib, is that the Ohio streams and rivers tend to have more shale bottoms, and MI rivers have sand and gravel bottoms. In OH, when it rains, the rivers swell and double - or triple their flow quickly; and then drop down again, just as quickly. The flush out, and the fish push up in that dropping high water, and hold up on pools (often not real deep, but just deeper than the surrounding water) in large pods. When the water is normal, their rivers tend to be shallower, with less flow. MI rivers tend to be more spring fed (at least in tribs and headwaters), and have more constant flow. So, when it rains, our rivers swell, but don't double in flow unless there have been torrential rains. And our rivers are typically larger in general, so the fish spread out more. Our rivers also have more logs and sticks - things which can't get stuck in the shale bottoms @ Ohio quite as easily. 
The difference the size of the river makes, when fighting a fish, is that in a larger river, the fish can use the current, and cover (logs, weeds, undercut banks, etc) to fight, run to for safety, and wrap you up. Larger rivers also give the fish more room to run, and deeper water to be able to mount a good jump, than smaller rivers do. But a nice chrome OH Steelhead will fight as well as MI fish, and they certainly do get some nice fish, too. The PA mutts don't fight as well, but they are respectable, and also get to decent sizes.


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## toto (Feb 16, 2000)

Nice job, nice fish. I've always wanted to try the Ohio, or PA tribs. Always hear lots of stories of how many fish there are, gotta do it someday.


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## kype138 (Jul 13, 2006)

Ry - thanks for posting - it's nice to see that someone is out fishing, rather than sitting on here and doing the p!$$ and moan deal...
This board is heading the way of TSS - not good...


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