# Steelhead at last!



## subocto (Feb 21, 2003)

Went down to the Huron this morning below Flat Rock in search of steelhead. After fishing the lower huron river for about three years now, ive become used to leaving its banks empty handed and skunked. Today I was finally rewarded with a 16" steelhead. My first steelhead as well. I fished from about 10am until about 1 and just as I was getting ready to leave I decided to try the same spot where I started earlier but moved on. I had one on but he threw the hook right in front of me, so of course i had to stay awhile longer and keep trying. It paid off. I got another one on a yellow roostertail spinner and it fought like mad before coming to shore. I saw a guy fishing near me land one as well. I couldnt beleive the sight of a bright silver steelhead coming out of the huron river on the end of my line. This was something i had only read about on the internet, or thought people made up to tease unfortunate and unlucky anglers of SE michigan. The rumor is true, there really are steelhead in the huron. 

What a great day of fishing.


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## bobcolenso (Sep 11, 2003)

COOL!!! Congrats. Hopefully I can put up a similar post here soon.


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## Connor4501 (Dec 15, 2003)

Nice job, Subocto...I see married life isn't too bad for you...


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

Congrats. Your persistence paid off.


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## subocto (Feb 21, 2003)

Thanks a lot guys!


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## unregistered55 (Mar 12, 2000)

Awesome dude!! I got my first Huron river steelie this year too and I am up to #4 now. Keep on fishing and you are sure to get more. 

Are the Shad still stacked up at Flat Rock?


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## subocto (Feb 21, 2003)

I am planning to go back later this week, I want to get another one. 
There were no shad at all, at least i didnt see any. last week there were tons. maybe ill see ya guys out there.


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## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

Congrats......did you cut the belly open to see what it had been eating lately?


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## stinger63 (Nov 25, 2003)

Congrads on the catch alot of hard work finaly pays off with a reward.Maybe all the st clair river steelhead have swam their way to the Huron river.Except 1 that is that I heard someone caught upriver from where I was fishing at this morning.Now I have been working my tail off trying catch a steelhead or anything for a month straight,I cant count all the hours I have put in trying.Someday its got to be my turn  :help:


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## subocto (Feb 21, 2003)

Thanks again guys. 


> Someday its got to be my turn


I always said the same thing and it finally was my turn i guess. There were so many times as i was driving home from the huron after getting skunked, i would say i might as well just forget about fishing there anymore, but a week or two later i would be right back there, trying again. Even without catching fish, just being out on the river is worth it. Good luck and keep fishing! 
I am thinking maybe Saturday or sunday morning i will try it again. 

As for the fish I caught, it was released. The other guy I saw catch one also released his. Both were about the same size, skippers i guess. What is the min. size for keeping steelhead?


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

Congrats on your first Huron river Steelhead!! They have to be 10 inch in the Huron, you can keep 5, but only 3 can be 15" or better. LOL!
The 16 "ers put up a good fight IMO and are the ones I prefer for the table.
The bigger spawners I release,usually.



I wonder if anyone remembers what it was like
before the fish ladder was put in?


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## lawnguy (Dec 30, 2003)

Congrats!!! Hopefully I'll be able to get down there this week at some point. Have the fish moved up towards the damn yet?


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## fishineddie (Jun 15, 2004)

i was there a couple of weeks ago and a guy caught one by the fish ladder before the dam. MONSTER female 22-25 inch range at least 10#er he told me he was gonna release it, but he could'nt get his spoon out of its throat and it died. he said he was going to have his wife cook it up that night . i almost invited myself to dinner it looked so tasty.i havent caught one yet but i will i.'ve been there almost every damn weekend this fall so it better be my turn NEXT.lol congrats to all who have caught probably the most elusive fish in michigan. ta hell with walleye caught so many of them their like catching bluegills. lol. i did hook into a nice carp ,if there is such a thing,that i thought was a steelie and when i got it in CARP:rant: there is a hole at the end of the park where the bench is right in the water throw rapalas straight out and when you reel in about 15 feet out in front of the bench BAM. its the only spot at huroc that i have caught fish consistently: carp,largemouth,pike,bluegills,and hopefully a nice chrome baby.lol


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## YPSIFLY (Feb 13, 2001)

Congrats on your first, Chris. I'll bet it fought harder than some of those bass behind your place.




Michigan Mike said:


> I wonder if anyone remembers what it was like
> before the fish ladder was put in?


I sure do. Every once in a while the water would get high enough for a stray king to jump the high dam and somebody upstream would catch it and there would be all kinds of excitement.

The musky fishing wasn't near as good as it has been in recent years. I was on a ladder survey a couple years ago and we had something like a dozen steelies and 7-8 musky in the net.


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

YPSIFLY
The only thing the fishladder which was first completed and operational in April of 1997 has only accomplished IMO is to allow the Great Lakes Muskie to the upper stretches. They have put a hurt on the bass fishing there also. The Steelhead have never had a problem getting over the flatrock damn in the spring. I know people who have been catching kings and steel at the belleville damn for over 20 years. I think the muskies definitely have a taste for the steel also, since I've seen them attacking there beds in the spring. It used to be a safe place once they went over the flatrock damn.
Before the ladder there were always 5 or 6 stringers hanging at the coffer during the fall or spring. 10 years ago to catch 50 fish each fall per person was not uncommon. Now I only average about 10 or 15 each fall from shore. Now if they would just turn it off until January, I'm sure the success rate would go back up. Steel don't spawn until after this time anyways.

I thought the fishladder was a great idea years back and I even donated towards it. I know more steel plants are allocated because of it also.But if catching more fish was the ultimate goal, I believe it has failed. 

The Huron is still my favorite river and I fish it from Proud Lake,most impoundments in between and down to the mouth.

Take Care


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## knockoff64 (Oct 14, 2001)

MM, I agree the fish ladder really didn't pan out.

I think the low returns of Steelhead however have nothing to do with the ladder and everything to do with years of low water, high lake temps, and competition for forage base in the western basin. The fish have to travel too far from the Huron to find favorable temps in the summer and most never make the return trip.


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