PA Steelhead Association

09/03/2026

Erie got hit with over 4 inches of rain yesterday which is great news to help kick off the steelhead season. A big blowout helps clear out the creeks and keep the mouths of the creeks open for easy migration for the steelhead. The rainfall this past month has been great but I see tons of comments each year of hopeful fisherman thinking a big early September rain is going to have fish pouring into the tributaries, unfortunately thats not typically the case. Mass migration of fish is very dependent on Lake temperatures. Lake Erie is currently hovering around 74 degrees. Regardless of precipitation amounts, we will see larger amounts of fish staging and entering the lower parts of the tribs when the lake temps are around 68, even more so when it hits 66 which in my opinion is the magical temp to really kick these fish into gear and want to migrate. I am not saying that rain is not a good thing, its simply not the deciding factor when we start seeing large numbers of steelhead. In short, keep an eye on lake temps when planning an early season steelhead trip. Pictured below is lower walnut creek this morning. I hope everyone has a great season!

08/27/2026

Early this month it was asked what everyone was doing in preparation for the upcoming season. Now with the season upon us, and all the rain we've been having to fill the streams (hoorah!), what's going to be your "go to rig" and "go to fly, lure, or bait" the first time you hit the stream.
Again, please keep responses respectful and enlightening as we are all in this game together to help one another. It's an opportunity to share our knowledge with a beginner or young angler in their effort to catch that first steelhead......then its game on and they're "hooked" forever!

08/26/2026

The PSA Steelhead Fishing Survey is now open for survey submissions. It is being opened early this season because conditions are excellent for fish to start appearing in the lower end of the tributary streams.

PLEASE FILL OUT A SURVEY EVERY TIME THAT YOU FISH FOR STEELHEAD --- EVEN IF YOU DON'T CATCH ANYTHING.

Thank you.

Use the link below to access the survey:

Created and maintained by the PA Steelhead Association, this survey and its collected data provide useful information regarding our Pennsylvania Steelhead and Lake-run Brown Trout fisheries. Please fill this survey out every time you fish for Steelhead including the days that you do NOT land a fish!...

08/12/2026

Erie Gives Day 2026 was quite successful for the PA Steelhead Association as we received $725 in donations. The donors are listed below.

Monica Westfall
Carl Fry
Lawrence Blake
William & Candace Patsy
Ariadne Hart
Nick & Connie Rybak
Daniel Nugent
Jacob Stanopiewicz
Gregory J. K***z in memory of Brad Buehrer and Rich Moore
John Tautin
Paul Artines
Chris & Patti Larson
Roger & Nancy Latimer

Thank you to all the Erie Gives Day 2026 donors!

08/09/2026

A number of PA Steelhead Association members helped make Asbury Woods Fish Field Day a great event yesterday. Emma Mader was the major organizer of the event. Roger Latimer, Timothy Weeks, Paul Krott, and Glenn Ybañez Sr. manned a PSA information desk, demonstrated fly tying, and kept a watch over young anglers trying their hand at the Magnetic Fishpond. Jack Barr taught fly casting. Ari Hart and Georgie Capotis provided an information desk. Jim Head, Kevin Louis, Bill Eckert, Matt Kerr, and Don Kelly provided attendees with information about Trout Unlimited.

People, young and old, learned about fish and fishing while having fun.

08/07/2026

HELP PREVENT INVASIVE ASIAN CARP FROM ENTERING THE GREAT LAKES!

The Brandon Road Interbasin Project is a huge construction endeavor near Joliet, Illinois, designed to prevent migration of invasive Asian Carp species from the Illinois River system into the Great Lakes. This is a multi-year, billion plus dollar project that received Congressional approval and support from the Governors of the Great Lakes' states.

In July, the project was put on hold when a work-stoppage order was issued to allow "administrative review" for unclear reasons. If this project is not allowed to be continued to completion the damage to the Great Lakes ecosystem caused by these Carp could be devastating.

The accompanying article gives a good summary of the situation, but an internet search will reveal many more articles regarding the work-stoppage of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project.

Please contact your U.S. Congressmen (House of Representatives and Senators) to request that they urge continuation of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project until it is completed. Contact your state's Governor requesting the same thing.

We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.

Thank you!

The embattled Brandon Road Interbasin Project — which is viewed as an essential way to stop invasive Asian carp from entering the Great Lakes — has experienced months of federal funding delays under the Trump administration.

08/04/2026

Members of the PA Steelhead Association and the Northwest Pa Chapter Of Trout Unlimited will be helping out on Fish Field Day at Asbury Woods Nature Center this Saturday, August 8th. Bring the entire family and come spend several hours with us learning about fish and fishing.

08/03/2026

It's already August and the countdown to steelhead showing up in the tributaries has begun!
What is everyone doing to get ready for the upcoming run? Post up up your plans and ideas, but please, keep it positive and respectful as were all in this game together. With all the rain we have been getting, hopefully this Fall won't be as dry as last season.
Tightlines!

07/06/2026

Hot Dog Day last Saturday (June 27th) was a great success! 160 hot dogs were cooked by Chef Roger Latimer (see picture) and served to the walleye anglers coming in from successful trips, and were also given an ice cold water.
We all had a chance to spread the word of the Steelhead Association and garnered some memberships as well as some donations toward our cause. If you couldn't make this year, hopefully we'll see you the next time.
We're now in a countdown until the first steelhead begin to appear!
As a reminder, the next meeting will be held September 9th with a guest speaker you won't want to miss.
Stay tuned!
(P.S.: If you follow our page, consider joining as strength is in numbers!)

07/04/2026