Steelhead trout lure local anglers

When he gets the chance, David Butters of Williamsport is willing to travel more than four hours to Erie to catch steelhead trout.

He in his third season of fishing them on Lake Erie's tributary streams, where he described trout fishing as similar but different to around here.

Butters considers a 24 1/2 inch brown trout he caught, released and didn't weigh while fishing on Lycoming Creek a fine fish, but it doesn't stack-up to the mounted steelhead he brought with him to the Nov. 11 Susquehanna Trout Unlimited Chapter meeting at the downtown Holiday Inn.

On March 19, while fishing Walnut Creek in Erie, Butters reeled-in a 33-inch, 17-pound steelhead which earned him a state Fish & Boat Commission trophy citation.

Butters tries to fish around Erie weekly, when weather permits.

More than 40 visitors joined Trout Unlimited members at a hotel convention room to learn some of Butters' secrets, which he candidly shared.

Butters said he prefers to subsurface fly fish with sinkers, especially around Erie.

His favorite flies include bright-colored flesh and egg or sucker spawn combinations.

Sometimes he prefers to shift to olive or dark-hued woolly buggers, adding brightness to the tail when need be.

Whatever he uses, he makes sure he doesn't overload the line with split-shot, which he said can drag the surface and snag.

Insisting he enjoys fighting the fish, Butters said he uses a smaller fly rod than the average 7-weight, 10-foot rod.

Revealing he uses a 3-weight, 7-foot rod, Butters said it won't break, provided the angler learns how to use it.

"It came as a two piece and it's still a two piece," he said of his rod.

Instead of some anglers whom Butters said wait too long, he's found success setting the hook soon after his line indicator dips down.

He refuses to use fluorocarbon line, which he said gets brittle and breaks.

Eight-pound test is sufficient, according to Butters.

He said he's even used 6-pound test with success, and said anglers are at a disadvantage if they hit the Erie streams with overly visible 10-, 15-, or 20-pound test line.

Butters prefers to keep himself scarce from the deep holes where other anglers tend to gather.

"I go to the fast water; above or below it," he said.

Some Internet chat rooms are chock full of misinformation, but Butters has found a few sources genuinely helpful.

When he spoke to the Trout Unlimited group, he said his favorite Erie fishing stream, Walnut Creek, was too low for ideal fishing conditions.

He knew this by checking a U.S. Geological Survey water data chart linked to a Erie area fishing Web site he considers especially helpful, www.poorrichardserie.com.

When Walnut Creek is between 5.10 to 5.80 feet, with a flow between 110 and 180 cubic feet per second, Butters enjoys fishing around dusk and dawn, taking a mid-day break when the fish get sluggish.

Beginners might want to try Walnut Creek's Manchester Hole, where Butters said anglers will catch fish if they're willing to fight for elbow room on the crowded banks.

Some experts have told Butters October and November are prime times to fish steelheads there.

His favorite time is March, when he said weather can be fairly cooperative with longer hours to fish.

Winter ice can make fishing difficult other times of year, but Butters has found Stanley's Ice-Off paste to be effective line repellent when water isn't frozen solid.

Butters advised anglers to also try other Lake Erie tributaries, including Elk, Walnut, Raccoon and Crooked creeks.

Local Trout Unlimited boardmember Joe Radley, who reminded the public of an upcoming event, was among the members who thanked Butters for his informative presentation.

At a January meeting, Radley said members of area watershed groups will convene to learn about ways to monitor gas well drilling.