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Conneaut Creek is a quality steelhead fishery flowing
through Pennsylvania and eventually into Lake Erie in
Conneaut, Ohio. It is a medium sized waterway with diverse
characteristics. The creek also holds a fair number of
other fish from smallmouth bass and walleye to "muskie" and
pike. Conneaut creek is also an approved trout stream
south of Erie County and is stocked accordingly.
The creeks headwaters are found south of Conneautville,
PA and flow for over 30 miles before reaching the Ohio
State line. The upper reaches of the creek are located
in Crawford County. Downstream from Crawford the creek
flows through Erie County before reaching Ohio, and
then flows for approximately another 10 miles in Ohio
before spilling into Lake Erie. Conneaut creek is made
up of riffles, runs, fast pools, and slow pools and
has a bottom made up mostly of silt, sand, gravel,
and small stones. There are only a few areas of shale
unlike most of the other Erie tributaries in Pennsylvania
that consist almost entirely of shale. |
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Steelhead will enter the creek starting in late October
and run through late April (weather and other factors
can vary this time frame). They can be found almost anywhere
in the river. There are no major places where fish get
hung up and stack beneath. Look for good holding water
(seams, riffles, deep slots and pools, etc.) and watch
reports to see how the runs have been and where fish
were located last. They will sometimes be a mile or two
upstream the following day. |
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A floating line and leader with split shot will handle
most of the fishing in this creek. You may want to also
bring a running line with lead sacks (slinkies), and
a sink tip line just for good measure. The running line
and lead sack will bail you out in times of very high
water while the sink tip line can be fished with woolly
buggers and streamers if fish are aggressive. Aggressive
steelhead (where they will chase streamers and wet flies)
are usually found in water temperatures ranging from
42-54 degrees.
Access to the creek is found at several areas along
its way. A couple of areas are located on Griffy Road
(they cross the creek) south off of Clover road which
parallels the creek out of Ohio and into Pennsylvania.
Route 6N also provides access where it crosses the
creek, along with Mckee Road east of Route 6N. Be aware
of any private property and do not tresspass if you
are not certain its public access. Please respect homeowners
areas as you wouldn't want strangers walking around
your property.The steelhead fishing from this area
north towards the lake is generally the best. There
is still ample access to the south, upstream and to
the north, downstream into Ohio. Check the Special
Regulations for each state.
Conneaut Creek is well worth the visit if you are
in the area. It sometimes can harbor steelhead when
other streams are void. There is also good fishing
when the season changes to summer for smallmouth and
pike, along with "muskie" and a few other warm water
species. The pike and "muskie" can be caught with large
deer hair flies in various colors. Chartreuse, yellow,
black, and white are a few favorites. Smallmouth bass
can be caught using similar flies just smaller in size.
Brown, black, white, olive and yellow are some favorite
colors for "smallies." Woolly buggers are also a great
pattern for smallmouth as well. Conneaut Creek offers
more miles of water to fish and species to fish then
most of the other Lake Erie tributaries located in
Pennsylvania. |
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