Joelster
I got there around 8. Got to my spot at 8:30. One guy about 50 feet to my left and a boat. I hooked 3 of them on a dark purple and black. The last one was using a black and red. I left at about 12. The 3rd one is a really good size and gave me a very good fight.
You looked to be quite a ways downstream from me. Where do you park? I park up at the state park area and walk down the mile of stairs. I should have tried some darker jigs. I have a ton of them. Float fishing just isn’t my thing. I see you had your jig about 4 feet down. I’m assuming you aren’t casting out very far? The water there looked like it was slow moving, probably an eddy.
You need a net! I’ve lost so many fish trying to land them without a net.
I park at Devil’s Hole parking lot right in the middle of the fork. I come down the stairs just like you. When I got to the bottom, I go yo the right and wirk my way down stream. Im using a slip float. I set the depth using a rubber stopper ranging from 6’-10’ depending on the location. The place where I caught those fish is about 10’ deep. I cast about 20’-40’ out. I definitely need a net and Im trying to find a nice small one to carry around.
1/8 jig? I black seems to be popular in the spring. For some reason I never really fished for steelhead in the spring. I always just jump to carp and catfish. I think I’ll give it a try this year.
1/16-1/32 jig. I found that 1/8 jig got snag too often. Beginning of April, I will targeting Silver bass, Walleyes, and small mouth bass. Mostly just casting lures like Rapala, twisty tails, plastic minnows.
I use a Frabill net. It’s kind of big but the handle telescopes. I use it as a walking stick when I’m going up the stairs so it comes in handy. I don’t worry about portability. When I’m fishing I set it down near me, and I set my tackle box down as well. You don’t need it on yourself to use it. I lay it down with the handle facing the water so I can just reach back and grab it. I couldn’t find the exact one on the Frabill site, but it’s similar to this one:
You’ll cut your landing time in half.
Thank you Joelster! I’m looking for one similar to that at Dick’s cuze I got some gift cards there. What’s the best diameter or size you normally use? Something in the 20" and up?
Yep, mine is 20" or 22" wide, just make sure the handle is long. When the handle is out the net is about 4 feet long. This is a screen shot of me landing a nice steelhead in the fall, while reeling, and also holding my phone. Took me about 45 seconds to land him.
You push the button in the middle and the entire handle slides up into the net.
I think you park where I do, but you’d be better off parking way down. This is a map of where I park. The yellow circle, then follow the huge stairs. I don’t go downstream as far as you. The red dot is roughly where you fish. I’m pretty sure you can park at the blue circle. There is a metal staircase there. It’s a much easier hike too, since the drive down the road eliminates half of the climb.
This is a blown up view of the parking area:
Again i’m not 100% positive , but I’m fairly sure.
EDIT: just texted my friend he said yes it’s legit. Take the I190 and get off on Witmer going west and Power Authority Drive tees into it shortly after.
I am not sure but i believe that parking lot is closed when the platform closes. Having said that, I know that you can park at the parking lot at the top of the service road and walk down the road to the blue circled stairs. It is still a hike but is nice when there is 4 inches of ice on the devils hole stairs and you don’t have cleats.
Is there a decent salmon run there? Or is it mostly steelhead and lakers?
There is an INSANE salmon run there. I went out on a charter a few years ago, and there was an honest 40+ boats in there.
The thing I love about it is that there are 20lb Steelhead in there right now. Also 15-20lb browns. This is a Steelhead my friend Pete got 2 years ago. Was about 34" and 14-15lbs.
Watch the video and you can see a bunch of boats and a bunch of guys on the shore.
That’s cool. I’m going to have to check it out. Looks like there’s a decent amount of space for shore fishing. Unlike Burt in the fall. Lol.
There’s a ton of room there. I just got back. I landed 1 big laker, that’s it. There were a lot of boats out today. 7 or 8, all Lund’s lol. I didn’t see too many fish caught. I tried the slip float technique. I like it a LOT. Way better than a fixed setup. I rigged up a 10’6" St. Croix with the float and brought my 6’ St Croix for chucking lures. i landed the laker on a artificial minnow that is weighted. Chuck it out as far as I can, sink to the bottom, then jig it back to shore so it stay low.
That’s a nice size Laker! I haven’t caught a laker since November.
Just letting you guys know that there is a Steelhead contest going on right now. Registration is $15 per person, lots of cool prizes. You get a tape measure and a special ticket. Both must be in each photo including yourself. Fishing is shore only for Niagara and Orleans county. That means the Lower (ArtPark, Devil’s Hole), 18-mile creek (Burt Dam), Keg Creek, 12-mile Creek, Johnson’s Creek, Oak Orchard, etc, etc.
Register at ASB Tackle, on rt 78 about a mile south of Burt Dam.
Registration is open until March 6th, and the contest runs until March 19th.
UPDATE: I’m getting my butt kicked in this contest lol. I’ve only landed 1 fish which was 22" today.
The biggest fish so far is 31.5" which is a tank. Second place is 30.5" and third is 30". I have my work cut out for me. Most of the fish landed have come from Burt Dam, but I got mine at Keg Creek. I lost another one which was bigger, probably 26-27". There are about 25 guys entered in the contest.
That’s not bad 
you only a few inches short. I wish I have time to participate. With running my business and 3 toddlers takes up most of my time. I just got my first center pin setup and been practicing fir the past 3 days. Man!!! Si frustrated trying to cast and tangle up. But when again today and my casting improved a bit and landed my first steely on my pin after 3 hours. The feel is kinda different, i dont know it worth the hassle.
Just try side casting. It helps to have a lot of line on the spool too. What reel did you go with?
based on your frustration I am assuming you are wallis casting.
If you are fishing the lower and you are chucking >1 oz of weight try BC casting it is much easier then trying to time a wallis cast.
The wallis cast is tricky. One thing I struggled with was that I was spinning the reel before the rod was fully loaded.