A tiny Lake Erie tributary tucked into the far northeast corner of Ohio is host to one of the state's largest runs of big steelhead.

Ohio's surprising steelhead trout fishery started somewhat by accident, explained Vince LaConte, the fish management supervisor for Ohio's District Three. Ohio, like other Great Lakes states, saw the success that Michigan was having with its coho and Chinook stocking programs in Great Lakes tributaries in the late 1960s. Attempting to mimic Michigan's success, Ohio attempted king and coho salmon stockings in several Lake Erie tributaries in the early 1970s.

One year, the fish management supervisor said, there was a surplus of rainbow trout the state had raised for inland put-and-take fishing programs. Someone suggested that the domestic rainbows be put into Conneaut Creek, more as way to get rid of them than as part of an organized stocking effort.

As the coho and Chinook programs faltered, the returns on those happenstance rainbow plants were impressive.

"Lo and behold, our rainbows made it. They simply worked out," said LaConte. "We got more consistent runs from our rainbows than we ever got from salmon, and everybody's been happy ever since."

The fisheries expert said that the steelhead offered a longer fishing season as well, and offer a combination of lake and stream angling opportunities that make steelhead fishing a four-season sport in northern Ohio.

Those first rainbow trout planted in Conneaut Creek migrated to Lake Erie and back up into Conneaut seeking comfortable temperatures, rather than by any urge to spawn in their host waters. The trout strains stocked now, which are true steelhead from the Little Manistee system in Michigan, act as true sea-run trout, migrating to seek out the waters where they were planted as smolts, and grow faster than the Ohio-raised trout, LaConte explained.

The state stocks 100,000 Little Manistee steelhead into Conneaut Creek each spring. Another 300,000 domestic, Ohio-raised steelhead smolts are divided among the Chagrin, Grand, and Rocky river tributaries about the same time. In the early years, the state stocked younger, smaller fish; these days, 10- to 12-month-old trout smolts, six- to seven-inches long, are used. "We found the older fish survived better," explained LaConte.

One of the people the state's steelhead stocking program success has made happiest is Jeff Liskay of Cleveland. The part-time fishing guide from Cleveland has been chasing Conneaut steelhead for 17 years, and averages 40 fishing days a year on his favorite steelhead stream. He's broken the 10-pound trophy mark a few times, topped by a 16-pound, two-ounce steelhead that he took from Conneaut one recent December.

Unlike most fishing pro's, Liskay isn't shy about letting people know the best places to fish his home waters. "To tell you the truth, you could drop me off at any one of the half-dozen access points along Conneaut and you wouldn't hear a peep of complaint from me," exclaimed the guide. "There's that much good fishing on that much of this river."

Conneaut Creek flows into Lake Erie a couple of miles west of Ohio's border with Pennsylvania, and for the first 10 miles or so it flows due west, almost parallel to the Lake Erie shoreline. At the town of Kingsville, Ohio, Conneaut does an about-face, and turns to head back east toward it headwaters in the Keystone State, near Dickerson, Pennsylvania. Along its path, Conneaut Creek creates about 20 miles of Ohio's best steelhead habitat.

Liskay knows every hole and riffle between Conneaut and the Pennsylvania border-- and beyond. Along that stretch, there are a more than a dozen popular access points for anglers.

The town of Conneaut -- and the mouth of its namesake creek-- is located at the northern terminus of State Route 7, which serves as the major north-south route in the area; Interstate 90 serves as the primary east-west access through the region.

Starting at the mouth of Conneaut Creek just off of downtown Conneaut, Ohio, anglers start fishing for steelhead from the west pier in the Port Authority harbor. The Port Authority harbor at Conneaut also hosts the best boat launch facility to access the lower river, with two improved, one "so-so," and one unimproved ramp.

Pier anglers may park at the launch ramp parking area and make the short walk to the west pier. February can offer good steelhead fishing when the ice clears from the harbor area; most anglers cast spoons, in-line spinners, and plugs off the lake side of the pier, fishing in four to eight feet of water.

Conneaut Creek offers its first access to the stream angler at the Main Street Bridge in Conneaut. "This is one of the best spots on the river for steelhead," said Liskay. "If it weren't for the crowds that can form there, I'd fish it every day."

Anglers may park in the parking lot at the north side of the bridge, where there's room for a dozen vehicles. At this point, the creek is some 60 feet wide with pools four- to six-feet deep-- which is a little deeper and lots wider than average along the rest of the stream.

From the Main Street Bridge, anglers may fish downstream a mile or so to lake level; or upstream almost a mile to the next access, at the State Route 7 crossing.

Ohio Route 7 crosses Conneaut Creek twice within the first few miles of Lake Erie. The first, or "north" crossing, as it is known, is also referred to as "The Mill Street Access." Mill Street parallels SR 7 to the west of the state route, and is recognized by a huge stone arch that spans the ravine there. To reach the creek, take SR to the Mill Street intersection, about 500 feet west of where SR 7 crosses Conneaut Creek, and turn north on Mill Street. There is parking along Mill Street, and it's easy to see how to walk down the embankment to the creek.

The next access is off Center Street Road, upstream a mile and a half from the Mill Street/Route 7 bridge. Take SR 7 north over Conneaut Creek and past Mill Street to the second road on the left, which is Main Street. Take Main Street west to Center Street. Turn south (left) on Center Street to a small city park at the creek.

Nearby, Keefus Road bridge just past Center Street, south off Main Street, is one of the more popular places to fish Conneaut Creek.

Creek Road bridge offers angling access as well. Get off of I-90 at the State Route 193/84 exit west of Conneaut near Kingsville. Take SR 193/84 north to Creek Road in Kingsville. Turn east (right) on Creek Road for four to five miles to a covered bridge, which spans Conneaut Creek. Park on the east side of the bridge and fish either direction.

Another is off South Ridge Road, where Conneaut Creek makes its U-turn from west to east. Take SR 193/84 into Kingsville to the South Ridge Road intersection and turn east (right.) You'll cross Conneaut Creek within a mile of the turn.

A final access point to Conneaut from I-90 is to the south, where you take SR 193/84 south a quarter mile to Fox Road. Take Fox east (left) for two miles to State Road, where you turn north (left). Go a half mile to a covered bridge and fish the main creek or the tributary that enters here. Fish downstream only, as the land upstream is posted.

Conneaut Creek is blessed with landowners who--for now--permit anglers access to most of its shoreline.

"But if you litter, you'll lose it," warns LaConte. "So far, the landowners have been good about letting anglers access the creek, but that can change fast if we all don't start treating their land as if it were our own."

LaConte advises anglers to seek permission to walk on private land to get to the stream, or to fish along is banks. "I've never heard of any angler who asked first, getting turned down," LaConte said, adding that most landowners live on the property along the creek, and can be located easily for the asking.

Once streamside, several methods will net you a steelie. February marks the beginning of the ice-out, spring season for steelhead, and spawn sacks are always a good choice early in the year. Liskay uses sacks the size of a dime on size 10 VMC bronze hooks; he'll go bigger--up to number six hooks holding quarter-dollar-sized bags--when water warms or roils.

Another rig that works well is a half-dozen maggots draped on the hook of a 1/16- to 1/64-ounce jig.

Liskay recommends long, 10-foot-plus rods and spinning reels spooled with four- to six-pound line. He uses slender balsa or foam bobbers weighted with enough split shot to allow the bait to "tick" bottom while flowing naturally downstream after casts that quarter across upstream.

When the bobber dives, he strikes. The result can be anything from 16-inch "skipper" steelhead to 30-inch adult trout that may weight 10 pounds or more. The average February fish will run three to five pounds.

Fly anglers do well on Conneaut steelhead too. Egg patterns, glo-bugs, minnow-imitating streamers and nymphs take Ohio steelhead, as do crayfish patterns.

"Mother Nature holds the key to this fishery," said Liskay. "Especially this time of year. The creek is usually locked up (in ice) in January, but by February the thaw starts, and so does the steelhead fishing."

For more information about Conneaut Creek steelhead fishing, call the Ohio Division of Wildlife at 1-800-WILDLIFE and request a copy of publication #34, "Trout Fishing in Lake Erie," which is free of charge and includes maps and information about the fishery. For stream conditions and detailed fishing information, contact Jeff Liskay at 216-734-7098.