Quote Originally Posted by addictedangler View Post
Yes you need a lake Erie stamp. However crowds are what you help make them. I have at times had a hole or run with 20 plus fish in it with out a sole in site. However many fishermen are just plain lazy IMO and want to fish that bridge hole with 200 steelhead in it . I have fished and caught steelhead in 5 states and Pa has the best steelhead fishing for me. If you stay a little above the larger runs and can fish mid week you can have decent fishing and only see a handful of other fishermen. Or wait until later in the year when deer season takes many hunters off the stream. However as the water temperatures drop you need to change your tactics a little. I am sure all crappie fishermen that fish early after ice out understands what I am referring to. I do not have a problem fishing with a few other guys who work a hole in a respect full way. However I have seen where 6 or 8 guys are drifting a hole with bait and flys and someone comes in throwing a spinner down stream and crossing a hand full of lines. This is just wrong and causes bad blood.
I do not think many opening day trout fishermen are really into the fishing. It is kind of like the opening day of deer season. I do not golf so I am sure that most would not enjoy following a hacker on the course holding them up!
That ninth guy is the reason I avoid fishing them. Just no reason for doing that knowing it’s going to cause trouble. I avoid combat fishing at all costs. If you enjoy that type of fishing, more power to you. There’s local guys that will walk upstream and find fish only to have guys from out of town find them and horde in on their hole. I’m not dealing with that stuff. I’ve enjoyed catching them but the new wave just isn’t for me. I see Keith is the same way as I.