Mike Harvey sends in this trip report as he went Steelhead fishing for the first time!

I’ve been in Ohio now about 3 years, and I finally discovered Steelhead fishing!  I joined the local Fly-Fishing Club, Central Ohio Flyfishers (COFF).  I met Sandy Potterton who has become a friend and fishing Sensei version II. He is a veteran fly fisherman and has all the goodies for Steelhead.  So, I joined him at the Ashtabula River which is a tributary to Lake Erie on Wednesday March 31st. Started fishing about 8:30 and 4 other guys in the group were already fishing. In the first five minutes I caught my first steelhead to the chagrin of the others in the group (who hadn’t had any luck yet).  Luckily, Sandy was there to coach me through how to land a 27-inch Steelhead.  I started out trying to pull it in like I would a 14-inch trout in the Missouri streams.  Not the same approach! After a long battle and high adrenalin output, I was able to land it.  I caught a second one about an hour later and landed as well and then hooked a third, but it broke off.  The rest of the group caught 3-4 more fish as the day ended.  My friend Sandy was there all week and the day before caught 35 or so of these monsters.  So obviously, this will be a new destination in the spring and fall increasing my f ly-fishing repertoire. We caught most on either beads or soft hackles. Now I’m looking at 7/8/9 weight fly rods, reels etc. etc.  Don’t tell my wife, lol. 
Any of my Missouri brothers who’d want to make a trip this fall for some steelhead fishing in Ohio, let me know.  We can put a trip together and have a great time catching some big Rainbows (Steelheads)!
Mike