Ohio-based guide Don Mathews holds a 13.6-pound steelhead he caught on Upper Conneaut Creek. Click photo for larger image. More Coverage: Fishing Notebook: 2006 fishing licenses will go on sale Dec. 1

Thanksgiving weekend is expected to pack heavily pressured Erie County streams with even larger steelheading crowds.

"Black Friday -- the day after Thanksgiving -- is the busiest day of the year," said Matt Hrycyk of Girard who is president of the Pennsylvania Steelhead Association. "The first day of hunting season in December is the other one, because everyone thinks everyone else is out chasing deer. After that, we see a dramatic drop in anglers."

Peak crowds could also see the peak of the fall runs, which have been slow to start this year, according to steelhead guide and author John Nagy, who blames high average lake temperatures and poor rainfall.

Anglers are catching fish up to 183/4 pounds and reporting slightly bigger sizes, if not numbers, this year. Despite periodic precipitation, streams have been low most of the fall.

"Hopefully, the best is yet to come," said Nagy. "If we get more consistent rain and snowmelt -- about two runoff episodes a week -- good numbers of steelhead and bigger fish should start arriving by the end of this month. Streams should also be free of leaves and silt, and water temperatures, ideal."

Pennsylvania steelheading is all about run off. Even after rain events, the window of angling opportunity is often small before streams become low and clear. Anglers will do well to keep tackle light and small, according to Don Mathews, an Ohio-based guide who often fishes in Pennsylvania. "The biggest mistake I see guys making is using way too heavy equipment."

He said the best rod for Erie streams is a noodle rod, because they are long -- 9 to 101/2 feet -- flexible, and designed to absorb the shock of landing a large fish on light tackle. Mathews lines his reels with eight-pound test and ties on 24 to 30 inches of leader in 4- to 6-pound fluorocarbon. "If a fish runs upstream around a rock, my main line is heavy and abrasion resistant, but the fish can't see my leader," he said. "Even if water conditions are on the cloudier side, I never go higher than a 6-pound leader on Pennsylvania streams."

Mathews fishes strong but small hooks in sizes 12 to 16.

One of his favorite baits is the salmon egg. He likes egg sacks in high stained water and a single egg when tributaries are low and clear. And buy them only in Erie, he said. "Those guys have been curing them for years. The big chain stores don't compare."

Anglers who prefer artificials will find they can use any subsurface fly, such as Stonefly nymphs, wooly buggers, egg patterns and gray or gold mayflies, on a spinning rod. Bait fishermen should avoid fathead minnows and stick with emerald shiners, which is the lake forage's.

"Fish in fall are fresh from the lake, so minnows will work best, except for fatheads. Hook an emerald shiner through the nose on a size 14 hook," Mathews said.

Maggots and waxworms also work. And use only dark split shot because the shiny kind will cause steelhead to spook.

Mathews said float fishing is the best method for targeting steelhead, since anglers can suspend their presentation at the depth fish are holding, while dead drifting down the stream. Steelhead hold to the bottom 90 percent of the time, he said.

A quick adjusting float lets anglers alter their presentation to changing depths.

When streams are running high, they should target faster, shallower water. Once water drops, fish go into a holdover mode and will seek the safest, deepest spot they can find. While drifting, anglers should keep their rod tip high and their drag fairly loose. After hooking up, he said, "If a fish runs upstream, stand and wait, because the fish will be fighting you and the current at the same time. If the fish is running downstream, you've got to chase it. When you're fighting the fish, work your rod from side to side."

Given that runoff rates vary from one stream to the next, Mathews urges anglers to get familiar with different streams, which means exploring and networking with locals.

"Elk and Walnut [creeks] are heavily stocked, so you can't go wrong there," he said, "but if they're not fishing well, I'd stop in a bait shop, buy $10 worth of tackle, and ask where they're catching fish."