Trail Creek Steelhead Fishing

Indiana isn't known for steelhead. However, Trail Creek bucks that trend. One of the most productive steelhead fisheries in the Great Lakes, Trail Creek is a well known fishery in Northwest Indiana bombarded by locals and anglers from Michigan and Illinois. Armed with Pautzke BorX O Fire cured shrimp and eggs we walked the stream with Todd Hatfield of Trail Creek Guide Service and caught several steelhead in the dead of winter while filming this episode of Pautzke Outdoors.
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For more information on guided Trail Creek steelhead trips please visit
/ trailcreekguideservice

[@joefisher4630]

Tell me why these guys go out fish and give location, technique, and vital info. and nobody cries foul. But others scream bloody murder when some enterprising young adults go out with their go pros.

[@montellwilliams811]

Say , can you share the area / location's - & the best time of year to possibility catch one of this trophy fish ?

[@lilbigGerm]

@@montellwilliams811 michigan city indiana i’m pretty sure they’re off the highway 20 public trail creek access , you can catch these bad boys all year but i think autumn sends them upriver so there’s a whole lot going on around then

[@dave0z96]

Salt Creek, Calumet River, And Little Calumet in Northwest Indiana is good for steelhead, rainbows, and salmon as well .

[@noobpyrotech9991]

Good to know I am in North East Indiana.

[@AndrewBuss]

I tournament bass fish all over Northern Indiana, but when the steelhead and salmon show up to Trail Creek, it becomes a serious business around here. It was fun to see you capture it. Great video.

[@ethemperor1470]

From Michigan and I love this creek a great place to learn how to steelhead fish and get others interested.

[@montellwilliams811]

Say , if possible is there anyone on here that can teach a rookie , how to fish at this Creek for a trophy fish ?

[@gradycrislerjr40]

Y'all going to be up here this year? If so let me know i would love to watch live..

[@rickdudzik9281]

i use to slay these fish in the early 90s here great place.i moved to ks for the great deer hunting i miss those great fish.

[@adrianudrea1406]

you guys fishing in wrong side in private spot....public access it in left site after bridge

[@adriankubik6425]

@@oscarmunoz105 What makes you think that guides are allowed to access private property. This video was filmed in 2017 where that area wasn't posted as private yet. Now it's private, and no one is allowed to go there, including guides.

[@oscarmunoz105]

@@adriankubik6425 not sure but do you know who owns the land

[@abulailaalshishany9249]

I caught a 10 pound brown trout in this creek

[@montellwilliams811]

Has anyone been out at the creek , this time of year December 2020 ?

[@montellwilliams811]

@@drz400s8 say , have you been out to the creek - this time of year December 2029 ?

[@musiconocedor10]

@@montellwilliams811 I was there yesterday for two hrs and caught only two small trout

[@trazy38]

what is rod length and power?

[@bunjininja]

I have good luck using a swim bait. Or minnow lure. Steelhead are strong fish. They will chase and eat smaller fish. The key is presentation. They have great eyesight. And if they see your fishing line. They will absolutely ignore your tackle.... You got some really nice looking hens in this video. Great job!

[@Joseph-jn7jl]

Fish on

[@slide_ways]

I thought a 6-8 gram float is too big for small creeks? Can anyone confirm this? Also this guy must not do guided tours anymore because all of his links were removed.

[@gradycrislerjr40]

Y'all going to be up here this year? If so let me know i would love to watch live..

[@montellwilliams811]

Say , did you go out there ? Any fish landed ?

[@jimidavidson2127]

…did you make it this year? If no reply… there’s always next year.

[@craytum6945]

Watch all your posts, this one was just fabulous. Thanks

[@maxaranowski1565]

Im 40 mins away were going to bass pro to get some more gear than going there

[@montellwilliams811]

Say , how was the outcome at the creek ?

[@johnbeaupain]

2hr SouthEast of Chicago, not NorthEast (11:25-11:30)

[@gregbarenthin8561]

fished there my for years lived about two miles from that creek many childhood memories with friends

[@JJDaBossOutdoors]

Can someone tell me rod size/action as well as hook size to use please? I’m about to try my hand at steelhead

[@JJDaBossOutdoors]

Med/heavy action rod 8-10foot rod with a ez 1/0 or 1 for winter steelhead also can use size 6 I personally use a small 6 with a 8.5 med hvy rod. I’m heading to trail creek today/tomorrow

[@JJDaBossOutdoors]

Which months are each run

[@jamiemartinez1325]

Trail creek public Access is off Rt12 or Rt20?

[@BBisSnagging]

Awesome guys love it!

[@bigfishbrau]

just a tip, maybe show the fish not the fisherman? i wanna see the battle! :)

[@mammaliandischarger]

Your song blows. it does. You know it does. You better know it does.

[@montellwilliams811]

Great Video , Great Fishing. 👍👌 👈

[@TheBaseCase]

Why is the camera not on the wate!?

[@jaylinbrandi7128]

Put Blain on Goliath grouper

[@montellwilliams811]

👀 👂

[@YAMAHAtester]

how long have you guys been pin fishing i started in the mid 80s in ontario

[@leviridge3307]

73yrs

[@soulmansoul]

Call ZZ Todd. He will put on the steel.

[@citymix4304]

nice

[@gerald4133]

Beautiful fish 🐟.

[@goch907]

Gold like always

[@fasx56]

Is this a catch and release stream, what is the limit for each day. I am surprised with large populations not to far away that you do not bumping into each other on this stream.

[@TeamPautzke]

Not catch and release. It's a put and take. We ran into tons of anglers, but only filmed ourselves.

[@montellwilliams811]

@@TeamPautzke say , have you been back ? Do you think that I might be able to catch one during , December 2020 ?

[@lilbigGerm]

@@montellwilliams811 you can catch these bad boys year round

[@mikerojo2854]

Big fan!

[@adventureanglingpnw1821]

Do the great lakes steelhead fight hard like the ones here in Oregon?

[@nathanmaynard131]

Skamania steelies (summer run strain) are known to fight extremely hard

[@MichiganAngling]

I concur, 1/11 on skam this year (I think i need to use heavier leaders). But yes as hard as all steelhead fight, skam are definitely exceptional.

[@WIFinlanderGuideService]

nice job todd

[@josuevences7873]

funny thing is that I was here yesterday but on the other side of the bridge

[@TeamPautzke]

ZZ Todd was probably there, too!

[@montellwilliams811]

Say , has anyone been at this location during - December 2020 ?

[@patrickskaggs6034]

I like to try steel head and salmon fishing at trail Creek are any other Creek and also a place called salt Creek. I heard lot of good things about those places I need a guide are some one to help me find a place to go fishing I live in Indiana please help a old vet

[@TeamPautzke]

The info for the guide service is on this video.

[@chromeslayer5269]

Isnt this creek all private land?

[@TeamPautzke]

Was all public where we fished. Saw tons of anglers all around us.

[@DuckGunChronicles]

Yes, a lot of it is on private land.. but you can find public sections as well.

[@bryce2082]

North side of the bridge is private property

[@HLuc]

there nine spots that are public in trail

[@shawnmorgan2556]

Steelhead Slayer stay in the water and your fine!

[@ryanr219]

What length rods are you running in the timber?

[@montellwilliams811]

Say , have you been to this location - December 2020 ?

[@koukitype180]

Hey guys what kind of did do you recommend for steelhead fishing? I have a 9 ft rod I use for Chinook, is that overkill?

[@HLuc]

try and find out

[@peoplecallmeearl1051]

No it should be fine

[@montellwilliams811]

Is this a NO reply - site !!!!!👎

[@TeamPautzke]

Montell - this how we do it!

[@montellwilliams811]

@@TeamPautzke 👍👌

[@diegopuentezjr73]

This must be an old video because i was there on sunday and it was all green

[@TeamPautzke]

Of course. This video is on winter steelhead fishing.