On The Water's own, Liam O'Neill, starts his 2026 fishing season with a snowy road trip back to western Pennsylvania and a one-shot gamble on the steelhead of Lake Erie.In this episode, Liam breaks down his first fish of the year on the Erie tributaries — from running-and-gunning the Mile Creeks to battling frigid temps, shifting structure, and unpredictable fish movement. He and longtime friend Ben Niesen chase winter chrome through small, ever-changing creeks like Elk Creek and Walnut Creek, navigating blown-out pools, waterfall bottlenecks, and aggressive “jack” steelhead.The conversation dives into:How Erie’s creeks differ from larger Ontario systems like the Salmon RiverWhy steelhead positioning changes with flow, snowmelt, and sedimentFly fishing vs. centerpin tactics in tight tributariesThe psychology of cold-weather fishing and making the most of limited shotsThen, Captain Andy Bliss of Chasing Tail Adventures joins the show to break down year-round fishing in Oswego County, from winter steelhead to Great Lakes trolling. With over two decades of guiding experience, Andy shares insight on technique, fishery management, and why education is the cornerstone of becoming a better angler.If you’ve ever wondered how to approach Great Lakes steelhead — or why one creek can hold hundreds of fish one day and none the next — this episode delivers the full picture.Winter grit. Chrome in cold water. And the best day of the season — when it mattered most.