In fall highlight species targeted by anglers along the Rocky River, other area streams, and Lake Erie include steelhead, yellow perch, walleye, and panfish. The Rocky River is offering decent fishing conditions and gave up plenty of steelhead this week. The Chagrin River offered good steelhead fishing this week, as well. We have rain in the forecast and anglers can monitor the most recent river water level and temperature you can check the following links: <Rocky River flow gage data> <Chagrin River flow gage data>. Wave conditions permitting, the steelhead bite from the Lake Erie shore has been good at Edgewater and E55th, and yellow perch are biting well for boaters off Cleveland and Euclid.
The Rocky River and other area streams have been fishing well for steelhead this week. As of this writing the Rocky and Chagrin rivers are offering decent fishing conditions, although a bit on the low flow side, but there is some rain in the forecast so wise anglers will keep an eye on the flow data to determine the trend. Anglers have been hooking steelhead in the rivers on spawn sacks and jigs drifted under floats, as well as on hardware such as Little Cleo spoons and Vibrax spinners.
The Lake Erie shoreline steelhead bite has been good at Edgewater and E55th this week, with Wildwood and Huntington parks also producing some fish. Be aware that conditions can be unfishable at most spots along the lakefront when there is a strong northerly wind, though. Many lakefront fish fall for a small jig tipped with maggots or a minnow suspended 4-6 feet below a bobber, with a whole nightcrawler below a bobber also taking plenty of fish. Casting a spoon (ie Little Cleo or KO Wobbler) or spinner (ie Vibrax or RoosterTail) at these locations are also good bets for connecting with a steelhead trout. A promising observation lately has been some bigger 30" plus steelhead in the mix, which have been fairly rare the past few years otherwise.
The Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area was stocked with 1,000 pounds of rainbow trout, 600 pounds of big channel catfish, and 1,000 smaller catfish (the latter by ODNR Division of Wildlife) earlier in October and plenty of these fish remain. Anglers at our inland lakes and ponds are catching catfish, largemouth bass, and panfish. The first round of winter trout stockings at our inland lakes and ponds is loosely scheduled for mid-December. Details on that will be covered in future fishing reports.
The yellow perch bite has been good off Cleveland this week. Anglers are using perch spreaders and live or salted shiners in 38-45feet of water. The perch size has been very good. Early fall walleye fish around Cleveland will improve into fall. The ODNR Division of Wildlife weekly Lake Erie fishing report can be viewed <here>. Anglers/boaters can view current lake conditions off Cleveland at the following link: <City Of Cleveland Water Intake Crib Cam>.
If you have a photo that you would like to contribute to the fishing report, or if you have any further questions regarding fishing in the Cleveland Metroparks, you may contact Aquatic Biologist Mike Durkalec at (440) 331-8017 or [email protected] .
Tight Lines,
Mike
Jess and her father Jerry scored a pair of Rocky River steelhead on Saturday on black and white jigs tipped with maggots (photos courtesy of Jess Wilkolak).
Henry caught a bruiser 30 inch hen steelhead from the pier at the mouth of Euclid Creek at Wildwood Park. The big trout, which gave him a great fight, bit a silver Blue Fox Vibrax spinner (photo courtesy of Henry Hershey).
Greg was throwing crankbaits along the Cleveland shoreline and caught this gorgeous smallmouth bass (photo courtesy of Greg Young).
Joe caught this trophy steelhead at E55th (photo courtesy of Brian Katigbak).
Tim caught a pink salmon in the Rocky River on a size 4 white sucker spawn this week. They are a rare catch, being stray fish from the upper Great Lakes, but are around Lake Erie in greater abundance than usual this year for unknown reasons (photos courtesy of Tony Deluca).
Joe caught some nice steelies by the Rocky River marina on a silver 3/4 oz Little Cleo spoon (photos courtesy of Joe Zubal).
Fishing at E55th has been good again this week (photo courtesy of Rich Forman).
Shaun reports "I had great fishing last week in Rocky River. Last Tuesday I caught 3 steelhead in about 2 hrs and yesterday I caught 2 steelhead too. The next day I went to Wallace Lake and it was cold and little windy with rain?��I know blue catfish like cold weather. So I start to fish and about 2 hours later I caught another blue catfish using my secret bait lol. I would say maybe 25-30lbs. I released the cat, it looked beautiful and healthy. This is my 5th blue catfish caught so far." (photos courtesy of Shaun Cassidy).
Craig noted the similarity between the fly he was using and the minnows in the river (photo courtesy of Craig Osterholt).
Guests on the Linda Mae party boat out of wildwood Park caught some dandy yellow perch this week (photos courtesy of wildwood Marina).
On Tuesday we collected some smaller stream fish for a new exhibit at the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center and sampled some nice steelhead in the process. We were by the Rocky River Nature Center. The bottom fish broke off a minnow crankbait that someone was using. Was it one of you?
Note: The fishing report is updated monthly in June, July, and August and weekly every other month
***Note: All photo submissions must first complete the Cleveland Metroparks photo waiver.***
2024 Cleveland Metroparks Registered Fishing Guides
(name, company, contact)
- #24-001 Gareth Thomas, Alley Grabs Guide Service, [email protected] (216) 235-5056
- #24-002 Jeff Liskay, Great Lakes Flyfishing LLC, [email protected] (440) 781-7536
- #24-003 Monte Casey, The Steelhead Guide, (440) 773-8064 www.steelheadguide.com
- #24-004 Anthony Montagnese, Covered Bridge Outfitters, [email protected] (440) 320-105
- #24-005 Lucas Smith, What That Vise Do LLC, [email protected] (724) 841-1564
- #24-006 Nicholas DelVecchio, Wildwood Outfitters, [email protected] (724) 433-2315
- #24-007 Nate Miller, Steelhead Alley Outfitters, www.steelheadalleyoutfitters.com (440) 796-6105
- #24-008 Jim Lampros, [email protected] (216) 513-6011
More information on Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Guide Permit requirements, including the permit application, you may check the following link:
<Fishing Guide Permit Program>
Learn how you can support recreation opportunities through a donation to the Cleveland Metroparks
Fishing Fund.