November 9, 2017

In fall highlight species targeted by anglers in Cleveland Metroparks include steelhead, walleye, yellow perch, and landlocked coho salmon (the latter recently stocked in Wallace Lake).  The Rocky River and other area streams are offering very good conditions and a fresh run of steelhead at this time.  If additional precipitation is minimal in the coming days the prospects into the weekend will remain good.  Wise anglers will monitor the flow gage data at the links below to help determine river conditions. When the waves are not too rough the steelhead bite has remained very good along the Cleveland lakefront, and the walleye night bite is good and getting even better.  To monitor the most recent river water level and temperature you can check the following link: <Rocky River flow gage data> <Chagrin River flow gage data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity>.

The Rocky River and other area streams are in good shape after being elevated and muddy earlier this week.  But the fish took note and a run of fresh steelhead are available for anglers throughout the entire main branch of the Rocky River and Chagrin River up to North Chagrin Reservation.  As is typical, the greatest concentration of fish, and therefore also anglers, is in the northernmost river stretches.  If the area recieves minimal additional rain prospects into the weekend will remain promising.  Wise anglers will stay tuned to the flow and turbidity (water stain) data offered at the links above to determine the trend in river conditions.  The big trout, averaging 5-7 lbs as of late, have been biting on brightly colored dime to nickel size spawn sacks when the water is stained  and beads that mimic salmon eggs, small marabou jigs tipped with a few maggots or a waxworm drifted under a float, flies (egg patterns and baitfish streamers), and lures such as Little Cleo spoons and Vibrax spinners as the water clears further.  The fall run is just gaining momentum with the increase in flows and more steelhead will continue to migrate up area streams into the fall season.

The steelhead bite has remained very good along the Cleveland lakefront as lake wave conditions allow- especially at Edgewater Park and E55th east facing breakwall.  Steelhead are also being hooked off the breakwall at E72nd, the pier at Wendy Park at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, off the breakwall at Wildwood Park, and off the jetties at Huntington Beach.  Casting a spoon (ie Little Cleo or KO Wobbler) or spinner (ie Vibrax or RoosterTail) at these locations are as good a bet as any for connecting with a lakefront steelhead trout, as is suspending a small jig tipped with minnow or maggots under a bobber.  Make sure to bring a long handed landing net when fishing the lakefront for steelhead!

In addition to steelhead, great catches of walleye have been found along nearshore Lake Erie and the bite is only getting better.  Shore based walleye anglers are doing best casting stickbaits (ie- Husky Jerks and Perfect 10s) and glow in the dark spoons at dusk and after dark.  White bass and yellow perch fishing has been slow lately.  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>.

The Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area off E49th Street (down the walking trail from Canalway Center) was stocked with 1,000 lbs of rainbow trout and 600 lbs of farm raised channel catfish on Friday Octover 13th.  The daily limit here is 5 trout per angler.  Trout bite well on PowerBait, small jigs tipped with maggots, and small spinners.  Catfish bite great on chicken liver.  Trout and catfish can both be targeted effectively fishing a half nightcrawler worm or chunk of cocktail shrimp right on the canal bottom.

Anglers at Metroparks inland lakes and ponds are catching catfish, largemouth bass, and panfish.  Wallace Lake, Ledge Lake, Shadow Lake, and Beyer's Pond are a few spots worth poking around in fall.  Wallace Lake was stocked with the majority of 449 largemouth bass and bluegill over the past few weeks from a private golf course lake that is being drained, and additionally recieved 300 catchable size coho salmon and a few rainbow trout back in October.

Fall Dockage Specials at E55th Marina.    As an FYI to late season Lake Erie fishing boaters, we are offering some fall specials on dockage at E55th Marina.  Dockage from November 1-30 is available for $150, or for $5/day.  There will be electric, but no water, during this time.  If interested call Lisa Buie at (216) 881-8141.

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

Congratulations to Amy on catching her first two steelhead ever this week-  22" and 25" fish caught at Edgewater Park.  She also caught a nice walleye there after dark (photos courtesy of Amy Marie Lindic).



Persistence paid off and Phi figured out those Wallace Lake salmon.  In his words "Hello my name is Phi Nguyen. Today is October 4, 2017 . Today I caught four coho salmon after my fourth trip out here I finally I had success. At the end of my third trip I noticed that salmon were chasing minnows to the surface so for the fourth trip I bought some minnows to give them a try first thing in the morning . The first cast I had a bite, the bobber went straight down but I missed it. Again and again I kept missing the fish until I took off the jig head I was using and switched over to a # 6 bait holder hook. Then I caught fish after fish and even lost a big largemouth bass, probably one from the golf course. Great job on the coho Salmon, they are fun to catch and Wallace Lake is an excellent place to fish." (photo courtesy of Phi Nguyen).




Kevin caught four trout up to 20" at Wallace Lake this week.  He was using the Mr. Crappie plastic bait pictured tipped with beige Gulp maggots and suspended 3.5 feet under a small bobber (photos courtesy of Kevin).








Jeff and his buddy Kevin did have been doing great this week on walleye and steelhead trolling crankbaits around E72nd.  They also caught a bonus northern pike, and a friend (Capt. George Uhl III, bottom) landed a surprise monster pike from the same area that was just shy of 40" which dipped their scale to 20 lbs.  That fish was pushing the state record! (photos courtesy of Jeff Shaw).






Monday evening John and Matt caught some nice walleye and a bonus largemouth bass casting from shore at edgewater Park (photos courtesy of John Lusnek).



Bob caught this Wallace Lake coho salmon on a red worm on Saturday (photo courtesy of ob Hboda).







Tim squeaked in a banner day on the northern Rocky River on Saturday during a window of fishable conditions, landing 15 fresh steelhead on spawn sacks.  Great job Tim! (photos courtesy of Tim Daley).



Maximus caught his first steelhead of the season in the Rocky River this week on a pink spawn sack (photo courtesy of Maximus Madden).