December 13, 2018

The Rocky River and other area streams are currently exhibiting good flow and stain and anglers have caught lots of steelhead this week.  Anglers can monitor the most recent river water level and temperature at the following link prior to making a trip: <Rocky River flow gage data><Chagrin River flow gage data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity>.  Nearshore Lake Erie anglers are targeting walleye, steelhead, and yellow perch.  A total of 3,000 lbs of rainbow trout are being stocked in Metroparks lakes this week (details below).

The Rocky River and other area streams are offering good flow and stain for steelhead fishing, and anglers reported excellent fishing this week.  There has been some ice on the river in slow spots, especially in the morning, but not enough to cause a problem.  Wise anglers will check the trend from the flow gage data before making a trip to the river.  Fish are spread throughout the system at this time, with anglers reporting some better size fish (25-29") in the mix this week.  Steelhead have been caught on marabou jigs under floats, brightly colored dime to nickel size spawn sacks, beads that mimic salmon eggs, flies (egg patterns and baitfish streamers), and lures such as Little Cleo spoons and Vibrax spinners. 

Fishing along the Cleveland lakefront was decent this week with some catches of walleye reported day and night from the E55th/E72nd breakwall areas.  Lakefront steelhead have been biting on small jigs tipped with minnow suspended between 4-6 feet under a bobber, as well as for anglers casting spoons (ie Little Cleo or KO Wobbler) or spinner (ie Vibrax or RoosterTail).  Some jumbo yellow perch are being caught on the west side of the E55th north facing breakwall on emerald shiners near the lake bottom.

Winter Trout Stocking Update.   this morning we stocked 1,500 lbs of trout at Shadow (750 lbs), Ledge (600 lbs), and Judge's (150 lbs) lakes and tomorrow morning we plan to stock Wallace (1,400 lbs) and Ranger (100 lbs) lakes.  The size of the trout averages about a pound and a half each, although fish range from 3/4 lb to 2.5 lbs  Along with the predominantly standard rainbow trout are fair number of colorful golden rainbow trout (see photo below).  The second (and final) round of winter trout will go into the same lakes around mid to late January.  These trout bite well on jigging spoons, brightly colored PowerBait, and small jigs tipped with a few maggots or a waxworm.

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

John and his son found success on the Chagrin River this week (photos courtesy of John Russel).



Aaron caught a surprise brown trout in the Rocky River this week (photo courtesy of Aaaron Honaker).



This beatiful walleye was caught from shore at E55th breakwall after dark this week (photo courtesy of Isaac Wiley).



Max reported today "Nothing but skippers in the Rocky lately but finally landed a steelhead that wasn’t a skipper in the Cuyahoga River after school" (photo courtesy of Max Madden). 




Ken reported today "I fished downstream from Morley Ford last Friday and met Ed Lydey who was on his lunch break.  He was the only game in town and hit 3 steelies in less than 45 minutes (top photo).  I asked him what he was using and, as I recall, all hit a white streamer.  He asked if I wanted a streamer, and, of course, you never have enough jigs or flies.  So, it is a good to run into a 'Sportsman'and there are plenty of them out there.  Several years ago, when I was having a bad day, I remember Dan giving me a pack of tube jigs that he was using with success.  Recently, Ken gave me several spawn sacks even though I had enough of my own.  Anyway, it’s nice to run into anglers like this who understand that there is a litle more to fishing than catching fish.  I think nightcrawlers have been my 'Hail Mary' for several fish I caught in deep pools when the pools have been beaten up all day and nothing else seems to work.  I’m sure someone could toss a spawn sack over my shoulder and hit one, but worms worked for me.  Got out this morning and hooked a couple on violet sacks (bottom photo).  Thanks again for your report and what you do for our fishery. Merry Christmas!" (photos courtesy of Ken Stein).

Ed reported today "The usual natural colored jigs (Olive, White, Black, Brown) with wax worms were not getting any strikes, but as soon as I put on a brighter chartreuse/white jig with a black head...Boom, got 2 in a row!" (photo courtesy of Ed Schmitt).



Jim reported "I just wanted to say thank you for publishing the Rocky River fishing reports every week. I was beyond excited when I hooked my first steelhead near Rockcliff Spring on the river. I was 1 for 2 on 12/9/18 with a 1/8 oz Little Cleo spoon." (photo courtesy of Jim McCormick).




Rick reported yesterday "Slaying some steelhead! Jig and maggots. Just adding a bit of creativity by wearing a mask of Jason from Friday the 13th." (photos courtesy of Rick Bowers).




Pat reported "Just want to share with you the great time being had with meeting up with my angling friends down at the Rock and, the occasional catch and release. Thanks again for your service and Merry Christmas." (photos courtesy of Pat Cramer).





Todd caught a Fish Ohio steelhead in the Rock this week (top photo), and his buddies have also had success (photos courtesy of Todd Davitt).




Tuan reports "I would like to share photos of these fishes I caught over the weekend.





Some nice late season walleye are biting off Cleveland (photos courtesy of Slo-Troll'n, LLC).



Patrick was fooling around on the West Branch Rocky River way upstream in Valley City this week and was surprised to find this steelhead so fat south (photo courtesy of Patrick Campbell).







Father and son Joe and John had a fun outing on the Rocky (photos courtesy of Joe Tonnich).




Moe likes to stop by the Rocky River on his way home from work for a few drift and often catches a steelhead or two (photos courtesy of Moe Slyman).



Mike caught this 25” steelhead last Saturday on jig and single egg (photo courtesy of Mike Dentkos).






Today we stocked 1,500 lbs of trout and tomorrow will stock another 1,500 lbs.  See the report above for details.



We were not even finished stocking at Ledge Lake today and John Hall had already caught this rainbow trout jigging a Swedish Pimple.



This burbot was caught in Lake Erie this week when I took a colleague from ODNR and a naturalist friend out to target them.  These cool fish, aka "lawyer fish" or eel pout, are actually a freshwater cod and they love cold water.  They are occasionally caught by perch anglers off Cleveland, Lorain, and Ashtabula-  but most routinely turn up off Fairport Harbor (that's where the state record was caught).  They are most active after dark and are most likely to hit a baitfish fished on the lake botton with a sinker.