November 1, 2018

In fall anglers along the Rocky River and other area streams are pursuing steelhead trout, as well as a surprise number of walleye in the northernmost river reaches.  The Rocky River and other area streams are currently muddy and elevated due to rain with more precipitation on the way.  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>.  Nearshore Lake Erie anglers are targeting walleye, steelhead, bass (largemouth and smallmouth), and yellow perch.  Anglers at Ohio & Erie Canal are catching recently stocked rainbow trout and channel catfish. 

The Rocky River and other area streams are muddy and elecvated due to rain with more precipitation on the way.  Anglers should check the flow gage links above before planning a trip.  As the stream levels recede and begin to clear steelhead opportunities will be very good.  Fishing along the Cleveland lakefront was good again this week with many steelhead (and walleye after dark) caught off the rocks/breakwalls at Edgewater, E55th/E72nd, and Wildwood Park.  The hot lakefront steelhead bait has been a whole nightcrawler on a plain hook dangled between 4-6 feet under a bobber.  Casting a spoon (ie Little Cleo or KO Wobbler) or spinner (ie Vibrax or RoosterTail), or suspending a minnow on a jig under a bobber at these locations are also good bets for connecting with steelhead trout.

Anglers at our inland lakes and ponds are catching catfish, largemouth bass, and panfish. In mid-October rainbow trout (1,000 lbs) and farm raised channel catfish (600 lbs) that were stocked in the Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area off E49th Street and plenty of these fish remain.  Trout are biting well on a dime sized ball of colorful PowerBait fished near the canal bottom with a sinker.  The Ohio Division of Wildlife stocked 1,000 yearling (juvenile) channel catfish at the Ohio & Erie Canal recently, as well.  Our lakes/ponds are scheduled to be stocked with rainbow trout around mid December.

Walleye fishing was good along the Cleveland shoreline of Lake Erie after dark this week.  Anglers are connecting by casting Husky Jerk or Perfect 10 stickbaits.  A few yellow perch are being caught at E55th breakwall, as well.  Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, freshwater drum, northern pike, and panfish species can also be found along the Cleveland shoreline.  The ODNR Division of Wildlife weekly Lake Erie fishing report can be viewed <here>.

ODNR Needs Angler Assistance on Reporting Lake Trout Catches   If you or anyone you know/see catches a lake trout in Ohio waters of Lake Erie or a tributary please remember the following. If the fish is kept, the head would be extremely appreciated for the information that can be obtained from the implanted coded wire tag (which you will not see because it is internal).  If the angler chooses not to keep the fish, a picture (or even call/email) with information would be a much appreciated second option to taking the head. Any information would be good: date, location, size, was the fish flowing any milt or eggs, what was it caught with, name, email contact, etc. This information is CRUCIAL to tracking the success of this program in Ohio.  Please report to: John Deller, ODNR Fairport Fish Station at [email protected] or (440) 352-4199 and/or Mike Durkalec, Aquatic Biologist at [email protected] or (216) 701-7634.  Thank you!

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

Douglas shared on Tuesday "My name is Douglas Holder and I am from Tennessee.  I moved up here for medical school so my buddies Kevin and Jeff took me fishing. Kevin caught a 26" walleye on a spoon and Jeff and I got some steelies on worms!" (photo courtesy of Doglas Holder).



Max shared on Monday regarding this fine steelhead "Have caught a couple fish over the past few days limited to where I can fish still recovering from knee surgery here’s the nicest one of the few caught on a peach bead with chartreuse egg sac on the Cuyahoga River" (photo courtesy of Max Madden).
 


John-Paul caught this colorful buck steelhead in the Rocky River on an all black 1/64 oz jig tipped with wax worms (photo courtesy of John-Paul Duff).



Stanley Szumilak caught these steelhead at E55th breakwall on Tuesday fishing a nightcrawler under a float (photo courtesy of Bill Mantle).






John and a buddy had a great week casting stickbaits along the Cleveland shoreline after dark this week.  along with a nice catch of walleye they scored a bonus white bass and largemouth bass (photos courtesy of John Lusnek).



A gent caught a pair of rainbow trout at the Ohio & Erie Canal off E49th Street on Tuesday morning.








Captain George Uhl of Playin' Hooky Sportfishing reports that his clients are catching lots of steelhead right off Cleveland lately.  George reports BadMo spoons in Headhunter and Killshot colors have been hot.  He runs steelhead charters until about mid-November and can be found on Facebook (photos courtesy of George Uhl).








On Tuesday we conducted a fish population survey at the Ohio & Erie Canal off E49th Street.  We perform these surveys on a five year rotating cycle to keep abreast of the health og our fisheries.  In addition to LOTS of recently stocked rainbow trout and channel catfish, we observed a few high quality largemouth bass and crappie around the lily pads too.



On Thursday night it was my privilege to award the Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders the Conservation Partner of the Year award on behalf of the Rocky River Watershed Council Board of Directors (photo courtesy of Greg Young).




OK, now for a few of my own pics.  Recently my close friend Moe Slyman surprised me with the Slyman's Pro Staff shirt in the top image.  The running joke among my buddies is that I eat there enough that I should be on his "Pro Staff", so Moe ran with it and had the shirt made (in OSU colors, no less!).  *SPECIAL PRO STAFF TIP*--> the trick to eating there and not gaining weight is to eat one of their huge sandwiches and skip the other two meals for the day!   I also threw in a photo of a nice musky I caught on Sunday because "why not?".  The toothy critter munched a big rubber Shadzilla swimbait I was casting in Lake St Clair.