January 17, 2019

The Rocky River and other area streams are currently offering good fishing conditions, but expect them to be icing up quickly with the impending cold.  Slush is worst following heavier snowfall as well as in the mornings.  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>.  Thwe Cleveland Lake Erie shoreline is still producing a few steelhead, yellow perch, and walleye.  A total of 3,000 lbs of rainbow trout were stocked in Metroparks lakes this week (details below).  Anglers are fishing for trout through thin ice from the safety of shore.

The Rocky River and other area streams are currently offering good fishing conditions, but expect them to be icing up quickly with the impending cold.  Slush is worst following heavier snowfall as well as in the mornings.  Despite the cold, quite a few anglers reported steelhead success this week, and a highlight the past two weeks has been several stray brown trout showing up in the Rocky River (see a few photos below and in the latest two fishing reports).  The big trout are spread throughout the system at this time and will be biting 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 wobbling crankbaits.  Steelhead numbers can be expected to peak into March-April.

Conditions permitting, anglers fishing along the Cleveland lakefront are still catching a few yellow perch, steelhead and walleye.  For perch the hotspot has been the E55th north facing breakwall on live and salted emerald shiners on the lake bottom using crappie rigs.  A few walleye and steelhead are still prowling the E55th/E72nd areas, too.  Lake Erie shoreline marinas were getting covered with a skim of ice this week.

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week we stocked 3,000 lbs of rainbow trout, as follows:  Wallace (1,400 lbs), Shadow (750 lbs), Ledge (600 lbs), Judge's (150 lbs) and Ranger (100 lbs) lakes.  This final winter stocking mirrors a duplicate stocking back in mid December, with the only difference being quite a few bonus brown and brook trout going into Wallace Lake this latest stocking.  Trout are also available at Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area down the hill from CanalWay Visitor Center off E49th Street.  Trout bite well on PowerBait, canned corn, small spinners, and jigs tipped with a few maggots/waxworms, and nightcrawlers or shrimp fished right on the bottom.  Please note the current seasonal trout regulations:  Lake Erie and all streams 2/day minimum size 12" (this includes steelhead), 3/day no size limit at Wallace, Ledge, Judge's and Ranger lakes, and 5/day no size limit at Shadow Lake and Ohio & Erie Canal.

A thin crust of ice has formed over most of our inland lakes and ponds recently, although not thick enough for ice fishing.  Anglers are currently fishing from the safety of shore in areas where the water drops off quickly, such as from docks, other platforms, etc.  Since ice fishing is (hopefully) is right around the corner, we offer some advice.  Most state conservation agencies recommend at least 4" of solid ice before anglers should venture out to ice fish, and in Cleveland Metroparks it is the angler's responsibility to check that.  One method is to use a spud bar near shore and check the ice thickness, and if it is > 4 inches then walk out a little further and check again.  Ice is often thinnest right at the water's edge and around inlets and outlets of the waterbody.  Other safety tips are to always fish with a friend, let someone know where you'll be, and focus on areas near where other anglers are already fishing.  If we do receive good ice this winter we hope to hold an ice fishing fundraiser derby, likely in mid February.  Stay tuned for details on that. 

Jeff Liskay Fly Tying Offerings.   Noted fly fisherman Jeff Liskay will be offering two upcoming fly tying classes.  On January 30 from 6-9:00pm will be <Fly Tying 1: Introduction (Wooly Buggers)> and on February 27 from 6-9:00pm will be <Fly Tying 1: Introduction (Steelhead)>.  These popular classes will have capped attendance so register ASAP at the links to ensure your spots.

Fishing Guide Permit Renewals.    Please note that Fishing Guide Permits expired on December 31, 2018.  Folks interested in renewing or beginning guiding on Cleveland Metroparks waters this year may find a link to the application materials following the photos at the end of this report.  Thank you and may all your clients have fish filled trips in the New Year!

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 Guiliana who caught her first steelhead ever this week (photo courtesy of Bruce Drago).




RJ reported late last week "I was able to get out on The Rock before the rain and snow this past week, and managed to pull a couple out! Beautiful Fish! Gotta Love It! And thank you again for all you do!" (photos courtesy of RJ Dean).




Robert got out on wallace Lake with his father on Tuesday and got a couple fine trout on orange PowerBait (photo courtesy of Bob Hoboda).




Amazingly, Keith Lynn caught two different brown trout from the same hole on the Rocky River on the same day recently (photos courtesy of Kevin Smith).



John also caught a Rocky River brown trout recently.  He was using a frozen minnow (photo courtesy of John O'Donnell).



Cary reports "Went 4 for 5 on the Rocky River over the weekend.  Two ate my black jig tipped with maggots and the other two took a Mad River pink trout worm" (photo courtesy of Cary Harris).



Dan was pleased to recently catch a golden rainbow trout among some standard rainbow trout at Shadow Lake (photo courtesy of Dan Spaulding).



Mikale reported good fishing at the fords on the Rocky River yesterday (photo courtesy of Mikale Mosack).




Jason caught some stocked brook trout at wallace Lake on Tuesday (photos courtesy of Jason Diedrick).




Liz displays a few yellow perch from E55th on Saturday.  BEWARE:  the breakwall area is covered in ice and metal cleats are a must for walking safely there.



A cool shot of ice at E55th (photo courtesy of Bill Britt).




Walt and a buddy each got a limit of rainbow trout at Shadow Lake.  PLEASE NOTE: the limit at Shadow is 5/day, at our other lakes it's 3/day (photo courtesty of Walt).




Dale observed "Caught these two silver bullets on Saturday on The Rock- my fellow chrome addicts will recognize the background. Both caught on plain jig and Berkley minnow. Thanks again for all the advice on how to catch fish in NEO and for keeping up this world class fishery." (photos courtesy of Dale Novotny). 



Elmer caught his limit of trout at Wallace Lake on Tuesday afternoon (photo courtesy of Elmer Garcia).




Mo caught a pair of Rocky River steelhead drifting live shiners on Sunday (photos courtesy of Mo Bee).



JP caught a pretty brook trout at Wallace Lake yesterday (photo courtesy of JP Webb).










On Tuesday and Wednesday we stocked 3,000 lbs of trout between 5 different lakes.  See report for details (photos courtesy of Bill Britt).



Since ice is not safe to venture onto at this time folks are being creative in making holes to fish. In addition to spud bars, foks are using metal weights and anchors tied to ropes.



Anatoliy caught a nice walleye from shore in Cleveland recently (photo courtesy of Anatoliy Leydiker).



Mike reports that he's had lousy luck with the steelhead this year, but is "killing" the creekl chubs! (photo courtesy of Mike Brady).