April 29, 2021

The Rocky River and other area streams are rising from rain and weekend conditions will depends on when the rain stops.  Anglersc  can monitor the most recent river water level, turbidity and temperature at the following links: <Rocky River flow gage data><Chagrin River flow gage data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity>.  The East Branch Rocky River in Strongsville, Hinckley lake and the Ohio & Erie Canal off E49th Street were stocked with rainbow trout recently (details below).

The Rocky River and other area streams are rising from rain and weekend prospects will depend on how much rain we recieve and when it stops.  odds are high, though, that the streams will be elevated and stained this weekend. Anglers should check in on the flow trends at the links above before heading out to fish the rivers.  Yesterday during a Case Western Reserve University fish collection outing, we witnessed quite a few steelhead by the old Rocky River Nature Center ford, and the vast majority were post-spawn (spent) hens.  We also turned up a few big lake-run smallmouth, although greater number of those are in the lower few miles of river closer to Lake Erie.  Anglers also reported a fair number of fresh run steelhead in the lower river this week, although the steelhead run is already winding down and will continue to doe so in the coming few weeks.  As the water begins to clear it will be hard to beat a brightly colored dime to nickel size spawn sack with trout or salmon eggs for steelhead.  As the water clears finesse rules, with small marabou jigs (1/32 and 1/64 ounce are most popular) tipped with maggots, live minnows, 3" rubber worms (pink and white have been good) and salmon egg mimmicking beads and soft rubber eggs drifted near the river bottom under a float will take a greater share of the fish.  Fly anglers in spring do well on a variety of egg, nymph and baitfish patterns. Smallmouth bass anglers do well on 3-4" olive tube jigs, small marabou jigs and live baits such as leeches or crayfish.

Many of our lakes and ponds are offering stocked trout.  Over the past month, the Ohio Division of Wildlife stocked rainbow trout at Shadow Lake, Hinckley Lake and Ohio & Erie canal off E49th.  in addition to that, this past winter a total of 6,000 lbs of trout were stocked between Wallace, Shadow, Ledge, Judge's and Ranger lakes (Wallace recieved almost half of the total fish) and a fair number of these trout remain.  The majority of the fish were 1-1.5 lb rainbow trout, but a good  number of brook, brown, golden rainbow and trophy rainbow trout were in the mix.  Note: the daily limit at Wallace, Ledge, Ranger and Judge's lakes is 3 trout/angler and the limit at Shadow Lake and the Ohio & Erie Canal is 5 trout/angler.  Trout often bite well on small to medium size spinners/spoons/crankbaits, a small marabou or tube jig tipped with a waxworm or a few maggots, canned corn kernals fished on the lake bottom or a dime size ball of colorful PowerBait. 

Last Thursday the final bunch of rainbow trout were stocked in the East Branch Rocky River, adding up to 3,600 pounds of mostly 14-18" rainbow trout already stocked since March 15.  The stocking zone is largely in Strongsville and extend from Royalton Road (Rt. 82) heading north to across the parkway from Wallace Lake.  Note: traditional stocking spot at Bonnie Park was not stocked this year.  Vegetation and ground at the site is still stabilizing from a large restoration project to remove a dam and interconnect a wetland complex to the floodplain.  Stocked trout in the river bite the same types of offerings mentioned in the paragraph above.

The fish cleaning station at Gordon Park boat ramps is back online for the fishing season (it had been winterized previously).  The walleye bite at Edgewater Park and E72nd Street access has been hot this week for anglers casting stickbaits like P-10s and Husky Jerks from the shoreline after dark.   In spring, sunfish, largemouth bass and northern pike can be found prowling the Lake Erie shoreline harbors and marinas.  On the lake side, anglers at Lakefront parks can try their hand at steelhead and yellow perch. The launch ramp kiosks have been installed at all Lake Erie access locations in Cleveland Metroparks and either a daily pass (purchased with credit card at kiosk) or annual pass (see how to obtain one below) are required.

The Trout Club of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Presents Fly Fair 2021.  When: Saturday, May 15, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM.  Where: Lake Metroparks Helen Hazen Wyman Park Pavilion.  What:  This fund-raising event aids the Trout Club’s efforts in supporting a variety of fishery-focused conservation programs in NE Ohio. An extensive selection of donated pre-owned, new and gently-used fly fishing focused items including rods, reels, flies, fly-tying tools and materials, fly lines, leaders and tippet, vests and packs, artwork, and an assortment of outdoor clothing items will be on sale.  Several larger items available include a 17’ Grumman square stern canoe (used) and Big Sky Rod Holder (new).  In addition, there will be several raffles for local guided fishing and other activities.

Cleveland Metroparks Annual Boat Launch Passes are Now Available.    2021 season Cleveland Metroparks Boat Launch Pass can be puchased online at this time at the following link:  <2021 Boat Launch Pass>.  The base price (there are certain discounts) is $30.  Note: this applies only to motorized watercraft that are trailered.

Photo Release Waivers for Fishing Blog Photos (fast and easy to complete online).  Photo release waivers can easily be completed online through Smart Waiver (takes only about 30 seconds to complete) at the following link: <Smart Waiver link>. 

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
 

Mark reports "Here is a photo of  one of Macklin’s walleye caught off Cleveland on 4-27. He took advantage of the nice weather to fish from his jet ski.  He landed a 9 pounder, an 8.5 pounder and 4 others all over 5 lbs each." (photo courtesy of Mark Pinchot).




Jay shared "Just wanted to share with Binny with his first Golden Trout and Eli with a large 17 inch rainbow last week" (photos courtesy of Jay).








Kelly (without hat) took her friend Mitzi fly fishing for rainbow trout on the East Branch Rocky River for her birthday this week- and Mitzi caught her first fish ever!  Congratulations, Mitzi (photos courtesy of Kelly Bailey).




John shared "I caught two steelhead this past week that I'd like to share with you for the fishing report. Both were caught in the Rocky River on a blue fly. The first was on Sunday afternoon and the second was on Monday evening." (photos courtesy of John Arthur).



Mark was fishing for trout at Shadow Lake Saturday morning using an artificial waxworm and caught a big surprise- this 19 inch, 5 pound largeouth bass (photo courtesy of Mark Cwalina).






Trigg, from Texas, is in town working on a project at Metro Health and has been enjoying fishing the Rocky River just upstream from the marina.  He has caught his first steelhead and smallmouth bass- and what bruisers those bass are! (photos courtesy of Trigg Wright).




Alan and his wife caught a nice mess of sunfish (pumpkinseed sunfish pictured) that were the special guests for a spring fish fry (photos courtesy of Alan Tomko).





Sean has been catching some great walleye from shore at E72nd Street access on Lake Erie (photos courtesy of sean Johnson).



Joe caught this healthy largemouth bass at Gordon Park/E72nd street embayment (photo courtesy of Joe Miller).



Ross caught this bruiser 32" walleye weighing in at 10 pounds off Cleveland on his birthday this week (photo courtesy of Ross Bailey).



On Tuesday Shaun caught a few nice lake-run smallmouth bass on the Rocky River.  He reports also witnessing a decent number of fresh steelhead hooked in the lower river (photo courtesy of Shaun Campbell).




Ted and friends have been catching the East Branch Rocky River rainbow trout on small twister-tain grub jigs (photos courtesy of Ted Choukalas).



Michael made a great catch of walleye along the Lake Erie shoreline on Tuesday night (photo courtesy of Michael Skrzynecki).





Billy caught a bunch of East Branch Rocky River rainbow trout drifting rubber artificial salmon eggs, aka soft beads (photos courtesy of Billy Szabo).



Matt easily caught his limit of 2 rainbow trout in the East Branch Rocky River on Sunday using rainbow PowerBait (photo courtesy of Matt Janowski Jr).




Anglers at the Ohio & Erie Canal off E49th Street were catching rainbow trout and bluegill this past weekend.



Another East Branch Rocky River rainbow trout make the net! (photo courtesy of Nick Zarzeczny).



A CWRU student shows off a nice steelhead sampled by the Rocky River Nature Center yesterday afternoon.  We witnessed a bunch of steelhead just above and below the old river ford and almost all were post spawn hens.  We also sampled a huge smallmouth bass in the 6 pound class.



Cleveland Metroparks recently released a conceptual drawing of some possible future improvements in the E55th/E72nd street areas which is part of the <CHEERS Project>.