October 13, 2022

***NOTE:  The Fishing Report Blog is back to regular weekly Thursday updates from September-May***   Anglers on the Rocky, Chagrin and Cuyahoga rivers have been pursuing steelhead trout.  Local streams got a big bump in flow overnight after a few weeks of low water, and when flows begin to clear into the weekend steelhead fishing opportiunities will be the best yet this season. 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>.  Lake Erie anglers are targeting walleye and inland lake/pond anglers are primarily pursuing largemouth bass, channel catfish and panfish. 

Local streams got a big bump in flow overnight after a few weeks of low water, and when the stained water begins to clear into the weekend steelhead fishing opportiunities will be the best yet this season.  Many of the steelhead that had been staging in the lower Rocky River, Chagrin River and other area streams closer to Lake Erie can be expected to move upstream throughout the main branch of the river, and fresh run fish will still be available in the lower rivers, too.  Anglers will catch fish using dime to nickel size spawn sacks (salmon or trout eggs) in brightly colored mesh (pink and chartreuse are good in stained water), 1/16-1/64 oz marabou or hair jigs tipped with a waxworm or a few maggots, and salmon egg mimmicking beads drifted near the bottom under a float.  Steelhead are also being caught off the breakwall by E55th Marina and off the rocks at Edgewater Park, as well as Wildwood Park on Lake Erie.  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 an early steelhead trout, as is suspending a whole nightcrawler on a plain hook or jigs tipped with minnow or maggots a few feet below a bobber.  Recent observations have been some surprisingly large steelhead this fall so far, as well as several stray pink salmon (likely from the upper great Lakes) turning up in local streams, as evidenced in the photos that follow the report. 

Lakefront areas like E55th breakwall may produce some walleye after dark, as well, with Perfect 10 and other shallow running stick-style crankbaits working well.  White perch and yellow perch have made sporadic appearances at the shoreline at spots like E55t breakwall and Wendy Park at the old Coast Guard station.  They have been biting on bits of worms or small minnows fished on the bottom on a crappie rig.

Fall Family Fishing Fest will be held this Saturday October 15.    Come out and join us for Fall Family Fishing Fest at the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation this Saturday October 15th from 10-2:00pm  This event is free and we will have a limited number of fishing poles to loan out, as well as bait.  We stocked 600 lbs of channel catfish and 1,000 lbs of rainbow trout at the Ohio & Erie Canal this week  in anticipation of the event (the area is clearly posted as closed to fishing until 10am on Saturday morning).  Although anglers of any age can participate, prizes in several categories will be reserved for kids 15 years old and under.  And all attendees will be eligible for the grand drawing of a walleye fishing trip with Captain Gary Norman and Dog Pound Charters (must be present to win).  Thank you to Ohio Division of Wildlife and Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders for supporting this great event with grant funds.  More details here:  <Fall Family Fishing Fest>.

2022 International Fly Fishing Film Festival November 4th.  The Trout Club of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History is pleased to host a showing of the International Fly Fishing Film Festival on Friday, November 4, 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM.  Sponsored by it will be a series of short films features a look at fly fishing destinations around the world.  The showing will take place at the Cleveland Metropark’s Emerald Necklace Marina in Rocky River Reservation, 1500 Scenic Park Dr., Lakewood, OH 44107.  Tickets are $25.00 per person and include all films, refreshments, door prizes and raffles, and a cash bar.  You can purchase tickets <here>.  (Please note this is a different event than the traditional Fly Fishing Film Tour held in spring).

Attention Perch Anglers!  The Ohio Division of Wildlife Can Use Your Help.  Are you a perch angler who wants to play a role in assisting biologists in better understanding Central Basin yellow perch in Lake Erie? Well, here's your chance!  The Ohio Division of Wildlife Fairport Fish Research Station is looking for filleted perch carcasses with the spine/head/tail still intact (they will be taking lengths and removing otolith bones from heads for aging) until the end of October.  The fish need to be from the Central Basin between Huron to Conneaut, not from the Western Basin.  The carcasses should be frozen and have general location and depth where caught included.  They can be dropped off at the Fairport Fish Research Station M-F between 9 and 5, or if 20 or more carcasses are available they can arrange pick up (within reason).  For Cleveland area anglers I am also able to accept carcasses to retain and deliver to the researchers (arrange details using my contact info below).  This is an ideal situation because it is making use of perch already harvested by anglers.

Photo Release Waivers for Fishing Blog Photos (fast and easy to complete online).  Photo release waivers for photos sent in for the fishing report can easily be completed online through Smart Waiver (takes only about 30 seconds to complete) at the following link: <Smart Waiver link>. You only need to do this one time and any future additional photos submitted are already covered.

Paige caught this steelhead on a white spawn sack while fishing with her father (photo courtesy of Joe Miller).




The Sidders family had a great day off Cleveland catching their first steelhead ever and a nice largemouth bass (photos courtesy of Adam Sidders).



Ryan shared "13 lb. steelhead caught in the Chagrin River on Sunday 10/7. Caught on a silver Little Cleo spoon." (photo courtesy of Ryan B).



Congratulations to Scott on catching his first steelhead ever from E55th breakwall (photo courtesy of Scott Lemin).




Congratulations to Dexter on his Fish Ohio qualifying sunfish and award pin (photos courtesy of Corey Butram).



Ephraim caught this chunky buck steelhead by the marina on Sunday drifting a brown jig tipped with maggots under a bobber (photo courtesy of Ephraim Bowser).



Roxanne and her 4 year old daughter teamed up to land this big steelhead (photo courtesy of Roxanne Schultheis).




Brent landed this brute steelie fly fishing with a size 12 hare's ear nymph, proving that a big fish will hit a smaller offering when the water is low and clear (photos courtesy of Brent ONeill).




Carl sent in some pics of family and friends fishing for Lake Erie perch and pond sunfish (photos courtesy of Carl Schweisthal).




AJ has been getting some fine steelhead at E55th breakwall (photos courtesy of AJ Woolen).



Andy scored a fresh steelhead casting from shore at Edgewater Park (photo courtesy of Andy Young).



Pat got this fresh steelie by the Rocky River marina this week (photo courtesy of Pat Cramer).






Chuck has been getting folks into some steelhead action by the Rocky River marina trolling plugs and Little Cleo spoons (photos courtesy of Chuck Earls).




Emily got her buddy Alex into his first steelhead, and was rewarded with one of her own, too (photos courtesy of Emily Pechaitis).




Ed reported from the Rocky river marina area "The 1/3oz all gold Cleo was hot this week with a slow retrieve and twitching action around the docks on a full spool of 8lb Suffix Advance Fluoro, my new fave line." (photos courtesy of Ed Schmitt).



Benjamin caught this hen pink salmon on the Rocky River (photo courtesy of Benjamin Dingeldine).



Michael shared this picture of yet another female pink salmon from the Rocky River this week.  There has been an unusual number of pink salmon caught this year. leading me to believe that populatrions in the northern Great Lakes (where they have a stronghold) are doing especially well (photo courtesy of Micheal Kostur).



Mark shared regarding his unusual catch (which is actually a type of sucker): "While steelie fishing off the Rocky River mouth today I caught this Bigmouth Buffalo.  This is only the 2^nd one I’ve caught and I fish a ton!  The last one was in ’82 and ironically won a school fishing tournament. Crazy thing was is ran and jumped like a Salmon. Was a great fight and I released it after a few photos. Boga scale said 18lb, before lead added 😊. I didn’t measure it though, but guessing around 34”ish." Photo courtesy of Mark Boyette).



Our Youth Outdoors prgram has introduced lots of new anglers to fishing this year.  Above are a few satisfied kids from a recent event.



Quincy and Winter show off some Metroparks fishing booty that I sent them recently.  Their family are recent transplants to Cleveland from New York city (photo courtesy of Cristobal Ligan).



Fall Orvis Days are back!  Please consider supporting businesses that support local public fishing.  More <here>.