April 13, 2023

***NOTE:  The Fishing Report Blog is back to regular weekly Thursday updates from September-May***   The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are offering great fishing conditions, but rain is in the weekend forecast.  Anglers would be wise to monitor the trend in river level at the following links: <Rocky River flow gauge data><Chagrin River flow gauge data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity>.  Wallace Lake was stocked with 900 pounds of rainbow trout two week back.

The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are offering good conditions and prospects for steelhead and smallmouth bass fishing.  There is rain in the weekend forecast, though, so anglers should check the trend in flow at the links above before heading out on a trip to the river.  For steelhead a variety of offerings are working, including smaller dime size spawn sacks, 1/32 and 1/64 oz marabou/hair/tube jigs tipped with a few waxworms or maggots, soft or hard salmon egg size beads, and live and salted emerald shiners- all drifted under a float.  Fly fishers are also catching steelhead on egg patterns, beadhead nymphs and streamers, as are anglers who prefer to cast spoons, spinners, crankbaits.  Steelhead are currently very well distributed throughout the watersheds.  The proportion of post-spawn (aka spent) steelhead appears to be outnumbering the fresh pre-spawn fish being caught, with a good number also actively spawning.  The steelhead run has begun tapering off, as will continue through April, and can be expected to drop off sharply as May approaches.
 
Lake-run smallmouth bass numbers increased notably this week in the Rocky and Chagrin rivers on their spawning run.  Smallmouth bass will strike artificial lures similar to steelhead- such as medium size crankbaits, spinners, tube jigs (dark brown and olive are good) as well as marabou jigs under floats and streamer flies that imitate gobies, ,minnows and crayfish.  This time of year offers a great opportunity to score the "silver and bronze", which is catching a steelhead and lake-run smallmouth bass in the same day, often from the same pool on the same offering!  Lake-run "smallies" are typically available in the streams until early June.

Wallace Lake was stocked with 900 pounds of rainbow trout two weeks back because river levels were elevated.  Additionally, the East Branch Rocky River was stocked on March 21 with 900 pounds of rainbow trout between Royalton Road and the ford (river crossing) about a mile south of Wallace Lake.  Several easy access locations were stocked and included the parking area on the north side of Royalton Road (Rt 82) along the river, off the low bridges to the Strongsville Wildlife Area and the Chalet, at the Whitney Road covered bridge, and off the ford south of Wallace Lake.  Elevated flows since the stocking will have distributed fish all throughout this zone with deeper holes typically producing well.  The trout average a little over a pound each. Stocked trout bite well on a variety of offerings, including dime size balls of colorful PowerBait dough, small jigs tipped with a few maggots or a waxworm, single salmon eggs or small spawn sacks, a few kernals of canned corn on hook, and small spinners.  Bait should be drifted close to the bottom or held down in place with a small sinker.  I hope to stock the river again tomorrow.
 
Throughout winter we stocked trout at Wallace, Shadow, Ledge, Ranger, and Judge's lakes and a fair number of these fish remain (see photos from Ledge Lake below).  The majority of the fish were 1 lb rainbow trout, but a good  number of golden rainbow, brown, brook, and even some tiger trout were mixed in.  Note: the daily limit in the river is 2 trout/angler of minimum size 12”.  At Wallace, Ledge, Ranger and Judge's lakes daily limit is 3 trout/angler and the limit at Shadow Lake and the Ohio & Erie Canal is 5 trout/angler.  
 
Lake Erie harbors, such as Edgewater, Wildwood and E72nd boat ramp area offering mixed catch opportunities for steelhead, northern pike and pre-spawn largemouth bass, rock bass and sunfish species. As spring continues to warm up the breakwall area at E55th traditionally offers opportunities to catch yellow perch or white perch using minnows or bits of worms on crappie speaders on the bottom.
 
Lost and Found Jig!  During fish sampling at Ledge Lake with a group of kids, we turned up lots of trout (a few of them below).  Among them was a big tiger trout with a jig in its mouth from breaking off some lucky yet unlucky angler.  As we talked about our catch with the kids back on the dock and released the various fish, I mentioned to a nearby angler that we had a tiger trout in the livewell with a jig in the mouth.  Without seeing it, he asked if it was black with some flash and an orange head- a perfect match!  He shared that he broke the fish off there a month ago.  Before releasing the fish I had the angler extract his jig from the fish’s upper lip.  

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.

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
 

Charlie and grandpa had a fun time catching bluegill at Wallace Lake (photo courtesy of Carl Schweisthal).



Connor shared that this rainbow trout was caught at Wallace Lake on Easter Sunday (photo courtesy of Connor Floyd).



Chris shared “Well, Rocky River continues to deliver. I’m telling you it is world class multi-species fishing and America’s best kept secret. Helped a fellow NY transplant catch a 20” steelie in the marina and then he helped me net this 18” smallie that bent my 13’ Shimano and breached the water a couple times. Bananas! What’s even crazier is that some raccoons got to the steelie he had on a stringer so I gave him my bass to take home. The Rock Rocks!” (photo courtesy of Chris Ligan).



The redhorse sucker species are indicators of good water quality, so it is nice to see this gorgeous silver redhorse sucker come from the Rocky.  Ben shared regarding the neat catch “I caught this 28” sucker while fishing in Rocky River on 4/8. Was nymphing for steelhead and this big guy took my white death zonker fly.  Caught at the ford between Memorial and Rockcliff Springs parking lots. Thanks for all you do. Always look forward to reading the fishing report every week.” (photo courtesy of Ben Reinhold).



Jon shared “29 inch Toad Caught 4-5-2023 At Rocky River. He did not want to leave the hens side, he put up a great fight , it was like bringing in a log. Thanx To Stewart visiting from NY For Taking Pics.” (photo courtesy Stewart via Jon Hoover).



Big pre-spawn smallmouth bass are starting to move into our rivers from Lake Erie in good numbers, as Chuck found this week (photo courtesy of Chuck Naujoks).





Wes shared regarding this entertaining photo series “Good call with using pink this weekend in the report. My first hot potato release.” (photo courtesy of Wes Bombik).











For anyone who thinks our lakes and ponds get fished out quickly after stocking, check this out.  We haven’t stocked trout in Ledge Lake since February 3^rd, yet during a fish sampling (electrofishing) outing with a kid group we got all kinds of trout last week- including rainbow, brook, brown, golden rainbow and even a big tiger trout.  Above are just a few of them.  A neat story regarding the tiger trout can be found above in the report.



"Dan Zukie was highly involved with the Cleveland chapter of Project Healing Waters.  Here he is with one of his last catches- a big Rocky River steelhead from this winter.  He will be missed by many."