November 7, 2024

***NOTE: The Fishing Report Blog is back to regular weekly Thursday updates from September-May***   The Rocky River is running very low and clear with an abundance of fallen leaves in the water making fishing more challenging. The best steelhead fishing prospects are in the lower river closer to Lake Erie although pods of fish may be found further upstream. 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 yellow perch, and inland anglers are catching stocked rainbow trout and farm raised channel catfish at the Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area.
 
The extended low flow conditions in our streams continues this week with an abundance of fallen leaves in the water making fishing challenging in many areas. The best steelhead opportunities are currently in the lower stream segments closer to Lake Erie, although there are pods of fish further upstream for anglers willing to explore. The larger Cuyahoga River also sustains a stronger flow during dry conditions and enough stray steelhead enter the river to make it a worthwhile prospect. A river hot spot has been the Rocky River boat ramps area at Scenic Park in Lakewood. Anglers drifting smaller marabou/hair jigs tipped with a few maggots, dime size spawn sacks and egg mimicking beads under floats through the holes are connecting with some fish.
 
The river fishing for steelhead may be stale due to conditions, but the lakefront fishing for staging steelhead waiting to run upstream is hot. Along the lakefront steelhead are being caught off the rocks at Edgewater Park, E55th breakwall, and Wildwood Park. Casting a spoon (ie Little Cleo or KO Wobbler) or spinner (ie Vibrax or RoosterTail) at these locations are a good bet for connecting with an early steelhead trout. These same locations are also producing good catches of walleye after dark, with Perfect 10, Husky Jerk and other shallow running stick-style crankbaits working well. Access to the Lakefront parks at Edgewater, E55th/E72nd, Wildwood and the Rocky River boat ramps are exceptions in that anglers can fish them 24 hours a day (other Cleveland Metroparks areas are closed to access from 11:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m. Trolling Flicker Shad and Mag Lip crankbaits and flutter spoons along the shoreline and river mouth areas is also a good bet for connecting with a bright steelhead.
 
Good catches of yellow perch are being caught by boaters near the Cuyahoga River outer lighthouse, at the east end of the outer city breakwall, and out of Rocky River and Bratenahl in 30-40 feet of water. A few perch have also turned up at E55th breakwall, although shore fishing for them is less predictable. Perch will bite minnows fished on the bottom on a crappie rig. As well as using perch spreaders if fishing from a boat. Please note that Wendy Park at the foremer Coast Guard station is closed for repairs and will reopen to the public in roughly August 2025.
 
On October 10, we stocked 1,000 lbs of rainbow trout and 741 lbs of channel catfish at the Ohio & Erie Canal off E49th Street for Fall Family Fishing Fest and a good number of those fish remain to be caught. The trout average 1.5 lbs each and the catfish average 2-3 lbs, but we included a handful of bigger fish and a few golden rainbow trout to keep things interesting. Trout bite good on a dime size ball of PowerBait about a foot from a sinker on the bottom, small marabou/hair jigs tipped with a few maggots about 2 feet under a small bobber and on smaller spinners. Either species can be caught on a piece of nightcrawler or shrimp fished on the canal bottom.
 
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


 

 
Chris caught this bruiser Rocky River steelhead on a Shad Rap cranklbait. He reports that it gave a great fight (photo courtesy of Chris Rowland).





Juan shared “My buddy AJ and I went to Edgewater to fish Friday night where I connected with my first steelhead and a Fish Ohio white bass (16.5"). I also landed a couple nice walleye including one that was just shy of Fish Ohio status (27 5/8", 6.67lbs). I caught both the walleye and the bass on a Glass Shad Rap. The shad were so thick we were snagging them with our lures. I caught the smaller walleye and steelhead using a dead shad  under a bobber. Sadly, another fish snatched my rod and reel into the lake while I was switching lures on a second rod. If anyone snags a Rhino rod with a Abu Garcia baitcast reel I would greatly appreciate to have it back. Thanks for the great fish reporting.” (photos courtesy of Juan Jeffrey).




Ray reeled in a heck of a surpise when trolling for walleye after dark off E72nd on his buddy Chad’s boat - a golden rainbow trout! It was most likely an escapee from on of ther private trout clubs by sandusky that connect to Lake Erie (photo courtesy of Cjhad Hockenberry).





Femi has been catching steelhead by day and walleye by night along the Cleveland shoreline (photos courtesy of Femi Zairi).




Carl and two buddies caught 22 big yellow perch out of the Rocky River on Lake Erie on Sunday (photo courtesy of Carl Schweisthal).




Jesse shared “Caught November 2nd at 2pm trolling Bandit crankbaits along the rocks at E 72nd/Gordon Park from my kayak. Caught 3 steelies within 2 hours.” (photo courtesy of Jesse Bacha).




Scott scored a beautiful walleye off the lake erie shoireline this week (photo courtesy of Scott Mills).




John shows off a pair of beautiful fresh steelhead caught fishing out of Wildwood Park with Captain Sam of Angry Floater Charters (photo courtesy of Sam Horn).




AJ displays a steelhead he caught at Edgewater Park recently (photo courtesy of AJ Woolen).








Mike, Wes and another friend scored a fine catch of yellow perch puncuated with a few bonus steelhead off Cleveland (photos courtesy of Wes Janke).




John Brochue is succeeding in the challenge of fly fishing for steelhead from the Lake Erie shoreline around Cleveland. One morning he landed 7 of 9 hooked at Edgewater Park. He is employing a sinking fly line, Clouser minnow flies, and a stripping basket to keep the line from getting tangled in rocks and debris. John is the manager of the Orvis shop in Westlake - stop in and ask him more tips on how he fly fishes for steelhead along the lakefront (photo courtesy of John Brochue).







Mike has been catching steelhead and walleye using Bandit crankbaits off the Cleveland shoreline after dark (photos courtesy of Mike Simon).








A few fun photos from recent outings with school groups are offered above.




Jerry Darkes of the Cleveland Museum of atural History Trout Club wanted to make folks aware that the International Fly Fishing Film Fest is coming up at Emerald Necklace Marina in Cleveland Metroparks on Friday November 15 as a fundraiser for their non-profit club. More info and purchase tickets <here>. Note: not to be confused with the similar Fly fishing Film Tour in spring.


 


Dr. Jeff Miner of Bowling Green State University is seeking the assistance of local anglers for a steelhead study.  See the information above about the project and please consider participating if you harvest steelhead of the requested size.