May 4, 2017

In late spring, highlight species targeted by anglers in Cleveland Metroparks include steelhead trout, stocked trout, panfish, and largemouth and smallmouth bass.  The rivers are running high and muddy at the moment, and the rain expected into the weekend may very well keep it that way.  To monitor the most recent river water level, temperature, and clarity (turbidity) you can check the following links: <Rocky River USGS flow gage data> <Chagrin River USGS flow gage data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity>.  The last bunch of spring trout were stocked in the East Branch Rocky River last Monday.

The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are running high and muddy this week with more rain on the way.  With the water being elevated anglers can expect the majority of the steelhead to hightail it back to Lake Erie.  Edging our remaining steelhead out of the spotlight are good numbers of lake-run smallmouth bass.  These fish are present in deeper, rocky holes throughout the Rocky and Chagrin rivers.  Anglers fishing a jig, wooly bugger, live shiner, or other lures/flies that mimic a baitfish have a shot at hooking the "silver and bronze" (a steelhead and smallmouth) in the same day, although this feat will be increasingly difficult to accomplish as we get further into May.  Note:  smallmouth bass may not be kept in Lake Erie or the Rocky River downstream of the Detroit Road bridge between May 1 and June 24.

Last Monday we stocked 600 pounds of rainbow trout in the East Branch Rocky River.  Recently ODNR stocked trout at Hinckley Lake (2,500 fish) and Shadow Lake (500 fish), as well.  These fish will range from 11-14" in length.  Trout also remain at Wallace Lake.  Trout hit well on PowerBait fished near the bottom, jigs tipped with a few maggots/waxworms suspended below a bobber, minnows, and smaller spoons and spinners. 

Spring stocking of trout in the East Branch Rocky River began in mid March and concluded last week.  These fish were stocked at about a half dozen locations in Millstream Run Reservation between Royalton Road (Route 82) and the river ford (low bridge crossing) just south of Wallace Lake.  The final scheduled trout stocking of the season will be at Wallace Lake and Ohio & Erie Canal for childrens fishing derbies in May.

Please note the current seasonal trout regulations:  Lake Erie and all streams 2/day minimum size 12" (this includes steelhead through May 15, after which point the limit increases to 5/day), 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. 

Juvenile Steelhead Have Been Stocked.  Please be aware that juvenile steelhead, called smolts, were stocked in the Rocky River by the marina (and other area streams) over the past two weeks. These sub-legal size trout feed voraciously, and it is best to avoid using live bait and smaller hooks in that area for the time being to avoid undue stress from catching these little fish- which are the future of our steelhead fishery .

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

Yolanda scored some fine smallmouth bass from the Rocky River this week (photos courtesy of Zach Hernandez).



Mark caught this gorgeous black crappie in a local lake (photo courtesy of Mark Fascione).







Mike has been doing great on steelhead and smallmouth bass using his favorite lure-  a Little Cleo spoon (photos courtesy of Mike Reed).








During sampling at Wallace Lake on Tuesday we turned up some great fish, including a good size blue catfish.  Blue catfish are not normally found in northern Ohio, but we suspect the small population of them in Wallace Lake were introduced from stocking of wild caught catfish from the south that occurred 15-20 years ago.



For this installment of Know Your Fish, can submit your guesses regarding this species in the comments section.



Please be aware that ODNR Division of Wildlife has been stocking steelhead smolts (juvenile steelhead) in our northern river reaches the past two weeks.  Please handle these small trout with care or consider avoiding fishing smaller baits in the northern river reaches for the time being.  Thank you.  (photo courtesy of steelheadschool.com).



Wildlife rehab specialist Tim Jasinski of the Lake Erie Nature and Science Center sorts through some fish we delivered to him this week for feeding their "patients", including a bald eagle, common loon, and several gulls.