May 2, 2019

***Tuesday May 7 afternoon update:  This morning 600 pounds of trout were stocked in Ledge Lake.***

The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are elevated and muddy today and with additional rain in the forecast into the weekend this will likely continue to be the case .  Lake-run smallmouth bass and some steelhead should continue to be available when fishing conditions improve.  Wise anglers will monitor the most recent river flows (and turbidity on the Rocky) at the following links before planning a trip: <Rocky River flow gage data><Chagrin River flow gage data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity>.  As fishing conditions permit rainbow trout are available in the East Branch Rocky River and a variety of species, including walleye, largemouth and smallmouth bass and yellow perch are being caught along the Lake Erie shoreline.

The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are elevated and stained this morning with more rain forecasted in the coming days.  Anglers should check the flow gage trend before making a trip to the river.  When the water level drops to fishable there will still be steelhead available, but as is typical this time of year their numbers in the streams will dwindle quickly as many head back to Lake Erie.  The cooler weather lately, though, could extend the season well into May.  Stealing the spotlight from steelhead this time of year are very good numbers of lake-run smallmouth bass.  These fish are present in deeper, rocky holes throughout the main branch of the river.  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 smallmouth or steelhead) in the same day for the next few weeks.  Note: as of May 1 the Lake Erie zone smallmouth/largemouth bass combined bag limit changes to 1 bass/day of 18 inches minimum size.  The zone includes Lake erie waters and (locally) the Rocky River to Detroit Road bridge, Cuyahoga River to Harvard Road bridge, and Chagrin River to Route 283 bridge.

The breakwall at E55th, pier and breakwall at Wendy Park (old Coast Guard station) and rocks at Edgewater Park and E72nd offer a chance at walleye, yellow perch, steelhead and variety of other species.  Harbor areas at Edgewater, Gordon, and Wildwood parks in spring are a good place to find largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, as well as panfish.  A white spinnerbait with silver blades worked slowly is a good early season choice for both bass and pike. The post-spawn shoreline bite for walleye has been picking up around Cleveland.  Shoreline anglers have hooked a few this week at E55th and Edgewater parks on brighter colored stickbaits (long minnow crankbaits) in the stained water.  Beginning this boating season our public boat launch ramps at Rocky River, Edgewater, Gordon Park, and Wildwood will be charging a fee ($5 daily or season pass for $30 for Cuyahoga county residents and $35 for out of county residents) for trailered watercraft.  Please note that 100% of proceeds will go back into Lakefront improvements projects.  See highlight below for details on obtaining a launch pass.

Opportunities for catching trout are good at our stocked inland lakes.  On Monday we stocked another 600 pounds of trout in Wallace Lake, which included some brook trout to add spice to the standard rainbow trout.  The Ohio Division of Wildlife stocked pan-sized rainbow trout at Hinckley and Shadow lakes on March 29th.  A few trout are still present at Shadow, Ledge, Judge's and Ranger lakes, as well as at the Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area down the hill from CanalWay Visitor Center off E49th Street.  Most of these fish have seen plenty of fishing pressure at this point so the most successful anglers have been diverse in their offerings until they find what the fish want on a given day.
 
Rainbow trout were not stocked in the East Branch Rocky River this week due to high and muddy water conditions, but there are plenty of trout to go around as we have stocked 2,400 pounds in the river since March 19.  The stocking zone is between Route 82 (Royalton Road) and the river crossing ford about a mile south of Wallace Lake.  We have concluded our river stocking for the spring season.

Trout typically bite well on PowerBait, small jigs (marabou, hair, or rubber) tipped with a few maggots/waxworms, and smaller spinners (such as Rooster Tail).  Please note the current seasonal trout regulations:  Lake Erie and tributary streams 2/day minimum size 12" (this includes steelhead), 3/day no size limit at Wallace, Judge's and Ranger lakes, and 5/day no size limit at Shadow Lake and Ohio & Erie Canal.  The Lake Erie and tributary streams bag limit will bump up to 5/day starting on May 16.

Purchasing Cleveland Metroparks Boat Launch Passes.   *UPDATE: Due to extensive feedback we are working on a system to allow online puchase of annual tags this year, as well.  Additional details will be forthcoming soon.* Boaters are now able to purchase the annual passes for the Cleveland Metroparks boat launches.  Currently locations that are selling them are the E55 Marina and Lakefront Administration building.  Wildwood Marina (opened April 28), Emerald Necklace Marina (opens May 12), Edgewater Pier (open weekends in May then daily after Memorial Day) and Edgewater Beach House (opened May 1) will also have passes for purchase once they open for the season respectively.  Only boats with trailers will require a pass and info is as follows:

 

$25 - Seniors (60 and up) & Military Veterans - with valid identification 

 

$30 - Residents of Cuyahoga County and Hinckley Township - with valid identification

 

$35 - non-residents 

 

Annual pass is valid for all Metroparks owned boat ramps and are good until 12/31/19.  Daily passes ($5) will be available once the onsite machines arrive and are installed, approximately mid to late May (you will require a credit cards for machine purchase).  Enforcement will only begin after onsite machines are installed at Edgewater, Gordon Park (E72nd), Wildwood and Rocky River (Scenic Park) boat launches.   

Courtesy Docks at Rocky River Boat Launch.  Two courtesy docks were installed at the Rocky River marina boat launch on Tuesday for the convenience of early season boaters.

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

 

Max shared on Sunday "Was happy to catch some steelhead before the rain on nymphs and streamers and I went to Wallace lake caught a bunch of rainbows and I got this big brown trout on a spinner by the mini waterfall" (photo courtesy of Max Madden).
 


Nadia caught this fine buck steelhead in the Rocky River (photo courtesy of Moe Slyman).



This large channel catfish was caught by the mouth of the Cuyahoga River at Wendy Park yesterday.



Corey caught his first steelhead in three years this week in the Rocky River (photo courtesy of Corey Butram).



The walleye are back around Cleveland!  John got this one casting from shore yesterday and his buddy got 29" and 27" walleye too (photo courtesy of John Winters).



Brad caught a 30 inch walleye last week (it was in this report), and got a 30 inch steelhead this week! (photo courtesy of Brad Gardner).



On Sunday an angler landed a nice walleye at E55th breakwall on a pink lemonade colored crankbait (photo courtesy of Sam Horn).







Pete, Margaret and their yellow lab enjoyed fishing the CLE shoreline on Monday and caught some quality largemouth bass (photos courtesy of Pete Surace).





On Tuesday Tom caught 10 rainbow trout at Wallace Lake on spinners (photos courtesy of Tom Barnhart).




Liz shows off trophy Wallace Lake rainbow and brook trout.  The lake was stocked on Monday instead of the river due to high water.



Mark Matteson from the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District and Owen show off some trophy largemouth and smallmouth bass sampled in a Cleveland harbor during a collaborative project on Tuesday.  We also clearly winessed a 40+" northern pike that we were unable to net.




Cleveland Fishing Co. is a local fishing apparel company this has committed to donating 5% of profits to the <Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Fund>.  Check them out at this <link>.



This goldfish from Gordon Park looks as if its trying to say something.