May 26, 2022

***The Fishing Report Blog is updated every Thursday***   Local streams are offering good fishing conditions, but rain is in the forecast into the weekend so anglers should check the flow and temperature data at the following links before heading out: <Rocky River flow gage data><Chagrin River flow gage data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity>.  Rainbow trout and farm-raised channel catfish were stocked at Wallace Lake and the Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area last week (details below).

The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are both offering very good fishing conditions but rain is in the forecast into the weekend so be sure to check the flow trend at the links above.  Lake-run smallmouth bass in the streams are in the spotlight, with a shot at the few remaining post-spawn steelhead.  Often, smallmouth and steelhead can be found in the same holes and jigs, spinners or crankbaits that mimic a shiner or small gizzard shad can catch both.  If specifically targeting smallmouth bass a 3-4" dark olive tube jig, as well as driopshot and ned rigs with smaller rubber worm or crayfish can work well.  These bass are on their spawning run and are typically around until early June.  Also, please be aware that the Ohio Division of Wildlife recently stocked juvenile steelhead (called smolts) and these small trout are below the 12" legal size in our streams.  If you begin catching these small trout please handle gently and release quickly (they are the future of this fishery) and either upsize the size of your offering to avoid them or just change locations (moving further upstream can be effective as these fish are stocked in our lower rivers closer to Lake Erie).

The northern few miles of the rivers are also offering excellent numbers of big lake-run channel catfish, as well.  Fishing a peice of uncooked shrimp right on the bottom with a sinker or drifting it very near the bottom with a float are top methods of hooking into some of these whiskered brutes.  A big nightcrawler of chicken liver are also top producers.  Catfish can be caught all day, especially when the water is muddy, but late afternoon into evening the fishing can be hot.

The Cleveland area shoreline of Lake Erie walleye bite has been good this week.  A light chop to disorient the baitfish along the shoreline often leads to the best fishing as predatory walleye cruise along picking them off.   Casting stickbaits (ie Husky Jery and Pefect 10) from shoreline rocks after dark at Edgewater Park, E55th/E72nd breakwalls and Wildwood Park are good bets.  Lake Erie harbors, such as Edgewater, Wildwood and E72nd boat ramp area offering mixed catch opportunities for largemouth bass, yellow perch, rock bass and sunfish species.  The boat launch fee pay kiosks are up and if you are having trouble processing your payment please read the directions closely.  The fish cleaning station at Gordon Park has been reopened (after being temporarily closed) to repair an issue. Boat Launch Annual tags for the 2022 season can be purchased online <here>.

Several of our lakes and ponds are offering stocked trout and farm raised catfish.  Last Thurdsay and Friday we stocked 800 lbs of trout and 700 lbs of farm raised catfish at Wallace Lake and 500 lbs of trout and 700 lbs of catfish at Ohio & Erie Canal off E49th Street.  Additionally, throughout spring we stocked a total of 3,100 lbs of rainbow trout in the East Branch Rocky River in Strongsville and the Ohio Division of Wildlife stocked trout at Shadow Lake, Hinckley Lake and Ohio & Erie canal off E49th.  Note: the daily limit at Wallace, Ledge, Ranger and Judge's lakes is 3 trout/angler, the limit at Shadow Lake and the Ohio & Erie Canal is 5 trout/angler and the limit in the Rocky river is now 5 trout/angler (the latter with a minimum size of 12").  Trout often bite well on small to medium size spinners/spoons/crankbaits, a small marabou or tube jig tipped with a waxworm or a few maggots, canned corn kernals fished on the lake bottom or a dime size ball of colorful PowerBait. 

Support Cleveland Metroparks Fisheries Program through the Orvis Giveback Days Program throughout May.  We are at the home stretch for the Orvis Giveback days May promotion and are on track to break the record in donations- so let's keep the momentum rolling! We are excited that our two local Orvis shops in Cleveland (Woodmere) and Westlake (at Crocker Park) chose Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Fund to be the recipient of their Giveback Days promotion. Specifically, they will be supporting our spring Children's Fishing Derbies by donating $10.00 for every customer purchase of $10 or more throughout May 2022 at either the Cleveland/Woodmere or Westlake location. This is a great way to effortlessly support local fishing while also supporting local shops and getting some great new fly fishing equipment and/or outdoor apparel in the process! If you stop in please feel free to ask for Lee (at Woodmere) or John (at Westlake) and let them know you appreciate their support of local fisheries programs!

Rocky River Clean-up Saturday June 4th.  Please join us on Saturday June 4th starting at 9:00am at the Scenic Park/Rocky River Marina picnic shelter for the family-friendly volunteer river clean-up!  Cleveland Metroparks is partnering with Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District and Rocky River Watershed Council to host the event.  We will break up into groups and clean up trash from along the river banks, then re-convene at the picnic shelter starting around 11:30am to host a thank you cookout.  Trash bags will be provided and long pants and boots are recommended.  Please pre-register here as an <adult> or for <youth> if you are parent or guardian.

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 covered too.

Wes shared "Had a nice evening on the Rocky, catching some smallies and a bonus walleye. All caught on rooster tails and small spinners." (photos courtesy of wes Bombik).



Sheepshead, aka freshwater drum, are a cool native fish that are often underappreciated.  Juan is not one of those people, though, and shared regarding this catch "I was fishing from the E. 55th street breakwall targeting walleye early into the morning hours. I had landed two nice sized fish when I moved down the wall to try a different area. After a few casts I felt a heavy pull and when I excitedly turned on my headlamp I saw a huge sheepshead. Another fisherman helped me net it and I measured it using the posted tape on the rail. 25.25". My personal best drum and an official Fish OH prize fish. " (photo courtesy of Juan Jeffrey).





Youth Outdoors had a wet, but rewarding, outing in the rain recently (photos courtesy of Brian Fyfe).




Carl shared with bruiser walleye caught off Cleveland.  He also caught a limit of Wallace Lake rainbow trout in only 30 minutes on Tuesday afternoon starting at 6:00pm.  He got the trout on yellow and rainbow colored PowerBait using a dime size ball on a number 8 hook set about 18 inches from a split shot (photo courtesy of Carl Schweisthal).





Andy shared yesterday "Caught two smallies by Morley Ford on a 2/0 shaky head and 4" watermelon/pearl yum dinger. Thanks to my buddy Victor at work for the help!" (photos courtesy of Andy Ventura).



Hamza is showing his younger sister the ropes on how to catch panfish 9photo courtesy of Faruq Abdul-Kaliq).















Shaun has had an amazing week of local fishing, catching smallmouth bass and channel catfish in the Rocky River and trout (brown and rainbow), white crappie, and largemouth bass at Wallace lake in his kayak (photos courtesy of shaun Cassidy).




Christian shows off an albino channel catfish and Kali displays a big rainbow trout release last week.  Between Ohio & Erie Canal and Wallace lake we stocked 1,400 plbs of farm raised channel catfish and 1,300 lbs of rainbow trout over the past week!

Our annual Spring Children's Fishing Derbies held on Saturday May 21 and Sunday May 22 were a lot of fun.  Above are just a few moments of many from the event.



I met John Adkins at Wallace Lake yesterday (which he has fished since his youth).  We shared some fun stories.  He also shared that he recieved this Mitchell 300 spinning reel (a classic), that he is obviously still using, as a high school graduation present from his parents back in 1973!