May 5, 2022

***The Fishing Report Blog is updated every Thursday***   The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are elevated and muddy with more rain in the weekend forecast. Wise anglers will check the flow and temperature data at the following links before heading out on a trip: <Rocky River flow gage data><Chagrin River flow gage data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity>.  The last bunch of rainbow trout were stocked in the East Branch Rocky River on April 18 and was split between Wallace Lake.

The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are elevated and muddy this morning and the weather forecast has more rain coming into the weekend.  Anglers should check the flow trend at the links above before embarking on a trip to the river. Lake-run smallmouth bass are stealing the spotlight from dwindling numbers of mostly post-spawn steelhead in the streams.  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 worn or crayfish can work well.  These bass are on their spawning run and are typically around until earky 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 them 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 Cleveland area shoreline of Lake Erie walleye bite is hot right now when condition are nort too wavy.  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 steelhead, northern pike, largemouth bass, yellow perch, rock bass and sunfish species.  Courtesy docks are in at Gordon Park and Edgewater boat ramps as well as Emerald Necklace Marina on the Rocky.  The launch fee pay kiosks have been reinstalled and be aware that if you save your daily launch fee receipts you can put what you paid towards an annual launch tag at a later time.  If you are having trouble paying at the kiosk please read the directions closely.  The fish cleaning station at Gordon Park was just re-opened today, as well.  Boat Launch Annual tags for the 2022 season can be purchased online <here>.

There are still plenty of opportunities to target stocked trout around Cleveland Metroparks, although things will taper off throughout May as water temperatures rise.  On April 18th Cleveland Metroparks stocked 500 pounds of rainbow trout at Wallace Lake and the Ohio Division of Wildlife stocked 600 trout on April 22 at Shadow Lake.  Additionally, on Friday April 8 the Ohio Division of Wildlife stocked just over 1,500 rainbow trout in Hinckley Lake at the boat house.  The state stocked trout are smaller averaging a half pound, about half the size of the trout stocked by Cleveland Metroparks, and are perfect for kids.  Some trout stocked over the winter are still available at Shadow, Ledge, Judge's and Ranger lakes, as well.  TNote: the daily limit at Wallace, Ledge, Ranger and Judge's lakes is 3 trout/angler and the limit at Shadow Lake and the Ohio & Erie Canal is 5 trout/angler.  In the river, the combined rainbow trout/steelhead limit is 2 trout/angler of minimum size 12 inches.  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. 

The final spring stocking of the East Branch Rocky River was completed on Monday April 18th with 400 pounds of 14-16" trout going into the river in Millstream Run Reservation (the river stockings are 100% rainbow trout, unlike our lakes).  These complement the 2,700 lbs of trout already stocked in the same stretch of river since mid-March.  The stocking zone is largely in Strongsville and extends from Royalton Road (Rt. 82) heading north to roughly Wallace Lake and at this point the fish should be well distributed throughout the entire stocking zone.  Stocked trout in the river bite the same types of offerings mentioned in the paragraph above.

Support Cleveland Metroparks Fisheries Program through the Orvis Giveback Days Program throughout May.  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!

Spring Childrens Fishing Derbies Are Coming on May 21 & 22.  Our popular annual kids fishing derbies are coming up on Saturday May 21 to Wallace Lake and Sunday May 22 at the Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area. The event is free, fish will be stocked for the event, and fishing gear and bait will be provided for those in need at no cost. For more information, you can check the following link: <Spring Fishing Derby Info>

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.
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] .

Mat shared regarding his recent outings on the Rocky River "Just wanted to share the good photos of some good fish I got this past weekend down at the river! The one next to my pole was every bit of 5 lbs and very close to 20 inches. She was a beaut!" (photos courtesy of Mat Hendricks).








Matt shared regarding a recent kayak fishing trip in Cleveland "Hi Mike, here's my catches from Saturday. I found a group of perch and picked off a few before the easterly wind churned up Erie. Fish Ohio 13.5" yellow perch and a couple of 12". All on a Rapala jigging rap." (photos courtesy of Matt Gunn).




Ken shared of his outing on the Rocky Tuesday morning "I started fishing the Rocky at sunrise and there were more fish biting than I anticipated. I landed a couple of steelhead; I may have had a smallmouth on for a few seconds in the fast, shallow water. I saw my line moving to the opposite side of the run and went to set the hook but no luck. Next, I was at the head of a very fast riffle and I was trying to see if I had the right size crankbait; trying to determine if it would snag, about 15-18’ in front of me.  I was surprised when I got a hit on the Rapala in fast shallow water and saw that it was a golden redhorse sucker. I’ve caught the white ones before usually in slower water, but it’s great to catch something different-pretty fish!" (photos courtesy of Ken Stein).





Carl and friends are making catches of rainbow trout at Wallace Lake, including a golden rainbow stocked way back in winter (photos courtesy of Carl Schweisthal).



Speaking of holdover trout in Wallace Lake stocked back in winter, over the past few weeks during fish sampling with two school groups we saw a brook trout, a pair of tiger trout and several brown trout to conmplement the more recently stocked rainbow trout and a few golden rainbows caught by anglers.  This is "last call" for trout before the water gets too warm.  In the photo Elizabeth from Youth Outdoors shows off a trophy tiger trout (it was released after the photo).







Tom had a great outing on a local stream, catching several lake-run smallmouth bass and steelhead (photos courtesy of Tom Reutebuch).



John and a buddy made a nice catch of walleye from the Cleveland shoreline on Saturday night (photo courtesy of John Hanmore).






Brad and a friend caught a two person limit of walleye trolling off Cleveland on Monday night.  At one point they had 3 on at one time! (photos courtesy of Brad Gardner).
















Students from The Bridge Avenue School recently joined Cleveland Metroparks Youth Outdoors and Natural Resources staff for a fish collection outing at Wallace Lake and fun was had by all!  The group even cooked a pancake and breakfast sausage lunch on the beach (that was the meal option the kids voted for).



Thank you to the Orvis shops in Cleveland (Woodmere) and westlake (Crocker Park) for choosing Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Fund as the beneficiary of their Giveback Days promotion throughout May.  See the report above for details.