April 20, 2023

***NOTE:  The Fishing Report Blog is back to regular weekly Thursday updates from September-May***   The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are offering great fishing conditions, but rain in the weekend forecast could affect that.  Anglers would be wise to monitor the trend in river level at the following links: <Rocky River flow gauge data><Chagrin River flow gauge data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity>. The East Branch Rocky River in Millstream Run Reservation was stocked with 900 pounds of rainbow trout this past Friday.

The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are offering good conditions for smallmouth bass and steelhead fishing.  There is rain in the weekend forecast, though, so anglers should check the trend in flow at the links above before heading out on a trip to the river.  Most steelhead remaining in the streams are post-spawn fish.  For steelhead a variety of offerings are working, including smaller dime size spawn sacks, 1/32 and 1/64 oz marabou/hair/tube jigs tipped with a few waxworms or maggots, soft or hard salmon egg size beads, and live and salted emerald shiners- all drifted under a float.  Fly fishers are also catching steelhead on egg patterns, beadhead nymphs and streamers, as are anglers who prefer to cast spoons, spinners, crankbaits.  The steelhead run has tapered off, although some fish will typically linger around until early May.

Lake-run smallmouth bass are going strong this week in the Rocky and Chagrin rivers on their spawning run.  Smallmouth bass will strike artificial lures similar to steelhead- such as medium size crankbaits, spinners, tube jigs (dark brown and olive are good) as well as marabou jigs under floats and streamer flies that imitate gobies, ,minnows and crayfish.  This time of year offers a great opportunity to score the "silver and bronze", which is catching a steelhead and lake-run smallmouth bass in the same day, often from the same pool on the same offering!  Lake-run "smallies" are typically available in the streams until early June.

The East Branch Rocky River between Royalton Road and the ford (river crossing) about a mile south of Wallace Lake was stocked with 900 lbs of rainbow trout this past Friday, which adds to the 1,800 lbs already stocked this month between the river and Wallace Lake.  Several easy access locations are stocked along the river and include the parking area on the north side of Royalton Road (Rt 82) along the river, off the low bridges to the Strongsville Wildlife Area and the Chalet, at the Whitney Road covered bridge, and off the ford south of Wallace Lake.  The trout average a little over a pound each and they bite well on a variety of offerings, including dime size balls of colorful PowerBait dough, small jigs tipped with a few maggots or a waxworm, single salmon eggs or small spawn sacks, a few kernals of canned corn on hook, and small spinners.  Bait should be drifted close to the bottom or held down in place with a small sinker.  We have one final river stocking remaining, possibly this Friday.

Throughout winter we stocked trout at Wallace, Shadow, Ledge, Ranger, and Judge's lakes and a fair number of these fish remain (see photos from Ledge Lake below). The majority of the fish were 1 lb rainbow trout, but a good number of golden rainbow, brown, brook, and even some tiger trout were mixed in. Note: the daily limit in the river is 2 trout/angler of minimum size 12”.  At Wallace, Ledge, Ranger and Judge's lakes daily limit is 3 trout/angler and the limit at Shadow Lake and the Ohio & Erie Canal is 5 trout/angler.  

The Cleveland shoreline of Lake Erie is heating up for anglers casting shallow running stickbaits from shore after dark as well as boating anglers.Lake Erie harbors, such as Edgewater, Wildwood and E72nd boat ramp area offering mixed catch opportunities for steelhead, northern pike and pre-spawn largemouth bass, rock bass and sunfish species. As spring continues to warm up the breakwall area at E55th traditionally offers opportunities to catch yellow perch or white perch using minnows or bits of worms on crappie spreaders on the bottom.

Chidren’s Spring Fishing Derbies are coming May 20 & 21.  Our Cleveland Metroparks Spring Chidren’s Fishing Derbies are a multi-generation old tradition and will be held at Wallace Lake on Saturday May 20 and Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation on Sunday May 21.  More info on the events <here>.

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 already covered.

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

This young angler caught her first bluegill at Gordon Park bay (by E72nd Street boat launch) this week (photo courtesy of Dre).

Jake reports regarding his longnose gar catch from the Rocky River “Caught this Sunday on a white jig while fishing for steelhead and smallmouth. A welcome surprise!” (photo courtesy of Jake Novak).