April 25, 2024

***NOTE: The Fishing Report Blog is updated weekly on Thursdays from September-May***  Rivers are offering good fishing conditions for lake-run smallmouth bass and remaining steelhead. There is some rain in the forecast into the weekend so anglers should monitor the most recent river conditions at the following links: <Rocky River flow gage data> <Chagrin River flow gage data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity>. Spring rainbow trout stocking has concluded at this time but plenty of trout are available in the East Branch Rocky River and Wallace Lake.

The steelhead run has already peaked but there are still post-spawn (“dropback” or “spent”) steelhead in the streams as well as smaller jack (aka “skipper”) steelhead in the lower river reaches. Although steelhead numbers will continue to taper off from this point onward there should be targetable numbers of steelhead around through early May. Be aware that sub legal size juvenile steelhead in the 6-9” size range, called smolts, have been recently stocked by the Ohio Division of Wildlife and if you find youeself catching lots of them it is best to just move to another area.  

On the other hand, the smallmouth bass run in our streams is going strong. “Smallies” migrate up the Rocky, Chagrin and Cuyahoga rivers on their spawning runs in spring, although smaller year around resident bass are found in the rivers, too. The lake-run bass reach trophy prportions with bass over 20” and 5 pounds caught every season. 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. Late spring 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 bass are typically available in the streams until early June.

On April 10 we stocked the final scheduled 900 lbs of rainbow trout into Wallace Lake due to flooded conditions on the East Branch rocky River. Previously this spring we had stocked 2,250 lbs of trout in the East Branch rocky river and 450 lbs in Wallace Lake. In the river the fish were stocked at five locations between Rt 82 (Royalton Road) and Wallace Lake. Additionally, trout stocked throughout the winter remain at Wallace, Ledge and Shadow lakes (see a photos of some fine trout from Wallace below). The Ohio Division of Wildlife stocked rainbow trout (500 fish) at Shadow Lake in late March, as well.

The Cleveland shoreline of Lake Erie is going strong for post-spawn walleye and anglers are casting shallow running stickbaits from shore after dark. Edgewater Park, Wendy Park (at the old Coast Guard station) and E55th wall are good spots. Harbor areas at Edgewater, Wildwood and E72nd boat ramp offer mixed catch opportunities in late spring for largemouth bass, rock bass northern pike, yellow perch and sunfish species. As the water continues to warm 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.

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

Chris shared “Robert caught this Lake Erie walleye on Friday from the abandoned Coast Guard station at Wendy Park” (photos courtesy of Chris Curry).

Buddies Matt and Noah had a great walleye outing on Lake Erie this week and got a bonus steelie too (photos courtesy of Matt Jacquet).

Rita, a science teacher at Lakewood High School shared the following wonderful account “A spectacular day in Lakewood, Ohio. Our AP Environmental students, parents, and family came out to the Rocky River Marina to release our young rainbow trout into the Rocky River, where they will make their way to Lake Erie, grow, and come back in the fall to spawn. Our students took the time to test the Rocky River water to ensure safety before release; location and time: Sunday, April 14, 2024, at 9:00 AM, Metroparks, Rocky River Marina.. Once testing was over, students released 118  fingerlings. After the release we found 2 fish hiding in the tank once we went back to the classroom. Few days later we released; TOTALING 120 fingerlings. We received our rainbow trout eggs from ODNR on the coldest day in January. We raised them in a 60-gallon tank in our classroom. ODNR granted the permission to release them into the Rocky River, near the Scenic Park, Emerald Necklace Marina in Lakewood, Ohio.

The Trout in the Classroom (TIC) Program is a tremendous opportunity for our students to witness the growth of a spectacular and well-loved fish. We watched our trout grow from eggs to a fingerling stage (2-4 in.) The exciting thing was watching my students take ownership of all the testing and monitoring, and most importantly, the release of the baby trout into a state-designated stream, each one to face the hazards and challenges of life as they swim their way into Lake Erie.

As an environmental educator, I have been privileged to be part of a conservation effort and teach about the needs of an aquatic organism that is a keystone species and well-fished and well-loved fish from our Great Lakes. Furthermore, my students learned about water quality, which is integral to the rearing of trout, and daily water testing, which is necessary to control the cycling of nitrogenous wastes, pH, temperature, and dissolved oxygen.

We live approximately 500 miles south and west of “real” trout water. If we want to fish trout, and connect students with their watershed, then it is up to us to teach, grow, and care for trout. This requires clean water, proper food, and a proper habitat, all of which are closely monitored in the TIC aquarium. The TIC program is one way to take responsibility for the maintenance and restoration of our environment. More importantly, connect with our watershed.

The TIC Program in Ohio is promoted and supported by The State Chapters of Trout Unlimited, The Ohio State Council of Trout Unlimited, and The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Trout eggs and fingerlings are counted and sent by the ODNR Supervisor at the State Hatchery in London, Ohio.TIC is an excellent educational tool that builds a sense of responsibility in the next generation of caretakers.

Finally, I would like to say thank you to all who made this year’s TIC program a success; my fourteen AP students who took charge, past AP students, our school principal, Hatchery Administrators, ODNR Division of Wildlife, Kevin Lynn, Tom Allen, Gary Kader, Jim Bader (Case Western Reserve), and the entire Lakewood community. It took a village to raise 120 fingerlings. Until next year Mike!!!”
(photos courtesy of Rita Chahda-Gonzalez).