October 24, 2024

***NOTE: The Fishing Report Blog is back to regular weekly Thursday updates from September-May***   The Rocky River is running low and clear and the best steelhead fishing prospects are in the lower river closer to Lake Erie. To monitor the most recent river water level and temperature you can check the following link: <Rocky River flow gage data> <Chagrin River flow gage data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity>.  Lake Erie anglers are targeting walleye and yellow perch, and inland anglers are catching stocked rainbow trout and farm raised channel catfish at the Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area.
 
Area rivers are exhibiting clear and modest flow with the best steelhead opportunities in the lower stream segments closer to Lake Erie. One such spot is the Rocky River boat ramps area at Scenic Park in Lakewood.  Anglers drifting smaller marabou/hair jigs tipped with a few maggots, dime size spawn sacks and egg mimicking beads under floats through the holes are connecting with some fish. Trolling spoons and medium size crankbaits (like Flicker Shad) around the river mouths can also produce. The Rocky and Chagrin rivers have both been producing, and the Cuyahoga River and Euclid Creek at Wildwood Park are both also worth attention from anglers.  
 
Along the lakefront steelhead are being caught off the rocks at Edgewater Park, E55th breakwall, and Wildwood Park. Casting a spoon (ie Little Cleo or KO Wobbler) or spinner (ie Vibrax or RoosterTail) at these locations are a good bet for connecting with an early steelhead trout. These same locations are also producing good catches of walleye after dark, with Perfect 10 and other shallow running stick-style crankbaits working well. Access to the Lakefront parks at Edgewater, E55th/E72nd, Wildwood and the Rocky River boat ramps are exceptions in that anglers can fish them 24 hours a day (other Cleveland Metroparks areas are closed to access from 11:00pm-6:00am).
 
Yellow perch are being caught by boaters near the Cuyahoga River outer lighthouse as well as at the east end of the outer city breakwall. A few perch may also turn up at E55th breakwall, although shore fishing for them is less predictable, and will take minnows fished on the bottom on a crappie rig. Please note that Wendy Park at the old Coast Guard station is closed for repairs and will reopen to the public in roughly August 2025.
 
On October 10, we stocked 1,000 lbs of rainbow trout and 741 lbs of channel catfish at the Ohio & Erie Canal off E49th Street for Fall Family Fishing Fest and many of those fish remain to be caught. The trout average 1.5 lbs each and the catfish average 2-3 lbs, but we included a handful of bigger fish and a few golden rainbow trout to keep things interesting. Trout bite good on a dime size ball of PowerBait about a foot from a sinker on the bottom, small marabou/hair jigs tipped with a few maggots about 2 feet under a small bobber and on smaller spinners.  Either species can be caught on a piece of nightcrawler or shrimp fished on the canal bottom.
 
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


 

Dr. Jeff Miner of Bowling Green State University is seeking the assistance of local anglers for a steelhead study.  See the information above about the project and please consider participating if you harvest steelhead of the requested size.



 
Chloe is the latest in a long line of anglers from the Surace family. Her grandfather Pete is an avid Cleveland Metroparks trout angler and her uncle Pete Jr. fishes for all kinds of species. They are doing it right starting this young lady out with sunfish as the initial building block (photo courtesy of Pete Surace).




Mike shared “My son Liam caught a steelhead on Saturday at Rockcliff Springs on the Rocky River using a crankbait.” (photo courtesy of Mike Callahan).





Tony shared “I took my 7yr old son Camden walleye fishing yesterday October 20 in the AM near the Cleveland crib. He caught a nice 25” and 23.5” walleye along with a 15” Fish Ohio White Bass.” (photos courtesy of Tony Renfro).







John shared “My son Bronson Clay now 13 is outfishing everyone at Daniel's Park. You featured him a few years ago. He's a master fisherman and has the Fish God on his side LOL. He's been fishing the Metroparks since he was 6. He also goes by Bronzilla. All catch and release” (photos courtesy of John Sloatman).



 

Vinnie and his mom Gail show off some nice Cleveland yellow perch (photos courtesy of Gail DiGioia).


 

Chris caught a pair of walleye casting from shore at Edgewater Park this week (photo courtesy of Chris Curry).



 


Maximus noted from the Chagrin River “Friday I was lucky to nail the fish including catching this brute buck and also break my pb again with this chrome hen which had both length and girth.” (photos courtesy of Maximus Madden).


 



Ted and friends have been making a fun mixed catch off of the Lakewood Gold Coast (photos courtesy of Ted Choukalas).







John found success trolling the Rocky River from the boat ramps to Lake Erie (photos courtesy of John Zupan).





Devonte was casting for walleye at E55th breakwall after dark and scored a trophy white bass (photos courtesy of Devonte Jones).




Captain Sam from Angry Floater Fishing Charter shared “Darian with his first ever lake Erie fish. And it was a dandy steelhead “ (photo courtesy of Sam Horn).







Mike found steelhead success in the Rocky River this week and even caught a surprise 18” walleye drifting a jig tipped with maggots at mid day (photos courtesy of Mike Simon).




Jerry Darkes of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History Trout Club wanted to make folks aware that the International Fly Fishing Film Fest is coming up at Emerald Necklace Marina in Cleveland Metroparks on Friday November 15 as a fundraiser for their non-profit club. More info and purchase tickets <here>. 
Note: not to be confused with the similar Fly fishing Film Tour in spring.