March 6, 2025

***NOTE:  The Fishing Report Blog is updated weekly on Thursdays from September-May***  This has been a week in transitioning fishing conditions with ice on our lakes melting (not gone, but unsafe to walk on) and river levels fluctuating.  Streams are currently elevated and stained, but dropping in level, and weekend conditions will depend on how much more rain we receive. If additional precipitation is minimal then weekend steelhead fishing prospects could be good. 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>. (Note: The flow gage on the Rocky River is temporarily down due to an upcoming bridge project and Cleveland Metroparks and USGS are in ongoing communication seeking a workable interim solution).  Ice on our lakes and ponds has deteriorated to unsafe conditions to trek on, but anglers can still pursue stocked trout from the safety of shore in areas such as those mentioned in this report.

The Rocky and Chagrin rivers are stained and flowing hard following rain and snow melt. If additional rainfall is minimal the Rocky and Chagrin rivers will both be good bets this weekend. Drifting brightly colored nickel size spawn sacks is a top tactic in cold and stained water, and as waters clear smaller marabou/hair jigs (1/32-1/64 oz) tipped with a few maggots and egg mimicking beads under floats will take their share of fish. This is about the time of year when we should be seeing noticeable increases in the numbers of fresh steelhead migrating into the streams with each high water event. The runs of white suckers should also be just beginning.

Ice fishing is no longer an option on our inland lakes and ponds. Anglers can still fish from the safety of shore off docks and platforms, or where the water drops off quickly from shore (Wallace Lake has good spots for this due to its sandstone quarry past). Stocked trout typically go on a feeding binge as the ice melts due to a freshening of the water in the formerly ice capped lakes (causing an influx of dissolved oxygen and water temperature increase). In late January we stocked the second (and final) bunch of winter trout at Wallace (1,900 lbs), Shadow (750 lbs), Ledge (650 lbs), Ranger (100 lbs), and Judge’s (100 lbs) lakes. These complement the 3,500 pounds of mixed trout we stocked in the same lakes back in December. Jigging spoons, a dime size ball of PowerBait on a bare hook or molded on a small jighead, and small to medium size spinners (the latter in ice free areas) are just a few proven offerings for stocked trout. The east Branch Rocky River is scheduled for the first stocking of catchable size rainbow trout early next week as long as the river is not flooded.

To clarify trout limit by location (all trout species combined), the daily limit is 3 trout at Wallace, Ranger, Ledge and Judge’s lakes. The daily limit is 5 trout at Shadow Lake and Ohio & Erie Canal. For steelhead/rainbow trout in the rivers, harbors and Lake Erie this time of year the daily limit is 2 with minimum size of 12”.

10^th Annual Barbie Rod Steelhead Derby is coming up on Saturday, March 29!  The always popular Barbie Rod Steelhead Derby is back this year this Saturday, March 29. And we are celebrating 10 years! Cleveland Metroparks will be leading the event and Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders (a non-profit) will be hosting the raffle. Trophies for three largest steelhead, raffles, and a cookout are all part of the day's festivities for this fun event where anglers must fish for steelhead with a kiddie fishing pole! 100% of proceeds from the fundraiser event go to support the Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Fund (this event has raised $62K since 2015). The event headquarters will be at South Mastic Woods Picnic Area (immediately south of the Putritas Road bridge), a central location on the Rocky River that offers lots of space. Mark your calendars for this fun event for a great cause! You can save $5 versus the day of the event ($35 vs $40) by registering for the Barbie Rod Steelhead Derby online. More info and register online here:  <Barbie Rod Steelhead Derby>.

This event is rain or shine and if river fishing conditions are poor at the time of the event then the competition will also be opened up to trout at Wallace Lake. Registration includes a tasty hot lunch but if you choose not to participate in the event we still welcome you to the OCBS raffle (you do not need to be registered to take part in the raffle). If you are not registered but still want lunch, you can take part in that for a $10 onsite donation. The lunch features brats, hot dogs, special recipe baked beans, potato salad, grilled onion/pepper toppings, choice of chips, fresh baked cookies, and 10^th anniversary sheet cake (the latter while it lasts). Thank you to Westside Toyota for providing bottled water for the event.  Raffle tickets will be sold onsite and will be cash only. The raffle will have an amazing array a few dozen packages (they are still coming in) totaling $9.5K in value and counting so don’t miss out!

A big thank you to our current event supporters, as follows: Westside Toyota is a Supporting Sponsor ($1,000) and Friend of the event level sponsors ($250) EnviroScience, Cleveland’s Raw Woods (flooring specialists) and Kevin Kilbane (Kevin donated $500). Special thank you to Church of Perch Facebook page and Brian Kich for donating $100 each towards the effort. Jeff May of M3 Technologies is designing, making and donating 3 spectacular custom metal trophies again this year (I should have photos soon!). Contributors to the Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders raffle (that I have in-hand currently and in no particular order) include River Roe Tackle, VooDoo Custom Tackle, Cuyahoga Falls Parks & Recreation Department, ASG Custom Rods, Conneaut Creek Fishing Lodge, Lake Erie Kayak Fishing with Chuck Earls, Cast Cray Outdoors, Olmsted Laser Wash, Lamiglas, Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa (Parma location), Limestone bait Co., Lake Erie BoatTronics, Streamside Adventures, Bayside Provisions, Chagrin River Outfitters, Backpacker Shop, Jennifer Grieser, Randy Gerrick, Matthew Brady, and Fred Jersey. Please consider patronizing these businesses/groups that support local fishing!

Upcoming Rocky River Parkway Bridge Closure. The bridge over the Rocky River by the Rocky River Nature Center will be closed for rehabilitation starting on March 3 and will extend until August 2025. More info and detour outlined here:  <Rocky River Nature Center bridge closure>.

USGS Rocky River Flow Gage is Temporarily Unavailable. Due to the upcoming aforementioned bridge project the USGS flow gage is temporarily out of commission. Cleveland Metroparks and USGS are in ongoing communication to seek a workable interim solution. Stay tuned to this report for updates on that.

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

Jim shared regarding this bruiser of a buck from the Rocky “32.5 inch, 15+ lbs out of Olmsted Falls this past weekend. Broke my net on this one - using a wax worm.” (photo courtesy of Jim Wise).

A pretty hen brook trout (photo courtesy of Matt Hanlon).

Sunrise over Ledge Lake (photo courtesy of Sean Flanigan).

I’m a bit light on photos this week so I’ll share a few gratuitously pics of my own. Two weeks ago, two fellow muskie nut friends from Pennsylvania (Mark Graziano and Mark Jr) met up with me at West Branch Reservoir in search of an extra elusive muskie through the ice. As a team we set up and maintained several tips-ups and eventually a flag went up and after a real tug of war Mark Jr brought this best through the hole! That one ate a live white sucker about 6” long. As the icing on the cake I caught a personal best - a 17” black crappie (which hit a large fathead minnow near the bottom in 19 feet of water). This was less than 2 weeks ago but that ice already feels so far away! Oh, well, time to put the ice gear back in storage. I was grateful for a good ice this year.

Mark your calendars - the 10^th annual Barbie Rod Steelhead Derby fundraiser is coming up on Saturday, March 29! More info and online registration <here>. If you are interested in sponsoring the event please get in touch with me.

The parkway bridge by the Rocky River Nature Center will be shut down for rehabilitation starting on March 3 through August 2025. This is on the Main Branch of the river immediately north of the split into the east and west branch. Above is detour information for the area.

#25-001 Jeff Liskay, Great Lakes Flyfishing LLC, [email protected] (440) 781-7536

#25-002 Gareth Thomas, Alley Grabs Guide Service, [email protected] (216) 235-5056

#25-003 Jim Lingenfelter, Wild Ohio Outdoors Guide Service, [email protected], (440) 731-9160

#25-004 Monte Casey, Steelhead Guide, (440) 773-8064 www.steelheadguide.com

#25-005 Nicholas DelVecchio, Wildwood Outfitters, [email protected] (724) 433-2315

#25-006 Lucas Smith, What That Vise Do LLC, [email protected] (724) 841-1564