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    October 11, 2018

    Parks | Recreation | Fishing Report | October

    October 11, 2018

    Posted: October 11, 2018
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    As we enter fall, highlight species targeted by anglers along the Rocky River and other area streams include steelhead trout, smallmouth bass, carp, panfish, and channel catfish.  The Rocky River is currently low in level and fairly clear and will remain that way until our next significant rain.  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>.  Nearshore Lake Erie anglers are targeting walleye, steelhead, bass (largemouth and smallmouth), and yellow perch, and inland lake/pond anglers are primarily pursuing largemouth bass, channel catfish and panfish. 

    The Rocky River is flowing low and fairly clear today and will remain that way until we recieve some significant precipitation.  A fair number of steelhead turned up this week off the rocks/breakwalls at Edgewater, E55th/E72nd, Wildwood Park, and in the northernmost river sections by the lake.  Casting a spoon (ie Little Cleo or KO Wobbler) or spinner (ie Vibrax or RoosterTail) at these locations are as good a bet as any for connecting with an early steelhead trout.  Things traditionally start to heat up with the steelhead fishing later into October.

    Anglers are also pursuing a mixed bag of warmwater species in the streams.  Smallmouth bass are typically found in the deeper, rocky pools of the river.  A dark olive or brown tube jig of about 4" length is one of the best producers of bass in the river.  "Smallies" also bite well on live bait (ie: minnow, crayfish, and leeches), lures (ie: spinners and minnow plugs), and flies (ie: crayfish patterns, Clouser minnows, dark brown or olive sculpin or muddler minnow patterns).  A surprise this season has been a respectable number of keeper size walleye by the Rocky River marina (see photo below).  There have been a very impressive number of baby walleye in our streams lately, as well.  Please be gentle handling these index finger size fish from the outstanding 2018 hatch.

    Anglers at our inland lakes and ponds are catching catfish, largemouth bass, and panfish.  In mid September we released 746 largemouth bass, sunfish,and channel catfish at Beyer's Pond following the Middleburgh Heights Family Fishing Days in mid-September.  Wallace Lake, Ledge Lake, and Shadow Lake are a few other spots worth that can be worth poking around in early fall.  Rainbow trout and farm raised channel catfish will be stocked in the Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area in mid October.  The Ohio Division of Wildlife stocked 1,000 yearling (juvenile) channel catfish at the Ohio & Erie Canal yesterday, as well.

    Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, freshwater drum, walleye, and panfish species can also be found along the Cleveland shoreline in early fall and can be caught on offerings such as tube jigs, dropshot rigs, crankbaits, and live bait.  Some good eater size walleye (15-20 inches) have been found in shallow water 16-24 feet deep by Cleveland area boating anglers, although more consistent catches are still being made in 68-70 FOW.  Yellow perch fishing off Cleveland has been slowly heating up off Wildwood Park in 32-38 foot of water.  The ODNR Division of Wildlife weekly Lake Erie fishing report can be viewed <here>.

    Fall Family Fishing Fest this Saturday October 13.    Come out and join us for Fall Family Fishing Fest at the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation this Saturday October 13th from 9-1:00pm  This event is free and we will have a limited number of fishing poles to loan out, as well as bait.  We stocked 600 lbs of channel catfish and 1,000 lbs of rainbow trout at the Ohio & Erie Canal this week in anticipation of the event.  PLEASE NOTE:  the area is closed to public fishing until 9:00am on Saturday morning.  Although anglers of any age can participate, prizes in several categories will be reserved for kids 15 years old and under.  Thank you to Ohio Division of Wildlife and Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders for supporting this great event with grant funds.  More details here:  <Fall Family Fishing Fest>.

    CMNH Trout Club News:  Hank Patterson Event and Chagrin River Watershed Project Support.   The Cleveland Museum of Natural History (CMNH) Trout Club is hosting Hank Patterson (fly fishing comedian/entertainer) for an event from 6:00-9:00pm on the evening of October 20th. Hank will release his new video and do a Q&A as the headline guest.  Before Hank goes on stage they will have beer and whiskey, food, and offer 6 seminar tables (Cleveland Metroparks will be hosting one of them). Each table will be offering four consecutive 15 minute seminars on a relevant local fishing topic. Tickets are available <here>.

    I am also very pleased to report that CMNH Trout Club recently approved a Cleveland Metroparks application for an improvement project on a coldwater tributary of the Chagrin River.  Spokeperson Kendrick Chittock shared last week "I am happy to inform you that the Trout Club voted to approve and fund your application for the Beecher’s Brook Restoration project at the full $10,000. This type of project, and in particular, this accessible and well known tributary, is a great fit for our members and others who enjoy the stream and Chagrin River Valley."  This stream has an outstanding native fish community in its lower reaches, as well as routine natural reproduction of steelhead/rainbow trout.  This project will open up the upper stream reaches to fish migration, which are currently halted by an aging grade control structure (small dam).  Thank you to the CMNH Trout Club for being a longstanding conservation partner in working to protect important water resources in northeast Ohio!

    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  md@clevelandmetroparks.com .

    Tight Lines,

    Mike
     

    Filip proudly shared "Wanted to share a photo of the steelhead my son caught. He is 10. This Saturday morning we went fishing on the Rocky River, casting Rooster Tails on 4 pound test line. River was relatively low and clear. Fishing behind the dog kennel just south of the bridge he hooked, and landed a 6 pound fresh female steelhead. His first ever. Needless to say I was almost happier than he was (he was playing it cool ). I have attached a couple photos. Great to have such a resource as The Rocky, in our backyards." (photo courtesy of Filip Cujba).



    Ryan caught his first steelhead of the season along the Lake Erie shoreline (photo courtesy of Ryan Simmons).




    Corey reported "Caught 7 bass out of the kayaks at Wallace on Sunday. All around a pound. Caught on Rage Tail and Search Bait." (photos courtesy of Corey Butram).



    John Ponsford caught a fine chromer at Edgewater Park (photo courtesy of Mark Forbush).




    Jarred's girlfriend caught her first catfish recently, and Jarred caught a juvenile walleye in the Rocky River this week (photos courtesy of Jarred Bugg).



    Brad caught a fine steelhead while kayak fishing the Cleveland shoreline (photo courtesy of Brad Gardner).



    The two concrete pads at Edgewater Park offer easy access for folks with limited mobility (photo courtesy of Joe Tonnich).



    Mike sent me this photo of a mystery sunfish from Wallace Lake.  I suspect it is a bluegill x redear sunfish hybrid (photo courtesy of Mike Brady).



    We stocked 600 lbs of channel catfish and 1,000 lbs of rainbow trout at the Ohio & Erie Canal this week in anticipation of Fall Family Fishing Fest on Saturday (details in report).  PLEASE NOTE:  the area is closed to public fishing until 9:00am on Saturday morning.



    We surveyed the fish population in the lake on the University School campus with students this week as part of a longstanding project/partnership.















    The Linda Mae party boat out of Wildwood Marina on Euclid Creek has been finding some quality yellow perch this week (photos courtesy of Wildwood Marina).








    OK, I'm going to share my gratuitous fish photos now!  On Saturday and half a day Monday I took my buddy Eugene Braig (who serves as the Ohio State University Extension Aquatic Ecosystems Program Director) muskie fishing in my boat on Lake St Clair and we had an unreal trip.  We hooked 10 muskie, boating 9.  And one fish over 40 inches had a bite mark from an attack from another muskie!



    On Tuesday morning we had a fun time promoting Fall Family Fishing Fest on Kickin' it with Kenny Crumpton on Fox 8 News.

    Note: The fishing report is updated monthly in June, July, and August and weekly every other month


    ***Note: All photo submissions must first complete the Cleveland Metroparks photo waiver.***


    2023 Cleveland Metroparks Registered Fishing Guides
    (name, company, contact)

    • #23-001 Jeff Liskay, Great Lakes Flyfishing LLC, jeffliskay@gmail.com (440) 781-7536
    • #23-002 Monte Casey, The Steelhead Guide, (440) 773-8064, www.steelheadguide.com
    • #23-003 Gareth Thomas, Alley Grabs Guide Service, alleygrabs@gmail.com, (216) 235-5056 
    More information on Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Guide Permit requirements, including the permit application, you may check the following link: <Fishing Guide Permit Program>

    Learn how you can support recreation opportunities through a donation to the Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Fund.
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