August 2025

***NOTE:  The Fishing Report Blog is updated weekly on Thursdays from September-May and monthly from June-August***  As we transition into late summer, highlight species targeted around Cleveland Metroparks include walleye, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, panfish, channel catfish, and common carp. To monitor the most recent river water level and temperature you can check the following link: <Rocky River East Branch flow gage data><Chagrin River flow gage data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity> <Rocky River Main Branch live feed camera – scroll down at link>. Please note: the Fishing Blog is updated once a month in June, July, and August and back to weekly in September.

Summer means family fishing time for many folks, and panfish are perfect for a leisurely picnic and fishing outing. Bluegill, crappie, pumpkinseed and other sunfish species can be taken with a number of offerings, but a waxworm or redworm on a smaller hook suspended under a modest sized bobber and cast around shoreline structure is always a good choice. Wallace Lake, Shadow Lake, Strawberry Pond and Lakefront Reservation are just a few of many places in the parks to wet a line for various panfish species. Early mornings and dusk are typically better times to fish during the heat of summer. Largemouth bass fishing can be a worthwhile pursuit at Wallace Lake and Lake Erie harbors.

Smallmouth bass are typically found in the deeper, rocky pools of the Rocky, Chagrin and Cuyahoga rivers during the day in summer, and often move to the heads of such pools in the early morning and evening hours to feed. A dark olive or brown tube jig of 3-4" length, ned or dropshot rig, other lures/flies that imitate minnows or crayfish, and live bait are all offerings that can catch smallmouth. Rock bass are also present in the same river areas and can be caught using the same types of offerings.

Channel catfish and large carp are also found in the rivers in summer and fishing for them can be a laid back and relaxing way to enjoy some time on the water. In late June, a total of 1,600 lbs of farm raised channel catfish were stocked between Shadow Lake (400 lbs), Ledge Lake (200 lbs), Strawberry Pond (200 lbs), Oxbow Lagoon (200 lbs), Judge’s Lake (200 lbs), Ranger Lake (200lbs), and Beyer’s Pond (200 lbs – this one was added this year). Channel catfish stocked in late May also remain to be caught at Wallace Lake and the Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area. Catfish often bite best during the evening using baits such as nightcrawlers, raw shrimp, chicken liver, and processed dough baits.

Carp can often be caught throughout the day on such bait as canned corn, carp dough baits, worms or crayfish tails. The key to fishing for either carp or catfish is fishing on the river/lake bottom. In addition, freshwater drum (sheepshead), white perch, and bullhead catfish are also available in the northern river reaches (north of Lorain Road bridge) in summer. For the angling generalist, any of the species thus far can be effectively targeted by fishing a nightcrawler worm right on the river bottom with a sinker.

The walleye bite has been good in 65-70 feet of water out of Gordon (E72nd) and Edgewater parks. Trolling spoons behind dipsy divers as well as deep diving crankbaits have been the most common presentations. Additionally, diverse fishing opportunities including (but not limited to) rock bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white bass, catfish, freshwater drum and sunfish species can be found along the Cleveland shoreline of Lake Erie on offerings such as tube jigs and live minnows. 

Screening of The Fish Thief and Talk on August 13!  On Wednesday, August 13 from 6-8:30 p.m. Cleveland Metroparks Watershed Volunteer Program will be offering a FREE evening program including screening of the award winning documentary "THE FISH THIEF: A Great Lakes Mystery", a brief lecture by Ross Shaw, Senior Program Associate of Communications at the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission preceding the film and a panel discussion afterwards including the film's director, Lindsey Haskin. This will be hosted at  the Watershed Stewardship Center located at 2277 W Ridgewood Dr, Parma, OH 44134. The offering is free but registration is required at the following link: <register here> 

Rocky River Flow Gage and Live Feed Camera are both Back Online!  Good news- the USGS Rocky River flow gage on the main branch of the river (in Berea) and the Cleveland Metroparks live feed camera are both live again.  As an added bonus, USGS added a several day time lapse camera on their site, too, which is a nice complement to the Metroparks live feed camera.  Links to all of these are at the beginning of the report above.

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

Jimmy caught this 29” 14 pound channel catfish while fishing with his father at Wildwood Park (photo courtesy of William Reindl).

Liz shows off a nice channel catfish she caught in Wallace Lake (photo courtesy of Carl Schweisthal).

A few scenes above from a recent collaborative fishing outing between Cleveland Metroparks and Doan Brook Watershed Partners.

Dexter and Joey have had success on catfish and largemouth bass at Wallace lake this summer (photos courtesy of Corey Butram).

Jack McNeely was casting a Bandit crankbait at Edgewater Park recently and was surprised to catch this chunky flathead catfish (photo courtesy of Rocco Serio).

Gabriel also caught a surprise flathead catfish recently but this one was from Morely Ford on the Rocky River (photo courtesy of Gabriel Rodrigez).

Sean caught a limit of walleye from his kayak out of Huntington Beach, illustrating that you don’t need a big expensive boat to get in on this opportunity when conditions are right (photo courtesy of Sean Fenton).

Mike’s success in specifically targeting bowfin in the Cleveland harbors has been impressive! He shared “Targeting these bowfin really scratched my summer time itch! Using a slip float, wire leader and sunfish head cutbait, I’ve been sight fishing them casting the bait where they roll. High hook up ratio, about 3 or 4 fish everytime I went for them. Unfortunately the weeds have gotten so thick and matted, I’ve lost every fish I hooked the past couple weeks except this 25in slug! They’re really the meanest fish around and have quickly become one of my favorite species. They hang around the marina much longer than I expected. Once the weed mats cover the surface, they stop rolling and just hang out under the mats. The way to fish them would be a heavy punching rig. Haven’t gotten punching tackle yet, but next year I will be prepared to rip them out of those weeds.” (photo courtesy of Mike Simon).

A happy family who had a successful a walleye charter out of Cleveland with Andy’s Angling Adventures. Info at andysanglingadventures.com (photos courtesy of Captain Andy Para).

Kenny Crumpton of Fox 8 News Kickin’ it with Kenny caught this “whopper” bluegill during a TV segment filmed at Garfield Park Reservation. He reported that it fed his whole family for a week! (it was released).

On Wednesday August 13 from 6-8:30 p.m. Cleveland Metroparks Watershed Volunteer Program will be offering a FREE evening program including screening of the award winning documentary "THE FISH THIEF: A Great Lakes Mystery", a brief lecture by Ross Shaw, Senior Program Associate of Communications at the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission preceding the film and a panel discussion afterwards including the film's director, Lindsey Haskin. This will be hosted at the Watershed Stewardship Center located at 2277 W Ridgewood Dr, Parma, OH 44134. The offering is free but registration is required at the following link: <register here> 

With the Main Branch Rocky River flow gage being down we installed a live feed camera that looks upstream from the Rocky River Nature Center deck. To find the live feed go to the following link and scroll down:  <Rocky River live feed camera>

#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

#25-007 Nate Miller, Steelhead Alley Outfitters, www.steelheadalleyoutfitters.com (440) 796-6105