July 3, 2025

***NOTE:  The Fishing Report Blog is updated weekly on Thursdays from September-May and monthly from June-August***   As we transition into early 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>. (Note: The flow gage on the Rocky River Main Branch is unavailable due to an upcoming bridge project). 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 small hook suspended under a stick float and fished 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 good 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. On June 27, 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 anywhere from 45-55 feet of water out of Gordon (E72nd) and Edgewater parks. Trolling deep diving crankbaits and spoons behind dipsy divers has been the most common presentations. Anglers can also hook up with some tasty walleye by casting worm harnesses and weight forward spinners. For trolling leads 100-125’ back unassisted or 50-80’ back with divers or 4-ounce snap weights have been working well at speeds of 1.5-2.5 mph. 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.

New Rocky River Live Feed Camera.  Partly due to the Rocky River Main Branch flow gage being down for bridge work, we installed a live feed camera that looks upstream on the Main Branch of the river on the nature center deck. The feed may be viewed by scrolling down at the following link (may take a moment to refresh):  <Rocky River Main Branch live feed camera – scroll down at link>

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

Michelle Wolff caught this bruiser sheepshead on Lake Erie (photo courtesy of Kitti Drops).

Jason caught this carp in the East Branch Rocky River. Carp will bite well even during the hottest periods of summer (photo courtesy of Jason Flory).

Kyle displays a fine smallmouth bass caught on a ned rig (photo courtesy of Kyle Fisher).

Pat proved on the Rocky River that you don’t need to dunk bait while sitting still to catch catfish. He caught a bunch of channel catfish by the marina on rubber flukes (photos courtesy of Pat Cramer).

Mike has been checking off his bucker list species left and right! Just recently he added a northern pike and bowfin from Lakefront Reservation to that growing list (photos courtesy of Mike Simon).

Look closely by the shadow and you’ll find Ava’s first walleye caught on a nightcrawler. Congrats young lady! (photo courtesy of Adam Wachtel).

Ben shows off a Rocky River smallie that munched an imitation hellgrammite (photo courtesy of Ben Mott).

After a string of 90 degree days the trout fishing is typically over for the season. But not for Vinny and his buddy! They caught a limit of Wallace Lake trout during a summer scout camp on June 29. The trick was finding an input of cooler water that concentrated the fish (photos courtesy of Brian DiGioia).

Sammy recently caught some quality yellow perch, including his personal best (photos courtesy of Sammy Ramey).

Ted shared some photos of diverse catches from the Rocky River from the recent weeks (photos courtesy of Ted Choukalas).

Brian has had luck with Rocky River smallmouth bass and Wallace Lake channel catfish (photos courtesy of Brian Kich).

Above are a few of the fish some happy kids caught during a Youth Outdoors fishing outing at Garfield Pond (photos courtesy of Elizabeth Kresse).

Kailee shows off an example of the channel catfish that were stocked around the parks on June 27. A breakdown of where the 1,600 pounds of donation funded fish were stocked is detailed in the report above.

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