February 19, 2026

***NOTE: The Fishing Report Blog is back to regular weekly Thursday updates from September-May***  We strongly encourage folks to stay off the remaining ice! As the ice melts and waters begin to open up again there are plenty of trout awaiting them. The Rocky River and other local streams went from completely frozen to open in only a week. River water level and temperature trend can be found at the following links: <Rocky River flow gage data><Chagrin River flow gage data> <Rocky River NEORSD station with turbidity><Rocky River Main Branch live feed camera>. 

What a difference a week can make! Area rivers went from almost completely frozen over with thick ice to open water in one week.  For the most part streams are still muddy and the shorelines are littered with treacherous slabs of ice (see photos below from the Rocky River marina area). Steelhead will be available as streams clear and a dime size spawn sack of trout or salmon eggs drifted under a float through the deeper holes will be a top producer. Other good options are small (1/64-1/16 oz) marabou/hair/tube jigs tipped with a few maggots or a waxworm, egg mimicking beads, and live or salted emerald shiners.

Anglers are strongly discouraged from venturing out on the ice at this time. Remember that ice around the edges and near water inflows and outflows are among the first to soften and open up. A total of 6,500 pounds of mixed trout were stocked between Wallace, Shadow, Ledge, Ranger and Judge’s lakes this winter and the bite can be hot in the weeks surrounding ice-off.  Small jigs tipped with maggots or a waxworm, smaller jigging spoons, salmon eggs, PowerBait, and minnows, worms and canned corn all have their days. As the water open ups casting smaller spinners, spoons and crankbaits can account for plenty of trout, which become more aggressive as the water warms and freshens up with melt-off. The spring stockings of rainbow trout in the Rocky River will commence sometime around mid-March.

As the ice melts along the Cleveland shoreline Gordon and Edgewater parks, as well as marinas at E55th and Wildwood are all good options for mixed catches. Anglers catch a mix of yellow perch, sunfish, steelhead, largemouth bass, and northern pike along with others species. Small to medium size jigs or crankbaits and live minnows will catch a wide variety of species.

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 will 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

Wes shared “My Dad caught this monster Brown Trout at Ledge Lake on Monday near dusk time. Jigging a blue and silver spoon. Thank you for the opportunities you and the Metroparks provide with annual stockings! Tight lines!” (photo courtesy of Wes Bombik).

Travis, Rich and friends made some great panfish catches in Cleveland harbors in Metroparks recently. The fish will still be around as the ice disappears (photos courtesy of Captain Rich Salvetta).

Brian caught some nice rainbow trout through the (now) rapidly disappearing ice at Wallace Lake (photos courtesy of Brian Kich).

Corey enjoyed fishing the Cleveland area Lake Erie harbors this winter (photos courtesy of Corey Reed).

Owen ended his ice fishing season with a few nice yellow perch from E55th Marina (photos courtesy of Owen Lockhart).

Kylie got some great sunset and evening photos from the Cleveland ice this week. The photos feel symbolic of the sun setting on our ice fishing season which many anglers appreciated and enjoyed (photos courtesy of Kylie Kwon).

Well, my photo in last week’s report of the mostly frozen river did not age well! Since then the Rocky River has opened up again, although the shores are covered with treacherous ice slabs.

The popular and fun Barbie Rod Steelhead Derby will be returning on Saturday March 28! Registration is now open at the QR code in the image above or at this link: <Barbie Rod Steelhead Derby registration>

2026 Cleveland Metroparks Registered Fishing Guides (name, company, contact)

#26-001 Jeff Liskay, Great Lakes Flyfishing LLC, [email protected] (440) 781-7536

#26-002 Monte Casey, Steelhead Guide, (440) 773-8064 www.steelheadguide.com

#26-003 Gareth Thomas, Alley Grabs Guide Service, [email protected] (216) 235-5056

#26-004 Jim Lingenfelter, Wild Ohio Outdoors Guide Service, (440) 731-9160  www.wildohiooutdoorguide.com

#26-005 Lucas Smith, What That Vise Do LLC, [email protected] (724) 841-1564

More information on Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Guide Permit requirements, including the permit application, you may check the following link: <Fishing Guide Permit Program>