Cleveland Metroparks Blogs & Podcasts

Rocky River was named one of the “150 Best Places to fish in America” in the June 2007 issue of Field and Stream magazine

***November 19, 2009, mid-afternoon update: The river is currently exhibiting a moderate stain but is very fishable.  Keep an eye on the flow data (link in the report) to follow the latest trend in river flow  over the coming days and plan to be adaptable based on varying river conditions.***

After a two and a half week relative drought encompassing the entire month of November so far, it looks like a good amount of rain is finally in the forecast in the coming week.  And we couldn’t use it more, as the steelhead fishing has been quite stale this week in the Rocky River with the extended low and clear water conditions.  To monitor the most recent river water level and temperature, especially during transitional weather periods as we should soon be experiencing, you can check the following link: <river flow gage data>   

The steelhead fishing in the Rocky River has been slow this week due to the low and clear water conditions.  That should all change if the water level continues to rise, though.  After a dry spell that encompassed the entire month thus far, the river is finally on the rise again (see image of flow graph below for the month of November).   Although the river is still running clear, keep an eye no the flow graph in the coming days and if this trend continues the river will start to stain again. 

Plan to be adaptable based on river conditions into this weekend and the coming week; if the river remains on the clear side when you get out plan to continue using the stealthy techniques and downsized offerings that have been working over the past week or so.  If the river begins to stain substantially, you can begin going back to larger and brighter colored offerings and focusing more on barriers to fish migration and tailouts instead of solely focusing on the deeper holes.

Steelhead currently in the river have been well distributed throughout the main branch in the deepest holes and around in-stream cover.  Look for a good run of fresh and willing trout (I’m betting the best of the year so far) following the next good rise and fall in the Rocky River water level.

The fishing for stocked rainbow trout at the Ohio and Erie Canal fishing area has been fair this week.  Most fish lately have been taken on Power Bait in bright colors and canned corn kernels fished right on the bottom.  A few angles are also catching them on small spinners.  Anglers targeting farm raised channel catfish at this same locations have also been catching a few fish, mostly on chicken livers.  An equal opportunity angler who would like to catch a trout or catfish can fish a nightcrawlwer or minnow right on the canal bottom. 

Winter Trout Stocking Schedule.   Just an FYI since I’ve had quite a few inquiries lately, the first winter stocking of rainbow trout in Cleveland Metroparks lakes is scheduled for approximately mid-December.  Waters scheduled for stockings include Wallace, Ranger, Shadow, Ledge, and Judges lakes.

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 .

Good Fishing,

Mike

Justin has figured out the recipe for steelheading success under various conditions.  He's still been hooking into a few Rocky River steelies despite the challenging conditions this past week using the flyrod and smaller white and light blue egg patterns (photos courtesy of Justin Telep).

Karol caught this colorful 24" steelhead on a Kastmaster spoon (photo courtesy of Karol Boryka).

A fly fisher works the riffly water at the head of a deeper hole this week on the Rocky.

This trophy Ohio buck steelie was not caught in Cleveland Metroparks waters, but I thought anglers still would enjoy seeing it.  Justin is the lucky angler holding the 32" 13.7# beauty that would make any angler happy (photo courtesy of Ryan Fick).

Tony reports that he has been catching most of his steelhead this week on small minnows followed closely by small jigs tipped with a few maggots (photo courtesy of Tony N.).

This is a snapshot of the Rocky River flowgraph for the month of November up through the morning of this report.  As you can see, there was a two and a half week dry period with no increase in flows followed by the spike in flow this morning.  If this trend continues, anglers should expect a good run of fresh fish into the river in the coming days.

A few more images of fly fishers plying their craft on the Rock this week.

I thought I would include this photo just because it's of general angler interest.  This unusual lake trout was captured in the waters off Fairport Harbor a few summers back in an Ohio Division of Wildlife deepwater gillnet during routine research.  The unusual thing about this fish is the head and body are pretty typical of a lake trout, but the tail is much more reminiscent of salmonids in the Onchorynchus genus (which includes steelhead and Pacific salmon species).  Since hybridization between those groups is not known, the unusual appearance is best explained by the high degree of phenotypic plasticity found in lake trout due to genetic diversity.  Incidentally, I have recieved several reports from what I consider credible sources that a 24" lake trout was caught and released at Morley Ford on the Rocky about three weeks ago.  This is only the second lake trout I've heard of in the Rocky in over 20 years, and both were taken at the same location (photo courtesy of ODW Fairport Harbor Fish Research Unit).

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Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Fund

Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Fund helps provide a rewarding fishing experience to Northeast Ohio anglers through the stocking of rainbow trout, channel catfish, largemouth bass, and other sport fish. The Fund also supports children's fishing derbies and creation and restoration of essential habitat in the ponds, lakes, and rivers within Cleveland Metroparks.


For more information or to make a gift to Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Fund, please contact:

Karen J. Kannenberg, CFRE
Manager of Gift and Donor Development
Cleveland Metroparks
4101 Fulton Parkway
Cleveland, Ohio 44144
216.635.3217
kjk@clevelandmetroparks.com