Rocky River Fishing Reporthttp://blogs.clemetparks.com/rocky-river-fishing-report/Rocky River Fishing Reporten-US2010-03-10T10:26:44ZSquarespace Site Server v5.9.2 (http://www.squarespace.com/)Fishing Report - March 4, 2010http://blogs.clemetparks.com/rocky-river-fishing-report/2010/3/4/fishing-report-march-4-2010.htmlMike Durkalec2010-03-04T15:35:11ZRocky River was named one of the “150 Best Places to fish in America” in the June 2007 issue of Field and Stream magazine

***March 8, 2010, morning update: The river is rapidly on the rise, and based on temperatures all week projected for above freezing (even at night), snowmelt will cause the river to continue to rise and stain further. Keep an eye on the flow gage and when the river begins to drop again and hits about 400-500 cfs, the river should be in fishable shape by most anglers' standards. After an initial modest run of fish following the last thaw, the fished slowed and was challenging for many this past weekend. The spring run is not here yet and anglers can expect for the first warmer rain of spring to trigger a better run of fish.***

The Rocky River is exhibiting very good fishing conditions at the current time with a green stain and moderate flow. The river flow has been buffered and maintained good level this week thanks to the slow snowmelt. Given the daytime temps above freezing projected every day into the weekend, and nighttime lows dipping below that, the river level should bump up and down accordingly. I would expect, though, that the river will remain in fishable shape into the weekend. Ice and slush should not be an issue, even in the mornings. Keep and eye on the flow gage for the latest trend in river flow and temperature at the following link: <river flow gage data>

Overall, steelhead fishing has been good all week on the Rocky River. A modest number of fresh fish, comprised of a mix of adult and skippers (smaller steelhead), have continued to trickle into the northern river reaches all week, with good numbers of darker fish well distributed throughout the system. The best fishing this week has been focused in the river north of Morley Ford to the marina, although anglers can find plenty of fish and less angling pressure south of that. Additionally, Dan Pribanic of <Chagrin River Outfitters> (CRO) reports more open water and good conditions on the middle and upper Chagrin River this week. Due to the lower Chagrin still being locked up with ice, though, most fish being caught have been in that system most of the winter.

Steelhead anglers this week have experienced success using a diversity of traditional offerings, including spawn sacks, live or salted minnows, jigs and maggots, and rubber trout worms (in white or brighter colors). With the warming trend, a growing number of fly fishers have been hooking up by drifting or swinging various fly patterns. In addition to the traditional globug and sucker spawn patterns that always seem to work, Dan at CRO also mentioned some hot flies lately have been white Lite Brite Zonkers, black micro stonefly nymphs (see a great photo of this fly below), black Great Lakes sparrow streamers, and pink Estaz eggs.

The first appreciable numbers of lake-run white suckers have made an appearance in the northern Rocky River this week. These fish are typically taken incidentally by steelhead anglers, but a growing faction among anglers every year enjoy targeting them on light tackle. Fishing a worm or grubs on the river bottom or drifting nymph patterns on a light flyrod can be effective and enjoyable ways to catch suckers.

Plenty of stocked trout are still available in Cleveland Metroparks lakes and ponds Wallace Lake has been the top spot, although Shadow, Ledge, Judges, and Ranger lakes have all been stocked in recent weeks, as well. Trout have been biting Power Bait fished near the lake bottom, micro jigs tipped with grubs (waxworms or maggots) suspended below a small float, and jigging spoons such as Swedish Pimples and Forage Minnows. Note: given the overall warming trend anglers need to exercise extreme caution and test ice conditions to confirm a minimum of four inches of solid ice before venturing onto our frozen lakes and ponds.

The first round of trout to be stocked in the East Branch Rocky River in Mill Stream Run Reservation is scheduled for approximately mid-March, conditions permitting. Keep posted to the fishing report for the latest update on the upcoming stockings in the coming weeks.

Local Business Highlight: Pulse Jigs. Jason Dillinger, owner of Pulse Jigs, formerly ran the now defunct Rocky River Bait and Tackle. We were sad to see him go, since he offered a service to immediately local anglers and was a supporter of our kids fishing derbies, but he made the decision that running a storefront didn’t work as well for him as a wholesale and web format. Jason’s quality and innovative jigs (as well as flies and plastic trout worms) have obtained quite a reputation and a growing following on our steelhead streams. Whether you are already using jigs in your steelhead arsenal, or if you haven’t but are looking for another offering that can be highly effective, give Pulse Jigs a look. You can find them online at <Pulse Jigs> or can contact Jason at (440) 331-5380 to find the dealer nearest you.

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

Congratulations to Mike on catching this silvery 30 inch class steelhead this past weekend (photo courtesy of Justin Telep).

Kudos are also in order for Jake on catching his first two steelhead (or trout, ever, for that matter) in the Rocky River on Sunday after a year and a half of effort. The fish were taken on a black jig tipped with minnow and an orange spawn sack (photo courtesy of Jake Drukenbrod).

Kyle caught and released this scrappy chrome skipper on a slushy Saturday morning on the Rock (photo courtesy of Kyle Hinderer).

Dan has an admirer for yet another solid buck steelie he caught this week in the northern Rocky River (photo coutesy of Dan McCutcheon).

Mike may have temporarily de-throned Dan this week, though, with this gorgeous 12 pound buck taken Sunday from the northern Rock (photo coutesy of Jeff A.).

Black micro stoneflies in size 16 and even 18 are a killer pattern on our steelhead streams in late winter (photo courtesy of Dan Pribanic at <Chagrin River Outfitters>).

Justin had a great day at the Rockcliff Springs area yesterday landing five nice steelies, including his personal best fish to date (photo courtesy of Justin Marconi).

Justin is among the new generation of talented young steelheaders who always seem to be hooking some fish. The fish above were among several he caught on the Rocky this past weekend (photos courtesy of Justin Telep).

A fly fisher plies his craft on the green waters of the Chagrin near Cleveland Metroparks Rogers Road access this week (photo courtesy of Dan Pribanic at <Chagrin River Outfitters>).

A steelhead angler this past weekend was in for a huge surprise when he accidentally snagged this 7 foot dead python near the Nature Center! You never know what you are going to hook in that river. The animal was turned in to the Nature Center where it is being skinned/tanned and will be on display (photo courtesy of Rocky River Nature Center staff).

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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

Note: For all other fishing related inquiries please contact Mike Durkalec at (440) 331-8017 or md@clevelandmetroparks.com

]]>Fishing Report - February 25, 2010http://blogs.clemetparks.com/rocky-river-fishing-report/2010/2/25/fishing-report-february-25-2010.htmlMike Durkalec2010-02-25T15:41:46ZRocky River was named one of the “150 Best Places to fish in America” in the June 2007 issue of Field and Stream magazine

***February 27, 2010, afternoon update: The river is in good shape and anglers have been catching steelhead today. The outlook for Sunday should be good, too. The river is holding its flow and stain well.***

***February 26, 2010, afternoon update: The river cleared of slush by mid afternoon following a break in the snow and a number of anglers reported good fishing for steelhead. The river will likely be very slushy again tomorrow morning, and may clear up following any significant break in snowfall into the afternoon.***

***February 26, 2010, morning update: The heavy snowfall over the past day has been a significant factor in making the river very slushy this morning. Anglers reported decent catches of fresh steelhead (mostly skippers) in the northern river reaches late yesterday afternoon, so the fish are there when the river conditions cooperate.***

The Rocky River is dropping into fishable shape just in time for the weekend. The water is exhibiting moderate greenish brown stain with strong flow, but a few anglers were already out fishing for steelhead this morning. Given the forecast, expect the river to continue to drop and clear to a greenish stain into the weekend. The flow should maintain fairly well given the saturated ground conditions, and the temperatures hovering right around freezing should not cause much more ice to form too quickly nor should too much melt-off be an issue. In short, anglers can expect very good weekend prospects on the river. Anglers can monitor the latest trend in river flow and temperature at the following link: <river flow gage data> (note: icy winter conditions can sometimes make flow gage readings inconsistent/inaccurate)

Prior to the last thaw, steelhead fishing had improved markedly on the Rocky River. Early last weekend, mostly darker fish that had been in the system awhile were being taken in the deeper holes all along the Main Branch of the river, but as the river continued to thaw later in the weekend and into Monday a fresh run of fish began to arrive and complement those fish. The fresh fish included a mix of skippers and chrome adult steelhead and were concentrated in the northern river reaches. I would expect additional fresh fish to be available as the river continues to drop and clear, with the majority of the fresher fish most likely concentrated between Morley Ford and the Scenic Park/Emerald Necklace Marina area. A great observation is the continued appearance of some very good size steelhead, with a number over 30 inches and over 10 pounds (see the photos below for a few examples). Additionally, Dan Pribanic at <Chagrin River Outfitters> reports steelhead being caught mostly in the upper Chagrin River this week, where more open water is available and in similar shape to the Rocky, although the northern reaches of the Chagrin are still locked with ice.

Anglers last weekend and early this week were experiencing steelheading success on a diversity of traditional offerings, including: spawn sacks, live or salted minnows, jigs and maggots, and rubber trout worms (in white or brighter colors). A few anglers were also getting in the action drifting or swinging various fly patterns or casting hardware. Under our current stained and elevated flow conditions, though, dime to nickel size spawn sacks in brighter colors are the top offering. Expect those other offerings to come into their own as the water continues to clear as the weekend progresses.

Ice fishing for trout at our lakes and ponds started out slow this week, but has been picking up the last day or two. Wallace Lake has been the top spot, although Shadow, Ledge, Judges, and Ranger lakes have all been stocked in recent weeks, as well. The fish have been a bit more equal opportunity in their feeding this week, hitting Power Bait fished near the lake bottom, micro jigs tipped with grubs (waxworms or maggots) suspended below a small float, and jigging spoons such as Swedish Pimples and Forage Minnows. Note: anglers are still ice fishing following the mid-week thaw, but exercise extreme caution and test ice conditions to confirm a minimum of four inches of solid ice before venturing onto our frozen lakes and ponds.

Local Business Highlight: Stink’s Bait and Tackle. OK, you may have guessed by the name but this is not a fancy fly shop. “Stink’s” is a full service, down and dirty tackle shop which caters to all the needs of local steelhead, perch, and walleye anglers, in particular, but has all the basics for any type of local fishing excursion. Plus, how can one not love a place with that name! I was first contacted by the owners Anthony and Heidi Avancini a few weeks back because they wished to make an unsolicited (and generous) donation of bait and prizes for our upcoming Cleveland Metroparks Spring Fishing Derbies. Now that’s a great way to enter the local fishing community with a splash! Stink’s is getting ready to celebrate their first anniversary, having opened their doors back on April 1, 2009.

As far as bait, Stink’s offers spawn sacks, maggots, redworms, and live minnows. In fact, they carry live emerald shiners year round, which not all shops are able to do. Stink’s also offers fishing and hunting licenses. And they don’t mess around when it comes to shop hours; they are open 7 days/week year around and winter hours, which are tightly adhered to, are 7:30am-3:00pm (Thanksgiving through the end of March). From April 1 through Thanksgiving, they are open from 5:30am-7:30pm. So give Stink’s a look for your angling needs, they are conveniently located only a few minutes off I-71 and I-90 in Cleveland at 3267 West 25^th Street. You can reach Anthony and Heidi at (216) 741-1335.

Tight Lines,

Mike

Julio proudly displays a trophy Rocky River steelie taken at a popular ford this week (photo courtesy of Julio DeJesus).

Adam caught this fine 29" hen steelhead on a chartreuse plastic trout worm. Additionally, congratulations to Adam on attaining Eagle Scout status recently...an honor only bestowed upon approximately 4 out of 100 Boy Scouts! (photo courtesy of Adam Zakarowsky).

Ray caught this henfish on a silver Vibrax spinner near the Nature Center this week (photo coutesy of Ray Wodgik).

Elevated, but receding, river conditions at Morley Ford on the Rocky on the morning of this report.

Dan Pribanic (top) and Peter Alves (below) show off a few of the fine Chagrin River steelhead they caught this week swinging black/chartreuse and white streamers on the flyrods (photo courtesy of <Chagrin River Outfitters>).

Local steelheading veteran Al shows off a healthy chrome ghost taken during low light conditions this week (photo courtesy of Al Katigbak).

Nice job to Adom on landing this fine scrapper of a trout in the Rocky recently (photo coutesy of Adom Mehwald).

I happened to run into Dan McCutcheon fighting, landing, and releasing this fresh steelie on the northern Rocky on Monday, as depicted in the four photos presented above. Dan also did well on on the river on Sunday. Now I know why one local angler referred to him as "The King of the Rocky"!

I began the photos above with a trophy steelie, so let's anchor them with another brute. Brion caught and released this dandy 31" buck steelie this week (photo courtesy of Dan McCutcheon).

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Note: For all other fishing related inquiries please contact Mike Durkalec at (440) 331-8017 or md@clevelandmetroparks.com

]]>Fishing Report - February 18, 2010http://blogs.clemetparks.com/rocky-river-fishing-report/2010/2/18/fishing-report-february-18-2010.htmlMike Durkalec2010-02-18T15:48:25ZRocky River was named one of the “150 Best Places to fish in America” in the June 2007 issue of Field and Stream magazine

***February 23, 2010, update: The overnight melt-off and rain has caused the river level to become elevated and muddy. The extent of continued melt-off and rain will be the factors in determining when the river will be fishable again. Keep an eye on the flow gage data for the latest trend in river conditions.***

***February 22, 2010, morning update: Nearly the entire Main Branch of the Rocky River is currently open and exhibiting a green stain and favorable flow. This morning anglers were catching a mix of fresh skipper and adult steelhead in the northernmost river reaches, especially around the Scenic Park/marina area (which just opened up over the past day or so). Anglers this past weekend reported fair to decent fishing further upstream for darker fish that have been in the system a bit longer. Look for the good fishing opportunties to continue until melt-off and/or rain fouls the river again.***

The Rocky River currently has a surprising amount of localized open water, mainly from the Nature Center ford downstream to approximately Big Met Golf Course. Upstream of that the river is largely frozen, although downstream of Big Met there is still some good patches of open water…notably at and downstream of Morley Ford. Ice on our lakes and ponds is solid below the blanket of snow. River anglers can monitor the latest trend in river flow and temperature at the following link: <river flow gage data> (note: icy winter conditions can sometimes make flow gage readings inconsistent/inaccurate)

Fishing pressure has been pretty light this week on the Rocky River, but the few anglers who have been out have reported some fish are still being caught by those willing to work for them. Most steelhead caught lately have been on live minnows, small jigs tipped with maggots or waxworms, and small egg sacks. Drifting a lively minnow or slowly retrieving a wobbling plug right along the ice shelves is a particularly effective tactic in winter, as these offering can entice a big trout out from under the ice shelves they use for cover. Using an ice-off type paste (available at most locals shops that cater to steelhead anglers) can greatly assist anglers in minimizing ice build-up on their guides and line. Another tip to minimize iced up line is to hold the rod tip high during drifts so that as little line as possible comes in contact with the water.

Cleveland Metroparks completed the final round of winter trout stockings of our lakes and ponds in late January. This winter, a total of 3,600 pounds of trout have been stocked between Wallace, Shadow, Ledge, Judges, and Ranger lakes (with Wallace receiving about half the total fish). Along with the usual pan size rainbow trout, the plantings have also included quite a few trophy trout from 19-23”, as well as a few dozen brown and golden rainbow trout.

Trout fishing at our lakes and ponds has been sporadic and unpredictable over the past week, with some days producing good catches for most anglers and other days being slow. One bait offering that has been producing well this week has been brightly colored Power Bait fished near the bottom. Live minnows have also been producing good catches for some anglers. Although the bite on jigging spoons has slowed this week, anglers are still taking some fish on Swedish Pimple and Forage Minnow spoons, as well.

Bald Eagle Nesting Activity Updates. This week there have been numerous reports of a pair of eagles carrying nest building materials along the middle Main Branch of the Rocky River. This is the general location of the successful eagle nest from 2009 in the river valley. For those anglers on the water, please do not attempt to approach the birds if you come across them and please observe and respect any signs noting trail closures along the river.

Another locale of eagle nest activity that has implications for anglers is just downstream of the Route 82 dam on the Cuyahoga River. Although not in Cleveland Metroparks, this location is immediately adjacent to our Brecksville Reservation and is within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Since I’ve already received a few calls about this nest this week, anglers should note that the Cuyahoga River is posted as closed to fishing downstream of the Route 82 bridge for this reason. Anglers can still fish from the dam downstream to the bridge, though. Unless this eagle nest fails, expect this area of the river to be closed to angling, canoeing, and otherwise wading until approximately July when the eaglets have fledged and are capable of moving on from the nest.

Tight Lines,

Mike

A fly fisher tails a nice steelhead on a patch of open water on the upper Chagrin River. Overall, there is very limited open water on the Chagrin River currently (photo and conditions info courtesy of <Chagrin River Outfitters>).

River conditions at Morley Ford on the Rocky River the morning of this report.

Although not taken in Cleveland Metroparks, a rightfully proud Angel Ortiz shared the photos above depicting his first two steelhead after two years of effort. The feisty chromers bit on minnows at a local power plant warm water discharge on Lake Erie (photos courtesy of Angel Ortiz).

A cluster of ice anglers fishing for trout at Wallace Lake.

A number of successful ice fishers have found electronic fish/depth finders to be helpful in locating fish. Local angler Brian Kich likes this Vexilar unit for locating trout, as well as for determining what depth to place his offering, since he's observed that the trout have been finicky about what depth this offering has been set recently. You can't argue with success, as Brian often hooks more than his share of trout.

It's always nice to see kids enjoying healthy winter outdoor pursuits with their parents, such as this pair heading out to ice fish Wallace Lake.

A parting shot which depicts the spotted tail of a steelhead (photo courtesy of <Chagrin River Outfitters>).

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]]>Fishing Report - February 11, 2010http://blogs.clemetparks.com/rocky-river-fishing-report/2010/2/11/fishing-report-february-11-2010.htmlMike Durkalec2010-02-11T15:27:37ZRocky River was named one of the “150 Best Places to fish in America” in the June 2007 issue of Field and Stream magazine

***February 12, 2010, afternoon update: Since yesterday, quite a bit of the Rocky River opened up between the Nature Center and Morley Ford Although there is still shelf ice, there was very little slush this afternoon, alot of fishable water, and light fishing pressure. The river upstream of the Nature Center, including the East Branch, is still mostly frozen, as is the marina area. Ice fishing for trout was reportedly slow today at Wallace Lake.***

The Rocky River currently has quite a bit of slush and shelf ice present, although a relatively small amount of open water is still available (especially below the fords). Looking at the extended forecast, conditions are only only going to grow more challenging by the day considering that we are not projected to have any temperatures above freezing in the next week. The good news is that ice on our lakes and ponds will continue to grow thicker for ice anglers. River anglers can monitor the latest trend in river flow and temperature at the following link: <river flow gage data> (note: icy winter conditions can sometimes make flow gage readings inconsistent/inaccurate)

Persistent steelhead anglers have still been hooking into a few steelhead this week, although conditions are challenging. This week the modest number of anglers on the river have reported catching fish primarily by drifting egg sacks (pink, peach, white, and yellow colored mesh have all produced), live minnows, rubber baits (especially white trout worms and swimbaits), and black jigs tipped with bait suspended under a float. Drifting a lively minnow or slowly retrieving a wobbling plug right along the ice shelves is a particularly effective tactic in winter, as these offering can entice a big trout out from under the ice shelves they use for cover. Using an ice-off type paste (available at most locals shops that cater to steelhead anglers) can greatly assist the angler in minimizing ice build-up on their guides and line. Another tip to minimize iced up line is to hold the rod tip high during drifts so that as little line as possible comes in contact with the water.

Trout fishing at our lakes and ponds has slowed a bit over the past week, but anglers are still hooking them and there are plenty left to catch. Many of the fish continue to be caught on jigging spoons fished between 1-3 feet of the surface, with Swedish Pimple and Forage Minnow lures being top producers. Trout have also been caught this week on Power Bait fished near the bottom, small jigs tipped with a few maggots suspended under a small float, and even nightcrawlers.

Local Business Highlight: Orvis Cleveland Store. The local Orvis shop in Woodmere may be the new kid on the block in terms of the local fishing scene, but Orvis full service fly shops have been servicing American fly fishers for over a century. Jim Lampros, the store’s fishing manager, reports that “we pride ourselves on being especially accommodating to beginner fly fishers”. Of course, they also have all the fly gear the most serious of our local steelhead and warmwater anglers need. This store offers a free seminar every Saturday, and this weekend (Feb. 13) Greg Senyo will be the featured speaker for those looking to bypass the winter doldrums and learn from a noted regional fly fisher. In the near future, their shop will also be bringing in noted Michigan fly fisher Matt Supinski. You can find out more information about this free seminar series, as well as information about this newer store, at the following link: <Orvis Cleveland Store>

An International Visitor to the Rocky. I was contacted about two weeks ago by a friend who had a business associate coming in from Germany who wanted to fish the Rocky River. Michael Walther had been made aware of our fabulous fishery via the internet, and being a serious angler wanted to sample it for himself. Since I already had obligations the day he would have free to fish, I gave him some advice but also sent him over to the able hands of Craig Lewis at <Erie Outfitters> since he was staying on the west side of town. So, a week ago this past Saturday Michael embarked on his first Ohio steelhead trip, along with borrowed waders (thanks Craig) and a friend of Craig’s that generously agreed to show him the ropes.

Michael respectfully declined the offer to borrow a more specialized steelhead noodle rod, and insisted on using his shorter, ultralight action spinning rod…and ended up paying the price for it! He ended up hooking into three steelhead that morning and losing all of them due to being undergunned for the task. I wonder if he ever heard the saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” ? Michael admitted he was not expecting our steelhead to be so large and strong. A photo below shows him during an extended battle with a large buck steelie. Michael noted that he was especially surprised at how friendly and helpful the anglers he met on the water were to him, an international visitor, and stated “it was a great experience and I am absolutely sure that I will come back to the Rocky River for fishing again.” Let’s hope next time Michael takes up the offer to borrow the rod and lands one of those chrome missiles!

Tight Lines,

Mike

Adam braved the elements this week and caught this pretty lavendar hued hen on a minnow at a popular ford (photo courtesy of Adam Zakarowsky).

Here's what anglers on the river can look forward to every few drifts under our current conditions! A good ice-off type paste is a great idea this time of year for keeping guides relatively ice free (photo courtesy of Dan Pribanic at <Chagrin River Outfitters>).

Justin braved the elements, as well as the flu, on Tuesday afternoon and was rewarded with this fine Rocky River hen. The fish bit a jig tipped with maggots drifted along an ice shelf. That lad has the steelhead bug worse than the flu bug! (photo courtesy of Justin Marconi).

Michael, visiting from Germany (story outlined in the report), engaged in an extended battle with a Rocky River steelhead (photo courtesy of Michael Walther).

Dan at Chagrin River Outfitters reports that open water on the Chagrin River is currently very limited, as is the case on the Rocky (photo courtesy of Dan Pribanic at <Chagrin River Outfitters>).

Conditions at Morley Ford on the Rocky River on the morning of this report.

The river is frozen across by the marina.

A doe endures wintery conditions in a comfortable spot (photo courtesy of Bill Britt).

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]]>Fishing Report - February 4, 2010http://blogs.clemetparks.com/rocky-river-fishing-report/2010/2/4/fishing-report-february-4-2010.htmlMike Durkalec2010-02-04T15:54:20ZRocky River was named one of the “150 Best Places to fish in America” in the June 2007 issue of Field and Stream magazine

Following a few days with high temperatures rising just above freezing, the amount of fishable water in the Rocky River is expanding by the day. The past two mornings, slush has not been an issue in the open stretches of the river, although shelf ice is present in abundance in many areas. As of the morning of this report, the area around the marina is locked up with broken ice and is still frozen across downstream of the marina. Looking at the extended weather forecast, fishing conditions on the river should be good again tomorrow (Friday), but will likely become progressively more slushy by the day into the weekend and early next week. Anglers can monitor the latest trend in river flow and temperature at the following link: <river flow gage data> (note: icy winter conditions can sometimes make flow gage readings inconsistent/inaccurate)

Steelhead anglers who have been out the past few days have been experiencing variable success, with a number of anglers ferreting out some good fishing. Anglers have reported catching fish this week primarily on egg sacks (pink, peach, white, and yellow colored mesh have all produced), live minnows, and black jigs tipped with bait. Drifting an offering right along the ice shelves is a particularly effective tactic in winter, as the big trout often hide under the cover of ice. With the air and water temperatures being as low as they are, using an ice-off type paste (available at most locals shops that cater to steelhead anglers) will greatly assist anglers in minimizing time de-icing their guides and line. Another tip to minimize iced up line is to hold the rod tip high during drifts so that as little line as possible comes in contact with the water.

Cleveland Metroparks completed the final round of winter trout stockings of our lakes and ponds last week. These fish complement the 1,800 pounds of trout stocked in late December. The ponds/lakes stocked this week include: Wallace Lake (800#) and Shadow Lake (400#) stocked on Monday and Judges Lake (300#), Ledge Lake (200#), and Ranger Lake (100#) stocked on Wednesday. There has been a very good size diversity in this shipment of trout, ranging from about ¾ of a pound up to 3-4 pound broodstock trout (and everywhere in between). To add a bit of diversity to the mix, the trout supplier included a few dozen golden rainbow and brown trout in the shipment.

Trout fishing at our lakes and ponds has been good overall the past week. Many of the fish continue to be caught on jigging spoons fished very shallow (between 1-3 feet of the surface), with gold Swedish Pimples being a top producer. Trout have also been caught recently on Power Bait fished near the bottom, small jigs tipped with a few maggots suspended under a small float, and even nightcrawlers.

Local Business Highlight: Chagrin River Outfitters. Dan Pribanic opened Chagrin River Outfitters in 2006 in an effort to service anglers around the highly productive Chagrin River fishery. CRO is a full service fly fishing shop that offers specialty steelhead gear, a schedule of free seminars from local experts, and guide staff that work our streams. CRO also prides themselves in having one of the best selections of switch rods (a popular subculture of fly fishing for steelhead in our region) in Ohio. For more information on CRO you can check out their user friendly website at (which includes contact info, hours of business, and upcoming seminar schedule): <Chagrin River Outfitters website>

Upcoming Fly Tying Class. On Saturday February 20, a fly tying class will be held at Sweetwater Landing at the Emerald Necklace Marina. They have room for about 8-10 more folks, so if interested in details you may contact Steve at (440) 669-9928 or info@floatmaster.net

Tight Lines,

Mike

Mark caught this pair of big trout at Wallace Lake recently using a red Forage Minnow jigging spoon (photo courtesy of Sheri Rocca).

Husband and wife Fred and Blanche enjoy ice fishing together. They caught these fine trout on gold Swedish Pimple spoons at a Metroparks lake this past weekend.

Justin went 5 for 7 on steelhead last night using a black jig tipped with minnow following a month long dry spell (photo courtesy of Justin Marconi).

Conditions at Morley Ford on the date of this report. OK, so who is the knucklehead who's been making footprints on the ice here? A very dangerous idea, especially in light of the tragic fact that three kids drowned on the Sandusky River after falling through river ice last week.

Chris caught this 19.5" rainbow trout on a gold Swedish Pimple while ice fishing at Wallace Lake recently (photo courtesy of Sheri Rocca).

Patrick, among the hardiest breed of fly fishers, caught this fine steelhead on a slushy day on the upper main branch of the Rocky River. He hooked this fish, and one other, using a pink egg pattern behind a white woolly bugger (photo courtesy of Patrick Campbell).

You know you are a hardcore steelheader if, well, if you are one of the anglers in this photo! Fortunately, river conditions have improved markedly the past few days and the river is not nearly as slushy as it was earlier this week.

Bob caught these pan sized trout jigging a green Swedish Pimple spoon through the ice at a Metroparks lake.

A cluster of ice anglers at Wallace Lake this past Saturday.

This eagle has been spotted a few times in recent weeks very near the spot on the Rocky River where we had a successful eagle nest last year. Let's hope for a repeat in 2010! (photo courtesy of Dan McCutcheon).

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]]>Fishing Report - January 28, 2010http://blogs.clemetparks.com/rocky-river-fishing-report/2010/1/28/fishing-report-january-28-2010.htmlMike Durkalec2010-01-28T17:13:16ZRocky River was named one of the “150 Best Places to fish in America” in the June 2007 issue of Field and Stream magazine

***February 3, 2010, update: The open water in the main branch of the Rocky River is largely slush free this morning, although there is abundant shelf ice along the edges. Anglers have been experiencing success ice fishing for trout at Cleveland Metroparks lakes and ponds (see report for details of areas stocked last week).***

***January 29, 2010, afternoon update: A good amount of the slush dissipated in segments of the Rocky River this afternoon, but expect the river to be slushy again tomorrow morning. Sunny afternoons are an angler's best but right now. Also, anglers were having good success catching stocked trout at Wallace Lake on gold Swedish Pimples spoons today. People were already out on about 4 inches of ice again, but still be very cautious if you choose to do the same (especially around the lake margins).***

***January 29, 2010, morning update: Not unexpectedly given the very cold overnight temperatures, the river is extremely slushy this morning with quite a bit of new shelf ice. Given the current extended forecast, fishing prospects in the river will remain poor for this weekend. On the plus side, this arctic blast should have folks back on the ice in our smaller ponds after several more days of sub-freezing temperatures.***

The fishing conditions on the Rocky River are just dropping back into fishable shape this morning, with the water currently exhibiting a brownish green stain and flow still on the heavy side. Slush in the river was moderate this morning with very little shelf ice, but expect both to get worse in the coming days given the cold temperatures in the forecast. Ice on our lakes and ponds is still unsafe following the recent thaw, but is already forming again and will hopefully be safe to walk on sometime next week. Anglers can monitor the latest trend in river flow and temperature at the following link: <river flow gage data> (note: icy winter conditions can sometimes make flow gage readings inaccurate)

Prior to the thaw induced flooding, anglers on the Rocky River were experiencing some of the best steelhead fishing of the new year. An appreciable run of fresh adult and skipper steelhead had moved into the northern river reaches to complement the darker fish that had already been in the system since prior to the thaw, and I would expect a similar scenario as the river continues to drop back into fishable condition. Anglers were catching fish primarily on brighter egg during the last window of opportunity, and a few steelhead were already being hooked on similar offerings this morning. Given the current weather forecast, the window of opportunity to fish the river will likely be painfully short again this time, with ice and slush expected to increase by the day.

Cleveland Metroparks completed the final round of winter trout stockings of our lakes and ponds this week. These fish complement the 1,800 pounds of trout stocked in late Decemmber. The ponds/lakes stocked this week include: Wallace Lake (800#) and Ranger Lake (100#) stocked on Monday and Shadow Lake (400#), Judges Lake (300#), and Ledge Lake (200#) stocked on Wednesday. There has been a very good size diversity in this shipment of trout, ranging from about ¾ of a pound up to 3-4 pound broodstock trout (and everywhere in between). To add a bit of spice to the mix, the trout supplier included a few dozen golden rainbow and brown trout in the shipment this week. Anglers were already catching trout the day we released them at several lakes.

Trout fishing at our lakes and ponds was heating up prior to the trout releases this week, and should be even better now. Many of the fish continue to be caught on Swedish Pimple jigging spoons fished very shallow (between 1-3 feet of the surface). These trout typically also bite well under the ice on Power Bait fished near the bottom and small jigs tipped with a few maggots suspended under a small float. Until the ice on our lakes reforms, anglers can target these fish from the fishing platforms and docks available…especially at Wallace, Shadow, and Ledge lakes (note: a minimum of 3-4 inches of solid ice is required for foot traffic).

Local Business Highlight: Rodmakers Shop. The Rodmakers Shop, owned by Frank Simoncic and Ray Halter, has been a local angling institution for 27 years. This full service tackle outfitter is centrally located within Cleveland Metroparks system in Strongsville. They have just about anything a local steelheader, fly fisher, Lake Erie troller, parent taking a kid fishing for the first time, or trout/bass/muskie angler could possible want…and if they don’t they are always happy to order it for you. Beyond having a great selection of bait, tackle, rods/reels, and providing fishing/hunting licenses and watercraft registration, the owners of this shop also routinely give back to the fishing community. They always support our spring children’s fishing derbies with prizes, and Frank has been a proponent of river access for steelhead anglers with the Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders Board of Directors for as long as I can remember. Local anglers, especially those centrally located in the county or traveling up I-71 from the south to fish our rich waters, should make a point of visiting the Rodmakers Shop. You can give them a call at (440) 572-0400 for information on business hours.

Tight Lines,

Mike

Congratulations to Drew on catching this brute chrome buck steelhead in the Rocky River this week (photo courtesy of Drew Foltynski).

This fine hen steelhead ended a dry spell for Kyle late last week (photo courtesy of Kyle Hinderer).

Justin capitalized on the short window of opportunity late last week and caught the steelhead in the photos above on spawn sacks (photos courtesy of Justi Telep).

Trout fishing at our lakes and ponds has been heating up, as evidenced by the trout displayed by Albert and Jim at Wallace Lake.

Mike caught this fine specimen of a chrome steelie in the Rocky this week (photo courtesy of Mike B.).

The following photos depict trout stocking at five of our lakes and ponds this week, as detailed in the report:

I think anglers will appreciate the diversity in this shipment of trout!

An angler caught this nice trout at the Ohio and Erie Canal Reservation fishing area this week (photo courtesy of unidentified angler).

This colorful and chunky steelie was caught in the Rocky River recently (photo courtesy of unidentified angler).

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]]>Fishing Report - January 21, 2010http://blogs.clemetparks.com/rocky-river-fishing-report/2010/1/21/fishing-report-january-21-2010.htmlMike Durkalec2010-01-21T15:23:16ZRocky River was named one of the “150 Best Places to fish in America” in the June 2007 issue of Field and Stream magazine

***January 27, 2010, update: This afternoon trout were released into Shadow Lake (400 lbs), Judges Lake (300 lbs) and Ledge Lake (200 lbs). Although any remaining ice is unsafe to walk on, anglers can target these fish from fishing platforms and docks around the lake through the thin ice. The Rocky River is still elevated and muddy, but should be at a fishable level in the next day or two, although it will likely be slushy again soon given the forecasted temperatures.***

***January 25, 2010, update: This morning trout were released into Wallace Lake (800 lbs) and Ranger Lake (100 lbs). The Rocky River is very elevated and muddy and will be at least several days until it approaches fishable conditions again. When it does drop into shape again anglers can look forward to a fresh run of steelhead to be available.***

The fishing conditions on the Rocky River have improved drastically this week, with the water currently exhibiting a nice green stain and moderate flow. The river is almost completely clear of thick ice, but there was quite a bit of slush and some thin shelf ice forming in the river as of this morning. I expect the slush to burn off by afternoon. Looking at the extended forecast the lows are largely projected to be above freezing, though, so slush and ice should be much less of an issue in the coming days. Continued melt-off and possible rain, though, could cause the river to muddy again. Anglers would be wise to monitor the latest trend in river flow and temperature at the following link, especially during transitional weather: <river flow gage data> (note: icy winter conditions can sometimes make flow gage readings inaccurate)

Anglers out on the Rocky yesterday experienced some of the best steelhead fishing in the past month. An appreciable run of fresh adult and skippers have moved into the northern river reaches to complement the darker fish that were already in the system prior to the thaw. Anglers were catching fish primarily on brighter egg sacks yesterday, although as the river clears other baits such as jigs with maggots, minnows, and flies should begin working progressively better. Steelhead are well distributed throughout the system overall.

Cleveland Metroparks plans to stock the second installment of winter trout in our lakes and ponds next week. This will complement the 1,800 pounds of trout stocked in late December. The ponds/lakes stocked include: Wallace Lake (800#), Shadow Lake (450#), Ledge Lake (250#), Judges Lake (200#), and Ranger Lake (100#). There was a very good size diversity in this last shipment of trout, ranging form about ¾ of a pound up to 3-4 pound broodstock trout (and everywhere in between). To add a bit of holiday spice to the mix, the trout supplier plans to include a few dozen golden rainbow and brown trout in the shipment next week.

Overall, fishing has been reported as slow to fair this past week, with the best bite being reported in the very early morning at first light by several anglers and the bite shutting down as the sun comes up. This was a similar scenario to last winter, when the stocked trout didn’t really start to bite well until late January and early February. Many of the fish have been caught on jigging spoons, such as Swedish Pimples, fished very shallow (between 1-3 feet of the surface). These trout typically also bite well under the ice on small jigs tipped with a few maggots suspended under a small float and Power Bait fished near the bottom. In light of the recent thaw, be especially careful of checking ice thickness and integrity before venturing out on our frozen lakes (a minimum of 3-4 inches of solid ice is required for foot traffic).

Local Business Highlight: Erie Outfitters. Erie Outfitters has become a regional hub among river steelhead anglers and Lake Erie anglers alike. This is for good reason; owner Craig Lewis offers outstanding customer service which has gained him a particularly loyal following. He was also a leader in the centerpin revolution (a specialized type of float fishing) that is sweeping our area. Additionally, Craig was the center of the Great Lakes nucleus of anglers who helped the G. Loomis rod company produce their cutting edge GLX series float rods. The fact that Craig can spin a yarn with the best of them hasn’t hurt his business, either! Local anglers, especially those on the west side of Cleveland , should check out Erie Outfitters' comprehensive stock of steelhead river fishing and Lake Erie trolling gear. They can be found on the web at: <Erie Outfitters Website>

Good Fishing,

Mike

Joe made a rare catch on the Rock late last week; a 23 inch brown trout. This fish was most likely a stray from the NY Lake Erie program, and I expect to see more brownies stray into our rivers as the newly initiated PA brown trout program in Lake Erie blossoms (photos courtesy of Joe Shaw).

Dan had a great day on the lower Rock yesterday, going 8 for 10 on a mix of fresh chromers, like the one above, and darker fish (photo courtesy of Dan McCutcheon).

Brian was having a slow day ice fishing Wallace Lake Monday until he switched from a silver to a gold reflective Swedish Pimple jigging spoon, after which point he quickly hooked two nice rainbow trout. Both fish were taken within one foot of the surface, which has been a common theme lately.

Local veteran Al had a great day on the Rock yesterday, too, landing 14 steelies. He reports about a 50/50 mix between adult fish, like the chromer above, and skippers (photo courtesy of Al Katigbak).

Congratulations to Chris Koch on catching his first steelhead on his new centerpin float rig! (photo courtesy of Joe Shaw).

Adom also experienced success on the Rocky yesterday (photo courtesy of Adom Mehwald).

Julio was yet another angler who struck silver on the Rock on Wednesday (photo courtesy of Julio DeJesus).

A sled is of great assistance to carry one's gear when ice fishing our small lakes.

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]]>Fishing Report - January 15, 2010http://blogs.clemetparks.com/rocky-river-fishing-report/2010/1/15/fishing-report-january-15-2010.htmlMike Durkalec2010-01-15T16:56:15ZRocky River was named one of the “150 Best Places to fish in America” in the June 2007 issue of Field and Stream magazine

***January 20, 2010, morning update: The river is currently still stained, but fishable, and just about completely ice free Although ice slabs are piled up along the shoreline by the marina, the river channel is mostly open. there, too. In fact, folks were already out fishing yesterday in modest numbers despite the elevated flow conditions. ***

***January 18, 2010, update: The Rocky River is high and muddy from melt-off, but is almost completely open again. At this rate, Wednesday could offer very good fishing conditions on the main branch, and the east branch should be fishable tomorrow (Tuesday). A number of anglers are ice fishing on Wallace Lake today, since pond ice is melting more slowly than that in the moving river.***

***January 15, 2010, afternoon update: Since this morning, a huge amount of water has opened up on the Rocky. In fact, it's the most open water I've seen in weeks. Significant tracts of the main branch of the river have opened up almost entirely, and large areas are at least partially open. Also great news (at least for now) is that the water still has a nice green stain and has not muddied significantly, although that could change quickly with continued melt-off. Bottom line: get out while you can!***

Fishing opportunties in the Rocky River continue to be very limited. Most of the river is currently iced over completely and the few areas that remain open still have quite a bit of shelf ice present. The 24 hour relative thaw we have experienced has not changed the river conditiosn much yet, but if it continues the ice could begin breaking up. Anglers can monitor the latest trend in river flow and temperature at the following link: <river flow gage data> (note: icy winter conditions can sometimes make flow gage readings inconsistent/inaccurate)

In light of the very challenging conditions, fishing pressure from steelhead anglers on the river has been low this week. In the few partially open areas, notably near fords, anglers should plan to offer very slow presentations very close to the river bottom to entice a strike from lethargic winter steelhead. Live bait, such as fresh salmon/trout eggs sacks, a live minnow, or small jig tipped with maggots are all good bets. A Flatfish style wobbling plug worked slowly along an ice shelf can also work as a change-up to get a strike or two from fish hiding under such cover.

In late December a total of 1,800 pounds of trout were distributed between the following Cleveland Metroparks lakes and ponds: Wallace Lake (800#), Shadow Lake (450#), Ledge Lake (250#), Judges Lake (200#), and Ranger Lake (100#). There has been a very good size diversity in this shipment of trout, ranging form about ¾ of a pound up to 3-4 pound broodstock trout (and everywhere in between). To add a bit of holiday spice to the mix, the trout supplier included about a dozen golden rainbow trout.

Angers have been out ice fishing for trout in modest numbers. Overall, fishing has been reported as slow to fair this past week, with the best bite being reported in the very early morning at first light by several anglers and the bite shutting down as the sun comes up. This was a similar scenario to last winter, when the stocked trout didn’t really start to bite well until late January and early February. Many of the fish have been caught on jigging spoons fished at various depths (such as Swedish Pimple lures) and Power Bait fished near the bottom. These trout typically also bite well under the ice on small jigs tipped with a few maggots suspended under a small float. Be especially careful to check ice thickness and integrity as we continue to get a bit of relative thaw over the coming days (a minimum of 3-4 inches of solid ice is required for foot traffic).

Local Business Highlight: Steelhead Alley Outfitters. Pat Robinson, lead guide at Steelhead Alley Outfitters (SAO), put together a neat 2 minute video featuring fly fishing for steelhead on our local streams that owner Greg Senyo recently forwarded to me. I figured with many of us chomping at the bit to get back on open water readers might enjoy this short clip which might help “scratch the itch” a bit. It can be viewed at the following link: <SAO Steelhead Gone Wild video>

Incidentally, Pat and Greg not only make part of their living off the local resource but are great local ambassadors of the fishery. Greg was awarded the honor of Orvis Fly Tyer of the Year in 2008, and is gaining a reputation for being a very innovative tyer of patterns that work in our region. Whenever I have talked with him he also brings up concerns about the hot issue of angler access on our streams, offering to do whatever he can to help the cause. They run a nice website with links to resources on the local fishery that can be found at the following link <SAO website> and the following is a link to neat steelhead alley fly tying tutorial resource they offer <SAO fly tying blog>.

Good Fishing,

Mike

Captain Rich, who formerly ran a Lake Erie charter service, poses with a nice Wallace Lake trout. Rich has been catching them as consistently as anyone, and what's been working for him has been jigging a small Swedish Pimple only about 1-3 feet below the ice. He reports the hits on these lures has been very light.

Late December on the Rock was good to Cory, as evidenced by the three photos above of hefty fish in the 10 pound range (photos courtesy of Cory Kyovsky).

Limited open water conditions at Morley Ford on the morning of this report.

This pair of fly fishers found a stretch of relatively open water in the mid-main branch of the Rocky yesterday afternoon.

Our new electrofishing boat is taking birth in our machine shop this winter. Thanks to Allen, Frank, and Tim for doing a top notch job so far!

A troupe of geese trek along the frozen river yesterday. They are no doubt looking forward to the river being released from the icy grip of winter as much as our local steelheaders!

I offer a few photos below detailing the continuation of installation of various high tech water quality monitoring instrumentation on our streams and wetlands around the park. This project is funded by a state grant:

You'd think I'd be smart enough to put on the pair of rubber coverall bottoms hanging on my office coat rack before going out and sitting in the snow to work...but apparently I'm not. I must have missed the day they taught that in school and, consequently, have spent the remainder of several days the past few weeks working with a wet butt (not fun).

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]]>Fishing Report - January 7, 2010http://blogs.clemetparks.com/rocky-river-fishing-report/2010/1/7/fishing-report-january-7-2010.htmlMike Durkalec2010-01-07T14:05:29ZRocky River was named one of the “150 Best Places to fish in America” in the June 2007 issue of Field and Stream magazine

Fishing opportunties in the Rocky River are currently very limited. Following an entire week of sub-freezing temperatures, most of the river is currently iced over. The few areas that remain open still have quite abit of shelf ice present. On the plus side, though, anglers are beginning to cautiously venture onto the ice on our smaller lakes and ponds. Looking at the extended forecast, temperatures are looking to remain below freezing until at least the middle of next week With this in mind, ice formation on our waters will only continue to increase. Anglers can monitor the latest trend in river flow and temperature at the following link: <river flow gage data>

Following the cold snap, anglers have just begun cautiously venturing out onto to ice on our smaller lakes and ponds to chase these trout. Overall, fishing has been reported as fair this past week, with most of the fish caught on Power Bait fished near the bottom or jigging spoons fished at various depths (such as Swedish Pimple lures). These trout typically also bite well under the ice on small jigs tipped with a few maggots suspended under a small float. Some folks have reported the best bite right around dark.

Cleveland Lakefront Metroparks: A Vision for the Future? The honorable judge Anthony Russo penned a recent editorial in the Plain Dealer setting forth his vision of expanding Cleveland Metroparks land holdings along the Lake Erie shoreline in the future. If the Park District does gravitate this direction into the new decade, this scenario would afford local anglers a number of new fishing (and other recreation) opportunities. Personally, I find this prospect to be very exciting news. Those wishing the read his editorial can check the following link: <Cleveland Lakefront Metroparks editorial from the Plain Dealer>

Happy New Year,

Mike

Bill caught this trophy trout at Wallace Lake on Power Bait.

Justin was one of the few diehard steelhead anglers out on the Rocky this week, and was duly rewarded with this handsome buck caught at a popular ford on a jig and minnow (photo courtesy of Justin Marconi).

Anglers have just begun cautiously venturing onto the ice this week. This angler had Judges Lake to himself.

The first ice shanties are beginning to pop up on Wallace Lake.

Freddie caught this chunky trout on rainbow colored Power Bait.

Although most of the river is covered in ice, a few remaining spots offer enough open water to make a drift. The photos above are of conditions at Morley Ford and the Nature Center Ford, respectively.

The Dunkleosteus at the Rocky River Nature Center is currently sporting a holiday bow and coat of fluffy snow.

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]]>Fishing Report - December 31, 2009http://blogs.clemetparks.com/rocky-river-fishing-report/2009/12/31/fishing-report-december-31-2009.htmlMike Durkalec2009-12-31T15:45:41ZRocky River was named one of the “150 Best Places to fish in America” in the June 2007 issue of Field and Stream magazine

***January 4, 2010, morning update: Following a few days of sub-freezing temperatures, the Rocky River is largely iced over and offers very limited fishing opportunities. On the plus side, anglers just began to cautiously venture onto the ice on most of the smaller Cleveland Metroparks lakes and ponds this weekend. Note: a minimum of 3 inches of solid ice is necessary to support foot travel, and it is the responsibility of the angler to determine ice thickness.***

The fishing conditions on the Rocky River are good today overall (especially compared to most of this past week) with the river offering moderate flows exhibiting a greenish stain with minimal slush. There is a significant amout of shelf ice in slower areas, though, and the area down by the marina is still locked up with ice. Looking at the extended forecast, temperature are looking to drop again into the weekend, so the next day or so could offer the best river fishing opportunities available over the next week. Anglers can monitor the latest trend in river flow and temperature at the following link: <river flow gage data>

Most of this week the Main Branch of the Rocky River has been very slushy in the mornings, with the amount of slush tapering off (but some still being present) throughout the day. Persistent anglers rose to the challenging conditions, though, and continued to hook into a few steelhead throughout the week. A good amount of the fishing activity has centered around the fords and dams on the river, where fish have been concentrated and there has been less slush. The conditions the morning of this report have been the best all week due to comparatively mild overnight temperatures, and opportunities should continue to remain good throughout about the next day. After that, expect increasing amounts of ice and slush in the river again based on the extended forecast.

Anglers this week have been producing the most strikes using bait; with live minnows, spawn sacks, and jigs with maggots all accounting for a share of the fish taken. Fly fishing has been most challenging this week due to icy conditions (and build-up of ice on the line and guides), although some diehard fly anglers have still been out plying their craft. A good ice off type paste available at shops that cater to local steelhead anglers can definitely help with this issue. In very cold water expect hits from steelhead to be lighter and plan to set the hook anytime your float or indicator pauses, twitches, or slows during the drift. Wise longtime angler Ken Harper recently made the observation to me that many of the less experienced guys tend to fish through an area way too fast when the water gets cold (see a photo of Ken with a nice steelhead below). The metabolism of these big trout slows down in the cold water and it can sometimes take many drifts past them to entice a strike in winter. Anglers would be wise to heed this advice under our current conditions.

Last week a total of 1,800 pounds of trout were distributed between the following Cleveland Metroparks lakes and ponds: Wallace Lake (800#), Shadow Lake (450#), Ledge Lake (250#), Judges Lake (200#), and Ranger Lake (100#). There has been a very good size diversity in this shipment of trout, ranging form about ¾ of a pound up to 3-4 pound broodstock trout (and everywhere in between). To add a bit of holiday spice to the mix, the trout supplier included about a dozen golden rainbow trout.

Although the ice is still not safe to walk on quite yet, the cold temperatures forecasted for the next week should get some anglers on the ice soon. Until then, anglers can target these trout by fishing through holes in the ice from the safety of fishing platforms and other shoreline areas adjacent to deeper waters. Always err on the side of safety when considering venturing on the ice, as a bad decision could be tragic! Trout fishing was reported as fair this past week, with most of the fish caught on jigging spoons (such as Swedish Pimple lures). These trout typically also bite well under the ice on small jigs tipped with a few maggots suspended under a small float and Power Bait fished with a sinker near the bottom.

Cleveland Lakefront Metroparks: A Vision for the Future? The honorable judge Anthony Russo penned a recent editorial in the Plain Dealer setting forth his vision of expanding Cleveland Metroparks land holdings along the Lake Erie shoreline in the future. If the Park District does gravitate this direction into the new decade, this scenario would afford local anglers a number of new fishing (and other recreation) opportunities. Personally, I find this prospect to be very exciting news. Those wishing the read his editorial can check the following link: <Judge Russo's editorial from the Plain Dealer>

Happy Holidays,

Mike

Chris and Brian are pictured with a trophy 20" golden rainbow trout caught in a Cleveland Metroparks lake on Christmas Day (photo courtesy of the Fontana family).

Dan offers proof that braving the cold and fishing through the slush ice, visible in the background, can be a very worthwhile endeavor. This beautiful pink striped 31" trophy was taken upstream on the Main Branch of the river yesterday afternoon (photo courtesy of Dan McCutcheon).

Justin reports that he was pleased to end the year on a high note yesterday evening with the bright 26" 7.5# steelie in the top photo, which he caught on a jig tipped with minnow. He also forwarded the photo of him holding a chrome beauty caught by the marina last week before that area iced up (photos courtesy of Justin Marconi).

This flyfishing father and son braved the cold yesterday afternoon to try and tempt a trout from the icy waters of the Rocky.

The cold didn't scare off Justin, either, who caught this colorful buck on a white rubber troutworm when the temperature was an numbing 19 degrees (photo courtesy of Justin Telep).

Conditions at Morley Ford on the morning of the report.

This fiesty skipper steelie was caught and released at a popular ford this morning. The angler missed several strikes from the fish before finally hooking it on a live minnow.

The above photos were taken near the marina this morning; the top photo is the view downstream of the bridge just upstream of the marina and the photo below depicts ice-locked conditions just downstream and around the bend.

Although not caught in Cleveland Metroparks, Ken shared this photo of a colorful trophy buck caught in a local stream this week (photo courtesy of Ken Harper).

An angler drifting the tailout of the Rockcliff Pool this morning.

A flock of waterfowl endures the slushy condition this week, no doubt hoping for a warm-up along with our steelhead anglers.

John reports slow fishing this past weekend, but still enjoyed getting out and observing a group of eight deer in the park (photo courtesy of John Schaser).

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