Download the mobile app!
Hooking Up Anglers Since 2011.
Rocky River was named one of the “150 Best Places to fish in America” in the June 2007 issue of Field and Stream magazine
The river is rapidly on the rise again, and with more rain in the forecast the weekend fishing outlook is bleak. Wise anglers will keep abreast of the latest trend in river flow, which can be done at the following link:
The river has not been in good shape for fishing prior to the flood early last week. Before the river muddied anglers were catching steelhead, with a respectable portion of those fish being in the trophy size class. When the river finally starts to drop to fishable conditions again, which will likely not be until at least early next week given the current stream conditions coupled with projected weather forecast, look for anglers to start hooking up first at fords and dams using large pink or chartreuse spawn sacks. It should be well worth the wait, though, as we should have the best fishing yet of the year when conditions improve.
Although ice should not be considered safe, anglers can still fish places like Wallace and Ledge lake from the safety of fishing platforms, stone piers, and off bedrock drop-offs along the shoreline. Fishing in Wallace Lake has been slow since the flood, but reports of trout activity at Ledge and Judges lakes have picked up o ver the past week. Jigging spoons, bright colored Power Bait, jigs tipped with grubs (maggots or waxworms), shiners (live or salted), and salmon/trout egg sacks have all been taking trout. Shadow Lake is clearly posted as closed to fishing at this time. You can check the report for updates on this situation into spring.
Spring trout stocking on the East Branch Rocky River is tentatively planned to begin either Tuesday, March 22 or Wednesday, March 23. If the river is flooded at that time, the trout from this first spring stocking will likely be released into Wallace Lake instead.
Thank you to the Firelands Fly Fishers and Pulse Jigs. Thank you to Jason Dillinger at for making a generous donation of various new fishing gear for use at our Children’s Spring Fishing Derbies (approx. $200 retail value) and to the for making a $250 donation to our Cleveland Metroparks Fishing Fund this week. Their ongoing support of our fisheries program is greatly appreciated by Cleveland Metroparks and local anglers alike. Please check out the links to these donor’s websites, hotlinked above, for more information about who they are and what they do.
Hinckley Lake Fisheries Management Plan is available. Hinckley Lake serves a valued role as the highest quality largemouth bass fishery in Cleveland Metroparks. For local anglers interested in learning more about fisheries management at Hinckley Lake, the natural resources management plan is now available at the following link: . The plan, the first of its kind for the lake, was based on findings from fish population data collected in summer 2010. As always, feel free to give me your input since, after all, work to improve the fishery is being done for folks like you. Additional fisheries information and documents of interest can be found at the following link: <Cleveland Metroparks Natural Resources publications>
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
Before the flooding, John found success drifting a jig tipped with plastic bait under his floats (photos courtesy of John Hartman).
Noted local fishing guide Monte Casey sent in the photos above of friends, fish, and one of our Rocky River bald eagles (photos courtesy of Monte Casey at ).
Gio was one of the few braves souls who fished the high and muddy Rocky River this week and, against the odds, it paid off with this steelie caguht at a flow of 815cfs on a white tube jig (photo courtesy of Giovanni Quintana).
Dale caught this fine Rocky river buck steelie on a chartreuse spawn sack prior to the floodings (photo courtesy of Dale Fondale).
Wild Bill gearing up for trout from the safety of a bedrock ledge at Wallace Lake this week.
Jason Dillinger sent in the photos above depicting a few spring patterns that work well for him, as well as a rigging option for tandem flies that works best for him (photos courtesy of Jason at www.pulsejigs.com).
Chris carries around a 10 pound weight on a nylon rope for breaking though thin ice at Wallace Lake to allow him to fish.
The site of the former Gates Mills Dam on the Chagrin River isn't even a speed bump for migrating steelhead anymore (photo coutesy of Carly Martin).
A few more images of the remnants of the Gates Mills Dam (photos courtesy of Carl Bachtel from www.wkyc.com).
Cleveland Metroparks Park Operations crews have been busy this week cleaning up after the flooding last week, including removing the mammoth logjam that formerly spanned the ford on the East Branch Rocky River near Cedar Point Road.
Squaw Rock Falls on the Aurora Branch of the Chagrin River in South Chagrin Reservation may prove to be the end of the road for migrating steelhead on that tributary.
_________________________________________________________________________________
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
This Fishing Report was submitted on 3/10/2011 1:44:08 PM by Seamus and last updated on 3/19/2011 1:44:08 PM.
Including GPX (Universal GPS Format), KML (Google Earth), and XLS (Excel) files.
Gives You Access To:
Download GPS files of fishing spots. Create Custom Maps of fishing spots. Fishing predictions w/ future date & location. Featured Listings for your fishing business.
$7 month or $49 year