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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
I may sound like a broken record at this point, but the Rocky River is elevated and muddy again. And, given more rain in the forecast, these conditions will persist into the weekend, as well. Fishing prospects in the river are limited accordingly. Anglers can monitor the trend in river flow and temperature at the following link:
Although the river is unfishably muddy again, once the river drops and clears again after several days of dry weather anglers can expect the lake-run smallmouth bass fishing opportunties to be very good. During a window of fishable conditions earlier this week anglers were catching some nice bass in the river. Lake-run bass bite well on tube jigs or rubber gobies in dark brown or olive colors, live bait (crayfish and minnows are good), minnow imitating lures (medium size spinners or minnow style plugs), and streamer, goby, and crayfish fly patterns. Deeper, rocky pools in the few miles of river closer to Lake Erie (roughly north of Lorain Road) are good places to chase these larger bass.
Trout are biting in Wallace and Shadow lakes and Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area, which were all stocked with rainbow trout within the past few weeks. Other locations where trout are still present are Hinckley and Ledge lakes. Trout have been biting well this week on Power Bait in brighter colors, small jigs tipped with grubs (maggots or waxworms) under a small float, and small spinners.
Channel catfish stocked in mid-May at Wallace Lake and Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area are also biting well this week on worms, chicken livers, and shrimp fished on the bottom. Larger lake-run channel catfish in the Rocky River should begin making an appearance, as well, and are one of the few species in which the river being muddy can actually improve the fishing.
Largemouth bass, sunfish, and crappie have been biting at Hinckley and Wallace lakes, as well as a number of smaller venues around the Park District. Fishing a worm or minnow under a small bobber will catch any of these species, although most bass anglers use artificial lures such as white and silver spinnerbaits, shad style crankbaits, and purple rubber worms.
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
Jake and Zach caught some beautiful lake-run smallmouth bass in the Rocky River during a window of fishable conditions on Monday (photos courtesy of Jake Drukenbrod).
Lucia shows of a nice Wallace Lake largemouth bass on Wednesday.
Tricia caught these fine steelhead while fishing with her father Mark earlier this spring (photos courtesy of Tricia Hayes).
Ranger Sgt. Conroy contacted me earlier this week to report that an angler near the marina caught a fish he believed was a snakehead (and killed it). Upon inspection, though, it turned out the fish was actually a native species called a bowfin. Also known as a "dogfish", this prehistoric predator fish has a heck of a set of chompers! Bowfin are actually common in weedy, shallow areas of western Lake Erie, but this is the first one I've actually personally observed from the Rocky River.
Nate caught this healthy common carp in the Rocky River on his 3 weight flyrod (photo courtesy of Nate Adams).
Dave caught this 23" freshwater drum, aka sheepshead, at the marina last week (photo courtesy of Dave Cronin).
A happy angler showed off the trout she caught at Ledge Lake on Saturday.
The tips of the claws just visible in the gullet reveal that the most recent meal for this Wallace Lake largemouth bass was a big crayfish.
Thank you to the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities and the Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders for teaming up with our staff this past Saturday and hosting a very successful Ken Mantkowski Memorial Handicapped Fishing Outing. About 140 folks came out to enjoy the beautiful weather, wet a line at Ledge Lake, and have a cookout.
Jimmy and Gil of Independence High School stocking trout at Ledge Lake last week (the final trout stocking of the season). They are two of three high school students interested in environmental careers who has been career shadowing with myself and my staff for the past two weeks for their senior project prior to graduation and college.
Gil displays a typical Wallace Lake carp.
An enthusiastic young lad putting everything he can muster into a cast!
We'll call this segment "Get to Know Your Local Fish". Anybody know the identity of this colorful fish? (answer below)
This neat little sunfish is a warmouth bass from Wallace Lake. Similar in shape to rock bass, they differ in that they are more colorful and tend to inhabitat lakes and ponds more frequently that rocky streams in our area.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________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, CFREManager of Gift and Donor DevelopmentCleveland Metroparks4101 Fulton ParkwayCleveland, Ohio 44144216.635.3217kjk@clevelandmetroparks.com
This Fishing Report was submitted on 5/26/2011 12:17:52 PM by Seamus and last updated on 5/26/2011 12:17:52 PM.
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