Rocky River Steelhead Fishing: Guide Tips and Advice
In my years as a steelhead angler, one of the rivers I enjoy fishing for steelhead is the Rocky River in Ohio. The Rocky River is an excellent steelhead fishing location, and I often recommend it to my clients.
Rocky River Steelhead fishing offers one of the most rewarding steelhead fishing experiences any angler can wish for. This is largely due to the high quality of steelhead runs it receives and the amount of public access it offers to anglers. It also holds plenty of water that is perfect for steelhead.
In this post, I will share some tips on the best tactics, best access points, and best times to fish for Rocky River for steelhead.
Rocky River Steelhead Fishing: Ohio
I’ve heard it said that the Rocky River is among the top 150 best rivers to fish and one of the best steelhead rivers in Ohio.
The Rocky River in Ohio has a low to moderate gradient and varying bottoms of shale, silt, mud, and rock. It is in North-eastern Ohio and runs through the western Cleveland metro area. There are scenic sections with large cliff banks and plenty of forested areas.
The Rocky River is no doubt a great steelhead fishing destination as it is one of the Lake Erie tributaries that receive annual support and stocking of Manistee strain steelhead by the Ohio DNR.
These small steelheads will migrate out into Lake Erie after a period of development in the river and then spend the summer out in the lake, where they will grow big before returning to the river.
From October through April, the migrating steelhead will begin to find their way back to the river on a mission to spawn. While in the river, they will also feed on many things that drift past them. This active feeding behavior translates to an excellent fishing opportunity for anglers looking to take advantage of steelhead fishing in the Rocky River.
Best Time To Fish The Rocky River
The Rocky River will often have steelhead in it for nine months of the year, but there are certain times when it peaks.
Fall Steelhead Fishing On The Rocky River
The fall season, which runs from September through December, marks the beginning of steelhead fishing on the Rocky River.
As early as mid-September, the Rocky River gets small and sporadic steelhead runs. The steelhead will migrate up the river with the cold nights and colder rains of the season.
The steelhead fishing will improve towards the end of October and into November.
This is the period when the steelhead is the most aggressive and is healthy as a result of feeding in Lake Erie during summer. The steelhead will continue to run up the river into winter or until the river freezes solid which halts their runs.
Anglers who know how to adjust their methods, baits, and locations will catch a lot more fish. You can see how I and other guides do it on my page, Fall Fishing For Ohio Steelhead.
Winter Steelhead Fishing On The Rocky River
The extremely cold period of winter makes the water cold, resulting in sluggish steelhead. However, steelhead fishing can still be a very rewarding experience during this period if you know how to adapt and fish for these winter steelhead.
If you plan to fish the Rocky during the winter, I recommend you check out my page Winter Fishing For Ohio Steelhead, where I discuss the best tactics and methods for catching cold water steelhead.
Spring Fishing On The Rocky River
As the weather finally warms up, it melts the remaining snow that is left over from the winter, and that causes the river to rise, thereby causing a generous push of spring steelhead.
Many anglers find that mid to late February is the start of the big spring steelhead runs.
Depending on the weather, in the years when we have colder and wet springs, steelhead fishing the Rocky River can still be possible as late as early May.
It is good to know the three stages of spring steelhead fishing and the tactics I and others guide use to maximize success during the spring. See all that great information on my page, Fishing For Spring Steelhead in Ohio.
Stream Flows On The Rocky Dictate The Runs
Stream flows are important and knowing when the water is too low or too high will help you determine when the best time to fish is. For stream flows on the Rocky River check out USGS Flow reports.
The Rocky River is often best fished after big rains raise water levels, and anglers will do best just as the river starts to drop and become clear enough for the steelhead to see your bait.
The Rocky River often fishes best at 150-250 CFS. The great thing about fishing in Ohio is that if the Rocky River is too high or too low, there are many other rivers close by. I discuss these rivers and when they fish best on my page, Best Ohio Steelhead Rivers.
Best Access Points For The Rocky River
The Cleveland Metroparks control most parts of the Rocky River and its surrounding areas. This allows for several unrestricted public access points to explore this great steelhead river.
With unlimited access throughout the entire river and being so close to Cleveland, the river can get crowded, especially during weekends.
During the week, finding a good spot for yourself may not be a problem.
The Ohio DNR Fishing map of the Rocky River is your go-to resource for designated fishing areas and public access points.
Some of the top spots included in this map are:
- Emerald Necklace Marina
- Mastic Woods
- Rock Cliff Spring
- Madison Pool
- Horse Ford
- Lorain Rd Bridge
- Morley Ford
- Blue Bank Pools
- Lagoon Dam
- Cedar Point Area
- South Mastic Picnic Areas
- Brookpark Overpass
Best Methods To Catch Steelhead On The Rocky River
The Rocky River is a medium-sized shallow river. The best way to catch steelhead in such a river is float fishing and fly fishing.
The float fishing method involves using a float to suspend your bait off the bottom with a long rod and a Centerpin reel or with spinning reels. If you are not familiar with the Centerpin reel, in my opinion, it is the best reel for float fishing, and you can learn more about it at Centerpin Fishing For Beginners: 20 Steps From A Top Guide
Depending on the condition of the river, there are other ways that can prove effective or even better than float fishing.
- Fly Fishing: Most popular with local guides.
- Bottom Bouncing: Great for shallow runs, shallow and small pools, and pocket water.
- Plunking: used in the lower river when steelhead are migrating through. It is also good for the river mouth and casting out into Lake Erie.
- Drift Fishing: Good for faster, deeper water
Anglers who want to learn the best methods for fishing for Ohio steelhead should click the link.
You can find information on more ways to catch steelhead by checking out my page: Best Way To Catch Steelhead In Rivers.
Tight Lines
Graham
what aquatic life lives in rocky river that the steelhead feed on?
Hi Jason,
Caddis, Mayflies, and Stoneflies, as well as small baitfish, and crustaceans.
Good luck,
Graham