# Cuyahoga steelhead?



## odiewan

Hello all. Long-time lurker here. I live about a mile from the Rt 82 bridge over the Cuyahoga but don't seem to have much luck on the river, summer or winter. I have fished for steelhead only a handful of times (without success in the last 15 or so years) and I don't really have a clue where to fish now that the dam is gone. There seem to be a lot of accessible parts of the river near me and I am set up for wading. I like fly fishing but sometimes float fish too (whatever works at this point). I don't want to steal anyone's honey-hole but can anyone share some experience on the Cuyahoga? Any tips?

Thanks,
Sean


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## Karl Wolf

There are steelhead in the Cuyahoga, not near the numbers of the stocked rivers.

My best day on the Hoga was 6 out of 8 and that was NOT at the old Breckville 82 dam.

Most days ive fished the Hoga,I've caught zero steelhead but enjoy the solitude especially on a quiet and snowy day. You have to work your little holes and move constantly if you want to get them. I've tried a few times since I've made it back to Ohio and only hooked 1. Last year all my holes were extremely low and not holding any fish the 2 times I hit it.

If you want numbers hit the stocked rivers, if you want a little elbow room hit the Hoga.

I've gotten them both on egg pattern flies in the clear water and eggs in the stained. Many of my buddies switched over to beads the last decade.

Think of some of the deeper holes (at least 2 ft deep) you know of that have current and are surrounded by shallow fast water.

Good luck.


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## odiewan

Thanks Karl, I appreciate it. I do appreciate having elbow room and fishing a few minutes from the house. Hopefully they'll start stocking the Hoga now that the dams are gone. I used to fish the Grand back when I had fly fishing buddies. I got sick of bait/bobber guys squeezing in between us about 10 feet away. 

Good luck to you. Maybe I'll see you out there.
Sean


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## Karl Wolf

Welcome,maybe when I get a local gig and can fish more,you will see me down there.

I live in North Hill, Akron literally a stone's throw from the gorge dam so I fish the upper stretches normally when I fish the Hoga.


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## Sonder

They are going to remove the dam in the gorge I can't wait lol. There are strays to be caught in the hoga. It's a tough river to wade just be careful. She's still got alot of volume in her when she's at 300 500 cfs but it totally wadeable.


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## 1MoreKast

odiewan - if it looks fishy, then fish it  I've fished the Hoga a handful of times and more times than not I find myself wandering more than fishing. A pretty nice little area is the Tinkers Creek area. Maybe someone will be kind enough to shoot you a private message. It's not the most familiar to me. Having it in close proximity sure is nice though. Take those little extra couple hours here and there out of your day to scout. You'll be rewarded!


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## creekcrawler

They're in there. Haven't got down there yet this season, but I'm thinking that with the dam gone, they will be spread out even more than before.
In general, hit the spots that get you smallies in the summer. Avoid areas with muddy bottoms and stick with gravel & rocky areas. It's harder to fly fish than the other tribs because some of those holes are pretty deep. I've found a few bends that were 12-14 ft deep. On the plus side, when other rivers are way low, the Hoga maintains a good flow and it's usually the last to freeze up.


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## Seatrout

Speaking of stocking the Cuyahoga, anyone know what has to happen before the state would consider it? Know both NEORSD and Akron still have sewage overflows into the river during high rain events, but are in the process of providing remedy for that with collection tunnels. Also know its been proposed (and possibly already installed in spots) to provide modified seawall in the industrial zone in the form of a vegetated ledge, to help with fish passage from the lake. What else would it take,. Just thinking how much relief it would provide the other overcrowded creeks if the Cuyahoga was stocked too.


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## Karl Wolf

They would have to reduce the number of steelhead stocked in the other rivers also. The state can only stock so many fish into the lake Erie watershed.


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## rickerd

I hear the challenge of adding stocks to Cuyahoga or any other, is the numbers will have to be taken from other streams already stocked successfully. The total numbers of fish stocked in the lake are guided by interstate and Canada agreements. Maybe PA would give up some of theirs,.....No way!

I just don't see it happening. The river takes too long to clear out after storms. Maybe you can let us all know how long it takes after a flows top the rates, for the river to become fishable. I have caught a few steelhead in Cuyahoga, below the old 82 dam. Do we really have to have another river with thousands of fish running? The strays seem to offer a good option now with few crowded holes. Isn't that worth something?

That will change with all the river access if the numbers shoot up. Do you want another Rocky River with the crowds? Especially if the windows of opportunity are shorter? 
I say be thankful for what we have and be careful what you wish for.

Rickerd


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## creekcrawler

Haven't heard anything new regarding stocking. Not sure if they'll ever do it. Didja know that the Cuyahoga was actually the first Ohio river stocked with steelhead? In 1880 or 1890's.


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## rickerd

Another way I look at this, we are fortunate to have the opportunities we have for Steelhead. I was in college when the state started to publish their stocking of steelhead. I appreciate we have what we have. Maybe the younger generation doesn't have anything else to give you perspective. More is not always better. 

The West Coast steelheaders in general cannot understand why we keep asking for more in Lake Erie. We think a good day is landing one fish for each finger on a hand. We talk about landing 1 fish every 2 hours as some standard of excellence. I know not everyone does but these are how the articles are written and how we are perceived by the West Coasties. Over there, they will fish all day and one fish is grand. Over 3 fish a day is spectacular. And those are wild fish. I know this because I have been guided a handful of times over there, I have friends there and I ask them. I landed 3 out of 6 fish for 4 hours fishing my last trip. Gave the guide a big tip and he said only one other 4 hours that season was more productive for him. I was over the moon about it but still the guide even more so. They play in a different game and we need to count the blessings we have. 

Catching trout in Ohio is amazing! These are the best of times! I hope this continues but don't see the need for more non-native almost fully stocked fish in the systems. 

What we do need are limits reduced to 2 fish per day during all 12 months. The boaters are taking more fish home, or simply losing them and not knowing it, than the fish caught in the rivers. IMHO and based on reasonable observations. Heck if you only count the number of steelhead kept plus caught during Summer/ Fall on OGF reports to those reported here in the rivers, you will see a big difference. I rarely see fish leaving the rivers compared to what is caught, the fish caught from boats, a whole different story. Thats where you can get your numbers to increase on all rivers.

Rickerd


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## creekcrawler

rickerd said:


> I say be thankful for what we have and be careful what you wish for.


I'm of the same opinion. Frankly, I think they're stocking too many steelhead already. No need to create another Rocky or Chagrin with all the fisherman and trash.
Not sure it would even be worth it - you'd have steel spread pit from Harvard to Crackron.


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## creekcrawler

Good point. That 5 fish limit in the summer is ridiculous. And, yup, in the "olden days" a 2-3 fish day was what I considered a really good day.

Also, I occasionally seine stream fish for a 150 gal native tank at the house. I swear I'm noticing a decrease in certain species in the tiny tribs and I'm going to blame non native steelies. I know they're getting into some of them. I've snorkeled a couple of little creeks you can almost jump over and I've seen a definite increase in steelhead smolt further up them than you'd ever think they'd go.


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## Sonder

creekcrawler said:


> I'm of the same opinion. Frankly, I think they're stocking too many steelhead already. No need to create another Rocky or Chagrin with all the fisherman and trash.
> Not sure it would even be worth it - you'd have steel spread pit from Harvard to Crackron.


... lol in the right water conditions they would enter Portage County my friend, but that dam has to come down first. It would be fun to jack fish at that natural falls "if its still there" outside of the Sheraton ..lol..


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## Steel Cranium

Cuyahoga would never become another rocky. Too many more river miles. Also more difficult water (bigger and deeper) with a large portion in the national park not permitting live minnows or spawn, if still enforced to keep the crowds reduced. 

I recall hearing that the long portion of low oxygen water near the mouth was the reason for not sticking back then.


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## Snookhunter52

Why not starting a run of walleye, sauger and lake sturgeon once they bring down the last dam. The Hoga and some of the smaller tribs would be clean enough and have the right substrate to support breeding populations of all three. The maumee already supports walleye runs and the dnr just started stocking it with sturgeon.

I could see the steelhead reeking havoc on local fish and invertebrates. Those fish are eating machines that have high metabolic demands. They are in the rivers from November til April and whoever believes those fish aren't depleting the rivers every year are living in a fantasy. Catching steelhead is a blast but I like catching native fish more. It's funny how easily people are willing to sell out for a non native instead of bringing back runs of native fish.


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## Karl Wolf

Snookhunter52 said:


> Why not starting a run of walleye, sauger and lake sturgeon once they bring down the last dam. The Hoga and some of the smaller tribs would be clean enough and have the right substrate to support breeding populations of all three. The maumee already supports walleye runs and the dnr just started stocking it with sturgeon.
> 
> I could see the steelhead reeking havoc on local fish and invertebrates. Those fish are eating machines that have high metabolic demands. They are in the rivers from November til April and whoever believes those fish aren't depleting the rivers every year are living in a fantasy. Catching steelhead is a blast but I like catching native fish more. It's funny how easily people are willing to sell out for a non native instead of bringing back runs of native fish.


I'm all about bringing back sauger.


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## Sonder

deleted by me


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## Snookhunter52

Sonder said:


> We need a run a red horse suckers here in Ohio! I'm not kidding btw. Give me a carp over steelhead any day of the week. I swing flies for them and gar what a blast.


I love suckers and other native rough fish especially bowfin. Common carp not so much. If I had the ability to nuke every non-native carp with a snap of my fingers I wouldn't even hesitate. They're one of reasons many reasons our rivers are in such bad shape.


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## Sonder

deleted by me


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## Karl Wolf

Sonder said:


> We need a run a red horse suckers here in Ohio! I'm not kidding btw. Give me a carp over steelhead any day of the week. I swing flies for them and gar what a blast.


Red horse are fighters!


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## Sonder

ok sorry dude did not mean to hijack your thread.....


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## Karl Wolf

Sonder said:


> ok sorry dude did not mean to hijack your thread.....


Hey,its basically all Hoga info.


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## creekcrawler

Sonder - The Hoga does get a pretty good sucker run! If I remember right, mid April, roughly. Had a few days when I really smacked 'em, and they were HUGE!
Seems they run it later than the other rivers.
That's good clean fun, lol.


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## Sonder

The guides don't see it as glamorous as steelhead. They are much slimyer (sp lol) than the other fish and they have a distinctive odor.


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## rickerd

I'm betting Lake Erie will put some walleye runs in there this spring. Who is going to post photos of the first Trifecta on Big C? That is Gold, Silver, Bronze or Walleye, Steelhead, Smallmouth. 

As far as carp, I have much respect for them. I catch about one a season Steelheading and man do they fight. I've caught them on streamers and eggs and of course in the mouth. The next 5 years are going to be great discoveries on the Cuyahoga. Let's keep it mostly native and brag about its comeback. 
Best Regards,
Rickerd


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## odiewan

Sonder, no worries on hijacking. Like Karl said, its all Hoga chatter. Lots of good experience and thanks for your thoughts guys. The "other" fish runs are sometimes awesome. Some of the shad runs have been great in the spring. Regarding numbers of steelies, I don't need to be able to walk across the river on the fish but I would like to have some confidence that there's a CHANCE that I could hook up if I do things right.


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## bdawg

Snookhunter52 said:


> I love suckers and other native rough fish especially bowfin. Common carp not so much. If I had the ability to nuke every non-native carp with a snap of my fingers I wouldn't even hesitate. They're one of reasons many reasons our rivers are in such bad shape.


Invite the immigrants from the North Hill part of Akron to your fishing hole and they will catch all the carp in their nets! That's what happened at Cascade Valley Metropark. I used to see schools of big carp there in the summer while smallmouth fishing. Now, I haven't caught a carp there in 5 years and the smallmouth fishing is really down! If they would only keep the carp, that would be great, but they keep everything else too.


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## bdawg

I think ODNR should just reduce the amount of steelhead they stock in the other rivers by 10-20% and stock the remainder in the Cuyahoga. Having one more river to fish will reduce the pressure on the other rivers. I think we will start to see some reproduction at least in the tributaries of the Hoga as the water quality improves. I have yet to catch a small steelhead in the river though.


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## bdawg

I have noticed that there seem to be less smallmouth in the upper reaches of the Chagrin than there are in the Hoga. Maybe because the steelhead are in there for 6 months out of the year eating all the forage and the little smallmouth? I've only fished the Chagrin in the summer a few times and have not done well in areas I would expect to catch more if it were the Hoga.


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## bdawg

Really hoping to see some walleye this spring in the Hoga. I caught 2 small walleye this fall after the Brecksville Dam was removed. 1st time I ever caught walleye in the Hoga in 20 years of fishing it!!!


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## fishing pole

The secret to catching steelhead in the hoga is to put some "miles" on your shoes. And I literally mean miles. I will typically walk 4-6 miles in a day. In the hoga if they are in the hole they will generally hit within the first 10-20 cast. I tell people it's like searching for the needle in the haystack. OH GOD please don't stock that river. I've been fishing it for almost 40 years down in the valley and I can say that the 80' and 90's produced the best fishing. I keep a journal and I use to have 50+ fish smallmouth days that I expected every time I fished it. Probably caught 10-20 walleyes as well. Sheehead were also very common back then in the river as were white bass and yellow perch. Something happened down there and I can't put a finger on it.


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## creekcrawler

fishing pole said:


> Something happened down there and I can't put a finger on it.


I think it's the fact that there's a bunch more people fishing it now. Spots that would be a smallie-fest in the spring seems to have died off, but I've seen people keeping all the smallies they were catching. Doesn't help that you had crowds showing up at the 82 dam every weekend too. To be honest, I can't think of one Ohio species I haven't caught down there, except for saugeye, musky and bowfin.
And, you're right, you'll always do better covering as much territory as you can. I seem to do better the further I get away from access points.


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## bdawg

creekcrawler said:


> I think it's the fact that there's a bunch more people fishing it now. Spots that would be a smallie-fest in the spring seems to have died off, but I've seen people keeping all the smallies they were catching. Doesn't help that you had crowds showing up at the 82 dam every weekend too. To be honest, I can't think of one Ohio species I haven't caught down there, except for saugeye, musky and bowfin.
> And, you're right, you'll always do better covering as much territory as you can. I seem to do better the further I get away from access points.


I have caught a few bowfin in the river. All in one deep hole that I used to fish for pike 15 years ago. The river changed and the hole isn't as deep now and doesn't hold pike, so I haven't fished it lately.


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