# Cuyahoga River



## zielinskim (Aug 9, 2013)

Hello all,

I have just started fly fishing and a friend told me to try for steelhead. I have fished the Cuyahoga for years for catfish and carp. I cant find much info on steel in the Cuyahoga, do any of you have recommendations, is there a decent number there?

Since I have never fished for them before I know nothing about it. If presentation and all else is good are you likely to get a few fish a day in the Cuyahoga?

Also how long would it take the fish to reach Independence (about 10 miles from the lake). 

Thank you for your help.


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

While the 'Hoga certainly gets some stray fish, for an "all day" trip, you'll be better off hitting one rivers that get an actual run. If you've only got a couple hours, then by all means, go out and give it a try! You can't get any on the couch! 

As far as location goes, I've caught them in the area up to and downstream of the 82 dam... A few fish a day? I doubt it. They're somewhat few and far between. Like I said, if you've got more than a couple hours to kill, hit up the Rock, Chagrin, or Grand!


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

What whjr15 said. Plus, the Cuyahoga, isn't exactly easy to fly fish. Better off trying the Chag or Rocky.


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

creekcrawler said:


> ...Plus, the Cuyahoga, isn't exactly easy to fly fish...


Yeah, that too. At least in the areas you'd want to be for steelhead!


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## zielinskim (Aug 9, 2013)

Thanks for your advice. I'll def try the rocky. The reason I mention the cuyahoga is I live right next to it, and between school work and all I wont have much time so it would be convenient to go there for a bit. 

In regards to it being difficult to fly fish I agree but still worth a shot. As I am completely new to steelhead, I assume I would focus on the pools and runs?

Also Im not sure if you guys know but how long do you think it would take them to get up to Independence, which is about 10 miles up river from the lake.


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## stak45dx1 (Jun 21, 2011)

it doesn't take them long to get anywhere, as long as the flow is high enough for them to move through the shallower riffles... its still early in the season though, so since the hoga doesn't get runs like the other rivers there's probably very few fish right now.


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

zielinskim said:


> The reason I mention the cuyahoga is I live right next to it, and between school work and all I wont have much time so it would be convenient to go there for a bit.


Yeah, that's kinda what I was figuring. If time is of the essence, then go give it a try! There will definitely be some fish around, but you'll have to work harder to find them there, as opposed to one of the other rivers mentioned.

As far as a timeframe goes, well it's hard to say. Keep checking in this forum, and once you start seeing more positive reports from the Rocky come in, then you should be good to go. 

Keep in mind, I'm only one season into my fly-fishing for steelhead life, but my top producing presentation for them is, by far, an egg pattern. Sucker spawn/krystal meth is #1, followed by a glo bug. Just dead drift them, allowing the current to push it along the bottom as naturally as possible. You'll lose quite a few flies, but you're not gonna catch 'em if it's not on the bottom!!


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

There in there here's nice one I got yesterday


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

That's no steelhead! That's a black crappie!!!


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## Fishman (Apr 5, 2004)

Count the dorsal spines, clearly a chromed out buck.


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

Yeah, on second glance, you're right. I must have miscounted. They're so close it's hard to tell sometimes!!!


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