# Brecksville/Rt 82 Dam - Finally!



## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Just saw the news release. They started on the dam today! First stage is only a small notch to let water level slowly down. Project completion - one year or less.


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## Jakethefisherman (Aug 2, 2014)

Here's the article! That small notch is all that's needed for the fish to move up. Pretty excited even though it's not going to be done for awhile.

https://www.wksu.org/post/brecksville-dam-removal-underway-cuyahoga-valley-national-park#stream/0


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## Snookhunter52 (Apr 1, 2019)

It would be cool if they started stocking it with steelhead shortly after.


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## John Boat (Sep 23, 2014)

Snookhunter52 said:


> It would be cool if they started stocking it with steelhead shortly after.


AGREED!!!!


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## swone (Jan 24, 2007)

It's been a while, but I have caught several steelhead in Akron city limits, they will definitely find their way in.


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## Snookhunter52 (Apr 1, 2019)

Ya but it would be nice to see the numbers that are in rocky not just the occasional steelhead caught while fishing for smallmouth. I know it would be awhile before it happened but it would be nice to know if something is in the works for some stocking to start.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Seeing as how the river got "Clean Water Status" or whatever they call it, it shouldn't be too long before stocking starts. The CVNRA is already looking at putting in several canoe/kayak launches too. For greedy reasons, I have mixed feelings about both. Kinda of used to having the river to myself.


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## berkshirepresident (Jul 24, 2013)

While the State is just now starting to reopen, I have to wonder if the dam failures in MI this past week expedited this project at all.
Regardless, it's nice to see this get started.


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## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

berkshirepresident said:


> While the State is just now starting to reopen, I have to wonder if the dam failures in MI this past week expedited this project at all.
> Regardless, it's nice to see this get started.


A dam that actually holds a reservoir would be bigger priority to fix. Supposedly Griggs is at risk but is said to be in fair shape. The Cuyahoga always floods in valley view. No dam there. The valley floods at riverview near weiss road all the time. Near the walk in pond the creek you have to wade thru always floods.


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## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

The dam at the gorge is scheduled to go too. Not sure when though. My friend is excited for that one


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## ohiojmj (Apr 16, 2004)

One day the city akron will stop dumping poop in the river when the behemoth epa mandated poop tunnel project takes the crap during heavy rains. 

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## Seatrout (Jan 17, 2013)

Could this open up the lower part of Tinkers Creek for steel?


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

I can't wait to see what runs upstream to Akron when the dam comes down. It would be nice to get some white bass and instead of the little white perch. Walleye would be great too.l


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## lunder (Aug 23, 2005)

Seatrout said:


> Could this open up the lower part of Tinkers Creek for steel?


Tinkers creek joins the Cuyahoga north of the damn already.


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## fishing pole (May 2, 2004)

Snookhunter52 said:


> It would be cool if they started stocking it with steelhead shortly after.


NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! If you want it trashed then that's not a good plan


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## matticito (Jul 17, 2012)

fishing pole said:


> NOOOOOOOOO!!!!! If you want it trashed then that's not a good plan


Agree! Soon as they say its stocked, the weekend fishermen come out the woodwork. It will happen naturally.


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## Snookhunter52 (Apr 1, 2019)

bdawg said:


> I can't wait to see what runs upstream to Akron when the dam comes down. It would be nice to get some white bass and instead of the little white perch. Walleye would be great too.l


Its doubtful that walleye would move in on their own. The strain of walleye that used to run up the Hoga was wiped out once akron and Cleveland started pumping their waste and silt into it. It would have to be restocked and who knows how long it would take to get a run established again.


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## Snookhunter52 (Apr 1, 2019)

matticito said:


> Agree! Soon as they say its stocked, the weekend fishermen come out the woodwork. It will happen naturally.


Doubt it. You'll always get the occasional straggler like we are now until stocked with fry that have imprinted on it. I've kinda changed my stance on introducing steelhead just because they're not native but it would be nice that to have something in there other than smallmouth and pickerel sized northerns. You'll occasionally get something out of the ordinary but not much more. I'm pretty much done with smallmouth and pickerel since I went up to maine. I was catching 3 and 4 pound smallmouth almost every cast when fishing for stripers on the Kennebec. It was fun the first couple casts, after that not so much. Historically there weren't as many black bass as there are now. They've taken over as more niches that were opened up once other species were eradicated. I think that's mostly why I rarely fish for them because I've realized they're practically like carp. Smallmouth are one of the reasons why atlantic salmon are in such a sorry state. And things won't improve in the Hoga diversity wise until some smallmouth are thinned out.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

I remember many years ago getting many steelies there before it became a shoulder to shoulder "hot spot". Actually my biggest buck came from there. Ive got some decent numbers in holes upriver but you really gotta work for them and expect to get skunked more than not. Its nice working holes by yourself up and down certain stretches. With that dam coming down,there should be a few more making it up further by avoiding the dam harvesters and not holding there as much through the winter. Its a tough jump but ive seen 5hem do it many times. I live a stones throw away right at the furthest point they can make it and its funny watching them try to jump "that". That area is really hard to fish though in the winter and even harder to land one. 

As for stocking the Hoga, they would uave to pull numbers from the other rivers to stock the Hoga. The great lakes and Erie have state limit with each other regarding how many certain fish can he stocked by each bordering state in regards to maintaining a healthy system.... ohh..... guess what the largest bio mass is now in Lake Erie? Give it a look,its not shad...

The 303 dam could be the next hotspot.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

Snookhunter52 said:


> Its doubtful that walleye would move in on their own. The strain of walleye that used to run up the Hoga was wiped out once akron and Cleveland started pumping their waste and silt into it. It would have to be restocked and who knows how long it would take to get a run established again.


You mean sauger? Sauger were extremely prominent in lake erie tributaries before a mix of commercial harvesting and water quality MASSIVELY thinned them out to a small remaining population in the Maumee and Sandusky.


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## snagless-1 (Oct 26, 2014)

Stock striped bass,fun to catch and delicious.They can reach 30-40 pounds or more and taste better than walleye and steel head.Tried steel head many different ways yuck.Walleye are not bad,but try a striped bass.


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## Snookhunter52 (Apr 1, 2019)

Striped bass are banned from being stocked in the lake erie drainage system for fear of them taking over. I'm surprised it hasn't happened since the bypass canal was built around Niagara. That's how the sea lamprey and alewife were introduced. Even hybrids are banned from all lake erie drainages and I haven't figured out why yet. Maybe because they're afraid they'll crossbreed with the resident white bass. 

On another note there were records of lake sturgeon, walleye and sauger in the Cuyahoga before they were overfished and the river was filled with silt and other pollutants during the american industrial revolution. I know they are currently working on introducing sturgeon into the maumee river. Maybe the Cuyahoga will be next if it's successful. But that's probably several decades from now.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

If you search enough information, you guys will see that the Cuyahoga still gets a spawning run of walleye and places 4th on the list. As for stripers, i believe they have absolutely zero natural reproduction outside of their natural, ocean/upstream spawning. The reason why they arent stocked is because of poor catch rates and growth when they can just stock Seneca for broodstick to make wipers.

Unfortunately white perch are interbreeding with lake erie white bass already...


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

I've never caught a sauger from the Hoga. I've caught them from Little Beaver creek that drains into the Ohio River. Would love to hook up with a sturgeon in there too, but I doubt that will happen in my lifetime!

I would say that little waterfall at 303 will be good for steelhead next year. The lower sections of Brandywine Creek, Furnace Run and Yellow Creek will also be good.


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## Jakethefisherman (Aug 2, 2014)

I caught 2 eight inch walleye in a row from the dam back in October.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

bdawg said:


> I've never caught a sauger from the Hoga. I've caught them from Little Beaver creek that drains into the Ohio River. Would love to hook up with a sturgeon in there too, but I doubt that will happen in my lifetime!
> 
> I would say that little waterfall at 303 will be good for steelhead next year. The lower sections of Brandywine Creek, Furnace Run and Yellow Creek will also be good.


Ive tried the 303 dam about 10 times for steelies and haven't ever hooked one there. Many years ago i worked at a 3rd shift factory there in peninsula so i figured it would be a great morning spot. Only suckers and carp when trying for steel.


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

I've had striped bass fresh and frozen. It's a bass, and doesn't freeze well. Turns to mushy flesh like the white bass when frozen. Fresh caught and cooked, its OK. I've had it salt and freshwater. walleye is erie gold.

Cuyahoga has a small amount of natural reproduction of steelhead. I think we should see what can happen when the wild ones can keep coming back before we stock more. I know its a small small percentage, but who knows once the dam is removed. The walleye will gain numbers too.
Rickerd


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

rickerd said:


> I've had striped bass fresh and frozen. It's a bass, and doesn't freeze well. Turns to mushy flesh like the white bass when frozen. Fresh caught and cooked, its OK. I've had it salt and freshwater. walleye is erie gold.
> 
> Cuyahoga has a small amount of natural reproduction of steelhead. I think we should see what can happen when the wild ones can keep coming back before we stock more. I know its a small small percentage, but who knows once the dam is removed. The walleye will gain numbers too.
> Rickerd


The amount of natural production for steelhead in the Ohio rivers would never come close to sustaining any sort of population without stocking. Our water is just not "right" for them. Even if you were to give an EXTREME maximum reproduction rate of 4% (which its closer to 1-2%) the population would die off after a couple years. Canada rivers have a higher reproduction rate but their rivers are slightly less muddy/silty and "cleaner".

Also i agree about the striped bass. Ive never had one from their natural salt world but years ago as a kid i caught a pure striper from Westbranch, (before the wiper program). Its was gross tasting. Probably much better from salt water.


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## kapposgd (Apr 10, 2012)

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2015/09/cuyahoga_river_water_improveme.html

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## kapposgd (Apr 10, 2012)

Disregard above post, I linked the wrong article. The one I was trying to link was from 2 years ago I believe, and documented walleye spawning in the river for the first time in decades. 

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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

I agree with every Karl has mentioned, you obviously know your stuff.
Although I think there may be a bit more natural production going on than people think.
I know of one little creek that's mostly spring fed. I've snorkeled it in the summer and it's still cold getting in. I go looking for darters and other cool kids, but I have run into schools of young steelhead too. Was seining for bait one day, kept having to throw parr out of the net.


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

Any successful steelhead reproduction would have to be in the creeks that flow into the Hoga. Some do offer high quality habitat and sections that have springs flowing in would stay cold enough for them to survive the summer. Reproduction rates will be too low without stocking unless the fish adapt to spawn in warmer waters. 

I can't wait to see what comes to my fishing spot! I hook up with a steelhead or 2 almost every year when I am fishing in early fall for smallies. Would love to have more hook ups!


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

What makes anyone think stocked steelhead will have same success in Cuyahoga as they do in other rivers. The lower what 4 miles have no flow and no oxygen. Where are they going to stock, up higher in CLE hts? Then smolts have to learn to swim through 4 miles on zero oxygen water to survive enough to make it to cooler Lake Erie. Then they have to avoid the hoardes of walleye waiting for them. 

I have to ask, why stock the Cuyahoga with Steelhead? 
Rickerd


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Oxygen isn't zero, especially during higher flows.
Caught yellow perch, crappie, bass and gills down there.
Heck a guy got a few walleye last year at our marina.

But, I agree. Don't really want to see it stocked. Personally, I think they're overdueing as is.
Those little stream fed creeks don't need a bunch of invasives running them every year.
I'd rather see natives, like sauger stocked.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

creekcrawler said:


> I agree with every Karl has mentioned, you obviously know your stuff.
> Although I think there may be a bit more natural production going on than people think.
> I know of one little creek that's mostly spring fed. I've snorkeled it in the summer and it's still cold getting in. I go looking for darters and other cool kids, but I have run into schools of young steelhead too. Was seining for bait one day, kept having to throw parr out of the net.


 I remember the 1st time I ever saw a neon green darter in the Hoga. Thought it was just the pot


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## kozeye72 (Jul 15, 2016)

creekcrawler said:


> Seeing as how the river got "Clean Water Status" or whatever they call it, it shouldn't be too long before stocking starts. The CVNRA is already looking at putting in several canoe/kayak launches too. For greedy reasons, I have mixed feelings about both. Kinda of used to having the river to myself.


clearify "for greedy reasons"


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## bdawg (Apr 14, 2009)

A lot of people have been asking for canoe/kayak rental and launch spots on the Hoga for years. There are plenty of trails, but the waterway is under-utilized compared to other national parks.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

kozeye72 said:


> clearify "for greedy reasons"


Been fishing and yakking the river for over 20 years. Never ran into another kayakker or canoeist.
Until recent years, one rarely even ran into another fisherman. In the 90's, we rarely even saw other fisherman at the 82 dam. I'm afraid if they start stocking, it'll be like the Rocky or Chagrin.
Lots of people and trash.


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## creekcrawler (Oct 5, 2004)

Karl Wolf said:


> I remember the 1st time I ever saw a neon green darter in the Hoga. Thought it was just the pot


Kinda had the same thoughts the first time I seined up some rainbow darters. 

That's how I ended up with a 150 gallon aquarium set up like a small stream.


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## Karl Wolf (Apr 26, 2020)

creekcrawler said:


> Kinda had the same thoughts the first time I seined up some rainbow darters.
> 
> That's how I ended up with a 150 gallon aquarium set up like a small stream.


Little freshwater beauties


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