# Fly Fishing Near Toledo



## riverdoctor (Jun 27, 2012)

Hello All!
I am new to the site and have recently been accepted to the University of Toledo College of Medicine. One of my interviewers was a big steelhead fisherman and I have done some research about the Ohio steelhead waters. However, I have had some trouble looking more broadly for trout/salmon fishing in the general region. Anyone know of some solid fishing I could explore or research within 3 hours of Toledo? I am not concerned with sticking only to Ohio, as it seems that parts of Michigan and Canada may actually hold the best fly fishing for coldwater species. Any info would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!


----------



## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

Welcome!

I'm not that familiar with that part of Ohio, Michigan, Canada, etc. but yeah other than Ohio's Lake Erie tribs(which aren't bad, and I highly encourage you to fish them when the steelhead start coming in), you would need to head into MI and such to get into good trout fishing, and salmon. 

There is the Mad River in Ohio, closer to Dayton. It's stocked with fingerling browns, but other than that, the Clear Fork of Mohican, Clear Creek, and the Erie tribs trout fishing is very limited in the state.

And don't limit yourself to just coldwater species, lots of warmwater options nearby.


----------



## ledslinger (Aug 24, 2006)

You have all kind of water up I-75 in michigan--au sable and the big and little manistee--and the pere marquette---across the border is the grand river system in ontario ---you can hit all the lake erie tribs into pa .

it would take many years to explore all the water within 200 mi of toledo

Dont sell lake St Clair short---its close and offers great warmwater fishing for white bass til your arms are sore, smallmouth well into 5+ lbs , musky that will scare you and golden bones for a bonus line stretcher.


----------



## olderfer (Feb 2, 2009)

I live in Toledo and used to fish steelhead. The closest reliable river I found was the Vermillion. There is also the Rocky and other Erie tribs to the east. 

The best fishing -- by a gigantic margin -- was the Elk River and nearby creeks in Pa. I found the locals to be very friendly to visiting fishermen as well.

There is also an extensive salmon/steelhead fishery along the western shore of lower Michigan. I never took time to explore it.

None of these places are truly within day-trip range of Toledo, at least not for me. In this shallow end of Lake Erie, we just don't have cold water.

Jim


----------



## fishinnick (Feb 19, 2011)

> The best fishing -- by a gigantic margin -- was the Elk River and nearby creeks in Pa. I found the locals to be very friendly to visiting fishermen as well.


If your talking about the Lake Erie trib Elk, yeah, it has huge numbers of steelhead in the fall. But because of the numbers of fish it is also very crowded during the peak of the run. Just do some walking and you might find some fish to yourself. Now Walnut, just east of Elk, is also a good steelhead stream, but again Walnut Creek can get packed. I have a picture somewhere and I think I counted 40 guys in it on lower walnut. 

Also there is Cold Creek near Sandusky. There's 3 ways that I know of to fish it. 1. Do the ODNR lottery thing and hope to get picked to fish the hatchery section(there's some threads on here about that) 2. Become a member of the one trout club there($$$$$) 3. fish the lower creek by the mouth(Cold Creek Trout Camp). Just do a search on here. It is a spring creek so it maintains a constant flow and temp year round. Pretty much all of the trout there are hatchery fish, but I remember reading somewhere that there are actually some wild fish in there. The only time I fished it(in the camp) I caught a beautiful brown that looked wild, but I'm not 100% sure. Other than the hatchery or the clubs, fly fishing isn't the most productive method at the camp, it's pretty slow moving before it hits the lake. 

Again Michagan is probably your best bet trout/steelhead/salmon wise. If you find the time and gas money don't hesitate to make a trip out to PA. Lots of options for stocked and wild trout there.


----------



## olderfer (Feb 2, 2009)

fishinnick said:


> If your talking about the Lake Erie trib Elk, yeah, it has huge numbers of steelhead in the fall. But because of the numbers of fish it is also very crowded during the peak of the run. Just do some walking and you might find some fish to yourself. Now Walnut, just east of Elk, is also a good steelhead stream, but again Walnut Creek can get packed. I have a picture somewhere and I think I counted 40 guys in it on lower walnut.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## jhammer (Jun 13, 2011)

Why not take the fly rod down to the Maumee? There may not be trout, but there's lots of other fish willing to bite. Smallies, largemouth, panfish. drum, carp, etc. You can have boatloads of fun by walking the river with a fly rod.


----------



## trapper1415 (Jun 30, 2013)

I am also new to the Toledo area. Where are some of the spots on the Maumee River that one could park and do some fly fishing in the river?


----------



## HipWader (Jun 25, 2013)

click on the link below...it will take you to the Dept of Natural Resources...then click on the left side maps...then click maps of Rivers...and you'll be able to download maps of the Rocky, Chagrin, Grand, Conneuate, Vermillion, and some other creeks as well...also there is year round Trout Fishing at The Clear Fork which is located on the Mohican River in Loudinville Ohio, the Mad River near Dayton Ohio...and also the Apple Creek which I fish quite often in Wooster Ohio...Apple Creek stocks 10" - 22" rainbows twice a year in October and again in November and there is still alot of trout left over from the stocking cause the Clear Fork of Trout Unlimited has asked everyone to please practise CPR....Catch, photo, and Release...last year I caught and released 72 trout and so far this year I have caught and released 34 trout ranging from 14" to 22"...I think I have the record so far with the biggest catch last year in November of 28" Rainbow and weighed 6.75 lbs...caught him on a #16 black stonefly emerger pattern....... Have fun and welcome to Ohio...

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/6166/Default.aspx

http://troutfishingwooster.blogspot.com/

:B:B


----------



## Denver Goon (Jul 9, 2021)

I caught 3 steelhead in the Ottawa River in West toledo by Wildwood metro park last spring also sugar creek in Elmore Ohio about 20 min east of toledo dumps into the Portage River by rt 590 which also has steelhead running early spring. Your not gonna catch a bunch but if your patient and explore you can get into some fish.


----------

