# Steelhead fishing at night ?



## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

Is that legal ?


----------



## Sharp Charge (Jun 24, 2009)

Yup, sure is.


----------



## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

I thought so, is that on the ODNR website or did I just miss it ? If legal then it seems many people are missing prime time steelhead fishing. They run upstream at night but usually head for cover when the sun comes up , so night time would be the time to catch them out in the open right ?


----------



## Sharp Charge (Jun 24, 2009)

You can fish any time of day. The only regulation is limit during certain dates, usually during the spawn. So fish all day, afternoon and night if ya want to.


----------



## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

Does anybody know if the parking areas and designated fishing access points on the ODNR website close at night ? Specifically at the Rocky river. Is it like most parks where the hours are sunrise to sunset ? I tried to look it up but dont see it. Drift fishing at night would seem to be a good time but if there is no public access areas open at the time so you can park your vehicle it wouldnt make much sense.


----------



## jrsfish (May 21, 2004)

You can only fish around the marina after11pm,technically the park closes at 11pm.I like to fish at night,when the water is very clear,and the crowds are gone!


----------



## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

only problem is they close the gates to the metroparks at dark...


----------



## salmon king (Aug 20, 2008)

In the Chagrin its legal in some good spots......Have gotten quite a few at night on the jig and magu combo.....(magu's italian for maggots)


----------



## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

Fishaholic69 said:


> only problem is they close the gates to the metroparks at dark...


Not the Cleveland Metroparks. I have had some good luck at night on a black jig and minnow


----------



## reo (May 22, 2004)

FISHIN216 said:


> Not the Cleveland Metroparks. I have had some good luck at night on a black jig and minnow


Except for the marina area the Cleveland Metroparks is closed at 11:00 PM as was stated before.


----------



## yonderfishin (Apr 9, 2006)

The way my dad used to catch steelhead was to bounce spawn bags on the bottom with the current but primetime for doing this was predawn until daylight when the fish usually take shelter under logs or behind rocks ( or so it was explained to me ). He made long casts and by the end of the drift his bait was downriver a good ways so he covered a lot of river with each cast. That got me thinking that rather that target fishing certain areas and structure that holds fish during the day , it might be productive to fish the sections where there is less cover and things to get hung up on at night when the fish cant see you as easily and making long casts where the drift would cover a large area to pick up fish making their way through that area not necessarily holding to cover. If the park areas are closed does that mean you cant park your vehicle somewhere else and just walk along the river ?


----------



## Landlocked (Feb 13, 2010)

On the Rocky as stated earlier 11pm the park is closed. There are no gates that get closed. Just can't park or be out and about. 

Except at the marina just off of Detroit Rd. you can park and fish all night long. Don't know how the rangers would feel about parking at the marina and fishing upstream from there?


----------

