# Chagrin Today-Tough



## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Did some running n gunning at the Chagrin today. Flow and color was not my favorite-6" vis. Tried drifting sacks mostly. No hits, runs, errors. Very few fishermen( did not have to share any holes/runs! considering it was a gorgeous day! I wonder if the recent raging flood pushed the Fish(or Most of them!) out! (That's what I consoled myself with while driving home anyway.)


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I don't think the fish leave the river until they are done doing what nature intended. I have noticed that steelhead after a big flood will have a belly full of shale. I know it sounds crazy but I have caught several after big floods and have noticed it more than once. I'm guessing a couple more days and it will be very good fishing with a nice push of fresh fish.


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## SelfTaught (Mar 27, 2014)

C.j - where did you fish? I fished down low and went 5/7 in a few hours with steelhead eggs. Talked to a few others who all caught some. Saw maybe 7-10 Guys down low and probably 6-8 other fish caught while i was there. 

On a side note. I'm a westsider, my job takes me all over Ohio so I get a chance to fish many rivers. I have to give major KUDOS to the locals of the chagrin river. Everyone I meet on that river is more than friendly, willing to strike up conversations, and even share tips on other productive spots. I love going there and fishing with people I've never fished with and having a great time.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

The West Branch of the Rocky was just about ready color and flow wise in the Valley City area today so I figure it should be excellent by Friday as long as tomorrows rain is only showers as currently predicted.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

I was down by Gates Mills. Not to make excuses(well maybe a few!) but seemed a weird day, just never had that "good feeling/positive attitude" I usually get on the Chag! Water color, with fast flow made it hard to "read" the river-first time there this year.(Plus carry-over bait from last year likely didn't help.) Was hoping for a fat hen today for fresh bait(and the smoker). Maybe back to jigs. This weekend will be perfect-and Crowded! Good luck to the "weekend warriors"!
NewsFlash-Fox 8 news reported sitings of a "huge wave" of trout this morning at Eastlake pushing upstream into the river! good to go now until May!


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

On Sunday wb bob and I hit a east trib after noon water was a good color and no one around , probaly most guys hit it early. We saw one in a pool got a nice male and missed one. Left for chagrin later in the day and nothing water had color and moving pretty good above gates mill. I'll b back either Sunday or Monday.


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## zimmerj (Oct 17, 2014)

Fished the Willoughby Hills area this morning and got skunked. Couple of other guys blanked as well.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

Ever since the dam blew out the river is thin, big difference.


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## kapposgd (Apr 10, 2012)

Hit the chagrin for an hour after work today, it was the 4th trip the past two weeks. Personally ive never seen so many fish in the chagrin this time of year. Lots of spawning too, been catching them dropping eggs. Kind of has me concerned for later in the season


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## hailtothethief (Jan 18, 2017)

I believe they dropped a record amount of steelhead in the rivers. There was a surplus. There going to stock some of the smaller rivers too in the spring.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

kapposgd said:


> Hit the chagrin for an hour after work today, it was the 4th trip the past two weeks. Personally ive never seen so many fish in the chagrin this time of year. Lots of spawning too, been catching them dropping eggs. Kind of has me concerned for later in the season


It will happen from here on out, we saw steel in mid feb one year on a big trib that were spawning , this coming warm up might trigger some to get active, the river temps should come up here in the next week after this snow event.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Round Two today! We'll see!


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## ker4799 (Aug 21, 2011)

c. j. stone said:


> Round Two today! We'll see!


Good luck out there. I fished it Friday. Water was pretty low and clear and landed 5. It started to rise and cloud up a bit in the afternoon when the melt began. Fished it again yesterday with my dad and kids for a couple hours. Water was up a bit more and a little stained. Pulled 4 in a few hours. Conditions should be great today, just hope they weren't pounded too hard this weekend. A lot of people out there in the warm weather.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

I hit a eastern trib at daylight this morning and had it to myself leaving at ten. Landed two out of four one nice hen dropping eggs fast , another smaller buck milking saw three others in fast water in the spawning mode chasing each other. Water perfect color. Was at upper chagrin on Sunday and nothing ,water still had a stain .
















Water temp was 37.9 at ten o clk.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Round two went like Rd 1! I think I have lost my touch! I could always hook up w/ a couple fish whenever I could get out. When I was catching, I usually got out earlier than I do(now that I'm retired)! Seems I'm always a little late getting to prime water. Guy walking away, "Catch any?", "Couple, rolled few more"!(They all have sore mouths!) 
Tried Dan. Park around 11:30, Have always had action there. Not many fishing. When I pulled into lot, guy with a little girl abt 5 or 6, loads her into car seat then stuffs several(more than Two) steelhead into a plastic bag, drives away. Meet guy quitting as I'm heading to the water says "several" caught til around 10:30-"both sides of the fallen dam"! Mention the guy in the lot, he says "you should have seen that little girl catching steelhead on her BARBIE Rod"!!! That tears it, abt to give up(don't even own a Barbie rod)!!


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## Steel-Addicted (Apr 24, 2016)

I was downstream a bit from you and even though the conditions looked excellent, fishing was tough. There was quite a few people out, but not a lot of catching going on. I managed one dime bright male of about 20 - 22".


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## Osmerus (Dec 5, 2012)

Ya same here, managed one 28 incher higher up on the chagrin Monday. Fished all over , surprised i didnt get more. Went to the Rocky at 3 and managed 6 fish with three of them being big females the rest med. size males. The Rocky was quite a bit warmer than the Chagrin. Snow melt earlier in the week has kept the chag colder. That warm Rocky water has pulled in more fish. The chag should be warming up now the fishin will get better.


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## kapposgd (Apr 10, 2012)

Fished the chagrin sat and sun. Sat they were in the tailouts, on sunday they transitioned into the inside seam in water that was fast and deep - especailly if that scenario was a bend. Some smaller skippers were caught in really fast water. They may have changed up by now, but id start by trying the water described above. Hooked into 31over those two days


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

Along with warm water, south winds for a couple of days tend to bring in fish. The scent of the river gets pushed out and the fish follow the scent.


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## Lunderful (Aug 8, 2014)

Just got off the Chagrin. Went 3 for 7. Had trouble landing fish today. Didn't see any other fish caught, but heard of a few being caught.


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## parafire (Jun 17, 2012)

Curious what the pattern for catching I've heard spawn sacks is that with spinning rod ???? Anything working with fly rod ??? Thanks


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## zimmerj (Oct 17, 2014)

parafire said:


> Curious what the pattern for catching I've heard spawn sacks is that with spinning rod ???? Anything working with fly rod ??? Thanks


Egg patterns have been working well. I've had good success with pink.


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## snag (Dec 27, 2005)

I got mine on yarn flies I tie up , orange, cherise, and peach did good and a black wooly bugger on a fly rod. Didn't have any spawn sacks which would have been good to .


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Forgot to mention, most of the dozen fish I heard abt(or saw caught) were in the morning And caught on lively shiners! Only a couple on sacks! I don't bother with minnows while wading but plan to try jig and Gulp minnows if I get back again.


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## hailtothethief (Jan 18, 2017)

Didnt get to fish today, but had about 20 minutes to watch the fisherman before work. 8 guys caught nothing, and after about 10 minutes the local master fisherman rolled in and caught 2 trout with some rapala in about 5 minutes. Fishing really is a skill


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## swine (Jan 13, 2007)

Went out yesterday afternoon and had 3 quick hook ups but lost them. After that the water got real muddy.


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## Robert Unversaw (Feb 21, 2017)

next time throw a pink worm


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Robert Unversaw said:


> next time throw a pink worm


I actually tried that for abt an hour. Nothing. Thinking maybe a small crank bait, some kind of minnow imitator.


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## Robert Unversaw (Feb 21, 2017)

Yeah i carry different size worms and ill rig them a few different ways. Sometimes I'll drift them natural under a float, sometimes I'll bounce it through a run with a jig, wacky rig and twitch them, etc.


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## missionfishin (Sep 21, 2011)

Got one today on a tiny floating Rapala in faster water.


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## Robert Unversaw (Feb 21, 2017)

Those are dynamite!


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## SelfTaught (Mar 27, 2014)

Floating Rapalas are like mister twisters or rooster tails they catch anything lol


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I can't even put a number on the amount of steelhead I have caught on rapalas. They work even when the water is cold .


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

laynhardwood said:


> I can't even put a number on the amount of steelhead I have caught on rapalas. They work even when the water is cold .


I wish I'd of had one today. Had a couple hours free this afternoon so went to the Chag to try my Gulp shiners! Long story short-Strike Three(I'm out!) Where I was(midway, upstream location) was sick with minnows! Why would a self respecting steelie eat a Gulp minnow when the river was full of real ones?? Did give my next pool upstream to a young guy who asked if it'd be ok to fish the next run ahead of me! Told him to be my guest figuring he'd fish and keep moving. Even thanked him for asking first! He hooked up on a streamer five minutes later and lost the fish on a wild jump! That was bad cause he sat down on the hole for over an hour, I guess thinking the fish might hit again!? Finally he moved out, I moved in and nothing. As I was trying different baits and working the run, THREE other guys walked in and started casting into my drifts! They didn't ask if it'd be ok, just started casting. That pretty much did it for me for this day.


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## laynhardwood (Dec 27, 2009)

I hate when people are rude or just oblivious to common decency.


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