ODNR Division of Wildlife - Fishing - Go Fish Basic Steelhead
Steelhead

General Information: The Ohio Division of Wildlife’s Lake Erie steelhead trout fishery is maintained by stocking approximately 400,000 6” to 9” Little Manistee River strain steelhead trout in five tributaries (west to east): Vermilion River, Rocky River, Chagrin River, Grand River, and Conneaut Creek. This strain of steelhead trout average 25” and 7 pounds after 2 summers of growth in Lake Erie. This world-class fishery provides terrific opportunities for shore or wading anglers to catch large lake-run fish relatively inexpensively.  Learn more about Ohio's Lake Erie steelhead fishing.
 
State Record:             20.97 pounds, 36 1/2 inches, Lake Erie
                                    Mike Shane, New Middletown, Ohio
                                    October 2, 1996
 
Fish Ohio Length:        28 inches
 
Tips: 
  • fish close to the bottom in creeks and rivers
  • always use a fluorocarbon leader of 5-7 pound strength
  • use an 8-10 pound main line
  • sharpen your hooks
  • check your line frequently for abrasion, kinks, etc.
  • Wear a ball cap and use polarized sunglasses for stream fishing
Fish handling: 1) always wet your hands, 2) gently unhook and release fish, 3) cut the line of deeply-hooked fish off at the mouth prior to release.
 
Tackle:  A variety of rods and reels can be used effectively. Depending upon conditions, try a 8-12’ limber spinning rod (noodle rod), 6-8 weight fly rod, or 12-13’ long center pin rod.
 
Regulations: 12” minimum length limit with a daily limit of 2 trout and salmon (singly or in combination) from September 1 to May 15 and a daily limit of 5 trout and salmon from May 16 through August 31
 
Where to go: Northern Ohio tributaries of Lake Erie between the Vermilion River and the Ohio/Pennsylvania state line.  Fish in harbors and lower rivers early and late in the October-May season, and everywhere during the middle of the season.  Move to small streams when the main rivers are high and muddy or frozen.  Steelhead can be found seasonally in the following primary areas: 

Vermilion River: Fish from the river mouth to Wakeman Dam.
Rocky River: Fish from the Metroparks marina up to the Lagoon Dam.
Cuyahoga River: Fish the harbor and Cuyahoga Valley Park up to Edison Dam
Chagrin River: Fish from the river mouth to the South Chagrin Reservation Park.
Grand River: 

Fish from the breakwall and harbor up to Harpersfield Dam.

Arcola Creek: Fish the beach and estuary pond area.
Ashtabula River: Fish from the harbor to the Smolen-Gulf (SR 84) covered bridge.
Conneaut Creek: Fish the west breakwall and harbor up to the OH-PA state line.

(Click on a location name above to open a map window)

Seasonal Fishing Approaches:
 
Season
Spring
Pre-summer
Summer
Fall
Winter
Months
March –
April
May
June – mid
September
Mid September – November
December –
February
 
Peak Activity
Excellent when streams have 8” to 12” of visibility
Good to excellent in onshore areas of Lake Erie
Limited to offshore areas of Lake Erie during the summer
Good to excellent when streams have 8” to 12” of visibility
Good to excellent when streams have 8”-12” of visibility
Presentation
1) Spawn bags, jigs with maggots, spinners (up to ¼ ounce), small crank baits fished in pools;
2) flies, including stone-fly nymphs, Clouser minnows, Bleeding Shiner patterns fished in shallow, steelhead nesting (redd) areas;
3) can be fished in pools or redds
1) Jig with maggots;
2) spinners and spoons (up to 1/3 ounce), and small crank baits
Trolling spoons and crank baits
1) Jig with maggots, minnows, spawn bags, or flies fished underneath bobber, as well as spinners and spoons;
2) various flies such as emerald shiner, yarn flies, egg-sucking leech, sucker spawn; 3) any of the baits, lures, or flies listed and fished under a center pin type bobber
 1) Spawn (trout or salmon eggs) bags, 1/32 ounce jig with maggots, or flies fished under a pencil or lead-pin Styrofoam bobber; 
2) Various flies, such as sucker spawn, pheasant tail, dark hare-eared nymph; 3) any of the baits, lures, or flies listed and fished under a center pin type bobber
Location
Any of the rivers listed above
Lake Erie breakwalls, piers
Lake Erie thermocline (usually around 55’)
Lake Erie breakwalls and rivers listed above
Pools within any of the rivers listed above