Sunday, May 20
Wallace Lake
Mill Stream Run Reservation
Berea
Fishing Sessions:
Ages: 4-8 • 9 a.m. to noon (one rod per child)
Ages: 9-15 • 1 to 4 p.m. (one rod per child)
FREE!
Kids can reel in big fun at the annual Cleveland Metroparks Children’s Fishing Derbies.
Hungry rainbow trout, catfish and a variety of other fish are ready for young anglers to try their luck on while competing for prizes. Children can also learn how to cast and test their skills at the casting challenge.
Guidance will be available from experienced anglers to help those new to fishing. Bait (red worms, maggots and corn) will be available at no charge for derby participants. Bring a rod, tackle and a cooler with ice to store the “catch of the day.” While supplies last, loaner rods (fully rigged for bait fishing) are available for children who do not have their own.
Prizes will be awarded at the end of each session, noon and 4 p.m. sharp! Prize categories will include the largest trout, largest other fish, smallest fish and best cast from the casting challenge. You must be present to win.
Ohio & Erie Canal fishing area and Wallace Lake will be stocked with rainbow trout and channel catfish several days prior to the derbies. These areas will be closed to fishing beginning on the day of stocking. Each area will reopen for youth fishing only, for each session of that location’s derby. Youth and adults may fish in derby waters when the event is over at 4:00 p.m.
The event is rain or shine and there is no advanced registration. Please go to the big tent when you arrive on derby day to register. All children (especially those new to fishing) are encouraged to learn how to cast at the casting challenge station.
At Ohio & Erie Canal only - Golf Cart shuttles will provide rides throughout the event for seniors and persons with disabilities.
Fishing recommendations: To reduce tangles, use single hooks and rigs using single hooks (no treble hooks). Still-fishing methods are strongly recommended, using live or processed bait fished from either bobber rigs or bottom rigs. Bobber rigs are the easiest for children to use since bites are easy to see. Bottom rigs are a little harder to fish but can be a productive way to catch catfish and trout. Artificial lures when fished by frequently repeated casts and fly casting should be avoided during the derbies due to the many lines in the water and the close proximity of others.
For more information, call Youth Outdoors at 216-206-1010. For specific questions about fish stocking at Cleveland Metroparks, call Natural Resources Department at 440-331-8017.
For more information, call Youth Outdoors at 216-206-1010
For specific questions about fish stocking at Cleveland Metroparks, call Natural Resources Department at 440-331-8017
Ohio & Erie Canal Fishing Area
Park at CanalWay Center parking lot, located down the hill from the E. 49 th Street entrance of Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation in Cuyahoga Hts. Follow the trail from the parking lot to the canal.
GPS- Lon -81.66269 Lat 41.43053
Wallace Lake
Follow the signs off Valley Parkway in Mill Stream Run Reservation, south of Bagley Road in Berea.
