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Most fish are low light feeders. Plan your trips early
and late in the day and avoid midday fishing.
Remember to come prepared. Make sure fishing equipment
is in working order and that fishing line is of good quality.
Change fishing line at least once yearly and more often
if you fish a lot.
Never change your fishing line outdoors or leave old
fishing line at a fishing area. Discarded fishing line
is easily picked up by small mammals and waterfowl. This
can cause injury or death through entanglement to our
local wildlife.
Teach yourself to fish with small tackle using small
bobbers and hooks of the proper size. Size 8 hooks are
a good mid-range hook to carry for lakes and pond fishing.
Help yourself along with our local fish and wildlife
resources. Please pick up your fishing litter before you
leave a Cleveland Metroparks fishing area. If you find
litter that has been left by others, pitch in and do a
little extra to help keep our waters clean.
Freshwater fish are valuable food source. Always take
care of your catch by placing fish on ice and keeping
them moist until they can be cleaned at home. Remember
to keep only what you intend to use. Carefully release
your unwanted fish back into the water.
Smallmouth bass respond to a variety of natural baits
including crayfish, hellgramites, minnows and small insects.
Don't forget that even bluegill and sunfish can have
diversity in diet. When worms do not work try maggots,
waxworms, mealworms and insects as well as small artificials
to attract panfish.
May is the best month to fish for crappie at Hinckley
Lake. Try drifting small minnows or casting small jigs
along the rip-rap rocky areas at the dam.
The smaller lakes of Cleveland Metroparks offer early
spring action as water temperatures begin to warm. You
will also find some remaining stocked trout from the winter
stocking program in Ledge and Ranger Lakes.
Small lakes offer fun fishing for both youngsters and
seniors. Remember that fish are easier to find in small
lakes so move around and cover the lake to search for
active fish.
When the Rocky River is high and muddy from heavy rains,
give the river a few days to clear to a visibility of
6 inches before planning a fishing trip for steelhead
or other sport fish. At water temperatures of 42o F and
lower keep your lures and spinners in your tackle box
and fish live baits and spwn bags for steelhead trout.
Stocked rainbow trout are spread along the entire stocking
zone of the east branch of the Rocky River. Take some
time to explore the river in areas away from the crowded/easy
access points.
Shoreline fishing piers can be very productive at times.
In June and December cast big minnow plugs for walleye
and in the winter months when the lake remains open, cast
spinners and plugs for steelhead.
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