View USGS stream gauge data in real-time to help you decide where to fish for Lake Erie steelhead. This data gives you a look into which rivers have good fishing conditions.
When reading a stream gauge graph, the best fishing conditions come at the end of a falling graph. This will give you good flow and semi-clear water to fish. The Vermilion and Grand rivers are usually the last rivers to clear after a rain for reference. The streams in Pennsylvania clear the fastest. Each USGS stream gauge station reports real-time flow and level data below. In some cases, a gauge will go down due to ice or debris. They usually put a statement on the graph that states “ice.”
If you find that a river or stream is too muddy and elevated to fish, fishing the mouth is a good choice. Fishing the mouth of a river in a boat or from shore can be great in the spring and fall when fish concentrations are heavy.
Vermilion Ohio Stream Gauge
The Vermilion River usually takes longer to clear than other rivers in Ohio. It has a lot of mud and sand banks that make the water heavily stained. After a hard rain, it can take up to one week for the river to become fishable if there is no more rain in the forecast. Remember, this river has sandy banks which makes the river change every year. For the best steelhead fishing results, visit the river in the fall to see it in low water conditions. This will give you a leg up during the steelhead run.
Black River Lorain Stream Gauge
The Black River in Lorain, OH is not stocked with steelhead. However, it does get a fair amount of fish in the fall and springtime. This is an urban river that sees a lot of city water runoff. After a good rain, this river will stay stained and muddy for a few days. This is an urban river, but sees very little steelhead fishing pressure.
Rocky River Ohio Stream Flows
The Rocky River is the most popular steelhead stream in Ohio. With plenty of access, anglers can choose where and how they want to fish. The Rocky River Reservations runs from Emerald Necklace Marina to Berea, OH. This gives steelhead anglers miles of river access to fish. This river clears faster than other rivers in Ohio.
Chagrin River Stream Gauge
The Chagrin River gets clear fast after rain, within 1 day it is usually fishable depending on the amount. Most of the drainage area is residential runoff. This is a great river to try if the others are high and muddy.
Grand River Stream Flows
The Grand River takes some time to clear after a good rain because of its size. This river is massive and has a large basin. However, this river does fish better than other rivers at a higher flow rate.
Conneaut Creek Ohio Stream Gauge
This creek clears quickly, even though its basin is large. It is mostly rural land and has a rocky bottom that helps clear it. When other streams are not fishable, give this one a try. This river has a lot of fishable areas because of its length. It runs half in Ohio and the other half in Pennsylvania. The river is stocked with steelhead by both states.
Walnut Creek, PA Stream Flows
Walnut Creek is a small stream in North Western PA. This stream is small and rocky, which helps clear it faster than other streams.
Learning to read the stream gauges and when to fish takes time. A helpful tip is to look at the stream gauge when you get to the river to see the conditions. This will aid in future fishing trips. Remember to watch the weather before and during your fishing trip. For wave reports, please visit our other weather pages for real-time data.