Cuyahoga Valley is a great place if you are an avid angler or you simply want to dip your toes and try out the activity. Aside from the rushing Cuyahoga River, you can take your pick among the numerous fishing ponds scattered throughout the national park.
Before you pack your gear and go, here is everything you need to know about fishing in Cuyahoga Valley.
- Catch-and-release fishing is highly encouraged.
- There are over 60 species of fish that live in Cuyahoga Valley’s waters.
- You need a license in order to fish in Cuyahoga Valley.
- Some areas are off-limits from fishing.
- You can’t take bass from Kendall Lake for a certain period.
- Using live bait is prohibited.
In order to avoid having to constantly stock the river and ponds with fish, the authorities at Cuyahoga Valley encourage everyone to use proper catch-and-release fishing methods. Essentially, it’s returning any fish you don’t need to keep safely and immediately to the water. This will help ensure the survival of native fish populations in the area. Read more about it here.
Cuyahoga River is the prime spot if you are looking to catch some bullhead and steelhead through. Meanwhile, Cuyahoga Valley’s ponds and lakes (there are nine in total) teem with crappie, bass, and bluegill, among other species.
In fact, it’s a standard requirement if you want to fish anywhere in the State of Ohio. Although park rangers don’t regularly ask people for their fishing licenses, they do check visitors from time to time so make sure to keep it with you while you’re in Cuyahoga Valley.
Take note that you are prohibited to fish in the following areas: motor road bridges, public boat docks, swimming beaches, surfing areas, and from or within 200 feet or a float or raft used for water sports.
Between March 15 and May 31, visitors are barred from taking bass from Kendall Lake. If ever you happen to fish at Kendall Lake within these periods, make sure to let any bass you catch go back to the water safe and unharmed.
Speaking of Kendall Lake, ice fishing is allowed here only if the ice reaches a depth of seven inches. Authorities don’t really monitor the ice depth, so in the event you are going ice fishing, tread carefully.
To fish in Cuyahoga River or any one of the lakes and ponds in Cuyahoga Valley, you’re discouraged to use live bait. Using dead minnows, non-preserved fish eggs, fish roe, or amphibians is also not allowed.
Additionally, attracting fish by using fish roe, chemicals, fresh or preserved fish eggs, and other foreign substance in the water is not allowed.
You can read the full list of fishing regulations in Cuyahoga Valley here.
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