​Steelhead  Guide   

Trespassing

Is an issue on Ohio's steelhead rivers that you need to be concerned about. Ohio’s Metro Park Systems are extremely important to Steelheaders as they provide access to fish steelhead and there is no trespassing.  Without these park system fisherman access would be very limited. However, you need to be aware of adjacent land owners to the parks who have their property posted. 

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Legally you need written land owner’s permission to access private property. The law: If the land owner owns both sides of the river, he/she owns the land under the water too. So if you are wading, you are trespassing even if there are no trespassing signs.

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Steelheaders should be interested in the following Metroparks websites and maps for fishing access to one or more of the six stocked steelhead river systems in Ohio. The stocked rivers are: Vermillion, Rocky, Cuyahoga, Chagrin, Grand, Ashtabula and Conneaut.

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Poaching

Poaching happens often and if you see an angler doing something unethical like snagging fish or keeping a snagged fish or keeping more than 2-steelhead review Ohio's poachers website and make the call. 

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The state may not have someone close by so a faster response might be the Metropark's Rangers  Department you are in. If possible you can takes pictures and videos, license plate, make of vehicle helps them track down the violator.

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Ohio Fish and Game 1-800-POACHER 

https://ohiodnr.gov/rules-and-regulations/rules-for-landowners/turn-in-a-poacher

 

Cleveland Metroparks Park 

Dispatch: 440-331-5530

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Lake Metroparks  
Dispatch: 440-354-3434

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Lorain Metroparks

Dispatch (440) 204-2100

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