Page 9 - Mid America Boating - April 2024 issue

The marvelous success of Ohio’s steelhead trout program can be attributed to
George V. Voinovich, one of the most popular politicians of the era. A die-hard
yellow perch angler while growing up on the shores of Lake Erie, Voinovich was
Cleveland’s mayor (1980-89), Ohio’s governor (1991-98) and its U.S. senator
(1999-2011).
Like so many Northern Ohio fishermen, Voinovich was bitten by the steelhead
trout bug late in life, with both fly road and spinning tackle. When the private
Castalia Fish Hatchery in the Sandusky, Ohio area came up for sale in the 1970s, Fins
Voinovich ordered Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources to buy it, no matter
what the cost.
Fueled by the pristine and plentiful spring waters of Cold Creek, the Castalia to the
State Fish Hatchery brought in wild trout eggs from Michigan and Wisconsin, and 9 [ MID-AMERICA BOATING ] APRIL 2024
more recently steelhead trout eggs from a Shasta, Calif. strain raised by the U.S. Cuyahoga!
Fish and Wildlife Service at its hatchery in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. MAB

ishing is big in Ohio, especially on Lake Erie, the Walleye Capital of the World. It’s a fact, up to 70
percent of all boats are used for fishing at least some of the time, while about 40 percent are exclusively
Flaunched just to go chasing fins.
So, here’s great news from the Ohio Division of Wildlife. In April, ODOW will release a big stock of
steelhead trout into… the Cuyahoga River!
But it’s not just something to celebrate if you’re an angler that loves to tangle with a feisty steelie. It’s also
testament to 50 years of successful recovery work for a once totally polluted river. We can recall that Lake
Erie and the Cuyahoga were cited as icons for the nation’s polluted waterways which resulted in passage of
the 1972 Clean Water Act.
Now, the river will welcome a stock of the steelhead trout, an energetic fish that, to the delight of anglers.
puts up a good fight when hooked. In all, the ODOW will be releasing 450,000 steelhead yearlings into the
Cuyahoga and five other northern Ohio rivers including the Vermilion, Rocky, Chagrin, Grand, and Ashtabula.
The steelhead are raised only in the Castalia State Fish Hatchery near Sandusky. It has an annual capacity
of raising about 450,000 steelhead trout to release as yearlings in the spring, After spending two summers
out in the big lake, they return to the rivers and typically average 25-inches long and weigh five to six pounds.
But fish over 30 inches and 10 pounds are also caught in good numbers.
December through March is the peak season for anglers seeking steelhead in the rivers. During the
summer months, fisherman also troll up steelhead, often while also trolling for walleye.
No matter your preference, good fishing in Lake Erie and elsewhere throughout the state is a prime
reason Ohio is the fourth largest state in the nation in registered boats. It’s also why Ohio is host to popular
A colorful steelhead trout that was hooked on a sucker spawn fly is boat shows like the upcoming Catawba Island Boat Show set for April 26-28 in Port Clinton. For more info
readied for release on Conneaut Creek. go to catawbaislandboatshow.com MAB

Boating Season

STARTS HERE!

April 26-28, 2024

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