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Northeast Ohio river ranked No. 2 in the nation for fly fishing. See the list
Fly fishers rejoice! Ohio is a prime destination for the sport.
The Rocky River on the west side of Cleveland ranks second on USA TODAY's 10BEST list of fly fishing rivers across the country.
'The Rocky River offers some of the finest fly-fishing opportunities in all of the Buckeye State,' according to USA TODAY's 10BEST Readers' Choice Awards. 'In spite of its short length, the region is famed for its bounty of steelhead trout, providing anglers with an opportunity to catch fish all year round.'
Rocky River, a Lake Erie tributary, flows through all or parts of Cuyahoga, Summit, Medina and Lorain counties.
'Rocky River currently supports a significant steelhead trout fishery as well as native stream fisheries for a diversity of fish species,' according to the Cleveland Metroparks website. 'The year-round fishability of the Rocky River has been enhanced by the steelhead fisheries as well as a stock and catch trout fishery in upstream segments of the river.'
Rocky River is located just west of the Cleveland area, emptying into Lake Erie between the cities of Lakewood and Rocky River.
Fly fishers use specialized equipment that allows them to imitate different types of bait.
"Fly fishing gets its name from the lures used. They're referred to as 'flies' because they're made to imitate small insects or prey items that a fish may want to eat," according to the National Park Service website. "Flies are usually made out of materials like yarn, sewing thread, feathers, fur, and a single hook. Flies also range in size from as small as a grain of rice to the size of a 10-inch fish."
In addition to its supply of steelhead trout, the river's popularity is also attributed to its closeness to Cleveland's populous suburbs.
'The Cleveland Metroparks provide excellent public access along the Rocky and its branches, and several fords along the river force migrating steelhead to pause in their upstream movement, creating excellent fishing opportunities,' according to Orvis Fly Fishing Reports. 'During the summer months, the Rocky provides excellent warm-water fly fishing opportunities for smallmouth bass, carp, and panfish.'
Here's the full list of the top 10 best fly fishing rivers:
Au Sable River (Michigan)
Rocky River (Ohio)
Nantahala River (North Carolina)
South Fork Holston River (Tennessee and Virginia)
Kenai River (Alaska)
Snake River (Idaho and Wyoming)
Spokane River (Idaho and Washington)
Madison River (Montana and Wyoming)
Youghiogheny River (Maryland and Pennsylvania)
Grande Ronde River (Oregon and Washington)
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ohio's Rocky River ranked No. 2 in the nation for fly fishing
