CLEVELAND — The Cuyahoga River is seeing better days.

What You Need To Know

  • ODNR stocked the Cuyahoga river with 10,000 steelhead trout, 40,000 more will be added

  • The Cuyahoga River was once so polluted it caught fire more than a dozen times

  • Steelhead trout will bring in revenue from anglers, vacationers

Known for its dubious past and having caught fire more than a dozen times because of pollution, the river is now so clean, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has begun stocking it with steelhead trout for the first time.

ODNR stocked the river with 10,000 fish and is planning to add 40,000 more.

Avid angler Ron Fabich was there to witness the milestone.

“Just an incredible story of what’s happened to one of the worst polluted rivers in U.S.,” Fabich said.

Fabich is a member of the Ohio Central Basin Steelheaders group.

“I can remember in the 60s, you couldn’t even tell that it was a river. There was so much stuff, pollution, everybody dumping their material into it,” he said.

Years ago, the river was notorious for extensive pollution. Debris trapped in the river and oil slicks caused the river to catch fire more than a dozen times in the 1960s, sparking environmental concerns that led to the creation of the EPA and the Clean Water Act. 

“River quality has improved and we feel it’s an appropriate habitat for the steelhead to be stocked for future opportunities for anglers to come out and catch those fish,” said Kendra Wecker, Chief of the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

Steelhead trout aren’t native to northeast Ohio waters. The state started stocking them in Lake Erie in the 80s and now the Cuyahoga River is also healthy enough to support them. 

“We’re adding this tributary to the other six tributaries that we stock for steelhead, so now we have seven stocked tributaries,” Wecker said.

The new stock is great for anglers and for local business as well.

“Fishing is a huge economic generator, bringing in lots of dollars in travel, tourism and licensing fees. Everything people spend while they’re out vacationing,” Wecker said.

Stocking of the Cuyahoga River will greatly improve access to those who want to fish for steelhead.

It will open up 32 miles of public access where fishermen can wade or fish via drift boat.

“These fish will go out to Lake Erie, grow larger, and come back into the tributary where they were released,” Wecker said.