Freestone · Shale · Ohio, US

Vermilion River

Vermilion River Birmingham Ohio
Today · About as good as it gets
Sculpin Streamer
Forecast · Today
About as good as it gets
On the feed top to bottom — start on the rises with a dry, drop a nymph if they stay down.
90% projected
Today's fly
Sculpin Streamer
Sculpin Streamer
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.69 m
Water temp11.4°C
ClarityClear
Weather14°C
WindN 10 km/h
Pressure1024 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Steelhead
Ideal
11°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
Steelhead Oct–Apr, best on the drop after rain or thaw
Where
The Vermilion is one of the leading Ohio Steelhead Alley rivers on the western side.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is working for you, but time of day is the limiting factor today.
Likely species
Mayflies
Chironomids
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 21 Uhr

12 Uhr(now) — Eastern Blue-Winged Olive

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 63%
Also:Black Midge25%
Peak emergence window5 food groups active

Peak activity at 21 Uhr — Brown Dun (Brown Dun, 4 food groups active)

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Supporters see what else is on the menu.

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Quill GordonHatch
2
2
Blue QuillHatch
2
3
2
HendricksonHatch
2
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Fly box · Steelhead
Local fly shops: Chagrin River Outfitters·East End Angler·Elk Creek Sports Shop
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Ohio licence; verify ODNR reach rules
  • Introduced, stocked sport fishery.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 4
Rocky River
40 km
86
Steelhead
Chagrin River
84 km
75
Steelhead
Grand River
100 km
84
Steelhead
Ashtabula River
139 km
81
Steelhead
Gallery · 2
  1. Vermilion River Birmingham Ohio
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
  • Aquatic life: Impaired
  • Fish consumption: Impaired
  • Recreation: Impaired
What this classification means

Fish consumption: Consumption advisory (Polychlorinated Biphenyls PCBs) — fish for sport, not the table.

Recreation: Bacteria/pathogen advisory — mind wading cuts and immersion.

EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Town of Vermilion-Vermilion River' (OH041000120204), 2024 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Not Supporting. Listed impairment causes: Sediment, Nutrients, Oxygen Depletion, Hydrologic Alteration, Pathogens, Polychlorinated Biphenyls PCBs. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.

Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.

EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · OH041000120204

Why this score · for Steelhead
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time4013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6512% weight
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts