Freestone · Shale · Ohio, US

Vermilion River

Vermilion River venue image
Today · Slow going — pick your moments
Isonychia Nymph
Forecast · Today
Slow going — pick your moments
Slow going — pick your moments and do not force it.
75% projected
Today's fly
Isonychia Nymph
Isonychia Nymph
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Falling
0.64 m
Dropping after lift
Water temp16.6°C
ClarityClearing
Weather20°C
WindN 20 km/h
Pressure1022 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
Warm — slow
17°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
Fair — water clarity is working for you, but water temperature is the limiting factor today.
Likely species
Mayflies
Caddisflies
terrestrials
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 7am

12pm(now) — Reed Smut

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 74%
Also:Trico (Eastern)49%Flying Ants43%
Peak emergence window4 food groups active

Peak activity at 7am — Trico (Eastern) (Trico (Eastern))

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

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

Through the year
0–3 scale · September 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
Steelhead fly box
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
Fishing better nearby · 4
Ashtabula River
139 km
63
Steelhead
Chagrin River
84 km
62
Steelhead
Grand River
100 km
61
Steelhead
Rocky River
40 km
Steelhead
Gallery · 1
  1. 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
  • Temperature2828% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time4513% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity4412% weight
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts