Last 14 days
Daily flow table
| Date | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, Oct 13 | 258 | 269 | 275 |
| Mon, Oct 12 | 252 | 268 | 278 |
| Sun, Oct 11 | 249 | 261 | 268 |
| Sat, Oct 10 | 246 | 261 | 275 |
| Fri, Oct 9 | 255 | 271 | 281 |
| Thu, Oct 8 | 265 | 279 | 288 |
| Wed, Oct 7 | 265 | 280 | 292 |
| Tue, Oct 6 | 275 | 293 | 317 |
| Mon, Oct 5 | 288 | 309 | 320 |
| Sun, Oct 4 | 299 | 327 | 353 |
| Sat, Oct 3 | 346 | 421 | 580 |
| Fri, Oct 2 | 292 | 393 | 593 |
| Thu, Oct 1 | 278 | 294 | 302 |
| Wed, Sep 30 | 281 | 297 | 309 |
| Tue, Sep 29 | 292 | 295 | 302 |
Daily low, average and high flow in cfs, Eastern time. The current day is partial.
What the RiverTrax app adds
- Alerts at your range
Pick the flow you like and RiverTrax notifies you when the Cuyahoga gets there.
- A home-screen widget
See the Cuyahoga's flow, gauge height and trend on your iPhone home screen without opening anything.
- The NWS forecast
The National Weather Service forecasts this gauge year-round, and RiverTrax shows where the Cuyahoga is headed over the next few days.
What's normal, and when the run happens
The Cuyahoga is Ohio's newest steelhead river. ODNR stocked it for the first time in spring 2024, making it the state's seventh stocked tributary, Spectrum News reported. DIY Fly Fishing calls it a large, shale-bottom river with a spring run of Little Manistee strain steelhead.
Fish can now travel much farther upstream than they could a few years ago. The Brecksville Diversion Dam came out in 2020, and the National Park Service says the only remaining barrier below Lake Rockwell is Gorge Dam between Akron and Cuyahoga Falls. That dam's removal has been planned but was delayed in 2025. Being a big river, DIY Fly Fishing says it can take a week or more to clear after rain.
| Date | Low year (25%) | Median | High year (75%) | Median vs. range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15 | 148 | 279 | 489 | Inside |
| Nov 1 | 181 | 329 | 552 | Inside |
| Nov 15 | 244 | 395 | 794 | Above |
| Dec 1 | 321 | 634 | 1,210 | Above |
| Dec 15 | 367 | 763 | 1,240 | Above |
| Jan 15 | 400 | 659 | 1,280 | Above |
| Feb 15 | 580 | 877 | 1,470 | Above |
| Mar 15 | 930 | 1,450 | 2,190 | Above |
| Apr 15 | 707 | 1,060 | 2,040 | Above |
| May 15 | 428 | 770 | 1,340 | Above |
Access and parking
Most of the steelhead water above Cleveland runs through Cuyahoga Valley National Park, where national park fishing rules apply on top of Ohio's.
- Station Road Bridge Trailhead, Cuyahoga Valley National ParkBrecksville, OH
The old Brecksville dam site, removed in 2020, is just north of this trailhead (NPS). In the park you need an Ohio license, and you may not use live or dead minnows or fresh, unpreserved fish eggs as bait except in designated waters. Source: National Park Service
- Gorge Metro ParkCuyahoga Falls, OH
Summit Metro Parks. Gorge Dam here is the upper limit for fish (NPS); ODNR's steelhead map lists the park as an access area. Source: ODNR map
ODNR's Cuyahoga steelhead map was drawn before the Brecksville dam came out, so it still shows the old "Rt 82 Dam" as an access point.
Stocking
The Ohio Division of Wildlife stocks the Cuyahoga River every spring with yearling steelhead, which spend time in Lake Erie before coming back to the river as adults. ODNR began stocking the Cuyahoga in 2024; it wasn't stocked in 2021–2023.
| Spring | Steelhead stocked |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 60,125 |
| 2024 | 60,061 |
Source: ODNR, Ohio Steelhead Stockings 2021–2025 (PDF). ODNR describes the figures as approximate.
Common questions
Does the Cuyahoga River have a steelhead run?
Yes, and it's new. ODNR first stocked steelhead in the Cuyahoga in spring 2024 and stocked about 60,000 in each of 2024 and 2025.
What flow is best for steelhead on the Cuyahoga River?
DIY Fly Fishing says the Cuyahoga fishes best between about 250 and 350 cfs on the USGS gauge at Independence (04208000).
How far up the Cuyahoga can steelhead go?
To Gorge Dam between Akron and Cuyahoga Falls. The National Park Service says it's the only barrier left below Lake Rockwell since the Brecksville dam was removed in 2020.
Can I use spawn or minnows in Cuyahoga Valley National Park?
Not in most of the park. National Park Service rules ban live or dead minnows and fresh, unpreserved fish eggs as bait except in designated waters. Check the park's fishing page before you go. NPS: Fishing in Cuyahoga Valley.
What is the steelhead limit on the Cuyahoga River?
In Ohio, Lake Erie and its tributaries have a daily limit of two trout and salmon combined from September 1 through May 15, and you need an Ohio fishing license. Check the current rules before you go. Ohio rule 1501:31-13-08.