As per state law, when fishing Ohio’s Rocky River you can only access the stream from public property. To fish the river from private land, you must have the landowner’s permission even for land with water running through it.

The following map provides all the major public access points for fishing the Rocky River from Emerald Necklace Marina all the way south to Millstream Run Reservation. Next to each access point we’ve listed the game fish species that are most prevalent along that stretch of the stream.

To assist with planning of your Rocky River fishing adventure I’ve placed the driving directions to each access points via a Google maps link in the table below.

Just click on each link for driving directions and to get a better idea of the fishing local. I highly recommend switching to the Google map satellite view to get a feel for the terrain and pinpoit prime fishing spots before arriving.

You’ll find pretty decent fishing for steelhead as well as smallmouth bass, catfish and panfish along the expanse of the Rocky River, but there are a few favorite spot that bring me back again and again.

Berea Falls Scenic Overlook

Hands down one of prettiest stretches along the Rocky River. I wouldn’t say it’s better fishing than elsewhere, but if you’re looking for the total outdoor experience and ambient then you’ll enjoy Berea Falls.

You can get some good steelhead runs up Berea during the fall and cooler months, but most steelhead are going to be found closer downstream toward Lake Erie or up the west branch toward Olstem Falls which is just 2 miles west of Berea.

The Bridges

There are a number of bridges along the Rocky River that provide easy access to good fishing waters. Most of these bridges are located along the major highways that cross the river including Valley Pkwy, Northwest Fwy, Puritas Ave (onto Bridle Trail), Brookpark Overpass and Loraine Rd Bridge—shown in the autumn photo below.

Again, jump on Google maps satellite view to get a better idea of access points and fishing spots along the major bridges.

Emerald Necklace Marina

Probably the most well known and popular fishing spot on the Rocky River due to its central location and easy access. It also offers excellent fishing for steelhead, trout and catfish. Lots of catfish!

What I personally like about Emerald Necklace Marina—and really this entire stretch of the river—is its diversity. If you’re a kayaker, they’re some great deepwater patches to do some bottom fishing as well as shore access for cast and retrieve.

Head upstream to Valley Pkwy bridge and further up to where you see the aquaduct go over the river to find some good shore and wade fishing. During the runs you’ll find some nice size steelheads in this area.

Rockcliff Springs Rocky River Reservation

The Rockcliffs are truly a favorite for diehard fly anglers. This section offers some to scenic views along the river with large cliff banks and prestine pine forests.

Fishing across the river towards the cliffs to the east is a surreal experience that makes you almost forget that civilization is just a stone’s throw away.

Peak steelhead season along the cliffs is from October through April (this is when you’ll experience the runs) and expect to catch smallmouths, carp and a variety of panfish during the warmer months.

Morley Ford

Again, all of the spots marked on the map at the top of this page are productive fisheries. I’m just mentioning those that really stand out to me. So last, but by no means least, you’ve gotta hit the Morley Ford if you’re in the area.

I’m going to be honest, this section of the river is not the most attractive in my opinion compared to the Rockcliff area or Berea Falls, but during certain times of the years I’ve found it to be a productive steelhead fishery—but only during certain times of the year.

During the late fall runs it’s a great areas to target steelheads. They’re abundant and accessible. Ironically, this is also when Morley is cold, wet and everything looks dead—other than the abundant steelhead.

There is a cement road type structure that extends across the river. During lower water flows the cement is exposed and accessible. During higher water flows the river runs over the top. If you’re going to fish Morley Ford, I recommend bring a good pair of waders.

I also don’t recommend fishing here without first checking to see if the trout are running. As productive Morley Ford can be, in between runs the fishing really dies down.

Wallace, Baldwin and Coe Lakes

So Wallace and Coe Lakes aren’t exactly on the Rock River, but just about. Rocky River actually runs through Baldwin Lake and both Wallace and Coe Lakes are connected to Rock River via small water ways. All lakes are accessible within walking distance of the river.

If you want a little bit of a different flavor of fishing, these are great lakes to fish if you’re in the area. These aren’t steelhead fisheries. If you’re set on steelhead you’ll want to stay below Berea Falls and make sure hitting the river during one of the fall or winter runs.

Wallace, Baldwin and Coe offers fishing for Rainbows, a variety of panfish, catfish, carp and bass. These are the only fisheries I know of along the Rocky River that really provide some decent fishing for bass. Some lunkers Largemouths have been pulled from Coe Lake. So if you’re willing to trade in your steelhead lures for a wacky rig and some soft plastic worms, Coe is a good spot.

Wallace is a bit of sore thumb in my opinion, but I’ve seen anglers pull some nice sice Rainbow trout from these waters. I believe Wallace is stocked annually.