148 Lakes · 70 Rivers · 88 Counties · 601 TownsOhio state record fish
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Ohio species

Steelhead in Ohio

Where Ohio steelhead swim, what may be kept, and the record fish.

  • 5 a daylimit
  • 21.3 lbrecord
Piscifun Viper X spinning reelPick for steelheadPiscifun Viper X spinning reel50% OFFSale $39.99 $79.99

Photo of the species, not an Ohio water: Mike Heine, CC BY 4.0

Ohio fish

steelhead in the Buckeye State, at a glance

The 2026-27 Ohio booklet sets steelhead limits across 3 water classes. Away from Lake Erie and the Ohio River, the limit reads 5 (singly or in combination), open year-round.

In 2010, Jason Brooks brought in the record of 21.3 lb from Lake Erie. ODNR stocking files list 3,068,267 for the years 2018 to 2022.

5 a dayfirst booklet row
21.3 lbOhio record
9booklet rows
47waters with pages
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Limits

steelhead in the 2026-27 booklet tables

Water classWhereLimitSeason
Statewide inland watersStatewide5 (singly or in combination)Open year-round
Lake Erie and tributaries (trout and salmon)Lake Erie proper and the entire length of all Lake Erie creeks, rivers, and tributaries2 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inchesMarch 1 – May 15, 2026
Lake Erie and tributaries (trout and salmon)Lake Erie proper and the entire length of all Lake Erie creeks, rivers, and tributaries5 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inchesMay 16 – Aug. 31, 2026
Lake Erie and tributaries (trout and salmon)Lake Erie proper and the entire length of all Lake Erie creeks, rivers, and tributaries2 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inchesSept. 1, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027
Lake Erie and tributaries (trout and salmon)Cold Creek upstream of State Route 2 (Erie County)5 (singly or in combination)Open year-round
Site-specific inland watersClear Creek from the first Fairfield County Road 69 bridge (east of the junction of County Roads 26 and 69) to the U.S. 2Open year-round
Site-specific inland watersClear Fork of the Mohican River in Ashland County2Open year-round
Site-specific inland watersMad River and its tributaries2; minimum 12 inchesOpen year-round
Site-specific inland watersClear Fork of the Mohican River in Richland County2; minimum 12 inchesOpen year-round

Limits as printed in the 2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (ODNR Division of Wildlife Publication 5085, effective March 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027) and the ODNR Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch daily limits sheet (May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027); retrieved October 26, 2026.

Back to Ohio regulations

Records

Record steelhead weights from Ohio

DivisionWeightLengthAnglerWaterYear
rod and reel21.3 lb38"Jason BrooksLake Erie2010

Outdoor Writers of Ohio record fish page, retrieved October 26, 2026; ODNR biologists confirm the species of a new record.

Stocking

Hatchery steelhead releases, 2018 to 2022

Lake Erie2,548,339 fish
White Star Quarry38,636 fish
Jackson City Reservoir14,526 fish
Rush Run Lake14,345 fish
McKarns Lake13,887 fish
Wolf Run Lake13,735 fish
Punderson Lake13,651 fish
Dow Lake13,602 fish
Turkey Creek Lake13,589 fish
Stonelick Lake13,533 fish

Totals per decade come to 1970s 2,183,703, 1980s 3,564,490, 1990s 5,249,139, 2000s 6,560,256, 2010s 6,001,595 and 2020s 1,725,608.

ODNR Division of Wildlife Ohio Fish Stocking Records (public copy of the DataOhio dataset, current as of May 31, 2022; numbers by water, year, species and life stage); the public file stops at May 2022, so later years are not shown.

Spring 2026

Ohio rainbow trout releases, spring 2026

DateWaterCountyNote
March 11, 2026Barnesville Lake #4Belmont
March 11, 2026St. Clairsville ReservoirBelmont
March 12, 2026Rio Grande ReservoirGallia
March 12, 2026Englewood North Park PondMontgomery
March 13, 2026Foundation ParkKnox
March 13, 2026Heritage Park – Palm PondFranklin
March 13, 2026Quarry ParkMarion
March 13, 2026Caldwell LakeRoss
March 13, 2026Adams LakeAdams
March 18, 2026Blue Limestone ParkDelaware
March 18, 2026Mount GileadMorrow
March 18, 2026Lamping Homestead LakeMonroe
March 18, 2026Reserves PondButler
March 19, 2026Harry Wolfe ParkUnion
March 19, 2026Buckeye Park LakeWashington
March 19, 2026Jesse Owens WA POND MB165Morgan
March 20, 2026Delaware State Park Pond***Delawareyouth only
March 20, 2026Pattison Park PondClermont
March 20, 2026Restoration Park PondClark
March 23, 2026Franklin Park PondFranklin
March 23, 2026Goodale Park PondFranklin
March 23, 2026Krumm Park PondFranklin
March 23, 2026Linden Park PondFranklin
March 23, 2026Schiller Park PondFranklin
March 23, 2026Westgate Park PondFranklin
March 23, 2026Whetstone Park PondFranklin
March 25, 2026Blue Rock LakeMuskingum
March 25, 2026Jackson Park LakeGuernsey
March 25, 2026Tecumseh LakePerry
March 26, 2026Boettler Park PondSummit
March 26, 2026Monument Park PondStark
March 26, 2026Stadium Park PondStark
March 26, 2026Rush Run Wa PondPreble
March 27, 2026Cenci Park LakeFairfield
March 27, 2026Jefferson LakeJefferson
March 27, 2026Petros LakeStark
March 27, 2026Perry County Gun Club LakePerry
March 28, 2026Cowan Lake Youth Pond***Clintonspecial angler event
March 30, 2026Forest Hill PondCuyahoga
March 30, 2026Shadow LakeCuyahoga
March 30, 2026Westlake Recreation Center PondCuyahoga
March 31, 2026Rowland Nature Preserve LakeLorain
March 31, 2026Veteran's Park PondLake
April 1, 2026Beartown Lake (lower)Geauga
April 1, 2026Blue Heron Preserve PondGeauga
April 2, 2026East Palestine Park PondColumbiana
April 2, 2026Wingfoot Wildlife Area PondPortage
April 2, 2026Penrod LakeAthens
April 3, 2026Antrim LakeFranklinspecial angler event
April 3, 2026Rose LakeHockingspecial angler event
April 3, 2026Tawawa LakeShelby
April 4, 2026Mallard Lake At Oak Openings MetroparkLucasspecial angler event
April 4, 2026Pearson Metropark LakeLucasspecial angler event
April 4, 2026Yoctangee Park LakeRossspecial angler event
April 6, 2026Pike LakePikespecial angler event
April 8, 2026Lamberjack LakeSeneca
April 8, 2026Schoonover LakeAllen
April 8, 2026Sycamore State Park Pond (large)Montgomery
April 8, 2026Sycamore State Park Pond (small)Montgomery
April 9, 2026Davis LakeAuglaize
April 9, 2026Taylorsville Poplar Creek PondMontgomery
April 9, 2026Turtle Pond – Countryside ParkMontgomery
April 10, 2026Swanton Waterworks ReservoirLucas
April 10, 2026Williams Park PondSandusky
April 11, 2026Stoner PondLucasspecial angler event
April 11, 2026Kountry Resort Campground PondMeigsspecial angler event
April 11, 2026Caesar Creek Youth Pond***Warrenspecial angler event
April 11, 2026Crystal LakePreblespecial angler event
April 11, 2026Rocky Fork South Beach Pond***Highlandspecial angler event
April 17, 2026Al Lease Park PondPortage
April 17, 2026Kiwanis Recreation Park PondLake
April 23, 2026Home Of The Brave Park PondHamilton
April 23, 2026Meadow Ridge Metro Park – Mirror PondButler
April 24, 2026Maumee Bay State Nature Center PondLucasspecial angler event
April 25, 2026Ashley Upground ReservoirDelawarespecial angler event
April 25, 2026Deer Run-symmes Township PondHamiltonspecial angler event
April 25, 2026Infirmary Mound Park – Mirror LakeLickingspecial angler event
April 25, 2026East Harbor State Park PondOttawaspecial angler event
April 25, 2026Malabar Farm Sp Inn PondRichland
April 25, 2026Olander LakeLucasspecial angler event
April 25, 2026Sleepy Hollow Park PondLucasspecial angler event
April 25, 2026OHIO CANAL LOCK #4 (St. Helena Heritage Park)Starkspecial angler event
April 25, 2026Turkey Creek LakeSciotospecial angler event
April 25, 2026Harmony Lake – Liberty ParkHighlandspecial angler event
May 2, 2026Eyman ParkFayettespecial angler event
May 2, 2026Sunbury Upground Reservoir #2Delawarespecial angler event
May 2, 2026Cross Roads Industrial PondsCrawfordspecial angler event
May 2, 2026Giertz LakeHancockspecial angler event
May 2, 2026Starr LakeLucasspecial angler event
May 2, 2026Tuscora Park PondTuscarawasspecial angler event
May 2, 2026Walker Road PondLorainspecial angler event
May 9, 2026Mounts Park Pond (small)Warrenspecial angler event
May 16, 2026Ohio / Erie CanalCuyahogaspecial angler event

ODNR Rainbow Trout Stocking Dates page, spring 2026 releases (trout 10 to 13 inches), retrieved October 26, 2026.

Where to look

Lakes and rivers in Ohio holding steelhead

Ohio lakes with steelhead

  • Grand Lake St. Marys13,396 acres
  • Rocky Fork Lake1,953 acres
  • Dale Walborn Reservoir657 acres
  • Knox Lake491 acres
  • Jackson Lake252 acres
  • Wolf Run Lake208 acres
  • Eastwood Lake189 acres
  • Dow Lake161 acres
  • Stonelick Lake161 acres
  • Kokosing Lake154 acres
  • Hargus Creek Lake143 acres
  • Beaver Creek Reservoir110 acres
  • Belmont Lake109 acres
  • Clark Lake102 acres
  • Madison Lake98 acres
  • Timbre Ridge Lake98 acres
  • Lima Lake88 acres
  • Punderson Lake80 acres
  • Lake Alma68 acres
  • Delta Reservoir 251 acres
  • Shelby Reservoir #351 acres
  • Turkey Creek Lake50 acres
  • Silver Creek Lake46 acres
  • Antrim Lake42 acres

Ohio rivers with steelhead

  • Cuyahoga RiverCuyahoga County
  • Grand RiverAshtabula County
  • Ashtabula RiverAshtabula County
  • Chagrin RiverCuyahoga County
  • Clear Fork Mohican RiverAshland County
  • Conneaut CreekAshtabula County
  • Little Beaver CreekColumbiana County
  • Mad RiverChampaign County
  • Rocky RiverCuyahoga County
  • Sunfish CreekMonroe County
  • Vermilion RiverErie County

ODNR hot-spot maps, ODNR stocking records, the 2026 trout releases, the steelhead and walleye-run programs and state records; largest waters first.

Lake Erie

steelhead from the Ohio shore of Lake Erie

Ohio sets 4 rows for it on Lake Erie.

Related fish

Relatives of steelhead in the booklet

Pictures

Camera views of fishing water by Steelhead

Cuyahoga River, Ohio
Cuyahoga River
Photo: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
Little Miami River, Ohio
Little Miami River
Photo: LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0
Mad River, Ohio
Mad River
Photo: Tim Kiser, CC BY-SA 4.0
Mahoning River, Ohio
Mahoning River
Photo: Jbarta, CC0 1.0
Answers

Ohio steelhead: what anglers keep asking

Is a steelhead keeper allowed in Ohio?

5 (singly or in combination) on statewide inland waters, open year-round; other water classes have their own rows.

How big is the Ohio record steelhead?

21.3 lb from Lake Erie, caught by Jason Brooks in 2010.

Where do steelhead live in Ohio?

47 water pages here list it, led by Grand Lake St. Marys, Rocky Fork Lake and Dale Walborn Reservoir.

How many steelhead has Ohio stocked?

Yes; the public ODNR records show 3,068,267 stocked from 2018 to 2022, most in Lake Erie. The file ends in May 2022.

How does Lake Erie treat steelhead?

Yes: 2 (singly or in combination); minimum 12 inches, march 1 – may 15, 2026.

Is the Ohio steelhead season open now?

Open year-round on statewide inland waters.

Does an Ohio steelhead angler need a trout stamp?

Ohio sells no trout stamp; the regular license covers trout and steelhead, $25.00 a year for residents and $76.96 for nonresidents.

Is steelhead regulated on the Ohio River?

Neither Ohio River unit lists it.

Pick Ohio water for steelhead

The pages above carry launches and limits.

Ohio speciesOhio regulations