Waters · United States
Black River (Elyria) fishing report
Updated Wednesday, October 21, 2026 · refreshed automatically through the day
A Lorain County river whose steelhead run up from the harbour at Lorain through a deep, wooded valley below the falls in Elyria. The river colours easily, so it is a stream to fish on the second or third day after rain.
Today's report: good (71/100)
Steelhead is the most promising species on Black River (Elyria) today. Water temperature is around 53°F (11.7°C) and barometric pressure is falling. Gauge Black River at Elyria OH shows the water level falling (3 in/24h).
Black River (Elyria) water temperature and flow
- Discharge: 49 cfs (1.4 m³/s) — down 41% over 24 hours
- Level trend: falling (3 in/24h)
Measured at gauge Black River at Elyria OH · reading 43 min ago. Published by the national hydrological service, not estimated by us.
Best time to fish today
- 3:00 PM–5:00 PM local time — score 67/100
- 7:00 AM–9:00 AM local time — score 68/100
- 10:00 AM–12:00 PM local time — score 71/100
3-day outlook by species
| Species | Wednesday, Oct 21 | Thursday, Oct 22 | Friday, Oct 23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steelhead | 71 — good | 72 — good | 72 — good |
| Smallmouth Bass | 65 — good | 68 — good | 68 — good |
Why this score
Cast & Scan uses a deterministic, published scoring model — no black box. The strongest influences on today's Black River (Elyria) rating:
- water temperature: helping (+1)
- solunar period: helping (+1)
- cloud cover: helping (+0.95)
- precipitation: helping (+0.9)
- season: helping (+0.85)
- pressure trend: helping (+0.8)
Forecast computed Wed, 21 Oct 2026 16:57:43 GMT · data: Open-Meteo + gauge Black River at Elyria OH · refreshed automatically through the day · see our published accuracy
Winter fishing on Black River (Elyria)
The Black River holds steelhead from late autumn to spring in the stretch below the falls in Elyria and down towards Lorain. It colours easily and stays muddy longer than the smaller creeks, so a long stable or falling stretch on the gauge is what to wait for. The valley paths get icy, so take care getting down to the water.
Seasons, closed sections and permits are set by the state and change. Check the current regulations before a winter trip, and never trust shelf ice or a forecast for your safety.
Wondering how this stacks up against the apps you already know? Cast & Scan vs Fishbrain vs BassForecast — an honest comparison, including where they beat us.
Read before you go
- The best time to fish for bass
- How river flow trend changes the bite
- Barometric pressure and fishing, explained
More steelhead waters
- Salmon River (Pulaski) — New York, USA
- American River (Fair Oaks) — California, USA
- Au Gres River — Michigan, USA
- Au Sable River (Foote Dam) — Michigan, USA
- Bois Brule River — Wisconsin, USA
Nearby waters
- Vermilion River — Ohio, USA (11 mi away)
- Rocky River (Berea) — Ohio, USA (12 mi away)
- Huron River (Milan) — Ohio, USA (27 mi away)
- Chagrin River (Willoughby) — Ohio, USA (40 mi away)
- Grand River (Painesville) — Ohio, USA (51 mi away)
- Lake Erie (Western Basin) — Ohio, USA (52 mi away)