It’s a fishing day

Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark) fishing conditions · Ohio

Now until tomorrow 10 amWalleye

The bite peaks at 90. Water is 57°, inside their 50–72° range, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 90 for walleye, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 904 pm
  2. 86
  3. 86
  4. 867 pm
  5. 86
  6. 86
  7. 8610 pm
  8. 90
  9. 90Sun
  10. 861 am
  11. 86
  12. 86
  13. 864 am
  14. 86
  15. 86
  16. 907 am
  17. 86
  18. 86
  19. 7810 am
  20. 82
  21. 82
  22. 781 pm
  23. 78
  24. 78
  25. 784 pm
  26. 90
  27. 86
  28. 867 pm
  29. 86
  30. 86
  31. 8610 pm
  32. 86
  33. 90Mon
  34. 901 am
  35. 86
  36. 86
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
57°F

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
9 mph

From the west

Flow
269 cfs

falling · -23% in 24 h

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:23 pm

Sky
Mostly Sunny

2% chance of rain

Air
52°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Ohio regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

90GoNow until tomorrow 10 am

Water

57°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside walleye's active range. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lake Erie Sport Fishing District, the Maumee and Sandusky runs included: walleye, sauger and saugeye combined, 15" minimum, 6 a day (May 1, 2026–Apr 30, 2027).

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Ohio

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Nov (no water record for Sep), from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on walleye

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

78Worth the tripNow until tomorrow 10 am

Water

57°
45°55–78° · ideal 68°88°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside smallmouth bass's active range. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day (Jan 1–Apr 30, Jun 27–Dec 31); 18" minimum · 1 a day (May 1–Jun 26)

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lake Erie Sport Fishing District, tributaries included up to the listed end points (Maumee to the Grand Rapids dam, Sandusky to the Tiffin waterworks dam). Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass combined: 14" and 5 a day Mar 1–Apr 30, 18" and 1 a day May 1–Jun 26, 14" and 5 a day Jun 27–Feb 28.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Ohio

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Aug, Oct–Nov (no water record for Sep), from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on smallmouth bass

White Bass

White bass

Morone chrysops

74Worth the tripNow until tomorrow 10 am

Water

57°
45°55–80° · ideal 68°90°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside white bass's active range. Holds 4–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Ohio Lake Erie Sport Fishing District, the Maumee and Sandusky runs included: striped, hybrid and white bass are open all year with no daily limit and no minimum length.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Ohio

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on white bass

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

74Worth the tripNow until tomorrow 10 am

Water

57°
42°52–86° · ideal 72°96°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside common carp's active range. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Ohio classes common carp as a forage fish. Neither the statewide nor the Lake Erie limit table sets a carp limit or size, and forage fish may be taken by most methods, bowfishing included.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Ohio

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Aug, Oct (no water record for Sep), from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on common carp

The water

  • Water temperature57°F
  • River269 cfs · falling · -23% in 24 h
  • Barometer30.10 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:23 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow7:14 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:50 pm–4:50 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:30 pm–12:30 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 6:20 am–7:20 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

The Maumee’s spring walleye run is one of the great freshwater spectacles in the Midwest — hundreds of thousands of Lake Erie walleye push upriver to spawn each March and April, and waders line the riffles at Side Cut and Buttonwood. White bass follow in May, and smallmouth hold all summer. Live USGS flow at Waterville drives the bite.

Spring run (Mar 1–Apr 30): single hook only (no hook over ½" shank-to-point, no treble/double hooks), sunrise-to-sunset only in the designated stretch — see ODNR.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Sandusky River (Fremont)31 mi · OhioBest now until tomorrow 10 am
86Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark)?

Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark) is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Walleye, White Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Common Carp. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark) have?

Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Spring run (Mar 1–Apr 30): single hook only (no hook over ½" shank-to-point, no treble/double hooks), sunrise-to-sunset only in the designated stretch — see ODNR.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark)?

state agency regulations apply at Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark) tidal water?

No. Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.