It’s a fishing day

Maumee River (Side Cut Metropark) fishing conditions · Ohio

Now until 7 amWalleye

The bite peaks at 82. Water is 58°, inside their 50–72° range.

Log a trip here
Right now: 80 for walleye, worth the trip · 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. 803 am
  2. 80
  3. 80
  4. 826 am
  5. 72
  6. 72
  7. 729 am
  8. 72
  9. 72
  10. 7212 pm
  11. 72
  12. 72
  13. 723 pm
  14. 72
  15. 72
  16. 726 pm
  17. 80
  18. 80
  19. 809 pm
  20. 80
  21. 80
  22. 80Tue
  23. 80
  24. 80
  25. 803 am
  26. 80
  27. 80
  28. 806 am
  29. 80
  30. 80
  31. 809 am
  32. 80
  33. 80
  34. 8012 pm
  35. 80
  36. 80
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
58°F

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
2 mph

From the southwest

Flow
504 cfs

steady · -6% in 24 h

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:59 am

Sky
Partly Cloudy

No rain expected

Air
48°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

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

82Worth the tripNow until 7 am

Water

58°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside walleye's active range. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. 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

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

82Worth the tripNow until 7 am

Water

58°
45°55–78° · ideal 68°88°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside smallmouth bass's active range. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. 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

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

76Worth the tripNow until 7 am

Water

58°
45°55–80° · ideal 68°90°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. 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

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on white bass

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

76Worth the tripNow until 7 am

Water

58°
42°52–86° · ideal 72°96°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. 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 8 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 temperature58°F
  • River504 cfs · steady · -6% in 24 h
  • Barometer30.35 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:59 am
  • Sunset today6:37 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 8:10 am–9:10 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:30 pm–2:30 pm
  • Minor solunarTonight 6:00 pm–7:00 pm

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 4 pm
80Worth the trip

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.