Fishing Activities

Fishing on the Doan Brook has been an activity enjoyed by generations of Clevelanders. Some key species include channel catfish, shiners, sunfish, carp, and largemouth bass. Doan Brook Watershed Partnership has been hosting fishing events at historic Rockefeller Lagoon since 2003.  Rockefeller Lagoon is located on Martin Luther King Jr Drive just past the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Doan Brook routinely stocks the lagoon with bluegill, catfish, and trout. There are typically 5 stockings a year that take place in April, May, July, September, and October. 

Fishing Workshops:

Of these stockings, free fishing workshops are held in April, May, and October, where members of the community of all ages and fishing abilities are welcome to join us for some fishing. We will teach you how to cast a line and reel in a fish. There are no fishing permits required for these workshops! Find links to all events here. Parking can be located at the Veterans Affairs Parking Garage on Magnolia Drive. 

Family Fishing Day:

In addition to the Fishing workshops, Doan Brook hosts our biggest event of the year, an all-day Family Fishing Day in August at Rockefeller Lagoon. This event is a great gathering of families and veterans from the VA coming together to enjoy a peaceful hobby.  Free fishing rods are available to members of the community at this event. This event started in 2003. No fishing experience or license is required, and there are trained instructors from Cleveland Metroparks to help anyone learn to cast and reel in fish. There will be free food, educational materials from our partners, and other fun activities for families to enjoy at the lagoon! 

Find the link to Family Fishing Day here

Family Fishing Day is sponsored by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, Holden Parks Trust,  the City of Cleveland, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Councilman Blaine Griffin, Councilwoman Stephanie Howse-Jones, and Councilman Kevin Conwell.