Freestone · Shale · New York, US

Cattaraugus Creek

An overlook view of Cattaraugus Creek winding through the forested Zoar Valley gorge in New York, framed by autumn foliage.
Today · Slow going — pick your moments
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Forecast · Today
Slow going — pick your moments
Slow going — pick your moments and do not force it.
45% projected
Today's fly
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Rising
0.55 m
Lifting fast
Water temp12.2°C
ClarityVery coloured
Weather8°C
WindN 15 km/h
Pressure1034 hPa
Rain · recent6.3 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Steelhead
Ideal
12°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
Steelhead Oct–Apr; slow to clear after big rain
Where
New York's premier Lake Erie steelhead stream — a big creek running partly through the Seneca Nation's land, with a strong wild-and-stocked run and a long…
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though insect activity could be better.
Likely species
Mayflies
Chironomids
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 21:00

12:00(now) — Eastern Blue-Winged Olive

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 37%
Peak emergence windowWeather boost

Peak activity at 21:00 — Brown Dun (Brown Dun, Weather boost)

Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Supporters see what else is on the menu.

Start free trial

14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Quill GordonHatch
2
2
Blue QuillHatch
2
3
2
HendricksonHatch
2
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Fly box · Steelhead
Local fly shops: Chagrin River Outfitters·East End Angler·Elk Creek Sports Shop
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • New York licence; the reach through Seneca Nation territory requires a tribal permit — confirm before fishing
  • Verify NY DEC rules
  • Introduced/wild sport fishery.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 1
Eighteenmile Creek
28 km
85
Steelhead
Gallery · 2
  1. An overlook view of Cattaraugus Creek winding through the forested Zoar Valley gorge in New York, framed by autumn foliage.
    Cattaragus Creek From Pinnacle Point
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
  • Aquatic life: Not assessed
What this classification means

EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Cattaraugus Cr, Middle, Main Stem' (NY0104-0053), 2022 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Insufficient Information. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.

Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.

EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · NY0104-0053

Why this score · for Steelhead
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time7013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6212% weight
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts