Freestone · Shale · New York

Cattaraugus Creek

An overlook view of Cattaraugus Creek winding through the forested Zoar Valley gorge in New York, framed by autumn foliage.

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 season.

Poor · Steelhead
Egg pattern · 12–16
Poorlive now
Not the day for it
River dropping into shape after a lift. Not much stacked in your favour today. Worth an hour if you are nearby, not worth the special trip.
55% confidence
What moved it
  • Level0.39 mDropping after lift
  • Water temp27.0°C
  • ClaritySlightly colouredClearing
Today's fly
Egg pattern
Egg pattern12–16
A dependable searching pattern for these waters.
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Level
Steady
0.39 m
Dropping after lift
Water temp27.0°C
ClaritySlightly coloured
Weather21°C
WindW 21 km/h
Pressure1006 hPa
Rain · recent5.2 mm
Rain · ahead0.4 mm

Live readings only. Trends shown where the gauge supports them.

Water temperature for Steelhead
Welfare risk
27.0°Cideal 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
Very poor — water clarity is working for you, but water temperature is the limiting factor today.
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey

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Evidence
ModelledModerate confidence

Modelled from regional ecology — no survey or occurrence data for this water yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · July highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Quill GordonHatch
2
2
Blue QuillHatch
2
3
2
HendricksonHatch
2
2
Eastern March BrownHatch
2
2

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

Ranked for today
Steelhead fly box
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
0
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
About this water

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 season. Clay-influenced, so it takes its time to clear, but it holds a lot of fish and a lot of water.

  • Shale
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
  • Temperature028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity8518% weight
  • Feeding Time5513% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity4812% weight
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts