Mayflies
Caddisflies
A small southtowns Buffalo steelhead creek that fishes hard on every drop through the cold months — shale-bottom, flashy, and accessible, a local favourite when the bigger Cattaraugus is high and dirty.
- Shale
Rules at a glance
- Free fishing
- Fly only
Water temperature for Steelhead
Warm — slow18°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
Steelhead Oct–Apr, on the drop
Where
A small southtowns Buffalo steelhead creek that fishes hard on every drop through the cold months — shale-bottom, flashy, and accessible, a local favourite…
Why this works
Very poor — water clarity is working for you, but water temperature is the limiting factor today.
Likely species
Mayflies
Caddisflies
Hatch timeline · tomorrowPeak at 7am
12pm(now) — Reed Smut
Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 26%
Also:Trico (Eastern)22%
Peak emergence window
Peak activity at 7am — Trico (Eastern) (Trico (Eastern), Degree-days at peak)
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
See the full sub-surface read with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence
Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.
Through the year
0–3 scale · September 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
Steelhead fly box
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- New York licence; verify NY DEC reach rules
- Introduced, harvestable sport fishery.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Fishing better nearby · 2
About this water
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
- Aquatic life: Not assessed
What this classification means
EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Eighteenmile Creek, Lower, minor tribs' (NY0104-0030), 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) · NY0104-0030
Why this score · for Steelhead
- Temperature028% weight
- Flow8022% weight
- Clarity9518% weight
- Feeding Time7013% weight
- Pressure757% weight
- Insect activity6512% weight
Directions
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts
Eighteenmile Creek
A small southtowns Buffalo steelhead creek that fishes hard on every drop through the cold months — shale-bottom, flashy, and accessible, a local favourite when the bigger Cattaraugus is high and dirty.
Water temperature for Steelhead
Warm — slow18°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Steelhead
When
Steelhead Oct–Apr, on the drop
Where
A small southtowns Buffalo steelhead creek that fishes hard on every drop through the cold months — shale-bottom, flashy, and accessible, a local favourite…
Why this works
Very poor — water clarity is working for you, but water temperature is the limiting factor today.
Likely species
Mayflies
Caddisflies
Hatch timeline · tomorrowPeak at 7am
12pm(now) — Reed Smut
Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 26%
Also:Trico (Eastern)22%
Peak emergence window
Peak activity at 7am — Trico (Eastern) (Trico (Eastern), Degree-days at peak)
Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface
Hatch predictions
See the full sub-surface read with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)
Hatch predictions
Top prey shown — see all 2 with Pro.
Start free trial14-day free trial. Cancel anytime.
Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence
Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.
Through the year
0–3 scale · September 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
Steelhead fly box
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- New York licence; verify NY DEC reach rules
- Introduced, harvestable sport fishery.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Fishing better nearby · 2
About this water
A small southtowns Buffalo steelhead creek that fishes hard on every drop through the cold months — shale-bottom, flashy, and accessible, a local favourite when the bigger Cattaraugus is high and dirty.
- Shale
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
- Aquatic life: Not assessed
What this classification means
EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Eighteenmile Creek, Lower, minor tribs' (NY0104-0030), 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) · NY0104-0030
Why this score · for Steelhead
- Temperature028% weight
- Flow8022% weight
- Clarity9518% weight
- Feeding Time7013% weight
- Pressure757% weight
- Insect activity6512% weight
Directions
Related guides
Casting instructors near here
Booking & contacts