Fly Fishing On The Cattaraugus Creek, New York

Cattaraugus Creek Fishing Report 10/18/24 (Bottom of Page)

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Type of Stream
Tailwater/Freestone

Species
Steelhead
Brown Trout (stocked and wild)
Rainbow Trout (stocked and wild)
Coho Salmon (limited numbers)
Chinook Salmon (limited numbers)

Size
Medium

Location
Western New York

Nearest Towns
Irving

Season
April 1 through October?
Trout: Mid-Oct. – March, catch and
release only

Access:
Depends on the area, Fair to Good

Non-Resident License
State of New York

Weather
National Weather Service Link

New York State: Steelhead
Section

Seasons:
The season dictates just about everything.
Spring:
The steelhead are at their prime spawning time in March and April. The quality of the fishing depends on the water clarity.
Summer:
Brown and rainbow trout fishing can be good upstream.

Fall:
Fall is the prime time for fly fishing
Cattaraugus Creek for the steelhead with October and November being the best months.

Fly Fishing Cattaraugus Creek New York
Cattaraugus Creek, called the Cat, is one of the best steelhead streams on Lake Erie. It is known for its fall fishing and produces the largest steelhead run in what is known as Steelhead Alley.

In September, steelhead begin to enter the river as the water cools, but October and November are the prime months. The fishing can last into December and January but normally the water ices up fast and the fishing activity is limited until spring.

The spawning season is at its peak in March and April but the river can be heavily stained providing low visibility. In fact the river can become muddy anytime from heavy rain. Its clay banks allow the river to become muddy easily and quickly.

The South Cattaraugus Creek and its tributary Mansfield Creek receive stocked brown trout. Wild rainbows reproduce in Mansfield Creek in good numbers. Spring run, a tributary of Mansfield Creek has some wild brown trout. There is quite a bit of public fishing water on these streams.

The holdover and wild trout in Cattaraugus Creek can be selective as to what they eat. Our Perfect Flies offer a big advantage in fooling those trout because they closely resemble the appearance and behavior of the natural insects.

Even when the river below the dam is muddy, the other areas of Cattaraugus Creek can provide an alternative choice. The fly fishing opportunities are diverse and offers something for anglers to catch just about anytime of the year.

Cattaraugus Creek Fly Fishing Guide
The preferred water temperature for the steelhead should be between 40 and 55 degrees. The creek is more like a river because it is fairly large with long riffles leading into large pools. The river is approximately fifty miles long from the dam located at Springville down to Lake Erie. The stream terminates at Lake Erie near the town of Irving. The lower twenty
miles runs through the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation. This area is basically from Gowanda downstream. It is easily accessed and the section of water most anglers prefer. A Seneca Nations seasonal fishing license is required to fish this section.

The next section of water flows through a deep gorge about ten miles long. It is very difficult to access. Its also limited by private property. The section above the gorge to the dam is approximately fifteen miles long but is also limited because of private property. The only access is near the dam.

Upstream of the Village of Yorkshire above Springville Dam, there is a good population of both wild brown and rainbow trout. Locals refer to the section of the creek above the dam as the “Upper Cat”, and below the dam as the “lower Cat”.The state also stocks a large number of brown trout in this section of Cattaraugus Creek. Fishing is open year-round in some areas on a catch and release basis.

The steelhead trout are what most anglers visit Cattaraugus Creek for. They average from about 8 to 10 pounds. These fish can be in the creel anytime from late September until May of the following year. They are very aggressive and in the river to feed on the salmon eggs during late October and November. These fish can also be caught during December, January and February but the weather is usually very cold with deep snow along the banks. They can still be caught during March and April and they can be just as aggressive as they are in the Autumn season. Also the spring runoff from melting snow can foul the water up. They are feeding to add weight after spawning, before they return to the lake. From late May to early April, the steelhead move back into Lake Erie. At this time, after the spawn, they again become very active. They can be caught on a number of different type of flies.

The upper Cattaraugus Creek has wild rainbows and stocked and wild brown trout. It has several miles of public fishing waters. Natural reproduction is limited but some wild trout are present.

Steelhead Flies: Egg flies:Estaz Egg flies, dark and light shade
Veiled Beadhead Crystal Egg Fly
Steelhead nymphs:Giant Black Stonefly nymphshttps://perfectflystore.com/product-category/flies/perfect-generic-steelhead-salmon-flies/great-lakes-steelhead/spey-flies/
Comets – dark and light shadesCinnamon Caddis
Green sedges
Streamers:Egg Sucking leeches, dark and light shades
Flesh fly
Buggers, dark and light shades

Spey Flies: Hot Flash Spey
Red and Yellow Spey
Silver Ribbed Peacock Spey

Perfect Fly Great Lake Salmon Flies

Cattaraugus Creek Fishing Report:
06/29/19 The stream levels are down in good shape and lots of trout are being caught. There are several hatches taking place. Send us an email for a recommended fly list. 01/15/17 Catch and release trout fishing is open. Steelhead are in the stream nearing their
spawning time.

11/15/15 Stream levels have been high the past few days but that has brought more fish into the river. Anglers were catching a few steelhead up until then and it should be back fishable in a day or two. Spey flies are working.

12/03/15 The stream levels have dropped and steelhead are being caught. Most of our customers are swinging flies.

01/08/19 Good numbers of steelhead are being caught. Swinging, eggs and our steelhead nymphs are working good. Levels are a little high but okay.

07/06/19 The creek is turning out some good trout. Good hatches are taking place and terrestrials are starting to work. Send us an email for a recommended fly list.
07/13/19 The creek is in very good shape with lots of trout being caught. Send us an email for a recommended fly list.
08/30/19 Trout fishing still good in the upper most sections.
09/21/19 There have been a few salmon reported. Now is the time to get ready for the season. Send us an email for a recommended fly and gear list.
10/02/19 Plenty of salmon in the lower river but more water needed to move them upstream and start bringing in steelhead. There is some rain in the forecast and this should change it.
10/20/19 There are reports of steelhead starting to enter the river. Send us an email for a recommended fly and gear list.
11/19/19 The creek is a little above normal, but in good shape. The water cooling down should make Steelhead more active.
02/19/2020 Steelhead are in the creek in good numbers and being caught. Stream levels are just a little above normal levels.
03/28/20 The stream is near a normal level and stained. Steelhead are still being caught when conditions are okay.
07/26/20 Trout are still being caught in the uppermost sections of the creek. The stream levels are normal and in good shape.
08/12/20 We are still getting good reports from customers fishing for trout in the upper sections of the creek. Good hatches are taiking place and terrestrials working as well.
08/30/20 We are still getting good reports of trout being caught. So far, there are no reports of salmon showing up but now is the time to get ready. Send us an email.
09/17/20 We are getting good reports from customers catching salmon. They are coming into the steam in good numbers.
10/05/20 Both steelhead and salmon are being caught by our customers. Send us an email for a recommended fly list.
10/21/20 We continue to get good reports from customers catching steelhead and salmon.
11/06/20 Conditions are stiil good. We continue to get good reports from customers catching steelhead and salmon. Shoot us an emai for a recommended fly list.
11/20/20 The creek is turning out some good steelhead catches for our customers. Our Perfect Fly Egg flies, and nymphs are working good.
12/06/20 There are still reports coming in on steelhead which I assume are dropbacks. Nymphs like or Hexigenia nymph, crystal eggs our bugger leeches are working best.
12/24/20 We didn’t receive any reports this past two week period. Let us hear from you.
01/05/21 We received two good reports from customers fishing the past couple of weeks.
Fish slow and deep using our SH nymphs.
01/19/21 Stream levels have been high often but we are getting some very good reports when the levels are okay. Check out our steelhead flies.
02/06/21 The water has a lot of slush ice in it and we recommend waiting until it warms up a little. There are steelhead in the stream but they are very sluggish.
02/26/21 Conditions are expected to improve very soon. The water still has a lot of ice and few fish are being caught but when it warms just a little, it will turn on quickly.

05/05/21 The river is in good shape and trout are being caught in good numbers. There are multiple hatches taking place. Give us a call or send us an email for fly and gear recommendations.

06/19/21 The stream is low and warm. Fish early and late in the day and fish the riffles and runs.

12/29/22 We have got a local rep back and will resume giving reports on the creek. Currently, steelhead are in the river and being caught in decent numbers. Our steelhead nymphs and streamers are both working. Fish the deeper water slowly.

01/24/22 We received one good report from a customer fishing this past week. The water is cold. Fish the deeper pools slowly near the bottom using our Steelhead nymphs.

02/19/23 We are still getting some good reports from customers fishing the stream. Our Estaz egg patterns are working good.

04/08/23 Sorry for the missed reports. Steelhead are being caught in decent numbers.

09/18/23 Good conditions exist from steelhead coming in from the lake and we are already getting good reports.

10/18/23 The creek is in good condition and or customers are catching good numbers of steelhead.