Fly and Gear ordering and delivery: We can get flies to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Please see the bottom of this column for ordering options.
We have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes that make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Tailwater/Freestone
Species
Steelhead
Salmon
Brown Trout (Wild and Stocked)
Rainbows (Wild)
Size
Small
Location
Northwestern New York
Nearest Towns
Westfield
Mayville
Season
Trout and Salmon Open all year
Access:
Good
Non-Resident License
State of New York
Weather
National Weather Service
Season:
The season is open all year for trout and salmon from the mouth to Westfield Water Works dam. Trout above the dam is open April through Oct. 15
Winter:
Fly fishing Chautaqua Creek during the Winter is fine provided the water isn’t frozen.
Spring:
Steelhead remain in the stream into April. Spring is a great time to catch trout in the upper part of the creek.
Summer:
Trout fishing is usually fine during the Summer.
Fall:
Fall is the best all around time for steelhead fishing.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
For Steelhead and Salmon
Fly Line:
7, 8 , 9 or 10 weight for appropriate typerod, sinking, sinking tip and floating
Leaders:
10#, 12# in 9 to 15 feet lengths
Tippets:
10# and 12#
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly 7, 8, 9 and 10 ft. single hand rods
Fly Reels:
For 7 to 10 weight lines
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
KISS Strike Indicators, Lanyards, etc.
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Recommended Tackle & Gear (for trout)
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Fly and Gear ordering and delivery:
Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Fly Fishing Chautaqua Creek New York
Chautaqua Creek starts at Sherman and flows for fifteen miles through a deep canyon or gorge like area into Lake Erie. The stream was a route for industry at the village of Westfield in the early years. The gorge creates an area similar to that of a remote, wilderness. Fly fishing Chautaqua Creek can be an exciting, fun-filled adventure.
The average size steelhead of Chautaqua Creek probably averages between five and ten pounds. There are larger ones caught. The Fall and Winter months are prime times to catch the steelhead.
The state of New York stocks steelhead in all of their Lake Erie tributaries suitable for steelhead and Chautauqua Creek lies just about smack in the middle of the famous section called Steelhead Alley. It isn’t as large as some of the other tributaries of Lake Erie, but is has a very high catch rate for steelhead.
Steelhead fishing ranges from the mouth of the stream to the Westfield Water Works dam. The upper end of this section has a 1.3 mile long catch and release area. The season is open year-round for catch and release.
In addition to steelhead, there are both wild rainbow and brown trout in the gorge above the dam upstream to Putnam Road. Brown trout are also stocked in the stream during the spring. There’s a total of eight and a half miles of dedicated, public water access on Chautaqua Creek. Access is also available in the Chautaqua Gorge State Forest.
Chautaqua Creek is said to produce over one steelhead per hour of fishing. That’s a huge catch rate for steelhead.
Not everything about the stream is good. It is heavily pressured in the Fall season, especially on the weekends. It also freezes earlier than many other streams in the Great Lakes region. This can be a problem even during the first of the month of December.
You should check the stream conditions prior to traveling to Chautaqua Creek. If the season tends to be on the warm side with non-freezing temperatures, the creek can fish good throughout the month of December. Rain and mild temperatures are the keys to it.
The clear ledge pools just up and downstream from Route #5 are usually the most heavily fished parts of the stream, but the entire lowermost five miles of the stream provide access to spawning fish.
Chautaqua Creek Fishing Report:
02/26/21 Steelhead are being caught
05/05/21 Trout fishing is good. Stream levels are okay and there are some good hatches taking place. Send us and email or call us for fly and gear recommendations.
10/05/21 Sorry for the missed reports. We are currently getting reports from customers of steelhead and salmon being caught.