Often called the “Steelhead Cathedral” of the eastern Great Lakes, Cattaraugus Creek (locals simply say “the Catt”) drains 1,600 square miles of forested hills before meeting Lake Erie at Sunset Bay. From mid-October through May, NY-strain steelhead climb 34 miles to Springville Dam, providing some of the best Great-Lakes-run trout fishing in North America. Wild browns, resident smallmouth, and scenic shale cliffs in Zoar Valley round out a fishery that feels wonderfully remote despite being less than an hour from Buffalo. Optimal flows are 250-400 cfs at the Gowanda gauge, when the water runs that signature green-tea clarity.
The creek fishes like three rivers in one. **Lower River (Lake Erie to Gowanda)**—broad riffles and clay banks, best for fall chrome but requiring a Seneca Nation license on reservation lands. **Zoar Valley (Gowanda to Springville Dam)**—a wilderness gorge with towering cliffs, deep runs, and public fishing rights parcels. **Upper Tributaries (Buttermilk, Clear, Hosmer brooks)**—smaller pools that stay fishable when the main stem is high. All segments have DEC parking areas or signed Public Fishing Rights (PFR) easements.
Fall through spring, hatchery-reared steelhead averaging 4-8 lbs dominate catches, with double-digit fish each season. Lake-run brown trout join the parade in November. Resident species include smallmouth bass, rock bass, and seasonal walleye closer to the lake. Wild brook trout inhabit upper headwater brooks. DEC annually stocks ~90,000 steelhead smolts, and a fish-passage project at Springville Dam promises even more upstream habitat in coming years.
Fresh chrome enter the river after the first 60 °F lake-temperature drop, usually by late September. Peak runs coincide with autumn rain pulses and again with April snow-melt. Steelhead key on eggs and emerald-shiner imitations early, then switch to stonefly, caddis, and mayfly nymphs as winter moderates. Spring fish chase swung intruders or white zonkers in warming flows, while July smallmouth smash crayfish and poppers in the lower river.
Steelheaders favor 10- to 11-ft 7- or 8-weight switch or single-hand rods. Indicator nymphing with 8-12 mm beads, size-10 stoneflies, or pink egg yarn is deadly in pocket water, while swung intruders on 10-ft T-8 sink-tips move aggressive fish in emerald-green flows under 350 cfs. Fluorocarbon tippet from 10- to 12-lb protects against shale ledges. Summer smallmouth call for 6-wt rods, floating lines, and creek-critter crayfish patterns.
Sunset Bay (Route 5/20 bridge) sees the earliest chrome. Gowanda’s village park offers easy access and amenities. Deep Zoar Valley pools at Valentine Flats and Forty Road reward hardy hikers with fewer anglers. Scoby Hill Park below Springville Dam concentrates steelhead in colder months, and North Otto Road PFR gives waders mid-river runs ideal at 300 cfs.
DEC maintains 13 Public Fishing Rights segments totaling 12 miles; look for yellow PFR signs at North Otto, Arab Hill, and Gowanda. A day-use permit is required to fish the 14-mile Seneca Nation reach—purchase at licensing offices in Irving or Salamanca. Springville, Zoar Valley, and Sunset Bay all have USGS gauges; target dropping flows below 400 cfs and turbidity under 20 NTU for prime conditions.
Must-have flies: 10 mm glow-orange bead, chartreuse Estaz egg, #8 black stonefly, #6 white zonker, #10 olive hare’s-ear, and size-4 blue/black intruder. Gear: 8-wt switch rod, Skagit head with 10-ft T-8 sink-tip, or 7-wt single hand with Rio Grand floating line, 30-lb running line, 12-lb fluorocarbon tippet. Studded wading boots and a collapsible staff are essential on shale ledges. Polarized glasses help spot steelhead in that “root-beer” stain the Catt is famous for.
A planned fish-passage ladder at Springville Dam will open 70 miles of cold head-water habitat to migratory trout—public comments closed in 2024 and construction is pending. The dam retrofit also includes sea-lamprey barriers. Trout Unlimited’s WNY Chapter conducts redd-counts and water-quality sampling, while DEC monitors Cattaraugus Creek for PFAS contamination after recent industrial concerns. Anglers can help by recording catch data and supporting dam-passage funding initiatives.
Zoar Valley’s gorge walls rise 400 feet; sudden rain or snow-melt can spike flows over 1,500 cfs, trapping waders against cliffs. Always check the Gowanda gauge and leave immediately if water browns or rises. Winter shelf-ice and shale slabs are slick—studs and a wading staff are mandatory. Cell service is limited in the gorge; carry a whistle and fish with a partner. Lightning storms sweep off Lake Erie quickly, so keep an eye westward.
**Cattaraugus Creek Outfitters** (Derby) specializes in guided steelhead trips and daily flow texts. **Oak Orchard Fly Shop** (Williamsville) stocks two-hand rods, custom intruders, and offers casting classes. **Orvis Buffalo** posts weekly Catt reports and rents switch rods for DIY anglers. All three shops sell NY licenses and can arrange private-water access on the reservation.
The **Western New York Chapter of Trout Unlimited** leads habitat projects on tributaries like Clear Creek and sponsors youth “Steelheader” clinics. **Seneca Nation Fisheries Office** conducts water-quality testing and enforces sustainable harvest on reservation waters. **Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper** advocates for watershed clean-ups and invasive-species removal along the lower river. Volunteering or donating to these groups helps protect critical spawning gravel and public access.
Cattaraugus Creek is classified as a Great Lakes Tributary. From Sept 1 – Mar 31 only one hook (single-point, gap ≤ ½ inch) may be used; artificial lures may have up to three such hooks. Night fishing is prohibited 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise in this period. The daily combined salmonid limit is three fish (minimum 12 inches) but most anglers practice catch-and-release for steelhead. A Seneca Nation license is required on reservation lands in addition to a NY freshwater license and Great Lakes tributary stamp. Always consult the current New York Freshwater Fishing Regulations guide for updates and emergency closures.