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Autumn rains ignite Chautauqua Steelehead Alley

Some local fly anglers find that this time before the best steelhead fishing of the year calls for “vice therapy,” as the mechanical jaws of the vice hold the hooks upon which the colorful flies are tied to fool very big fish. Photo courtesy of Gerald Brydalski

After weeks of dry weather and low stream flows in the Chautauqua County tributary streams of Lake Erie, the much-anticipated rains and chilling temperatures have finally arrived. This change in weather has triggered the first significant migration of steelhead and brown trout into Chautauqua County creeks. With the onset of autumn, the lake-run trout had been staging in Lake Erie, waiting for the opportunity to move upstream into the tributary creeks. Anglers with boats have been enjoying the continued nonstop walleye fishing, as well as the onset of fall yellow perch, while casting to steelhead off the creek mouths on the trip back. But now, as boats head for winter storage and as water levels rise and water temperatures drop, land-based anglers can look forward to some of the best action of the year in what’s known as “Steelhead Alley.” That’s the legendary stretch of Lake Erie shoreline in Chautauqua County from Cattaraugus Creek to the New York-Pennsylvania state line.

The five Steelhead Alley streams include Cattaraugus Creek, Silver Creek, Walnut Creek, Canadaway Creek and Chautauqua Creek, and all the tiny feeders of these creeks — the fish are there too. When the creeks run high and hard, the lower sections of these streams are turbid, the fish move up to the tiny feeders and clear water. For updates on the best fishing times, it’s best to contact a local tackle shop or guide service (see below). These local guides, with their knowledge and experience, are your best bet for a successful fishing trip.

As the creeks swell and color up, brace yourself for the exhilarating sight of strong pushes of fresh steelhead into the lower reaches of each creek. Fish near the creek mouths and lower stream access areas, such as Chautauqua Creek in Westfield, Canadaway Creek in Dunkirk, and Silver Creek, for early action. One of the most popular tributary fishing hotspots located just south of Dunkirk is Canadaway Creek, where it meets Lake Erie.

For a color map of Canadaway Creek from Lake Erie to Laona Falls, visit https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/fish_marine_pdf/canadawaycreek.pdf. The Canadaway Creekmouth is a steelhead and brown trout entry point and offers easy, well-used angler walkway paths to the stream right from roadside parking on Route 5. The steelhead that enter Canadaway can swim as far as 6 miles upstream to Laona Falls, where they cannot swim the high falls there. Ask the private owners there for permission to park or fish. The journey is as beautiful as the destination.

Immediately after the rains, fall-run steelhead in the Lake Erie streams savor a variety of baits, including brightly colored egg sacs, large streamers, and flashy spinners or spoons. Both fly fishermen and spin fishermen can enjoy fishing. Then, three to five days after the heavy rains, clearing flows occur, the water drops and begins to clear, and conditions become ideal with fish spreading to upper flows and settling into pools and runs. That’s when smaller natural offerings are best, including single eggs, nymphs, jigs under floats, micro-streamers and similar baits. Water temperature is key, then turbidity. Water clarity affects how fish forage and how they find shelter and ambush areas. That’s when visual orientation or scent preferences take over and stealth becomes an angler’s consideration.

Jig flesh flies with a bead (egg) trailer can be a very effective lure to catch autumn stream steelhead. Photo courtesy of Gerald Brydalski

Note that there is no closed season for trout and salmon in Lake Erie tributaries, but there are special seasonal regulations that do apply to all Lake Erie tributaries from Sept. 1 to March 31. It’s important that we adhere to these rules to ensure the sustainability of the fish population. The special rules apply from the bridge closest to the mouth upstream to the first barrier impassable by fish. Fishing is allowed from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset (fishing at night is prohibited), and for hook size, the distance between the hook shaft and point cannot exceed a half-inch. Hooks attached to any artificial lure must be free-swinging, except on an artificial fly or jig. In addition, in Chautauqua Creek, from the bridge on South Gale Street upstream 1.3 miles to the upper cillage of Westfield water intake dam, this is a catch-and-release zone for trout and salmon. Generally, for all Lake Erie tributaries of Chautauqua County, a 12-inch minimum size limit with a daily bag limit of three fish per person. Anglers can check the NYSDEC fishing regulations at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7917.html. Catch/release is encouraged. Steelhead can live for decades.

Gotta love the outdoors.

CALENDAR

Oct. 11: NYS Trapping Course, Northern Chautauqua Conservation Club, 9:30 a.m to 5:30 p.m. Free. Contact Gary at 716-366-3397.

Oct. 11-13: NYS Youth Special Firearms Weekend Deer Season, for 12-15 years of age, select counties, see syllabus.

Oct. 11 to Nov. 2: NYS Western Zone hunting season for ducks and coots. See syllabus. For bag limits/rules.

Oct. 18: NYS Southern Zone turkey hunting season opens, sunrise to sunset, season bag limit is one bird of either sex, ends Oct. 31.

Starting at $3.50/week.

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