Cattaraugus Creek NY

[rockriv]

Wanting to make a trip from OHIO to fish the CATT. Mainly wanting to fish the Zoar valley area. Heard it may not produce as many fish as the reservation but it is a gorgeous place to spend the day. Any opinions or guidance would be great!

 

[jaybo41]

I have not fished the Zoar Valley but have been told by multiple independent sources that it's a place that every Steelhead Angler should fish one day. I've heard it is absolutely beautiful.

Here's a few pieces that you might find helpful:

Lake Erie

Zoar Valley Multiple Use Area - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation

I think Gatortransplant aka AJ has some experience on the Catt.

Would love to see some photos if you end up going!

 

[sandfly]

Great place to fish, they are there too. lots of runs, pools, etc. great for swinging wets..

 

[rockriv]

Great! thanks so much for the help and supplying even more motivation for me to go. Im thinking once it warms up this spring ill make the short trip. Mid Aprilish. And i will give results and pictures.

 

[gatortransplant]

Let me know when you're headed this way. Haven't been down into Zoar yet this year but will likely be headed down there soon. Most my fall and winter fishing on the Catt did happen on the Rez however. My primary fishing buddy has some land on the creek in the valley so we'll likely be camping out there when it warms a bit. I'd be happy to head down there and check out conditions around the time you're planning on heading this way, maybe even meet up to fish!

 

[rockriv]

Thank you very much! Gatortransplant that would be great! im thinking ill head that way around mid to late april. Ill most definitely contact you prior to get your opinion.

 

[cheesesteak]

Hey Guys,

Coming up the 26th thru the 29th. Think the water temps will be good as well as the flow and turbidity? Staying @ Zoar Valley Escape right on the creek. Guessing most if not all of the snow will be melted by then with all the warm weather in the forecast. Gonna fish the valley in the mornings and then where we are staying in the afternoons. Any info wiould be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[gatortransplant]

I'll keep a closer eye on it as the time gets closer. We're getting some serious water right now so hopefully it calms down as it gets closer to that week. Hopefully I'll be able to get down there and check the water before you're headed this way but I can't make any guarantees just yet!

 

[cheesesteak]

Great, Thanks. The trip is already paid for so if the creek is blown out I guess have to give it a go on a couple of the smaller ones a little farther West. Or, we could just sit is some bar, spend a lot of money and make a bar owner happy. Eh, maybe a little of both.

 

[gatortransplant]

Well let me know. I can give you the bars to sit at OR the places to fish if the Catt is blown (even our small waters right now are up in peoples' backyards and close to overflowing sections of road). Basically, for that stretch of days to be fishable on the Catt you need it to stop raining NOW (I know that sounds ominous...). Keep an eye on the USGS Cattauraugus Creek gauge at Gowanda. You want the discharge to be under 500 and turbidity to be under 30 (ideally). Maybe I can fish with you guys when the day arrives. Or grab beers. EDIT: Or both.

 

[rockriv]

Im excited to hear about your experience!! Tying some flies currently to pack up for the Catt!!

 

[cheesesteak]

Wow! it really takes that long for the Catt to get to a fishable level? I was figuring maybe a week. I have been following the USGS reports and the long term weather which I'll post below. Looks like the rain is supposed to stop today but we could get a significant amount the 18th and 19th. That only leaves us 1 week for the creek to drop down to where we want it. What is your opinion on this if this forecast holds true? Are we screwed?

4/12/2013 52° 35° 0.5 in 0 in Warmer with rain tapering off 54° 35°
Sat
4/13/2013 47° 30° 0.1 in 0 in A couple of showers 55° 35°
Sun
4/14/2013 47° 39° 0 in 0 in Partly sunny 55° 36°
Mon
4/15/2013 65° 43° 0.2 in 0 in Mostly cloudy and warmer 55° 36°
Tue
4/16/2013 59° 43° 0 in 0 in Cloudy, a t-storm possible 56° 36°
Wed
4/17/2013 59° 40° 0.2 in 0 in Mostly cloudy with a shower 56° 37°
Thu
4/18/2013 60° 27° 0.9 in 0 in Cloudy with thunderstorms 57° 37°
Fri
4/19/2013 54° 24° 0.8 in 0 in Cloudy with rain tapering off 57° 37°
Sat
4/20/2013 44° 25° 0 in 0.1 in Colder; morning flurries 57° 38°
Sun
4/21/2013 46° 32° 0.4 in 0 in Mostly sunny 58° 38°
Mon
4/22/2013 52° 43° 0 in 0 in Sunny and warmer 58° 38°
Tue
4/23/2013 56° 41° 0 in 0 in Cloudy 58° 39°
Wed
4/24/2013 50° 38° 0.1 in 0.4 in Cloudy 59° 39°
Thu
4/25/2013 46° 37° 0 in 0.1 in Clouds, a shower in the p.m. 59° 39°
Fri
4/26/2013 49° 34° 0.2 in 0 in Clouds and showers around 60° 39°
Sat
4/27/2013 54° 36° 0.3 in 0 in Plenty of clouds 60° 40°
Sun
4/28/2013 55° 37° 0.2 in 0 in A.M. rain; otherwise, cloudy 60° 40°
Mon
4/29/2013 65° 44° 0 in 0 in Partly sunny and warmer

---------- Post added at 08:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:30 AM ----------

@ Rockriv....What are you tying? I've tied a shitload (enough for 10 guys) of hare's ear, Prince nymphs, woolly buggers, pheasant tails, copper johns, stone flies, various sucker spawn and glow bugs. Hope I have my bases covered. anything else you could suggest?

---------- Post added at 09:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 AM ----------

Oh yea, spring wigglers, egg sucking leaches and articulated stoneflies too.

 

[gatortransplant]

If you haven't yet, tie some hares ears in black, and don't hesitate to add a flashback. I also use a Frenchie-like fly with an orange glass bead in the thorax collared with a partridge feather but the water MAY still be too high (which would have me sticking to bigger stones and flashy egg patterns when I'm not throwing obnoxious streamers). If the forecast holds you'll have a week for it to clear and that may be enough. I'm not going to say you're in trouble because it may drop. You'll also have the option of surrounding creeks which will be in better shape even if the Catt is blown out.

 

[cheesesteak]

Ha....just checked the forecast again and it now shows less rain around the 18th and 19th. Guess it is what it is and we'll just have to take what the fishing gods give us. Gonna tie some black hares ear and those Frenchies you said to tie. How do I post pics here. I couldn't find anythin to use to pull one up from my computer, only from other websites.

 

[gatortransplant]

You have to use photobucket or some similar website and copy the IMG link into the thread in order to post a photo. Those glass beads I mentioned are about 3 dollars at JoAnn for what seems like several hundred.

Catt is at 1350 right now, getting some rain right now so it should come up some more as the day goes on. My fishing buddy mentioned today on our way out toward a local creek that we may not see the Catt come into shape for the rest of the steelhead season, though I hope that will not be the case. If the worst case happens, we'll make sure you get on some more fishable water, because it will be there even if the Catt is in bad shape.

 

[rockriv]

I get a kick out of swinging big nasty looking flies. And have pretty good luck all over the erie tribs doing so. I tied up some big old purple, white, and black egg sucking leeches as well as some zonkers. May not be as successful on the catt as they are around OH, PA but its worth a shot.

 

[gatortransplant]

Swinging big nasty flies will do you well this time of year, particularly in the higher water. The Catt will certainly not be gin clear, but even in some murk white is a regular killer on the Creek. Nevertheless, black and purple will do you fine as well, especially if the water is really stained as you know. There's plenty of swinging water on the Catt and hopefully you'll get into some fish! The Catt is crawling down towards fishable levels but is still over a grand. There is no turbidity reading as the gauge is reading "FLD", or flood damage.

 

[cheesesteak]

Well, we're getting down to it and my guys are getting antsy but are worried about the flow. I see that the Catt is down to 722 right now but with the rain in tomorrow's forecast I am quite worried that it will jump back up too high to fish. Will a quarter inch blow it out? Also, when you say "big nasty" flies waht size are you referring to? I have most all of my buggers tied on either 6 or 8 hooks and my nymphs on the same. Lots of sucker spawn, crystal meth and glo bugs as well tied on 8 and 10, I'm at right around 450 total. How are the Chatauqua and Canadaway? Holding any steel?

 

[rockriv]

cheesesteak,

big nasty would be some leaches or tube style, spey style flies. size 6 or 8 works. Ill throw some size 2 and 4 when trying to target aggressive fish. the one thing i see with fishing the catt and NY is theres no second hook allowed. which means no dropper fly. so if i was dead drifting i would usually throw a heavier nymph pattern or woolly on top and a spawn sack dropper. although the REZ portion of the catt has no law against fishing two hooks as far as I'm aware.

i was just reading somewhere that its not odd to be fishing the catt well into may. i would think that my local steelhead season here in ohio will be mostly done by that time of year so it gives me hope that there will be an opportunity to make it to the catt when the flows come down in may.

 

[gatortransplant]

What's the word guys? Any luck so far?


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