Steelhead Alley River Conditions
Real-time data for 31 Great Lakes tributaries in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York — live USGS gauges, water temps, clarity, and 5-day forecasts. Updated every 15 minutes.
Steelhead Alley Guide's Report
Genesee River is in prime shape. Don't sleep on it.
In Their Sweet Spot Right Now
Historical data, not forecastProximity % = how close current flow is to the middle of the historical sweet spot.
Where to Fish Today
Across the Alley
16 of 31 rivers are rated good or better right now.
Rivers on the drop: Elk Creek, Walnut Creek, Twenty Mile Creek and 1 more. This is usually the best phase to fish — water is clearing, flows are coming into the zone, and fresh fish are settling into lies.
Euclid Creek and Oak Orchard Creek are rising — flows are climbing.
Water temps averaging 63.1°F — warm for steelhead. Fish early morning at higher elevation tributaries where water stays cooler.
Most rivers are running clear — downsize your offerings, lengthen your leader, and approach carefully. Fish will be spooky.
Thursday is a pre-front day — the barometric pressure will be dropping ahead of Friday's rain. Steelhead often feed aggressively before weather systems move in. This could be the best day of the week.
Dry — flows will remain stable or continue dropping. Consistent fishing conditions.
Flow impact: No new water. Rivers will hold or slowly drop. Clarity will improve.
Dry — flows will remain stable or continue dropping. Consistent fishing conditions.
Flow impact: No new water. Rivers will hold or slowly drop. Clarity will improve.
Comfort: Warm for steelhead season — pleasant on the water, but fish early before water temps climb.
Dry — flows will remain stable or continue dropping. Consistent fishing conditions.
Flow impact: No new water. Rivers will hold or slowly drop. Clarity will improve.
Comfort: Warm for steelhead season — pleasant on the water, but fish early before water temps climb.
Rain likely — moderate flow increases expected. Rivers on the edge will tip over; already-good rivers may get better stain.
Flow impact: Flows will bump up. Fish that are currently in ideal range may get pushed high. Low rivers will benefit.
Comfort: Warm for steelhead season — pleasant on the water, but fish early before water temps climb.
Heavy rain expected — rivers will blow out. Stay home or fish very early before it hits.
Flow impact: Rivers will rise significantly. Expect muddy conditions 6-12 hours after heavy rain starts.
Comfort: Warm for steelhead season — pleasant on the water, but fish early before water temps climb.
Coming Into Shape
Rivers not currently in their optimal zone| River | Current | Optimal Zone | Trend | Clarity | Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Orchard Creek | 729 | 150–500 | ▼ | Stained |
Drops in by
Sun 9:13am
|
| Eighteenmile Creek (Niagara) | 70 | 100–230 | ▲ | Clear |
Rises in by
Mon 4:35pm
|
| Chagrin River | 111 | 150–350 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Grand River | 127 | 500–1,000 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Cattaraugus Creek | 318 | 600–1,200 | — | Clear | Holding steady |
| Salmon River | 295 | 500–1,500 | — | Clear | Holding steady |
| Ashtabula River | 61 | 150–350 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Rocky River | 99 | 150–250 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Conneaut Creek | 61 | 150–350 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Vermilion River | 70 | 90–225 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Cuyahoga River | 451 | 550–1,000 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Brandy Run | 2 | 6–12 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Elk Creek | 10 | 50–150 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Walnut Creek | 10 | 50–150 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Twenty Mile Creek | 10 | 50–150 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Crooked Creek | 10 | 50–150 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Chautauqua Creek | 19 | 50–120 | — | Clear | Holding steady |
| Eighteen Mile Creek | 24 | 80–200 | — | Clear | Holding steady |
| Huron River | 87 | 150–250 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Black River | 46 | 150–300 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Euclid Creek | 8 | 30–80 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Canadaway Creek | 14 | 40–100 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Silver Creek | 10 | 30–80 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Buffalo Creek | 55 | 150–300 | — | Clear | Holding steady |
| Cazenovia Creek | 86 | 100–250 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
| Sandy Creek (Hamlin) | 96 | 100–230 | — | Clear | Holding steady |
| Irondequoit Creek | 94 | 180–400 | — | Clear | Holding steady |
| Sandy Creek (Adams) | 75 | 100–300 | ▼ | Clear | No projection |
Projections based on 24-hour flow trend via log-linear regression. Actual timing depends on upstream conditions.
Each river is scored across four factors by our Fishing Recommendation Service. The higher the total, the better the conditions.
Flow (up to 4 pts)
- 4 pts Dropping AND in ideal range (100-520 CFS) — the money phase
- 3 pts Stable in ideal range (100-400 CFS)
- 2 pts Dropping but still high — coming into shape
- 1 pt Rising, or low (fish concentrated in pools)
- 0 pts Blown out, peaking, or way too high
Water Temperature (up to 3 pts)
- 3 pts 36-42°F — prime steelhead zone
- 2 pts 33-35°F (cold) or 43-50°F (warm)
- 1 pt 51-55°F
- 0 pts Below 33°F (frozen) or above 55°F (too warm)
Clarity (up to 3 pts)
- 3 pts Stained — the sweet spot, fish feel safe
- 2 pts Clear (fishable but spooky, go light)
- 0 pts Muddy (poor visibility, hard to find your fly)
Weather (up to 1 pt)
- +1 pt Overcast / cloudy skies
- 0 pts Clear, rainy, or other
Rating Thresholds
Ratings update every 15 minutes as new USGS and weather data comes in. They're a starting point — a good guide still trusts their eyes on the water.
