Cazenovia Creek

Fair

About Cazenovia Creek

Cazenovia Creek is a Lake Erie tributary in New York, draining a 135-square-mile watershed. The river is one of the actively-fished steelhead tributaries that make up Steelhead Alley — the south-shore Lake Erie steelhead fishery. Stocking and regulations are managed by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NY DEC).

The optimal fishing flow on Cazenovia Creek is 100–250 CFS — flows above this range are typically too high and stained, flows below run low and clear. The river's long-term median flow is approximately 297 CFS, computed from the last several years of USGS gauge readings. Steelhead enter the river from late September through early May, with peak runs typically in October–November and February–April.

Current conditions (live, updated every 15 minutes): flow 86 CFS, clarity clear. Steelhead Addiction's Guide's Report rates the river FAIR as of this reading.

Flow Rate
86
CFS
Gauge Height
2.62
ft
Water Temp
-
°F
Air Temp
50.8
°F
Clarity
Clear
Wind
5
mph SW

Last updated: 2 minutes ago (6:15 AM EDT)

Guide's Report

fair smallmouth bass fishing

Based on current conditions as of Wed, Jun 3 at 6:15 AM EDT (2 minutes ago)

Report generated 6:17:51 AM EDT

Running 86 CFS, water is clear. The river is telling you to work harder. Listen. Crystal clear — long leaders and small flies. Come for the Conditions. Stay for the Skunking..

Steelhead green DAWN DAWN DUSK 74° 76° 70° 62° 59° Sunset 8:48pm Solar Noon 1:13pm Dawn 5:03am Dusk 9:22pm Sunrise 5:37am Dawn 5:03am 86 CFS 🌖 91% Waning Gibbous N E S W 5 SW mph 30.30" inHg stable Now 6:17am
Cazenovia Creek
Today's Weather: Fair SW 3mph
Coming up: Mostly Clear
Flow Rate
0 CFS · 2.62 ft
3th percentile · Very Low
24h trend
-6.3%
N E S W 5 SW mph wind 72h ago now High 503 Normal 297 Low 209 Flood 1,535 OPT 6h 24h 72h 2.62ft
Optimal window 100–250 CFS
Distance 14 CFS below optimal · 2.62ft
Clouds · 51°F · SW 5mph
30.30"
Guide says: Running 86 CFS, water is clear. The river is telling you to work harder. Listen. Crystal clear — long leaders and small flies. Come for the Conditions. Stay for the Skunking..
"Broke Off on Something Big. Again."

Flow is low — fish are stacked in the deepest pools and runs. Approach carefully, they spook easy.

Clear water — ideal for visual hunters like smallmouth. Long leaders, natural colors, and finesse presentations like drop-shots will produce.

How to Fish It

Fly/Lure Selection

Clear water demands finesse. 6-8lb fluoro, natural colored tubes (watermelon, green pumpkin), 3-inch drop-shot worms, or small swimbaits.

Where to Fish

Target boulder runs, bedrock pools, bridge pilings, and shaded banks where river smallies find cover.

What's Coming

No rain in the forecast — flows will continue to drop. Fish deep pools and slow runs where smallmouth stack up in low water.

Summer Species on Cazenovia Creek

Beyond steelhead — species actively targeted in Great Lakes tributaries right now.

See summer gear →

7-Day Flow & Temperature

Flow distribution

1095-day history · n=2,236 · 85% confidence

3th percentile · Low
6h 24h 72h 86 CFS 209 p25 297 p50 503 p75 OPTIMAL freq
Now vs history
14 CFS below optimal
Optimal window
100–250 CFS
Per-river researched optimal range
Typical range
209–503 CFS
25th–75th percentile
Seasonal context: Current flow is below typical for June. June median on this river: 93 CFS (n=56 hourly samples).
Clarity vs flow ranges
Steelhead Green likely now
159–207 CFS typical
Stained
267–358 CFS typical
Muddy
534–1,254 CFS typical
Low: Below typical — fish may be hugging deeper runs.
-2 -1 0 1 2 832095261,3233,326 Theoretical z (standard normal) Sample flow (CFS)
Sample quantiles | Theoretical line Good fit (80%)

Points on the dashed line mean the river's flow distribution is log-normal. Bows at the tails suggest multiple flow regimes (snowmelt vs rain events) or sensor artifacts. The math for this river uses log-space statistics, so a poor fit here is a reason to squint at the optimal zone.

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Near Cazenovia Creek

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30-Day Statistics

Min Flow
86 CFS
Max Flow
2,790 CFS
Avg Flow
307 CFS
Min Temp
-
Max Temp
-
Avg Temp
-

7-Day Fishing Outlook

Multiple days of heavy rain ahead — expect significant flow increases and muddy water. Plan trips for windows between rain events or 1-2 days after.

Best day to fish: Friday — Light rain will bump flows slightly and give overcast skies — steelhead feed aggressively in these conditions.

Friday is the day before rain moves in — barometric pressure drop often triggers aggressive feeding. Don't miss it.

Daily Fishing Forecast

Weather-based daily ratings — independent of current river flow. A "good" forecast day can still mean a blown-out river. Cross-reference with the Guide's Report above for a complete picture.

Overnight — Angler's Report

fair fishing
  • Dry conditions — flows should remain stable. Good day to target tailouts and runs.

NWS Forecast Detail

Overnight: Mostly clear, with a low around 52. Southwest wind around 3 mph.

Wednesday — Angler's Report

fair fishing
  • Dry conditions — flows should remain stable. Good day to target tailouts and runs.
  • Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.

NWS Forecast Detail

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 78. Southwest wind 3 to 9 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 57. Southwest wind 3 to 7 mph.

Thursday — Angler's Report

fair fishing
  • Dry conditions — flows should remain stable. Good day to target tailouts and runs.
  • Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.

NWS Forecast Detail

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Southwest wind 3 to 8 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Southwest wind around 6 mph.

Friday — Angler's Report

good fishing
  • Light rain will bump flows slightly and give overcast skies — steelhead feed aggressively in these conditions.
  • Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.

NWS Forecast Detail

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 81. Southwest wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
Friday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Southwest wind 6 to 9 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday — Angler's Report

fair fishing
  • Moderate rain will push flows up. Water may get stained to muddy — switch to bright flies and heavier weight.
  • Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.

NWS Forecast Detail

Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Southwest wind 8 to 12 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday — Angler's Report

fair fishing
  • Moderate rain will push flows up. Water may get stained to muddy — switch to bright flies and heavier weight.
  • Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.

NWS Forecast Detail

Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Sunday Night: A slight chance of rain showers before 8pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 58.

Monday — Angler's Report

fair fishing
  • Dry conditions — flows should remain stable. Good day to target tailouts and runs.
  • Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.

NWS Forecast Detail

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.

Tuesday — Angler's Report

fair fishing
  • Dry conditions — flows should remain stable. Good day to target tailouts and runs.
  • Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.

NWS Forecast Detail

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 81.

Forecast via NWS, updated 1 hour ago (5:04 AM EDT). Fishing ratings are estimates based on weather — always check current river conditions.

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