Smallmouth Bass
PeakWhere: boulder runs, bridge shade, pool tails, creek-mouth rock, and lower-river current breaks on Conneaut Creek.
Move: tubes, Ned rigs, small jerkbaits, poppers, and crayfish-colored streamers.
Species guide →Conneaut Creek
Excellent
About Conneaut Creek
Conneaut Creek is a significant steelhead tributary with varied water and excellent holding pools.
Productive in both fall and spring seasons. The optimal fishing flow on Conneaut Creek is 150–350 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 97 CFS, computed from the last several years of USGS gauge readings.
Current conditions (live, updated every 15 minutes): flow 21 CFS, water 66.2°F, clarity clear. Steelhead Addiction's Guide's Report rates the river EXCELLENT as of this reading.
Flow Rate
21
CFS
Gauge Height
1.54
ft
Water Temp
66.2
°F
Air Temp
70
°F
Clarity
Clear
Wind
🌬 7 mph
SSW
Offshore — mouth clean
Last updated: 2 minutes ago (8:45 AM EDT)
Conditions today: Excellent. Trending: rough.
Flow
Pressure
Air temp, scaled
Rain per hour
Storm pulse window
Hourly flow pending
Confidence: 0.42
No big rain in the lookback, but the barometer dropped 0.12 inHg over the last 24 hours. Flow held steady at 54 CFS, water temp drifted rose by 5.6°F. Falling pressure has a reputation — sometimes it wakes fish up, sometimes it shuts them down, and we're not going to pretend we know which it'll be today. Quiet sky on the way. Conditions should hold.
Lookback window Jul 23, 8 am to Jul 26, 8 am ET.
Data refresh every 15 min. This is a pattern read, not proof of causation; fish reserve the right to embarrass the spreadsheet.
Flow
Pressure
Air temp, scaled
Rain per hour
Storm pulse window
Hourly flow pending
Over the last three days, 0.39" of rain landed and the Conneaut Creek answered. Flow climbed from 36 to 150 CFS over 37.0 hours, then started its drop-back. Water temp shifted dropped by 3.6°F — that's the storm's footprint. Quiet sky on the way. Conditions should hold.
Lookback window Jul 19, 8 am to Jul 26, 8 am ET.
Data refresh every 15 min. This is a pattern read, not proof of causation; fish reserve the right to embarrass the spreadsheet.
| Gauge | Flow (CFS) | Height (ft) | Water Temp | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conneaut Creek (primary) | 21 | 1.54 | - | 2 minutes ago 8:45 AM EDT |
| Conneaut Creek at Dickonsburg PA | 19 | 4.74 | 66.2°F | 2 minutes ago 8:45 AM EDT |
Guide's Report
Based on current conditions as of Sun, Jul 26 at 8:45 AM EDT (2 minutes ago)
Report generated 8:48:16 AM EDT
Holding steady at 21 CFS, water is clear, 66°F — active warmwater feeding. Textbook conditions. The fish know it, you should too. No surprises in the flow. Pick your favorite run. I Brought Six Rods. Fished One..
Conneaut Creek
Today's Weather: Good
83° 10% rain
W 8mph
Coming up: Mostly Clear
Flow Rate
0
CFS
·
1.54
ft
15th percentile · Low
Summer mode - falling and clearing
24h trend
↘
-24.9%
Summer fishability window
11–22 CFS
Current-month middle flow band for warm-water fishing
72h movement
sharp fall (-84.6%)
Status
falling and clearing · 1.54ft
Low water — projection flat
Clear
· 70°F
· SSW 7mph
29.94" →
Guide says:
Holding steady at 21 CFS, water is clear, 66°F — active warmwater feeding. Textbook conditions. The fish know it, you should too. No surprises in the flow. Pick your favorite run. I Brought Six Rods. Fished One..
"Chrome Conditions for Metalheads"
Flow is stable in the ideal range — fish are settled and holding in predictable lies.
Clear water — ideal for visual hunters like smallmouth. Long leaders, natural colors, and finesse presentations like drop-shots will produce.
Water at 66°F — post-spawn and early summer active zone. Bass are feeding aggressively in the shallows.
How to Fish It
Technique
This is tube and drop-shot weather. Drag tubes or drop-shots over rocky structures, reefs, and current seams. Active retrieve will trigger strikes.
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
Focus on current breaks, behind large boulders, and slack water eddies along the banks.
Timing
Dawn and dusk windows are prime. Get out early before the sun is high, or fish the last 90 minutes of light.
What's Coming
Heavy rain is incoming — fish NOW. Current conditions are fishable but the river will blow out. This is your window.
Conditions
Bright skies — fish will hunker in deeper water and shaded lies. Focus on undercut banks, bridge shadows, and deeper runs.
Rigs to consider right now
Match the current report to a setup
Ned Rig
Catches fish that are willing to eat but not interested in chasing something loud.
Beginner
Neko Rig
Adds a different fall and bottom posture when Ned or wacky presentations are getting ignored.
Intermediate
Texas Rig
Gets a soft plastic through cover without turning every cast into salad.
Beginner
Drop Shot Rig
Keeps the bait in the strike zone without dragging it into every rock on the bottom.
Intermediate
Summer river plan
Conneaut Creek summer fishing targets
Water temperature is in the active warmwater range. Expect bass and panfish to feed around current breaks, rock, and shade.
Walleye
PeakWhere: lake mouths, harbor edges, deeper summer basin water, and low-light shoreline structure on Conneaut Creek.
Move: crawler harnesses, crankbaits, jigs, and evening presentations near moving water.
Species guide →Panfish
PeakWhere: docks, weed edges, ponds, marina slips, brush, and shaded shoreline structure on Conneaut Creek.
Move: small jigs, waxworms, micro poppers, and slip floats for kids or fast action.
Species guide →Northern Pike
Where: cooler weed edges, connected backwaters, tributary mouths, and ambush lanes on Conneaut Creek.
Move: spinnerbaits, spoons, jerkbaits, and quick releases when water warms.
Species guide →Current read
Water temp 66.2°F. Clarity is clear. Overall rating: Excellent for smallmouth bass. Use the graph below to time falling or stabilizing flows before committing a trip.
Summer FAQ
What can I fish for on Conneaut Creek in summer?
Focus on the warm-water species shown above, then use the live flow, clarity, and temperature read to choose shade, rock, current breaks, creek mouths, lakefront structure, and low-light windows.
Steelhead care
Should I target steelhead on Conneaut Creek in summer?
Usually no. When water is warm, shift to smallmouth, walleye, panfish, pike, or another summer target instead of pressuring stressed trout.
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7-Day Flow & Temperature
Flow distribution
1095-day history · n=2,168 · 85% confidence
Now vs history
129 CFS below optimal
Optimal window
150–350 CFS
Per-river researched optimal range
Typical range
29–242 CFS
25th–75th percentile
Seasonal context:
Current flow is typical for July.
July median on this river: 15 CFS
(n=608 hourly samples).
Clarity vs flow ranges
Steelhead Green
likely now
22–175 CFS typical
Stained
392–520 CFS typical
Muddy
870–1,940 CFS typical
Low:
Below typical — fish may be hugging deeper runs.
Sample quantiles
|
Theoretical line
Good fit (88%)
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.
Recent Angler Reports
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Near Conneaut Creek
Local Fly Shops & Guides
Featured
Steelhead Alley Outfitters
Middlefield, OH · 40 mi
Premier guided steelhead trips on NE Ohio tributaries. Fly and conventional on Grand, Chagrin, and Conneaut.
Frank's Tackle
Erie, PA · 30 mi
Local bait and tackle shop serving Erie steelhead and walleye anglers.
Covered Bridge Outfitters & Lodge
Conneaut, OH · 3 mi
Lodge and guide service on Conneaut Creek. Steelhead packages with lodging and guided trips.
Captain Kurt Charters
Conneaut, OH · 3 mi
Dual-season guide: Lake Erie walleye charters May-Sep, steelhead stream fishing Oct-May. Intimate 1-2 person fly fishing trips.
Thomas Guide Services
West Springfield, PA · 7 mi
6-hour fly or spin fishing trips on Lake Erie tributaries. Beginner-friendly, all gear included.
Covered Bridge Trail
Ashtabula, OH · 9 mi
19 historic covered bridges including the 613-ft Smolen-Gulf Bridge — longest in the US.
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30-Day Statistics
Min Flow
6 CFS
Max Flow
150 CFS
Avg Flow
25 CFS
Min Temp
60.4°F
Max Temp
84.2°F
Avg Temp
73°F
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: Today — Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.
Today 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.
Today — Angler's Report
good fishing- Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.
NWS Forecast Detail
Today:
Sunny, with a high near 83. West wind around 8 mph. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tonight:
Mostly clear, with a low around 68. Southwest wind 2 to 6 mph. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday — Angler's Report
poor fishing- Heavy rain expected — river will likely blow out. Fish early before it rises or wait 24-48 hours after for the drop.
- Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.
NWS Forecast Detail
Monday:
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Southwest wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday Night:
Showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. Southwest wind 3 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Tuesday — Angler's Report
poor fishing- Heavy rain expected — river will likely blow out. Fish early before it rises or wait 24-48 hours after for the drop.
- Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.
- Breezy conditions (15 mph N) — adjust casting angles and expect some difficulty with line control.
NWS Forecast Detail
Tuesday:
Showers and thunderstorms before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. West wind 8 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tuesday Night:
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Wednesday — Angler's Report
fair 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.
- Breezy conditions (16 mph N) — adjust casting angles and expect some difficulty with line control.
NWS Forecast Detail
Wednesday:
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Wednesday Night:
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.
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:
Sunny, with a high near 77.
Thursday Night:
Mostly clear, with a low around 66.
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:
Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
Friday Night:
A chance of rain showers after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday — 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
Saturday:
A chance of rain showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday Night:
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68.
Forecast via NWS, updated 44 minutes ago (8:03 AM EDT). Fishing ratings are estimates based on weather — always check current river conditions.
Recommended Gear
Clear water + warmer temps — finesse tippet and natural patterns first.
Scientific Anglers Absolute Fluorocarbon Saltwater Tippet, 30M (16lb)
$16.85
Scientific Anglers Absolute Fluorocarbon Trout Tippet
$15.30
Trout Magnet Phantom Fluorocarbon Leader - Ultra-Invisible, 100% Fluorocarbon Clear Leader Line (Tippet) for Trout & Clear Water Fishing - 50 Meter Spool
$7.95
Scientific Anglers Absolute Fluorocarbon Trout Tippet Assortment - 4X-6X
$49.95
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More on Conneaut Creek
Deep Dives
Recent Storm Events
- July 23-24 New York (Lake Ontario) & Ohio Storm — Jul 23, 2026
- July 4 Alley Storm — Jul 4, 2026
- July 4 New York (Lake Ontario) & Ohio & Pennsylvania Storm — Jul 4, 2026
Species Profiles
- Steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu
From the Archive · Rivers
Conneaut Creek
"Many fish" — a creek the fish move through, two states regulate, and one community has kept open for forty years.
Conneaut crosses a state line the fish do not see. It has the longest continuous fishable steelhead reach on the south shore, an Erie-language name that may translate as "many fish," and a forty-year...
Read the chapter →
