Smallmouth Bass
PeakWhere: boulder runs, bridge shade, pool tails, creek-mouth rock, and lower-river current breaks on Irondequoit Creek.
Move: tubes, Ned rigs, small jerkbaits, poppers, and crayfish-colored streamers.
Species guide →Irondequoit Creek
Good
About Irondequoit Creek
Irondequoit Creek drains 151 square miles of Rochester suburbs into Irondequoit Bay and Lake Ontario, less famous than the Genesee or Salmon River but a steady producer for anglers willing to fish it. The Powder Mills Park reach is the iconic access; the lower reach through the Penfield reaches and the Irondequoit Bay mouth holds fish in fall and spring. Limestone-influenced; fishes with consistency.
October through April. Peak runs late October through December and again March through April. Limestone influence keeps it clearer than other regional creeks. The optimal fishing flow on Irondequoit Creek is 180–400 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 118 CFS, computed from the last several years of USGS gauge readings.
Current conditions (live, updated every 15 minutes): flow 67 CFS, water 70.7°F, clarity clear. Steelhead Addiction's Guide's Report rates the river GOOD as of this reading.
STORM WATCHING
Expected: 9:00 PM EDT
1.1" rain expected by 9 pm. Gauges still calm.
Flow Rate
67
CFS
Gauge Height
2.84
ft
Water Temp
70.7
°F
Air Temp
84
°F
Clarity
Clear
Wind
🌬 Calm
≤5 mph
Last updated: 14 minutes ago (5:45 PM EDT)
Conditions today: Good. Trending: holding steady. Storm watching.
Flow
Pressure
Air temp, scaled
Rain per hour
Storm pulse window
Hourly flow pending
Confidence: 0.42
Three days of nothing. 75 CFS held within 33%, water sat at 68°F, barometer barely moved. These are the days where the lake just shrugs at us. If the bite is on, no obvious reason. If it's off, also no obvious reason. Flow is filling in, projected to enter range around tomorrow ~7 a.m.. Heads up — 0.80 inch of rain is on the way over the next 24 hours. Storm lifecycle says WATCHING. 1.1" rain expected by 9 pm. Gauges still calm. This is a pre-storm read; conditions can change fast once rain reaches the gauge.
Lookback window Jul 24, 5 pm to Jul 27, 5 pm 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
Three days of nothing. 93 CFS held within 85%, water sat at 67°F, barometer barely moved. These are the days where the lake just shrugs at us. If the bite is on, no obvious reason. If it's off, also no obvious reason. Flow is filling in, projected to enter range around tomorrow ~7 a.m.. Heads up — 0.80 inch of rain is on the way over the next 24 hours. Storm lifecycle says WATCHING. 1.1" rain expected by 9 pm. Gauges still calm. This is a pre-storm read; conditions can change fast once rain reaches the gauge.
Lookback window Jul 20, 5 pm to Jul 27, 5 pm 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Irondequoit Creek above Blossom Rd, Rochester (primary) | 67 | 2.84 | 70.7°F | 14 minutes ago 5:45 PM EDT |
| Irondequoit Creek at Railroad Mills, Fishers | 19 | 4.21 | - | 14 minutes ago 5:45 PM EDT |
Guide's Report
Based on current conditions as of Mon, Jul 27 at 5:45 PM EDT (14 minutes ago)
Report generated 5:59:54 PM EDT
Running 67 CFS, water is clear, 71°F — prime summer feeding temp. Solid window. Put in the work and you'll be rewarded. Clear water means spooky fish. Approach low and slow. Increased activity — falling pressure. Legend Has It, He's Still Mending.
Irondequoit Creek
Today's Weather: Fair
84° 68% rain
N 6mph
Coming up: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Flow Rate
0
CFS
·
2.84
ft
11th percentile · Low
Summer mode - skinny but moving
24h trend
↘
-17.7%
Summer fishability window
68–90 CFS
Current-month middle flow band for warm-water fishing
72h movement
falling (-9.9%)
Distance
skinny but moving · 2.84ft
Filling in ~13h
Clear
· 84°F
· N 1mph
29.71" ↘
Guide says:
Running 67 CFS, water is clear, 71°F — prime summer feeding temp. Solid window. Put in the work and you'll be rewarded. Clear water means spooky fish. Approach low and slow. Increased activity — falling pressure. Legend Has It, He's Still Mending.
"PTO = Pursuing Trout Obsessively"
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.
Water at 71°F — prime summer pattern. Smallmouth Bass are highly active and aggressive across all techniques.
How to Fish It
Technique
Topwater time. Early morning and late evening topwater action can be explosive. Whopper Ploppers, Spook Jrs, or frog patterns over rocky flats and shorelines.
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.
Timing
Dawn and dusk windows are prime. Get out early before the sun is high, or fish the last 90 minutes of light.
Storm Context
STORM WATCHING
1.1" rain expected by 9 pm. Gauges still calm.
Rain is forecast within the next 3.0019557652778 hours. Gauges may look innocent right now, but expect movement around 9:00 PM EDT.
- - Fish before the rain window if you are going.
- - Bring rain gear and keep an eye on radar.
- - Re-check the gauge before committing to a longer drive.
What's Coming
Heavy rain is incoming — fish NOW. Current conditions are fishable but the river will blow out. This is your window.
Water temps are cooling down — look for the bite to improve as temperatures ease back toward the sweet spot.
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
Irondequoit 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 Irondequoit 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 Irondequoit 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 Irondequoit Creek.
Move: spinnerbaits, spoons, jerkbaits, and quick releases when water warms.
Species guide →Current read
Water temp 70.7°F. Clarity is clear. Overall rating: Good 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 Irondequoit 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 Irondequoit 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=2,188 · 85% confidence
Now vs history
113 CFS below optimal
Optimal window
180–400 CFS
Per-river researched optimal range
Typical range
87–193 CFS
25th–75th percentile
Seasonal context:
Current flow is below typical for July.
July median on this river: 77 CFS
(n=598 hourly samples).
Clarity vs flow ranges
Steelhead Green
likely now
83–140 CFS typical
Stained
190–283 CFS typical
Muddy
357–519 CFS typical
Low:
Below typical — fish may be hugging deeper runs.
Sample quantiles
|
Theoretical line
Good fit (81%)
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 Irondequoit Creek
Local Fly Shops & Guides
Featured
Ontario Fly Outfitters
Rochester, NY · 5 mi
NYS Licensed Guide covering the widest geographic range — Salmon River to Steelhead Alley. Lake Erie and Lake Ontario tributaries.
Genesee Waterways Center
Rochester, NY · 5 mi
Walk-up kayak and canoe rentals May-October on the Genesee River in Rochester.
High Falls & Genesee Brew House
Rochester, NY · 5 mi
96-ft urban waterfall in downtown Rochester. Rooftop pint at one of America's oldest breweries.
Colemans Fly Shop
Spencerport, NY · 14 mi
40+ years in business. Full fly shop with guiding, schools, custom fly tying, and stream reports for Oak Orchard and Genesee.
Jay Peck Guides
Spencerport, NY · 15 mi
30+ years as licensed NYS guide. Catch-and-release fly fishing on Oak Orchard, Genesee, and Lake Ontario tribs.
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30-Day Statistics
Min Flow
62 CFS
Max Flow
778 CFS
Avg Flow
105 CFS
Min Temp
62.4°F
Max Temp
76.8°F
Avg Temp
69.7°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: Thursday — Light rain will bump flows slightly and give overcast skies — steelhead feed aggressively in these conditions.
Saturday 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
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
This Afternoon:
Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. North wind around 6 mph.
Tonight:
A chance of showers and thunderstorms between 9pm and 3am, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Southeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an 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.
NWS Forecast Detail
Tuesday:
Showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 76. East wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Tuesday Night:
Showers and thunderstorms likely before 11pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11pm and 2am, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. North wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Wednesday — 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
Wednesday:
Showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 73. North wind 12 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Wednesday Night:
Showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 62. North wind 8 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Thursday — 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
Thursday:
A chance of rain showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 76. North wind around 12 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Thursday Night:
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Northwest wind 2 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Friday — 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
Friday:
Mostly sunny, with a high near 81.
Friday Night:
Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.
Saturday — Angler's Report
good fishing- Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.
NWS Forecast Detail
Saturday:
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84.
Saturday Night:
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66.
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 before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Sunday Night:
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.
Forecast via NWS, updated 55 minutes ago (5:04 PM EDT). Fishing ratings are estimates based on weather — always check current river conditions.
Recommended Gear
Clear water + low 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 Irondequoit Creek
Recent Storm Events
- July 23-24 New York (Lake Ontario) & Ohio Storm — Jul 23, 2026
- July 14-16 New York (Lake Ontario) Storm — Jul 14, 2026
- July 4 Alley Storm — Jul 4, 2026
Species Profiles
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