Smallmouth Bass
Where: 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
Excellent
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 89 CFS, computed from the last several years of USGS gauge readings.
Current conditions (live, updated every 15 minutes): flow 96 CFS, water 65.3°F, clarity clear. Steelhead Addiction's Guide's Report rates the river EXCELLENT as of this reading.
STORM RECOVERING
moderate
Storm ended: 2 days ago
Storm ended 52h ago; peak was 275 cfs; now at 120% of baseline.
Flow Rate
96
CFS
Gauge Height
3.18
ft
Water Temp
65.3
°F
Air Temp
72.9
°F
Clarity
Clear
Wind
🌬 Calm
≤5 mph
Last updated: 14 minutes ago (3:30 PM EDT)
Conditions today: Excellent. Trending: rough. Storm recovering.
Flow
Pressure
Air temp, scaled
Rain per hour
Storm pulse window
Hourly flow pending
Confidence: 0.51
Over the last three days, 0.43" of rain landed and the Irondequoit Creek answered. Flow climbed from 80 to 275 CFS over 5.0 hours, then started its drop-back. Water temp shifted rose by 1.0°F — that's the storm's footprint. Quiet sky on the way. Conditions should hold. Storm lifecycle says RECOVERING. Storm ended 52h ago; peak was 275 cfs; now at 120% of baseline. The useful window is the drop-back, not the peak.
Lookback window Sep 8, 3 pm to Sep 11, 3 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
Over the last three days, 0.43" of rain landed and the Irondequoit Creek answered. Flow climbed from 80 to 275 CFS over 5.0 hours, then started its drop-back. Water temp shifted dropped by 5.9°F — that's the storm's footprint. Quiet sky on the way. Conditions should hold. Storm lifecycle says RECOVERING. Storm ended 52h ago; peak was 275 cfs; now at 120% of baseline. The useful window is the drop-back, not the peak.
Lookback window Sep 4, 3 pm to Sep 11, 3 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) | 96 | 3.18 | 65.3°F | 14 minutes ago 3:30 PM EDT |
| Irondequoit Creek at Railroad Mills, Fishers | 28 | 4.28 | - | 14 minutes ago 3:30 PM EDT |
Guide's Report
Based on current conditions as of Fri, Sep 11 at 3:30 PM EDT (14 minutes ago)
Recovering nicely at 96 CFS, water is clear, 65°F — active warmwater feeding. This is the window you've been waiting for. The river is settling back down. Stay honest about visibility. Your Daily Dose of Flow, Clarity, and Chrome Fever.
Irondequoit Creek
Today's Weather: Fair
72° N 8mph
Coming up: Mostly Clear
Flow Rate
0
CFS
·
3.18
ft
44th percentile · Typical
Summer mode - fresh bump
24h trend
↘
-24.4%
Summer fishability window
93–244 CFS
Current-month middle flow band for warm-water fishing
72h movement
slight rise (+16.5%)
Status
fresh bump · 3.18ft
Low water — projection flat
Clear
· 73°F
· W 5mph
30.03" →
Guide says:
Recovering nicely at 96 CFS, water is clear, 65°F — active warmwater feeding. This is the window you've been waiting for. The river is settling back down. Stay honest about visibility. Your Daily Dose of Flow, Clarity, and Chrome Fever.
"One More River Won't Hurt"
Recovering from recent storm pulse. Flow is dropping back after the peak; verify clarity before calling it prime.
Clear water — ideal for visual hunters like smallmouth. Long leaders, natural colors, and finesse presentations like drop-shots will produce. Recent storm pulse - sediment may still be settling; check on-water before committing.
Water at 65°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
Work the transition zones where fast water meets slow eddies. Smallmouth hold on the edges of currents to intercept forage.
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 RECOVERING
moderate
Storm ended 52h ago; peak was 275 cfs; now at 120% of baseline.
Storm passed 2 days ago. The river is still settling, so expect dropping flow and clearing visibility before the better window opens.
- - Wait for clarity to settle before calling it prime.
- - Look for dropping flow and soft edges.
- - Re-check this report before heading out.
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
Fall 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
Where: 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
Where: 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 65.3°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 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=2,083 · 84% confidence
Now vs history
84 CFS below optimal
Optimal window
180–400 CFS
Per-river researched optimal range
Typical range
70–129 CFS
25th–75th percentile
Seasonal context:
Current flow is below typical for September.
September median on this river: 130 CFS
(n=247 hourly samples).
Clarity vs flow ranges
Steelhead Green
likely now
69–123 CFS typical
Stained
465–643 CFS typical
Below average:
Quieter than usual — stealth matters.
Sample quantiles
|
Theoretical line
Fair fit — tails diverge (72%)
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
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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
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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.
Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge
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Tackle shop and lodge on Oak Orchard Creek. Steelhead, brown trout, and salmon with guided trips.
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30-Day Statistics
Min Flow
58 CFS
Max Flow
1,060 CFS
Avg Flow
128 CFS
Min Temp
62.4°F
Max Temp
71.2°F
Avg Temp
66.3°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: Saturday — Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.
Monday 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- 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
This Afternoon:
Sunny, with a high near 72. North wind around 8 mph.
Tonight:
Mostly clear, with a low around 52. East wind 2 to 7 mph.
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 rain showers after 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. South wind 3 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Saturday Night:
A slight chance of rain showers before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. South wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Sunday — 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
Sunday:
A chance of rain showers after 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 79. West wind 6 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Sunday Night:
A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Monday — Angler's Report
good fishing- Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.
NWS Forecast Detail
Monday:
A slight chance of rain showers before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. North wind 5 to 8 mph.
Monday Night:
Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. East wind 2 to 7 mph.
Tuesday — 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
Tuesday:
A slight chance of rain showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 83.
Tuesday Night:
A slight chance of rain showers before 8pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Wednesday — 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
Wednesday:
A chance of rain showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Wednesday Night:
A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Thursday — 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
Thursday:
A chance of rain showers before 2pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Thursday Night:
Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58.
Forecast via NWS, updated 1 hour ago (2:01 PM 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.
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SF Clear Fluorocarbon Tippet Line Fly Fishing Tippets Leaders Trout 75M 100M 0X 1X 2X 3X 4X 5X 6X 7X
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More on Irondequoit Creek
Recent Storm Events
- September 5-7 New York (Lake Ontario) & Ohio Storm — Sep 5, 2026
- August 30 - September 1 Alley Storm — Aug 30, 2026
- August 26-29 Alley Storm — Aug 26, 2026
Species Profiles
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