Smallmouth Bass
PeakWhere: boulder runs, bridge shade, pool tails, creek-mouth rock, and lower-river current breaks on Johnson Creek.
Move: tubes, Ned rigs, small jerkbaits, poppers, and crayfish-colored streamers.
Species guide →Johnson Creek
Excellent
About Johnson Creek
Johnson Creek at Lyndonville drains 89 square miles of Niagara and Orleans Counties into Lake Ontario, a smaller-water destination that gets overshadowed by the nearby Oak Orchard system. The creek runs through tight wooded reaches with public access at the village and the Lakeside Beach State Park mouth. Best for anglers who like quieter water than the dam-controlled Lake Ontario rivers.
October through April. Rain-dependent flows. Lakeside Beach access is best in late fall and early spring. The optimal fishing flow on Johnson Creek is 40–100 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 95 CFS, computed from the last several years of USGS gauge readings.
Current conditions (live, updated every 15 minutes): flow 68 CFS, water 72.5°F, clarity clear. Steelhead Addiction's Guide's Report rates the river EXCELLENT as of this reading.
Johnson Creek has no active USGS flow gauge.
Gauge height and water temperature are available from the local sensor, but real-time discharge is not published. Use weather, forecasts, and angler reports as your primary indicators.
Flow Rate
68
CFS
Gauge Height
11.69
ft
Water Temp
72.5
°F
Air Temp
80.5
°F
Clarity
Clear
Wind
🌬 Calm
≤5 mph
Last updated: 3 minutes ago (12:45 PM 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 0.14 inHg over the last 24 hours. Flow held steady at 121 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, 12 pm to Jul 26, 12 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
No big rain in the lookback, but the barometer dropped 0.14 inHg over the last 24 hours. Flow held steady at 236 CFS, water temp drifted rose by 0.5°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 19, 12 pm to Jul 26, 12 pm ET.
Data refresh every 15 min. This is a pattern read, not proof of causation; fish reserve the right to embarrass the spreadsheet.
Guide's Report
Based on current conditions as of Sun, Jul 26 at 12:45 PM EDT (3 minutes ago)
Report generated 12:48:22 PM EDT
Holding steady at 68 CFS, water is clear, 73°F — prime summer feeding temp. This is the window you've been waiting for. Stable water means fish are in their comfort zones. Your Daily Dose of Flow, Clarity, and Chrome Fever.
Johnson Creek
Today's Weather: Good
81° 25% rain
NW 5mph
Coming up: Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Flow Rate
0
CFS
·
11.69
ft
27th percentile · Typical
Summer mode - falling and clearing
24h trend
↘
-20.3%
Summer fishability window
26–88 CFS
Current-month middle flow band for warm-water fishing
72h movement
sharp fall (-74.6%)
Status
falling and clearing · 11.69ft
Falls below range by
Tue 8:20pm
(~40 CFS)
Clouds
· 81°F
· SSW 3mph
29.85" ↘
Guide says:
Holding steady at 68 CFS, water is clear, 73°F — prime summer feeding temp. This is the window you've been waiting for. Stable water means fish are in their comfort zones. Your Daily Dose of Flow, Clarity, and Chrome Fever.
"Swing Shift Report"
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 73°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
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.
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
Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson 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 Johnson Creek.
Move: spinnerbaits, spoons, jerkbaits, and quick releases when water warms.
Species guide →Current read
Water temp 72.5°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 Johnson 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 Johnson 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
In the sweet spot
Optimal window
40–100 CFS
Per-river researched optimal range
Typical range
53–1,480 CFS
25th–75th percentile
Seasonal context:
Current flow is typical for July.
July median on this river: 35 CFS
(n=608 hourly samples).
Clarity vs flow ranges
Steelhead Green
likely now
31–79 CFS typical
Stained
92–145 CFS typical
Muddy
828–1,480 CFS typical
Below average:
Quieter than usual — stealth matters.
Sample quantiles
|
Theoretical line
Fair fit — tails diverge (70%)
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 Johnson Creek
Local Fly Shops & Guides
Featured
Creek Chubs Guide Service
Waterport, NY · 3 mi
Expert knowledge of every riffle and run on Oak Orchard Creek. Both beginner intro trips and pro-level steelhead trips available.
Oak Orchard Canoe Kayak Experts
Waterport, NY · 3 mi
Largest paddle shop between Rochester and Niagara Falls. Rentals, lessons, and river trips.
Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge
Albion, NY · 4 mi
Tackle shop and lodge on Oak Orchard Creek. Steelhead, brown trout, and salmon with guided trips.
Jay Peck Guides
Spencerport, NY · 26 mi
30+ years as licensed NYS guide. Catch-and-release fly fishing on Oak Orchard, Genesee, and Lake Ontario tribs.
Colemans Fly Shop
Spencerport, NY · 27 mi
40+ years in business. Full fly shop with guiding, schools, custom fly tying, and stream reports for Oak Orchard and Genesee.
High Falls & Genesee Brew House
Rochester, NY · 35 mi
96-ft urban waterfall in downtown Rochester. Rooftop pint at one of America's oldest breweries.
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30-Day Statistics
Min Flow
-87 CFS
Max Flow
571 CFS
Avg Flow
82 CFS
Min Temp
65.7°F
Max Temp
84°F
Avg Temp
75.3°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: Today — Light rain will bump flows slightly and give overcast skies — steelhead feed aggressively in these conditions.
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- 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
Today:
Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Tonight:
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 10pm and 2am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2am and 3am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. 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 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Monday Night:
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter 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. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 82. East wind 5 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tuesday Night:
Showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. North wind 8 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
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 showers and thunderstorms before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. North wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Wednesday Night:
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. North wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Thursday — Angler's Report
good fishing- Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.
NWS Forecast Detail
Thursday:
A slight chance of rain showers before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.
Thursday Night:
Mostly clear, with a low around 64.
Friday — Angler's Report
good fishing- Warm for steelhead season — focus on early morning when water is coolest.
NWS Forecast Detail
Friday:
Sunny, with a high near 80.
Friday Night:
A slight chance of rain showers after 2am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 66.
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 slight chance of rain showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday Night:
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67.
Forecast via NWS, updated 1 hour ago (11:03 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 Trout Tippet Assortment - 4X-6X
$49.95
Scientific Anglers Absolute Fluorocarbon Trout Tippet
$15.30
Scientific Anglers Absolute Fluorocarbon Saltwater Tippet, 30M (16lb)
$16.85
Trout Magnet Phantom Fluorocarbon Leader - Ultra-Invisible, 100% Fluorocarbon Clear Leader Line (Tippet) for Trout & Clear Water Fishing - 50 Meter Spool
$7.95
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More on Johnson 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
- Steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Brown Trout Salmo trutta
