Oak Orchard Creek

Excellent

About Oak Orchard Creek

Oak Orchard Creek is a Lake Ontario tributary in New York, draining a 239-square-mile watershed. The river is part of the Lake Ontario steelhead and salmon fishery — distinct from Steelhead Alley but sharing the same species mix. Stocking and regulations are managed by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NY DEC).

The optimal fishing flow on Oak Orchard Creek is 150–500 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 788 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 456 CFS, water 69.4°F, clarity clear. Steelhead Addiction's Guide's Report rates the river EXCELLENT as of this reading.

Flow Rate
456
CFS
Gauge Height
18.16
ft
Water Temp
69.4
°F
Air Temp
50.4
°F
Clarity
Clear
Wind
10
mph W

Last updated: 1 minute ago (6:15 AM EDT)

Gauge Flow (CFS) Height (ft) Water Temp Updated
Oak Orchard Creek at The Bridges (primary) 456 18.16 69.4°F 2 minutes ago 6:15 AM EDT
Oak Orchard Creek near Kenyonville 740 3.13 65.5°F 2 minutes ago 6:15 AM EDT
Oak Orchard Creek near Shelby 250 7.88 65.5°F 2 minutes ago 6:15 AM EDT

Guide's Report

excellent smallmouth bass fishing

Based on current conditions as of Wed, Jun 3 at 6:15 AM EDT (1 minute ago)

Report generated 6:17:14 AM EDT

Holding steady at 456 CFS, water is clear, 69°F — prime summer feeding temp. Everything is lining up. Don't overthink it — just go. No surprises in the flow. Pick your favorite run. Yes Dear, Just One More Run.

Steelhead green DAWN DAWN DUSK 73° 76° 74° 62° 58° Sunset 8:47pm Solar Noon 1:10pm Dawn 4:59am Dusk 9:22pm Sunrise 5:33am Dawn 4:58am 456 CFS 🌖 91% Waning Gibbous N E S W 10 W mph 30.27" inHg stable 69.4°F Water Temp Now 6:17am
Oak Orchard Creek
Today's Weather: Fair SW 6mph
Coming up: Mostly Clear
Flow Rate
0 CFS · 18.16 ft
4th percentile · Very Low
24h trend
-9.9%
N E S W 10 W mph wind 72h ago now High 1,005 Normal 788 Low 659 Flood 1,620 OPT 6h 24h 72h 18.16ft
Optimal window 150–500 CFS
Status In the sweet spot · 18.16ft
Clouds · 50°F · W 10mph
30.27"
Guide says: Holding steady at 456 CFS, water is clear, 69°F — prime summer feeding temp. Everything is lining up. Don't overthink it — just go. No surprises in the flow. Pick your favorite run. Yes Dear, Just One More Run.
"The Drift Was Perfect. The Fish Disagreed."

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 69°F — prime summer pattern. Smallmouth Bass are highly active and aggressive across all techniques.

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

Dry and stable — this is a consistent fishing window. Fish know where to hold, and you can pattern them.

Summer Species on Oak Orchard Creek

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

See summer gear →

Water temp 69.4°F — warm enough for active warmwater species.

7-Day Flow & Temperature

Flow distribution

1095-day history · n=2,221 · 85% confidence

4th percentile · Low
6h 24h 72h 456 CFS 659 p25 788 p50 1,005 p75 OPTIMAL freq
Now vs history
In the sweet spot
Optimal window
150–500 CFS
Per-river researched optimal range
Typical range
659–1,005 CFS
25th–75th percentile
Seasonal context: Current flow is below typical for June. June median on this river: 663 CFS (n=56 hourly samples).
Clarity vs flow ranges
Steelhead Green likely now
534–686 CFS typical
Stained
603–772 CFS typical
Muddy
711–1,140 CFS typical
Low: Below typical — fish may be hugging deeper runs.
-2 -1 0 1 2 4576719851,4452,120 Theoretical z (standard normal) Sample flow (CFS)
Sample quantiles | Theoretical line Good fit (83%)

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 Oak Orchard Creek

Local Fly Shops & Guides Featured

Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge

Albion, NY · 2 mi

tackle shop

Tackle shop and lodge on Oak Orchard Creek. Steelhead, brown trout, and salmon with guided trips.

Creek Chubs Guide Service

Waterport, NY · 4 mi

guide

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 · 4 mi

attraction

Largest paddle shop between Rochester and Niagara Falls. Rentals, lessons, and river trips.

Jay Peck Guides

Spencerport, NY · 23 mi

guide

30+ years as licensed NYS guide. Catch-and-release fly fishing on Oak Orchard, Genesee, and Lake Ontario tribs.

Colemans Fly Shop

Spencerport, NY · 23 mi

fly shop

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 · 32 mi

attraction

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
-398 CFS
Max Flow
2,630 CFS
Avg Flow
773 CFS
Min Temp
52.5°F
Max Temp
71.8°F
Avg Temp
61.5°F

7-Day Fishing Outlook

Substantial precipitation in the forecast. Rivers will rise — fish the front end before conditions deteriorate.

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: Clear, with a low around 52. Southwest wind around 6 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 76. West wind around 7 mph.
Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. Southwest wind around 6 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 78. Southwest wind around 8 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62. Southwest wind around 9 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 83. Southwest wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
Friday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southwest wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

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 82. Southwest wind 10 to 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

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 before 8am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Sunday Night: A slight chance of rain showers before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 56.

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 74.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 57.

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: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.

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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