Re: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Spring steelhead

Call Vince Tobias at Cattaragus Creek Outfitters about the Catt.  He has private water in the upper river.  I have heard of people floating it in kayaks but i don't believe anyone currently offers guided float trips.  The issue is that almost all of the upper river is posted which in NY means you can't even stand on the stream bottom.  There is public water in Zoar Valley Multiple Use area but access is very limited and I have heard the float can be somewhat dangerous.  Everything below Gowanda which is like the lower 12 miles is closed to fishing unless you are a tribal member or accompanied by one.  As far as I know that is still the case but may have changed.

On Monday, March 9, 2026 at 2:36:51 PM UTC-4 Art Friedlander wrote:

I greatly appreciate all the advice.

I know it's always dicey as to when the fish are in, having experienced that previously.

Since I can take off on short notice, are there any good websites that give reliable information about the daily conditions.

Also, does anyone know if there are any guides that float the Cattaraugus?

Thanks again

On Monday, March 9, 2026 at 01:34:43 PM EDT, Yambag Nelson <northstreet...@gmail.com> wrote:

Right now the water is pretty cold and high on the salmon.  Fresh fish should be coming and and fishing should pick up into april but by may you will mostly be seeing dropback fish which can be very aggressive  but skinny.  

On the Erie tribs the fish can leave pretty early depending on the system, especially if there isn't a ton of rain.  The Catt usually has fish through april and into May (when large lake run smallmouth can also enter) but so much of the river is off limits now I don't know if I would go with that as my target stream.  The smaller and shale bottom type streams will have fish for the next few weeks but it isn't unheard of for those fish to be done by April.  I was in Buffalo this weekend and the erie tribs up that way are all up and high which should bring fish.  

For both Ontario and Erie I prefer the fall fishing but you can definitely have good days in the spring.  Conditions and fish behavior are just more variable.  

On Saturday, March 7, 2026 at 2:54:21 PM UTC-5 Art Friedlander wrote:

Looking for advice on guides for floating the Salmon river and any experience with the spring run on the Salmon and also the Erie tribs compared to the fall run in terms of quality and quantity.

Thanks

Art

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