Rochester-area creeks hold cool, fishable water for fall trout

What's biting

What's next

Expect the small streams to stay clear and low, so approach quietly and use lighter leaders. At 11.6 cfs, the 57°F water at gauge 04232050 is the coolest and lowest of the three, and fish there will be spooky. The 786 cfs reading at gauge 04231600 is a much bigger river with more room to cover water, and it gives you more options for swinging or stripping streamers.

With a New Moon today, the nights are dark and the best action usually comes at first and last light, when trout and smallmouth feel most comfortable moving into shallower water. Midday can be slower, so plan to fish the edges of the day. Per Tactical Bassin, fall bass tend to relate to hard structure like docks, laydowns and rocks, so smallmouth anglers can work those with jigs or soft jerkbaits.

If the weather stays settled, water temperatures should drift down gradually through the week, which tends to improve the trout bite and push bass toward deeper, more predictable holding spots. A hard rain would change the picture quickly, especially on the small creeks, so check flows before you go.

Context

Mid-October in western New York is typically the heart of the fall transition. Tributaries cool into the 50s, Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout begin to feel the pull of the season, and smallmouth bass shift from summer patterns toward fall feeding. The readings this week look right on schedule for the date. Check state regulations for open seasons and size limits before keeping any fish.