Guide Don Dfishinfool Mathews on fishing Cattaraugus creek in western new york

It seems as time stands still in Western N.Y. Not much has changed since I was first introduced to the "Catt" in 1982. It is still the premiere destination of serious anglers to fish for the magnificent steelhead. Over time it has been dubbed the Crown Jewel of "Steelhead Alley". I suspect the unmolested beautiful scenery and relatively light crowds have earned her this title. The fishable water of the "Catt" starts below the Springville dam. Its upper reaches are very turbulent quick flowing water that flows through one of the most beautiful places on earth, the Zoar valley. The Zoar valley is home to a huge heard of deer and it is a rare day that you hike its banks without encountering deer and wild turkeys along the way. Virtually all of the water is private in this section. Access is very limited in the Zoar Valley. To those with permission it is one of the few places where one can escape the huge weekend crowds that "Steelhead Alley" is so famous for.

Above the town of Gowanda the Catt flows through a area of massive highwalls. This area contains the highest cliffs of any lake Erie Tributary. It is very scenic but due to the shale bottoms most fish quickly run through this section searching for prime spawning gravel. Below Gowanda the Catt flows through the Seneca Indian Reservation. It shores are undisturbed and seldom can you see any sign of development from her banks. I often wonder how similar of view the Indians must have had hundreds of years ago as they fished her magical waters. The Seneca Indian reservation is a real fish factory. The stream bed is very wide through most of the reservation. It contains many deep holding spots for the steelhead. Between these deep holes It contains many areas of gravel bottoms that the steelhead find to be excellent spawning habitat. It is for this reason that the Catt has the best wild reproduction rates on the south side of lake Erie. It is estimated that about 30% of the steelhead on the Catt are wild or native fish. For these wild fish to survive they must have something to eat. Again the Catt fits the bill. It is a virtual bug factory. Turn over almost any rock in the river and a variety of nymphs will scurry away. The steelhead of the Catt gobble these abundant nymphs up like candy. A well presented stonefly nymph on the flyrod is hard to beat and is sure to bring explosive excitement. Time and time again I have had clients ask me why these fish of the Catt seem to fight so much harder. I suspect the reason for the toughness of these fish is their genetic background and the high numbers of wild fish present. New York stocks fish raised in their Salmon River facility in Pulaski. This very hardy Lake Ontario strain of steelhead have adapted well to the rich waters of the Catt and Lake Erie.

Fishing the Catt can be very intimidating. It is big water. Sight fishing opportunities are rare. Numbers of fish are much lower than the Pennsylvania tribs. I find a much greater sense of satisfaction bringing one of these beauties from the Catt to the net. This is the essence of steelhead fishing and I find it very rewarding. This big water of the Catt lends itself well to a variety of fishing methods that don't work as well on the other Erie Tribs. It is a great place to use the Spey Rod or the Center-pinn float rod. Both of these methods can be very effective when applied on the Catt.

Myself and my staff of guides have met the very strict requirements are fully licensed by the state of New York as fishing guides. We can fish any section of the river and its tributaries. Being licensed guides we can fish any of the waters in NY state. Many of the guides who fish the Catt are not licensed guides.

We book trips to the Catt in the productive fall months of Oct. and November only. We feel we can offer clients the best trip possible to the Catt. Often our trips start with a exciting ride in our 4WD trucks to the riverbanks. Once at the river we can hike for literally miles in either direction. After a morning workout with the steelies we retreat back to the truck where a cooler of cold beverages and a comfortable lawn chair await. I'll set up the fish cooker mere feet from the river and cook up a tasty meal of fried Lake Erie perch and Walleye. After lunch out comes one of the famous Amish cooked pies that have made me so famous! Laughing! It is a great setting to shore up a business deal or just to renew ties with old friends. We have done several very successful corporate trips to the Catt. My staff of licensed guides can handle any number of anglers from two-twelve. I recommend a two day trip for those who can get away.

Lets go fishin!! Don