Where is steelhead alley? Steelhead alley consists of a number of tributaries that flow into Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. It covers the shorelines of the Great Lakes in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

It is a real hot spot for steelhead, especially in the spring and fall. When the main run of fish come out of the lake. The tributaries are very susceptible to water level variations. Which makes catching the silver beast all the more of a challenge. But that is were the fun comes in isn’t it? Ask any sport fisherman, they will tell you steelhead are probably one of the most popular sport fish in the world. And steelhead alley provides probably the best place on the planet to find them, not because they aren’t in other areas but because of the sheer numbers of them.

On a good day in the alley anglers have caught 20 – 30 fish. Other days aren’t as productive with only 5 or 6 being caught. The fall appears to be better than the spring. Water levels affect the clarity of the water as well as the temp of the water, thus affecting the quality of the fishing. When the waters are running low and clear a smaller fly and lighter line seem to be better. But a lighter line may require a longer pole, allowing for more flex, because as any one will tell you they are fighters.

Right in the heart of steelhead alley are probably 2 of the most popular tributaries, Elk Creek and Walnut Creek, in NW PA. In Ohio you have the Chagrin and in NY there is the Cattaraugus. But Elk and Walnut seem to be the most sought after.

Commonly referred to as the "Catt," Cattaraugus creek is located south of Buffalo NY; it has gained immense popularity in recent years as a premier fly-fishing destination in western New York. Most steelhead is stocked by the New York Department of Conservation; however, there are documented cases that up to 25% of wild steelhead are reproducing in the Cattaraugus tributary systems.

The Chagrin River is located in northeastern Ohio. It is the only scenic river where the majority of its length is located within corporation limits. It borders the Cleveland metropolitan area, yet has retained its scenic characteristics. The river probably was named for the Indian word for clear water—shagarin. The Chagrin is one of few streams in Ohio known to support the American Brook Lamprey, a nonparasitic lamprey species. Additionally, the designation extension protects Spring Brook, a tributary of Bass Lake, which has continually held a population of the Ohio brook trout since the last ice age. The stream provides the brook trout with a near optimal habitat.

Elk Creek is the largest and most popular of the Erie County tributary streams. It enters Lake Erie about one-half mile west of State Route 18 in Girard Township. Elk starts south of the Town of McKean. It flows under Interstate 79 at the McKean exit (Exit 39), under West Road (State Road 3020) in the Village of Sterrettania, under State Route 98 at Folly's End Campground south of the Town of Fairview, under a scenic covered bridge on Gudgeonville Road (Township Route 400), then northwest through a mostly wooded area passing under Interstate 90, then north under U.S. Route 20 in Girard and under U.S. Route 5 in Lake City and on to Lake Erie.

Elk is stocked with steelhead and brown trout. It is an approved trout water and is heavily fished early in the regular trout season. During the summer and fall, the lower reaches of Elk hold bass, panfish and catfish. Like the other creeks in the watershed, by June most parts of the creek are low and too warm for trout, and the fishing for steelhead and stocked brown trout is over.

During early fall, steelhead may not get beyond the Route 5 bridge. The fish move upstream as the season wears on. By winter, steelhead can usually be found all the way upstream to the McKean exit of Interstate 79.

Walnut Creek is a tributary to Lake Erie located in Northwestern Pennsylvania, west of the town of Erie and east of Fairview. It is a well known steelhead fishery that produces tremendous numbers of fish. There are also small runs of Chinook and Coho Salmon that attract anglers to its banks each year. The creek is approximately 8 miles long and is a little smaller then Elk Creek to its' west.

Walnut's headwaters are found upstream from Route 90. The creek is small here and this section is generally not reached by steelhead unless water flows reach very high levels from run-off. Below Route 90 the creek flows under routes 79, 832, 20, and 5 before reaching the lake. It also flows underneath some other less significant roads along the way. The best fishing is from Route 832 north to the lake. Like all migratory fisheries, Walnut Creek generally fishes best when water levels rise from run-off and begin to recede. The fish will congregate in the mouth of the creek during the early fall in preparation to migrate up the creek.