18 Mile Creek Steelhead Fishing: Lake Erie NY
18 Mile Creek steelhead fishing is right up there with the other significant Lake Erie tributaries, and it is one of my favourite Lake Erie creeks to fish. My first experience here was a good one – multiple early-spring steelhead caught on a white Woolly Bugger in gin-clear water.
Since then I have fished it for over 20 years, and I have learned the key areas and the flies and baits that keep producing steelhead on Eighteen Mile Creek. In this guide I will share where to access it, when to go, the New York rules that apply, and the tips and tactics that catch more fish.
The Two Eighteen Mile Creeks
First, an important note: do not confuse this creek with the other Eighteen Mile Creek of the same name that flows into Lake Ontario at Olcott Harbor, just west of the Rochester steelhead rivers. This guide is strictly about the Erie County creek near Hamburg, Derby, and North Evans that runs into Lake Erie – a different stream with different rules.
About 18 Mile Creek Steelhead Fishing
Eighteen Mile Creek near Hamburg is a meandering stream with spring-fed headwater tributaries and two forks – the North Branch and the South Branch – that both hold steelhead. It is the second-largest tributary of Lake Erie in New York State, and the steelhead fishing can be very good if you know where, when, and how to fish it.
The creek draws anglers from all over the state in the colder months when the steelhead arrive in numbers, and it is close enough to be one of the streams in my guide to the best steelhead rivers near Buffalo. From mid-October into early May it supports an impressive run. The South Branch runs through mostly undeveloped gorge, and combined the two branches give you roughly 13 miles of steelhead water. The state has designated the creek a significant coastal fish and wildlife habitat, with special catch-and-release sections covered below.
What To Expect When Fishing 18 Mile Creek
Along with steelhead you can run into brown trout, rock bass, smallmouth bass, sucker, catfish, and carp, most of them in the lower creek near the mouth – but steelhead are what most of us come for. The creek has a shale and rocky bottom and the trails can be slippery, so watch for ledges that drop into deep water when you are wading, especially in coloured water. Most sections are walkable once you know where the public access is.
Access For Fishing On 18 Mile Creek
Access is the single most important thing to get right on this creek. Most of the bank is a mix of public land, Public Fishing Rights (PFR) sections, and private property, and the DEC specifically warns anglers to make sure they are in the right spot with legal access. Stay on public land or marked PFR, obey posted signs, and get landowner permission anywhere access is not clearly public. Do not cut through private yards to reach the water. The DEC access map is worth pulling up before you go.
- Eighteen Mile Creek County Park (main parking off South Creek Road): the best confirmed public section. The DEC has more than 2.5 miles of the main stream and the South Branch open to the public here. Note the special rule: the main branch inside the park is catch-and-release, artificial lures only, but the South Branch is excluded from that catch-and-release rule. There are also about five miles of hiking trails in the park to reach more water.
- South Creek Road / County Park gorge: good steelhead water, but Erie County notes the access is difficult and the parking is limited. Expect a steep gorge and poor signage – come prepared and, again, do not access through private yards.
- Lower creek near Route 5 / Lake Shore Road: the DEC map shows angler parking near the lower creek and mouth. This lower section is better early in the run and after fresh fish push in from Lake Erie, and it also has spring and summer smallmouth. There is a designated parking area at the Lake Shore Road bridge.
- North Evans / South Creek Road PFR: the DEC map marks Public Fishing Rights parking and sections near North Evans and South Creek Road. Stay on the marked PFR or public land only.
- South Branch: public water inside the County Park plus mapped PFR. Steelhead use the South Branch, and remember the main-branch artificial-only catch-and-release rule does not apply here.
- Upper barrier (falls): the DEC map marks a falls a few miles above the County Park that is impassable to steelhead. That is the effective upstream limit – there are no migratory steelhead above it, and the headwaters area is a nature preserve that is off-limits.
When Is The Best Time To Fish Steelhead On 18 Mile Creek?
The DEC reports steelhead in Eighteen Mile Creek from mid-October into early May. There are no steelhead in summer, when anglers switch to smallmouth and other warm-water species near the mouth. Here is how the run breaks down.
| Time | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Mid-October | First real push of steelhead, best after rain and higher flows |
| November to December | Prime fall and early-winter fishing |
| January to February | Good whenever the flows are open and fishable |
| March to April | Strong spring fishing with spawning movement |
| Early May | Some fish remain, but the run is fading |
The key on this creek at any time is to watch the water level. One to three days after a significant rain, hundreds or even thousands of steelhead push in – but the creek may be too dirty to fish right then. As the water drops and clears is when I hit it for the best fishing. In clear conditions, focus on the larger, deeper pools, runs, tailouts, and soft seams where steelhead hold and wait; after a rain, fresh fish will also move through shallower riffles and runs.
The Best Methods For Steelhead On 18 Mile Creek
With its ideal flows and plenty of runs, the productive methods here are float fishing, fly fishing, bottom bouncing, plunking, and lures.
Float Fishing
Float fishing is effective anywhere the water is between about three and thirteen feet, and it may be the most popular method, especially in the bigger pools.
Fly Fishing
Fly fishing is best in water two to eight feet deep. Nymphing with indicators is the most common approach, but I do extremely well in shallower runs and pocket water when Euro nymphing. Some sections fish well stripping streamers, and a few pools are suited to swinging a fly.
Bottom Bouncing
Anglers who fish the shallower areas and pocket water often prefer the old-school method of bottom bouncing.
Plunking
Plunking is a still-fishing method used mostly in the lower creek, at the mouth, and for casting out into Lake Erie. A heavy weight anchors your bait near the bottom, usually with a floating bait above it.
Lure Fishing
Lure fishing is effective and exciting, with more hard hits. Anglers do well casting the slow water at the mouth and throwing Little Cleo spoons out into Lake Erie, and up the creek I cast lures in the deeper pools when they are not crowded. Four of my best here:
- Spinners: Blue Fox Vibrax are my go-to, but Mepps and Panther Martin also produce.
- Kwikfish: great when the steelhead want a slower presentation, and a winter favourite.
- Spoons: my secret weapon – plenty of anglers throw them at the mouth, but I do very well with spoons in the upper creek, especially the larger pools.
- Crankbaits: excellent whether you fish the slow water at the mouth or the pools and runs upstream.
See my page on lure fishing for steelhead for my retrieve tips and unique lure methods.
Best Baits For 18 Mile Creek Steelhead
I have a full article on the best baits for NY steelhead, but here are the ones I rely on most:
- Spawn sacs: the most common bait.
- Beads: a great salmon-egg imitation – see bead fishing for steelhead.
- Worms: live and plastic steelhead worms are often my single most effective bait.
- Artificial flies: Woolly Buggers, egg-sucking leeches, stonefly nymphs, pheasant tails, and egg patterns all take fish.
Rules And Regulations To Know
New York requires a valid fishing license for everyone 16 and older, resident or not. Beyond that, a few Lake Erie tributary rules matter on this creek. This is a summary only – always verify the current rules with the NYSDEC before you fish, because they change and vary by section.
- Size and limits: for Lake Erie tributaries, brown trout, rainbow trout / steelhead, coho, and Chinook are open all year, with a 12-inch minimum size and a daily limit of 3 fish in combination.
- Seasonal hours (Sept. 1 to Mar. 31): from the bridge closest to the mouth upstream to the first impassable barrier, fishing is allowed only from one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset. Night fishing is prohibited in that stretch during those months.
- County Park special rule: the main branch inside Eighteen Mile Creek County Park is catch-and-release, artificial lures only. The South Branch is excluded from that rule.
- Access: stay on public land or marked Public Fishing Rights, obey posted signs, and get landowner permission where access is not clearly public.
You can confirm the current New York Lake Erie tributary regulations before heading out.
18 Mile Creek Steelhead FAQ
Where can you access 18 Mile Creek for steelhead?
The best confirmed public access is Eighteen Mile Creek County Park (parking off South Creek Road), which has over 2.5 miles of the main stream and South Branch open. Other spots are the South Creek Road gorge, the lower creek near Route 5 and Lake Shore Road, and marked Public Fishing Rights near North Evans. Always confirm you are on public land or PFR.
When is the best time to fish 18 Mile Creek?
Steelhead are in the creek from mid-October into early May. The first push comes in mid-October after rain, November and December are prime, and March into April is strong with spawning movement. Fish it as the water drops and clears after a rain.
Is this the Lake Erie or the Lake Ontario Eighteen Mile Creek?
This guide is the Lake Erie creek in Erie County near Hamburg, Derby, and North Evans. There is a separate Eighteen Mile Creek that flows into Lake Ontario at Olcott Harbor – a different stream with different rules.
What are the fishing hours and limits on 18 Mile Creek?
For Lake Erie tributaries the limit is a 12-inch minimum and 3 fish per day in combination. From September 1 to March 31, from the bridge nearest the mouth up to the first impassable barrier, you may only fish from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset – night fishing is prohibited. Verify current rules with NYSDEC.
Tight Lines,
Graham
