Irondequoit Creek

Stewardship and Conservation Initiatives

A group of advocates has formed to champion management and conservation efforts on the creek. If you want to join, please follow the links for more information.

Working group signup form (to share your interests)
Mailing list/google group we’ll use to communicate (link) (gives you control of how you receive the info)
Monroe County EMC Presentation link (PDF document with links; download/share!)
- Please note that the presentation was created and delivered before the trout survey below was available for review.
- A subset of the presentation shared with the NYS council of TU on December 7, 2024, is here
Irondequoit Creek Trout Survey (2024, Survey #: 824011)

Characteristics

Irondequoit (Wikipedia link) flows through a heavily developed area, which can lead to rapid fluctuations in flow due to runoff from precipitation or snow melting (paved surfaces, lawns, stormwater management practices).

It is described as a freestone stream with spring and groundwater influences.

The creek has a few named tributaries, the most significant of which is Allen Creek, which flows through Brighton and Penfield and forms a confluence in Panorama Valley Park.

Fishery

Managed as a tributary (see DEC regulations on seasonal tributary rules), the creek is also home to a year-round trout population similar to some inland streams. Wild and stocked trout are present throughout the creek.

Seth Green TU is not involved in stocking (our mission involves working towards self-sustaining fisheries where possible through habitat preservation and restoration). For those interested, actual stocking levels can be found on the DEC website through a database query like this. Additional information from NYSDEC can be found here. The state directly stocks some locations on the creek (about half of the brown trout stocking through 2025*), and the other half is stocked through the hatchery at Powder Mills in Powder Mills Park. The quantity of fish stocked at Powder Mills Park is not accounted for in the state stocking databases.

*NYSDEC has indicated that to align the management of Irondequoit Creek with other Lake Ontario Tributaries, the stocking of brown trout by the state will end after the spring of 2025.

From a temperature perspective, most of its length is survivable for trout year-round. Anglers are encouraged to heed the standard cautions about catch-and-release fishing when the temperature approaches the high 60s Fahrenheit. The USGS gage in Ellison Park (lower reaches of the creek), linked below, shows the temperature observed there and can help understand the temperature variation over the day (as well as compare to historical data). Many studies on temperature-related stresses for trout consider the relative time spent at elevated temperature (# hours over a threshold over a long period, # of days of an average temperature above a threshold in a week or month, or similar). Thermometers are a highly recommended piece of gear for verifying conditions, and anglers are encouraged to use this information when enjoying the resource.

Access

Most access to the creek is through parks and town-owned lands. A small PFR easement exists in East Rochester. For more details see this link and other DEC mapping resources. The Hunt Fish NY smartphone app “TackleBox” feature is excellent.

Fish Species

The creek’s connection to Lake Ontario through Irondequoit Bay and discharges from the Erie Canal explain the variety of species in the creek. An incomplete list: Brown and Rainbow trout, King, Coho, Atlantic salmon, Largemouth, Smallmouth, Rock bass, Bluegill, various sunfish species, crappie, and Yellow Perch. Minnows/baitfish: Creek Chubs, shiners, shad, Sucker species, Carpsucker/quillback. Gobies, darters, Carp, Northern Pike.

Bug life / Forage base

Mayflies are not prolific on the creek but are regularly seen. Fishable hatches of small olive-type mayflies are occasionally encountered. The larger, more well-known varieties are spotted periodically (Examples: March Brown, Sulphur, Hendrickson).

Craneflies and Caddisflies can be prolific, and experiencing a hatch/egglaying event can be exciting.

Midges are always significant subsurface and can make for challenging fishing on the surface in the cooler months.

Scuds, crayfish, and small baitfish are also essential items on the menu.

Fish eggs are important forage in the fall and spring. All salmonid eggs and some sucker/minnow eggs are significant.

Other wildlife present

Herons, Osprey, Beavers, Mink, ducks, foxes, and deer are all common to see around the creek. Snapping turtles, northern water snakes, garter snakes, many birds, and terrestrial insects are all part of the landscape.