Rochester Fishing Reports

The Next Generation of Anglers is Here. 🎣 Took the students from The Harley School out to the Avon DEC Pond and watched something special happen. Kids who had never held a rod were casting, catching, and lighting up with every bite. There's nothing quite like seeing a young angler land their first fish — pure, unfiltered joy. This is what outdoor education looks like in action. Real skills. Real confidence. Real memories. Want to bring this experience to your school or youth group? Let's connect — reach out today at WayFoundOutdoors.com and let's build something meaningful for your students.

Headed out solo yesterday on a small Lake Ontario tributary and made it work. Water was running high but one steelhead found its way to the net. Solo days on the water have a different kind of energy — just you, the creek, and the grind. No excuses, no distractions. You read the water, trust your instincts, and stay in it until the fish shows up. Spring steelhead season in Western New York is winding down. These fish won't be in the tribs much longer and every day on the water right now counts. 👇 DM us or hit the link below to book your guided trip before the season is gone. 📍 Western New York | Creek & Tributary Fishing 🎣 Half Day $357 | Full Day $457 🐟 Max 2 guests — personal, hands-on experience from start to finish

Friday at 18 Mile Creek was not easy. High water, murky conditions, and a creek that had no interest in making things simple. But that's steelhead fishing in Western New York — sometimes the river deals you a bad hand and you figure it out anyway. Headed out with Chris Carey and we ground it out all day. One steelhead landed and honestly in those conditions, we'll take it. There's something about earning a fish in tough water that hits different than an easy day. You read the water, adjust your presentation, stay patient, and trust the process. That's what WayFound Outdoors is built on. The steelhead are still moving through Western New York tributaries and the season won't last much longer. Don't let it slip by. 👇 DM us or hit the link below to book your guided trip before the run is over. 📍 Western New York | Creek & Tributary Fishing 🎣 Half Day $357 | Full Day $457 🐟 Max 2 guests — personal and hands-on from start to finish

We put 2 steelhead in the net at Round Pond Creek and the water is looking GOOD. Clear conditions, wax worms doing the work, and the fish are active. Spring tributary season in Western New York doesn't last forever — these windows open and close fast. If you've been thinking about getting out on the water, stop thinking and start booking. WayFound Outdoors has guided trip dates available right now and we want to put you on fish just like these. 👇 Book your trip below or DM us to lock in your date before it's gone. 📍 Rochester, NY | Creek & Tributary Fishing 🎣 Half Day $357 | Full Day $457 🐟 Max 2 guests — personal, hands-on experience guaranteed

Early March delivered a solid outing at LaSalle's Landing Park in Rochester, NY. Water was running clear and the brown trout were cooperating — steady bites throughout the day with 1 to 5 fish landed. Clear water conditions meant dialing in the presentation was key, but when we got it right the fish responded. LaSalle's Landing continues to be a reliable late-winter spot for brown trout as water temps begin to creep up heading into spring. If you've been waiting for the right time to get out — that time is now. Book your guided trip with WayFound Outdoors and let's get you on the water.

I'll be honest with you. The fish weren't biting the way I wanted them to on Saturday. We drilled the holes, dropped the lines, and waited — and for the most part, Braddock Bay kept its fish to itself. If you came out expecting a cooler full of perch, I owe you an apology. But here's the thing. By the time we were packing up and heading back across the ice, not a single family was talking about the fish. What Actually Happened Out There We had families show up at 8 in the morning — in the cold, in the dark almost, on a frozen lake — and something shifted the moment we walked out together. I've seen it before, but it never gets old. People put their phones away. Kids stopped fidgeting. Parents stopped rushing. I watched one kid — couldn't have been more than 10 years old — just sit next to his dad for almost 20 minutes. No talking. No complaints about being cold. Just sitting there, shoulder to shoulder, staring at a hole in the ice waiting for something to happen. That's rare. That's actually really rare. I watched families that barely knew each other an hour earlier start talking — really talking — around the conversation starter cards we handed out. You could almost see the walls come down in real time. One parent told me afterward it was the first time in months they'd had a conversation with their kid that didn't start with "put your phone away." And at the end of the day, when it was time to pack up and head in — the kids didn't want to leave. Let me say that again. It was cold. There weren't many fish. And the kids didn't want to leave. That's when I knew we had something. Why I Started This WayFound Outdoors exists because I believe the outdoors does something to people that nothing else can replicate. It slows you down. It puts you in the present. It strips away everything that doesn't matter and leaves you with the people right in front of you. Casting Connections is built on that idea. Yes, we fish. Yes, we teach you how to drill a hole and bait a hook and identify what you caught. But the fishing is just the excuse to get families somewhere they can actually hear each other. The conversation starter cards, the Legacy Cast activity, the fireside lunch — all of it is designed around one goal: that a kid gets in the car at the end of the day and thinks I never knew that about my dad. I never knew that about my mom. That's the catch we're after. What's Next Casting Connections isn't stopping at Braddock Bay. We're taking this to Pulaski, NY for Fire & Flow — steelhead season on the Salmon River, a fire, food, and the same mission that made Saturday special. If you've never seen a steelhead fight, you're in for something completely different from perch fishing on a frozen bay. These fish run hard. If Saturday resonated with you — or if you've been looking for something like this for your family — this is your next step. 👉 Get the details and reserve your spot for Fire & Flow Spots are limited. Families who were on the ice Saturday get first look. One Ask If you were there on Saturday and it meant something to you — would you leave us a Google review? It takes 60 seconds and it's the single biggest way to help WayFound Outdoors reach more families who need exactly what we're building. 👉 Leave a review here And if you want to help us make the next event even better, fill out our quick feedback survey. Good feedback, critical feedback — we want all of it. 👉 Take the 3-minute survey To every family that showed up Saturday — thank you. You didn't just attend an event. You were part of the first one. And I don't think any of us will forget it. The fish will bite next time. But honestly? Even if they don't — I think we'll be just fine.

Some trips are about the fish. Some trips are about something more. This one was both. On Friday, February 20th, I headed out to Oak Orchard Dam in Orleans County, New York with my father for a late-season steelhead and brown trout outing. Water levels were running high and slightly stained — typical for late February on Oak Orchard after snowmelt — but we came prepared and ready to work for it. We ran spawn sacs and jigs through the slower seam edges, letting the drift do the talking. The high water pushed fish tight to the softer current breaks, and patience paid off. We landed 2 brown trout on spawn sacs and kept grinding through the afternoon chasing steelhead. The bite was slow, but slow days on the water with good company still beat most other days anywhere else. Oak Orchard Dam is one of Western New York's most productive steelhead fisheries, drawing anglers from across the region every fall and winter. With Lake Ontario tributaries running strong and fish staging through February and into March, the window right now is wide open for anyone willing to put in the time and read the water. At WayFound Outdoors, we guide creek and tributary fishing trips throughout the Rochester and Western New York area. Whether you're chasing steelhead at Oak Orchard, brown trout in local creek systems, or just looking to get outside and learn the craft — we're here for it. Book your guided trip at wayfoundoutdoors.com and get on the water before the season closes out.

Thanksgiving weekend delivered one of those days you don't forget. November 28th at Burt Dam was absolutely on fire — we landed over 40 fish ranging from 20 to 40 inches, and the action was relentless from start to finish. The kind of day where your arms are tired before lunch and you're still grinning ear to ear. The fish were fired up, aggressive, and hungry. Every drift felt like a chance and more often than not, it paid off. We were locked in — reading the water, dialing in the presentation, and putting clients on fish consistently throughout the day. When the bite is that good, everything just clicks. 40+ fish. 20 to 40 inches. Thanksgiving Day at Burt Dam. That's what WayFound Outdoors is about — getting you on the water when it matters most and making sure you're ready when the fish show up. Days like this don't come around all the time, but when they do, you want to be there.