Canaseraga Creek begins in the hills of southern Livingston County and follows a circuitous route south, east, and then north. It is the largest tributary of the Genesee River, which it joins 3 miles northeast of Mount Morris. The stream's name is of Seneca origin and was recorded in early records as Ganusgago, Kanuskago, and Caniskrauga. Translations of the name include both "among the milkweeds" and "slippery elms."

The upper section of Canaseraga Creek extends from the headwaters down to the crossing at Route 436, just west of Dansville. A half-mile-long section of the upper end of the creek flows through the west side of the Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area (WMA). This section of the stream is about 10 feet wide and has a bottom of gravel, rubble, and silt. Flowing through woodlands, it supports a small population of wild brown trout, and some wild browns might be found perhaps as far downstream as the crossing at Route 70. 

Canaseraga Creek increases substantially in size by the time it flows southwest under Route 70. The stream then abruptly turns to the southeast and parallels a railroad grade and Route 70. The stream begins to warm after it passes under Route 70 because it then flows through a marshy, mostly treeless area and has little streamside vegetation to protect it from the sun. There are few, if any, wild brown trout in this section of the stream, and most of this area would be tough to fish due to the waterlogged terrain. All of this section of the stream is on private property. 

About 2 miles after crossing under Route 70, Canaseraga Creek flows into a shallow, marshy area referred to in the literature as Klossner's Pond or Swain Swamp. Klossner's Pond extends for about 1.4 miles along the railroad tracks and Route 70 and encompasses quite a large area. The size of this area can be appreciated by visiting the DEC overlook located along Route 70 (see Access). This is an excellent location for spotting water-dependent species of birds such as Bald eagles, Green and Great blue herons, and Great egrets (see Birding below). 

A small portion of the northern end of Klossner's Pond is managed by the state as part of the Rattlesnake Hill WMA; this is clearly shown on the DEC's map of the wildlife management area, but it is not shown on the Google map of the area. Fishing and paddling are allowed on this section of the pond, but the remainder of the pond is entirely on private property.

In the spring, Klossner's Pond is almost entirely open water, making it possible to fish for largemouth bass, bullhead, and various panfish, and northern pike might be found in some of the deeper holes. Except for the small area that is part of the Rattlesnake Hill WMA, boats are not allowed here, and landowner permission must be obtained to fish from shore. However, by early summer much of the area is so choked with aquatic vegetation such as water lilies and pickerelweed that fishing is all but impossible (see photos). 

Canaseraga Creek exits Klossner's Pond about a half mile northwest of the hamlet of Swain. The stocked section of the stream used to begin at the crossing of County Road 24 in Swain and extend 17.9 miles downstream to the crossing of State Route 436 near Dansville, but most of the stocking has been eliminated due to a lack of public access to the stream. Only two short sections are currently stocked: the crossing at County Road 24 (road access stocked) and the section from Faulkner Road near the county line upstream to 0.9 miles upstream of Freiner Hill Road. (The map pin is located at the crossing of Faulkner Road.) 

Most of the 5-mile-long section of Canaseraga Creek from County Road 24 downstream to the Livingston County line flows through a largely wooded corridor with substantial streamside vegetation, with the remainder flowing through scrub-shrub habitat. This section of the stream ranges from 15 to 30 feet in width and has a bottom of gravel and rubble. Much of this section flows along the base of low hills to the south. Consequently, rapid runoff causes the stream to be high and muddy after a heavy rain, and the stream banks are subject to considerable erosion. Regardless, this portion of the stream provides suitable springtime habitat for stocked brown trout and rainbow trout. The only fishable tributaries of this section of Canaseraga Creek are Hovey Gully and Ewart Creek, small streams that hold small populations of wild brook trout. These streams enter Canaseraga Creek above and below the crossing of Route 24 near the Swain Resort. 

From the village of Canaseraga, the stream flows east and then swings generally northward and drops into a scenic gorge. The gorge section of Canaseraga Creek is very circuitous, has some sizeable holes (evident on Google Maps using the satellite setting), and flows over several large waterfalls (see photos). Much of the gorge section of the stream is paralleled at a distance by Poags Hole Road (the north and south sections of the road are no longer connected), and the road crosses the stream in several locations. There is no formal public access to this section Canaseraga Creek, and few landowners seem willing to allow fishing on their property, which is why this section is no longer stocked with trout. Because of the paucity of roadside access and landowner permission, perhaps the best way to access the stream in this area would be via Sun Valley Campsites or Sugar Creek Glen Campground. Both properties require checking in at the office, and at least one, Sugar Creek Glen Campground, imposes a fee to be on their property if you are not a registered camper. The fee is reasonable, about $8.00, and it provides you access to both Canaseraga Creek and its only significant tributary, Sugar Creek.   

The gorge section of Canaseraga Creek is generally poor trout habitat, and few of the trout stocked in this section survived beyond late June. However, some of the stocked fish survived for a year or more if they were fortunate enough to find refuge in spring-fed pools, especially if the pools are found downstream of one of Canaseraga's large waterfalls. The springs provide cool water, and the waterfalls pump oxygen into the water, making the trout more tolerant of warmer temperatures. The number of trout that survived in this stream beyond late June was very low, but some of these fish grew to be quite large, as they were few in number and, if not restricted to a single pool, had access to a large forage base of sculpins, darters, dace, and small suckers (see photos).   

Canaseraga Creek enters Steuben County for a short stretch about a mile downstream of the junction with Sugar Creek. This section of the stream averages 35 to 40 feet in width in the summer, has a bottom of gravel and rubble, and is sufficiently open to allow for fly fishing. The one problem with this section of Canaseraga Creek is its tendency to flood, especially in the spring (see USGS Stream Gage under Links). This section is no longer stocked, but it may still support a small population of wild brown trout.

The remainder of the upper section of Canaseraga Creek extends from the Steuben County line to the crossing at Route 436 near Dansville, a distance of about 2.5 miles. Access to this section of the stream is available at two crossings of Poags Hole Road, along Frontage Park in Dansville, and at the crossing at Route 436. The only significant tributary to this section of Canaseraga Creek is Mill Creek, which flows into Canaseraga Creek in Dansville immediately upstream of Frontage Park. Though trout are no longer stocked in this section of the stream, its deeper pools might provide the opportunity to catch smallmouth bass and northern pike.

Birding

As with most larger streams, Canaseraga Creek provides opportunities for birding. Over 90 species of birds have been identified from the DEC's observation deck off Route 70 that overlooks Klossner's Pond (see eBird under Links), including Bald eagles, Great blue herons, Great egrets, and Tundra swans. Although an eBird report hasn't been posted for the more remote stretches of this diverse creek, it's safe to say that patience and quiet hiking will result in some interesting identifications. Be sure to bring along a camera and pair of binoculars!

Note: The DEC has eliminated much of the trout stocking of Canaseraga Creek in recent years, but I've chosen to retain information on the entire stream from the headwaters near Newville Road down to the crossing of Route 436 in Dansville because this is such an interesting stream. In addition to the fishing discussed above, this beautiful stream also provides abundant opportunities for hiking/creek walking, birding, and nature photography.

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Information on associated resources (Genesee River - Introduction, Canaseraga Creek - Lower Section, and Mill Creek) will be added soon.