The uppermost section of Conewango Creek begins along Leon Road upstream of the hamlet of New Albion and eventually empties into the southeast end of New Albion Lake, an impoundment created in 1982 as part of a flood-control project.

The uppermost section of Conewango Creek along Leon Road averages perhaps 6 feet across, flows over rubble and bedrock, and has cold, high-quality water. In 2018, biologists from the DEC performed a trout population survey on this section of the stream and were surprised by what they found. Though rather small, the stream produced many wild young-of-the-year brown trout, and several adults were captured in the waterfall pools along the road. The last time I checked, this section of the stream was heavily posted, but a landowner I spoke with said permission to fish will often be given if you ask.

The approximately 1.4-mile-long section of the Conewango from the first crossing of Mosher Hollow Road downstream to New Albion Lake is a small stream ranging from 6 to 10 feet wide. Most of this section has a bottom consisting of cobble and gravel, with increasing amounts of silt and clay as you approach the lake, and the water quality is quite good. The stream meanders through a mostly wooded area, and the tree canopy shades the water and helps to keep it cool, cool enough to support wild brown trout and wild brook trout even in the summer. The upstream half of this section is on private property, but asking for permission to fish here might be well worth the effort if you're looking for wild trout in a very rustic setting. 

Before the Conewango reaches New Albion Lake it enters property owned by the DEC. This nearly half-mile-long section of the stream can be accessed, with some difficulty, from the DEC parking area located along Mosher Hollow Road. (The map pin is located on this parking area.) It's likely that at least a few wild brown trout can be found in this section year-round, and the DEC has in told me that, in the summer, some browns from New Albion Lake might be drawn into the stream, enticed by the stream's cooler water temperatures (low to mid 60s). This can be a very difficult section to fish due to the dense vegetation and swampy surroundings, but it's certainly worth investigating. Be aware that ticks are very common in this area. 

Immediately upstream of New Albion Lake, Conewango Creek flows through a wetland that has numerous snags, which are large, dead or dying trees. Snags are essential resources for many species of wildlife, including mammals, insects, and birds, which use snags for food, shelter, perching, and nesting. For an interesting article on snags from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, see Links. And be sure to click on the pdf at the end of the article. 

For information on specific sections of Conewango Creek, see links below. 

Conewango Creek - Introduction

Conewango Creek (New Albion Lake to the State Drainage Ditch)

Conewango Creek (State Drainage Ditch Section)

Conewango Creek (Bypassed Section)

Conewango Creek (Drainage Ditch to the State Line)

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A link to an associated resource (New Albion Lake) will be added soon.