February 2026 Reports
Flows in the Oak and area tribs are on the drop, thanks to a return to some cold temps with below-freezing temps. Temps should stay cold through the midweek period and then warm up slightly to around 40 F by the end of the week. There was no impact here for the WNY area from the previous beginning of the week Nor’easter, and the latest snow accumulations for the area have been 1 – 2 inches. For now, there remains in the fields and protected woods areas +/- 1 foot of windblown snow that will make for more run-off with future warming temps.
Flows in the Oak are slightly high and stained with about 2 ft of visibility. Flows consist of a strong head of turbine water and overflow levels are diminished. It looks like overflow levels came up and down from the last melt-off period for about 2 days, so steelhead migrations into the overflow channel may be minimal. There’s a good head of cold water flowing through the whole stream course, with still some downstream frog water area bank ice. Lower river estuary areas are iced over.
Fishing pressure is pretty light, and recent intel is spotty on reports of angler success. Conditions are good for fresh steelhead migrations. The higher, stained flows can make for harder drifts and hook-ups aren’t going to come easily. That can be the nature of late winter/spring steelhead fishing, though!
The other area smaller waterways are mostly open in their upstream fast water areas with high and stained flows. If not for downstream ice jammed areas holding back some flow, those waterways could spill quicker and drop, recede and clear up. Look for those waterways to continue to drop slowly for now, but could be back on the rise toward the end of week and weekend with warmer temps. The up and down temps for now have not opened up completely the smaller waterways – a more prolonged warm-up with high flows will be needed. At least there should be no new significant icing thanks to the lengthening days and low chance of prolonged cold.
The area is in the midst of a slow to medium warm-up through this week that is forecast to last until about the upcoming weekend. Temps are going into the 40’s for daytime highs and dropping back to the 30’s F at night. There is a chance for rain or freezing rain for the mid-week and more precipitation for the end of the week. Total precipitation over both events may reach 0.50 – 1.00 inch accumulation. Temps after this warm-up may go back to around freezing for the highs.
Flow conditions will be changing as a result of the forecast, especially toward the end of the week. So far as of today, there is not a lot of flow change evidenced because of the slow melt off. The smallest and smaller waterways are still mostly iced up. The area-wide snowpack has settled down to about 1 ft +/- of heavy wet snow. Depending upon how much melting there is and future precipitation that is received look for all the waterways to be on the rise and opening up some. It's unknown at this time if the significant amount of ice that has built up in the waterways will completely clear out, especially in the lower reaches and estuary areas. There is a chance for some ice jam flooding.
Today flows in the Oak are still low and clear. A good portion of the bank-side ice has gone away, and that trend should continue. Downstream flat water areas are likewise opening up and there is a channel of fishable water. Look for rising flows, changing water color, more ice moving out and the chance for overflow levels on the rise.
Anglers are still into the decent steelhead action like at the dam as they have been these past few weeks. As more downstream areas may fill in with higher flows, look for tasty drift opportunities through the rest of the rivercourse and fresh fish chances. The other area, smaller waterways, will need some time to open up enough to encourage fresh fish migrations and to open up the driftable spots. Look for good late winter and springtime fresh steelhead action ahead. Stay tuned to see what the waterways look like after a few more days of this warm-up!
We are headed for a slight warm-up for this mid-week period with temps near 30 F. Chance of above freezing temps for highs today. There’s been some snow showers in the area and chance of more snow showers for this week. Accumulations now for the area are 2 – 3 ft +/- of windblown snow. The weekend ahead long-range forecast is calling for warmer temps, possibly near 40 F.
Flows in the Oak are real low and clear. There remains a small open water channel down through about the Archers Club area, but there is a lot of bank ice. There are a few anglers each day working the water, mainly at the dam, hooking up on what's probably the resident recycled steelhead there. There is some icing there, too, that pushes the flowing water farther from the bankside area and so landing any fish can be tougher.
Downstream flat water areas are frozen over, with ice anglers set up on the lower river areas and inland lakes and Lake Ontario embayments. The other area smaller waterways are low and clear and frozen and locked up. The chance of fresh fish migrations under these low and mostly locked-up water conditions are not good until flows may begin to go higher and start to open things up.
It may take a significant warm-up over more than a couple of days' time with some snow melt and/or precipitation to get water flows rolling again. Lake Erie is nearly all iced over, and even Lake Ontario is around 40% iced over. Stay tuned for upcoming steelhead action spread out through all the waterways when the weather begins to break toward something warmer. It should be good! And we may be looking at action in the Oak or other smaller waterways well into Apr or May.
Winter weather is hanging in with cold temps and snow showers off and on. On the ground, there is 2 +/- ft of windblown snow. There is a chance for 1 – 3 inches of snow from an area-wide system for the end of the week.
The LES machine off Lake Erie is reduced now that ice cover predominates. Shifting ice, cracks, or winds could change that formula at times and again toward spring warm-up when open water returns. Depending upon winds or weather patterns, WNY can still see some LES from the upper Lakes or Lake Ontario.
Temps are forecast in the 20’s F for this week, and then the forecast is for another cool down for the weekend with highs in the single digits.
Flows in the Oak are low and clear. There is still open, but skinny moving water down through about the Archers Club with some bank ice. Flows at the dam are open and there could be some frozen foam right there at the turbine tunnels. A few anglers are scoring steelhead hook-ups at the dam each day on mostly small and light and bait presentations. Flows may continue to drop back and/or close in with ice or bank ice with more cold weather. Downstream flat water areas are frozen over and the other area, smaller waterways are low and clear and frozen. Access at the dam is good with the parking lot plowed out. Anglers looking to hit any of the downstream moving skinny water may be busting a trail through some snow if no one has been ahead already.
Ice anglers are out on area inland waters like Lake Alice or the big Lake embayments, or lower trib areas. Tip-up anglers typically pursue pike or even trout. Be aware of the special seasonal tributary regs that may or may not apply for the waters you set up on. Jigging anglers are usually after panfish or perch and can be surprised by large browns or steelhead grabbing tiny jigs or bait. Now that’s a battle on a light jigging rod! Use caution and all safety considerations for venturing out on safe ice. Heavy snow cover on top of ice can lead to soft, slushy, or thin ice underneath.
