January 2026 Reports

The weather is somewhat up and down so far for this beginning part of the new year. There’s been some colder days with snow and then following there’s been some warmer days. Long-range forecasts through this month of January are so far pointing to more of the same up-and-down weather.

In the near term, there is a warmup forecast with above-freezing temperatures for the rest of this week that may last into the start of the upcoming weekend. Chance of rain or showers for a couple of days this week, with the possibility of 0.25 – 0.50 inches of rain through tonight and tomorrow. 

Flows in the Oak are somewhere between mod and med and just slightly stained or going on the clear. Look for flows to likely not drop much more in the near term, thanks to the forecast. There is a better chance that flows could be on the rise at some point this week, thanks to rain or warm temps or snowmelt. 

The steelhead action by winter time standards has been good, although the earlier fresher run fish are now prob a little more educated and nosed further upstream nearer the dam. The lowering and clearing flows can make for spookier fish, but generally, the flows have still been high enough for productive drifts in most of the traditional river spots. Jigs and flies and bait like worms, wax worms, and egg sacks have been producing. 

The other area, smaller tribs east and west, have low to mod flows that are mostly iced in or running slushy. After this week's forecasted warmup, we’ll have to wait and see if any of those waterway flows will come up enough to open up better fishable conditions. The nice little bit of recent early Jan steelhead action sure is encouraging for later winter, spring action in the more typical Feb, Mar, Apr timeframe!