Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge

05/09/2026

Stream clean-up day for Oak Orchard on May 21, 2026. Volunteers needed please for litter patrol around the dam and peninsula and parking spots. Spend a couple hours helping out, the more hands the quicker the work. Meet at Waterport dam parking lot 930AM. Contact us to confirm your help, thanks.

04/28/2026

Tue Apr 28...
The past weekend rains didn’t change flows in the Oak much. Flows in the other area smaller tribs did come up some and get stained but for now are on the retreat. Flows in the Oak are about med or just a little more. Flows consist of a good head of turbine water with about 2 ft of viz. Pretty nice flow conditions and the near term forecast looks continued cool. That should keep water temps from spiking and allow for the chance for any last lick steelhead chances. There is the chance for rains this mid week +/- 0.75 inch that could raise flows back up. Bass action should be coming on and if good or higher flows prevail then look for fish to be spread out well upstream. The good brown trout casting action for land lubbers or small craft should likewise hang on as cool weather may hang in and keep nearshore Lake temps cool or when onshore bait movements happen. Steelhead pens were towed out to the rivermouth yesterday and nets were dropped. Salmon nets were dropped at the marina slips. Release seemed to go well and USDA hazing crew was on hand for good cormorant control. Shop is on summer schedule now for reduced operating hours. Please contact us anytime if you need something. Shop regular hours are Fri, Sat and Sun.

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04/25/2026

weekend Sat Apr 25...
Some more rain for the area today, so far whats looking like +/- 0.50 inch. The tribs should somewhat better poised to take on this runoff thanks to a little bit of a drying out period just prior plus springtime vegetation green-up is underway. So instead of another blow out we may be looking at only higher and stained flows. Flows for now in the Oak are med to slightly high with about 2+ feet of viz. Look for flows to hang in about slightly high or high and not drop back. Water color should be 1 – 2 feet of viz upcoming as run of the river stained flows makes its way thru Lake Alice. Thanks to east winds off the Lake and plenty of gloom for now look for still continued cool enough water temps in the Oak for some steelhead action. Pretty late already in the season for most fresh steelhead action but there is the chance for smaller fresh jacks, all the drop backs from the previous season and some big Lake run bass. Flows all around will be on the rise somewhat with more stained water color and if todays precip amounts to 0.75 – 1.0 inch plus then flows could go higher and dirtier. Kind of blown up today thanks to hard east winds on the Lake, but look for continued good nearshore and pierhead casting chances for browns as the wind and water color may cooperate. Those chances should last into May as long as the weather stays reasonably cool and esp as onshore baitfish movements may take place shortly.

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04/24/2026

Fri Apr 24...
Still cool enough here on the Oak for chance of steelhead action with really whats the lowest flows in a while. Flows are dropping and clearing now at about med – slightly high and couple feet of viz. Overflow levels diminished and a good head of turbine water. Next to no fishing pressure. The other area smaller waterways are mod – med with 2 – 3 ft of viz. Reports of a few drop back browns or steelhead or bass in the smaller waterways. By next week look for temps in the Oak to be moving thru the 60’s F. Chance of rain or storms for the area Sat that could raise flows back up.

04/21/2026

Tue Apr 21...
We may actually be in somewhat of a drying out period after more rain thru last week and weekend. Trib flows for now have crested and are back on the drop and clear. After a cople days and nights of cold temps the rest of this week looks seasonably warm with no major precip in the forecast. Next chance at rain is for the upcoming weekend. Flows in the Oak are slightly high with diminished overflow water. Flows consist of a strong head of turbine flows with about 1 foot of viz. Flows may continue to drop and clear slowly without any new significant precip. Fishing pressure is real light with only a handful of anglers out. One angler yesterday had some swinging action in the softer water adjacent to a fast water riffle spot. Water temps are hanging in coolish for now in the high 50’s F so steelhead should still be in the waterway with some spawners and drop back fish. All those winter time fish that hung at the dam can be intercepted as they move back out right about now. There is still the chance for fresh fish, some browns or new bass. Keep the drift or swing up and lively and hopefully away from the suckers! The other area smaller waterways have med flows and slightly stained water color with 1 – 2 ft of viz. Look for a few dropback steelhead or some browns or bass. Water temps are likely higher then temps in the Oak. After onshore windy days or with lite to med offshore winds the pierhead and lakeshore casting action has been good, like in the pic below. It seems like there is a good amount of browns out in the open Lake of all year classes – small fresh silver fish, med size post spawn drop back fish and a few legit 10 + pounders. Spring time Oak Orchard stocking efforts continue with the most recent plants of 37,000 fingerling browns at Point Breeze, see the pic below. USDA cormorant hazing efforts (very important) take place at the same time as stocking to give the fingerlings a good head start at dispersal. Pen reared Kings and steelhead are doing well and are targeted for release next week after their hopeful imprinting on the Oak!

04/18/2026

weekend Sat Apr 18...
The area was hit with more passing storms Thu, after some rain for the midweek. Flows in the Oak are high and dirty consisting of a full head of turbine water and some overflow water again. Overflow levels may start to diminish by this weekend and water color is dirty with less then a foot of viz. The other area smaller waterways are slightly high and dirty and for now are trying to retreat with about one foot or less of viz. Forecast is for the chance for more passing storms today and chance of severe weather and winds. Any more rain received could quickly raise trib flows back up with dirtier water color again. The few trib anglers out that we know of trying the dirty water drifts on the Oak like in the turbine channel. Water temps are rising thru the 50’s F and may get into the 60’s F. There is a cool down foreast for the end of weekend and begin part of next week with seasonable temps after that. If we can get a drying out period precip free with some dropping and clearing flows there should still be some last lick steelhead chances. Pier head and lakeshore casting chances for brown trout are there too while water temps remain cool and wind and waves cooperate for good water color. There seems to be good numbers of browns, esp post spawn and drop back fish out there that are hungry since there is no major movement yet of onshore baitfish. Casters, small craft and trollers are all in on the action like at the mudlines coming out of the trib mouths.

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04/16/2026

Thu Apr 16...
There was some rain and thunderstorms in a couple of rounds thru the mid week for 0.75 +/- inch with chance of more storms today. Flows in the Oak are high with the chance for overflow levels to come back up. Water color should get dirtier thru today and tomorrow. The other area smaller waterways are high and dirty and all the tribs may continue to rise with dirtier water color if there are more storms thru today.

04/14/2026

Tue Apr 14...
This weeks weather is trending warmer with the chance for off and on rain or storms. No significant precip yet, with storms having gone both north and south of the area so far. Breezy and windy conditions are forecast thru the mid week and better chance at rain Wed or Thu. Longer range forecast is pointing toward a cool down for the end of the upcoming weekend. No doubt trib water temps are moving into the 50’s + F. The Oak should weather this warm up ok with steelhead still being present, esp if temps cool down ahead. Inevitably tho, we can expect steelhead and brown trout to be droppng back toward the Lake (marooned overflow fish may be stranded for now). Flows in the Oak are slightly high and dropping slowly with 2 ft of stained water color. Flows are real nice for fish to hold most anyplace they want to be. As flows drop and clear the spawning gravel spots become less heavy and anglers can wade and position themselves better for best drifts or swings. Latest intel from the past weekend still had guys scoring steelhead hookups nearer the dam. And downstream dead drifters were into some semi fresh fish in the holes adjacent to gravel spots. A few anglers are making some drifts and swings to spawning fish. The other area smaller waterways have mod – med flows and slightly stained water color that is warming up a little quicker then the Oak. Look for some lingering steelhead or browns and smallmouth action coming on. Nearshore and pier head casters are finding receptive hungry post spawn brown trout as long as good looking water not blown up muddy from wind and waves is within casting range. Unfortunately spring time and the weather lately has been bringing on a fair amount of onshore winds!

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04/11/2026

weekend Apr 11...
Don’t forget about our Spring Sale! Still some time left in Apr for discounts on rods and reels and wade gear and jacs, etc… Best discounts are on rod/reel combos – fly, spin or float. Guys are back out there, esp on the Oak but really its only lite to mod fishing pressure. Flows in the Oak are high with a good head of turbine water and finally diminished overflow water. Stained water color with 1 – 2 ft of viz. Past couple days rain showers did not amount to much so flows are still on a downward trend. Look for dropping toward slightly high or med with 2 ft of viz thru the upcoming week. Flows still on the cold side but soon enough like thru next week look for temps to be moving thru the 50’s F. Most steelhead are in a spawning or dropback mode. There could always be a fresh one mixed in here and there. Drifters and swingers are working gravel or adjacent holes and staging spots. Still some action at the dam with all those fish eventually dropping back. Waiting on intel for fish numbers in the overflow pools, but presume the earlier fish and maybe more are marooned in there for now. Def more suckers and if your drift gets too deep or tails into slack water sucker city you’ll be rewarded with lots of pouty lip hook-ups. The other area smaller waterways have med flows and clearing water color with 2 ft + slightly stained viz. Reports are of a steelhead here and there and drop back browns and a few smaller, silver fresh fish. Casting chances are there, lots of hungry post spawn browns hanging in the nearshore waters and pierhead spots looking for baitfish or gobies. Casters just need to intercept the semi stained or clearer water and not the dirtier muddy water from too much wave action. Small crafts and trollers are getting after it and working the mudlines or moving pockets of green water.

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04/09/2026

Thu Apr 9...
A nice stretch of spring weather is upon us with continued dropping and clearing flows all around. Flows in the Oak are high with lots of turbine water and diminishing overflow water. Water color has improved with 1 foot + of viz as flows drop slowly and clear quicker. There is the chance for rain showers or storms for this end part of the week. Fishing pressure has been real light and there is still some good steelhead chances with whats still cool water temps in the mid 40’s F for now. Water temps will be warming up no doubt moving ahead. Fish can be anywhere they wanna be in the streamcourse thanks to all the water cover, but look for the players around gravel spots or adjacent holes or staging flats. Fish should be dropping back from upstream like at the dam and most likely there are still lots o fish marooned in the overflow pools. Look for a mix of fresh and spawning and dropback fish with suckers and possibly bass too. The other area smaller waterways have med flows and stained water color. No doubt those streamcourses have moved quicker along then say the Oak but there still should be brown trout and bass and some steelhead opportunities. Less wind and offshore direction on the Lake mean the small crafts and small boat trollers and Charter crowd is back out there. That should likewise mean casting chances for the landlubber foot soldier crowd too. Pen reared steelhead are doing well, now in the first few days of soaking and hopeful imprinting on the Oak. They are slashing on the purina fish feed and little insects in the water too. I know this because I’m the guy feeding them most days. Release should be in about 3 weeks with weather cooperating.