January marks the heart of winter steelhead season on the Kalama River, and Chrome City Guide Service is on the water multiple days a week tracking fish movement and river conditions.
Recent rains have brought fresh chrome fish into the lower and middle river. We are finding the best concentrations in classic winter holding water — tailouts below riffles, deep glides with soft inside seams, and bucket water below constrictions where fish pause on their push upstream.
Bobber fishing with cured roe and sand shrimp has been the most consistent producer. We are fishing 10–14 gram floats depending on depth and current speed, with leader lengths adjusted to keep presentations in the strike zone without dragging.
Water clarity after the last rise is good — not too clear, not too dirty. That green-tinted winter color the Kalama is known for. Expect fish to move on each bump in flow, so timing your trip around stable or dropping water after a rise often produces the best results.
Book a 3/4 or full day if you want maximum time to work multiple runs. Half days are great for anglers who know what they want and just need a guide to put them on fish.