With cooling water, fishing for trout and steelhead has slowed significantly, In addition, during periods of cold weather, ice may make fishing difficult. Look for fish in slow tail outs where they can conserve energy. When the flows bump, the best fishing can be found after the peak as flows recede. If flows rise enough to result in murky water, anglers may find fish by focusing on slow water areas near shore.

Coho season is closed on the Grande Ronde. Anglers may still encounter some late season coho salmon throughout January so anglers should be sure to correctly identify any fish they plan to harvest to ensure they do not accidentally harvest a late season coho salmon.

With the diverse makeup of fish species that anglers may encounter on the Grande Ronde River, anglers are encouraged to brush up on their fish identification skills and to release any fish that they are unsure of the species.