Wolf Creek Angler. Your first choice.
The Missouri River has long been considered one of, if not the, best tailwater fisheries in the country, and Wolf Creek Angler is the perfect location from which to launch your Montana fly fishing adventure. We’re located just a few casts from Craig, Montana—roughly halfway between Helena and Great Falls. We offer the very best of Missouri River fly fishing with an acclaimed guide staff, a first-rate Missouri River fly shop, drift boat and equipment rentals, shuttle service and lodging. We’re close to the Holter Dam and Wolf Creek put ins—closer than any other fly shop – because we think you should spend your time fishing, not driving.
The fish are here. Where are you?
The waters of Montana hold a special place in the hearts of anglers around the world. The Missouri River is a place where unmatched scenery meets water that is home to some of the most prolific insect hatches in the west. The sheer number of fish, along with the incredible average size, make the Missouri River a destination fishery the likes of which you won’t find anywhere else. Wolf Creek Angler offers the kind of fly fishing adventure that’s on your bucket list. This year, bring it to life.
Wolf Creek Angler is the exclusive host for Mending Waters Montana
Mending Waters Montana Fly Fishing, Inc., is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of active military personnel and veterans through flyfishing, fly tying education, and outings, and education on the conservation, restoration, and improvements to Montana’s fisheries and their habitats.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for the most wonderful fishing trips, memories, friends, service, honesty, and CARING about your clients! It is for those very reasons that Lynne and I plan on coming back next year!…..Keep up the excellent work!…
I fished the Missouri River for the first time this past October, after reading about how great the fishing can be, and how nice this part of Montana is. I was not disappointed. I spoke with Jason prior to making the trip and he was very helpful with fly and tackle suggestions and booking a room and guide. Although the weather was a bit unruly, I fished with Matt and had a great day on the river. I’d like to fish the Missouri again this fall and plan to make arrangements through this shop again!
Had a great day on the river with Jason. Wolf Creek Angler is a top flight Montana Outfitting business. Professional and knowledgeable staff, great equipment and top quality customer service. They represent the best Montana has to offer as a fly shop and outfitting business. Highly recommended.
My daughter and I planned a spring trip on the Missouri and chose Wolf Creek Angler. After talking with Jason, he set us up with Kelly for a day on the water. Kelly was fantastic. She was great with my daughter (10 yr old) and they hit it off. Kelly took the time to make bug changes and work to get my daughter on her first Missouri trout. Of all the guides we have had, Kelly is the best. We enjoyed our trip so much we decided to come back the following week. We stayed at the lodging in Wolf Creek and enjoyed ourselves greatly. Thanks, Kelly, Jason and Zach
Interested in booking a trip? Call 406.235.4350 and we’ll be happy to help you!
Meet Our Guides
BRIAN SCOTT
BRIAN SCOTT
Entering his 39th season of guiding on the Missouri, Brian Scott is a native Montanan who suffers from a life-long addiction to fly-fishing. He learned to fish on the Missouri and Big Hole Rivers in the 1970’s and got his first guiding job in Alaska in 1981. Brian prefers the challenge of the dry fly but can nymph for numbers if required. He tailors each day to fit the client’s individual needs. Brian lives on the Big Hole River near the town of Dillon, MT but you will usually find him on the Missouri during the summer season pursuing the wild rainbows and browns that make the Missouri River one of the finest fisheries on the planet. There aren’t many who have been on the Missouri longer than Brian. Book a trip with him today and fish with one of the true Legends of the Missouri.
MATT HARGRAVE
MATT HARGRAVE
Matt has been obsessed with fish for as long as he can remember. Growing up he fished the lakes and streams of the Eastern Sierras and the coast of Southern California. Matt realized his goal to become a fishing guide in Montana in 2011 and since that time he has fallen absolutely in love with the Missouri River. The diversity of a day on the MO is a challenge that Matt loves to tackle. He enjoys the grace of dry fly fishing and the chess match of figuring out the nymphing game but his preference is fishing streamers for the larger fish that inhabit the Missouri.
Luke Koerten
Luke Koerten
Born and raised in Wisconsin, Luke headed west in 2002 in search of steep mountains and deep snow. Originally a ski bum with a fishing habit, these days you’re more likely to find Luke knee deep in the Missouri than in mountain snow, even in January. Having lived in Bozeman, Missoula, and Helena, Luke has spent countless hours exploring the waters of western, central, and southwest Montana. His knowledge combined with a flexible and upbeat attitude makes him an excellent choice whether you are a first time angler or a seasoned vet.
JASON ORZECHOWSKI
JASON ORZECHOWSKI
Jason left a life-long career in the metal casting industry to pursue a dream of owning a fly shop and guiding in Montana. He has been honing his angling skills for over thirty years starting at the age of 8 when he was introduced to trout fishing on Michigan’s White and Pere Marquette Rivers. Jason officially began his career in the industry in 2013 as the manager of and guide for Montana River Outfitters. Following that first season on the Missouri he and his business partner purchased MRO’s Wolf Creek operation and Wolf Creek Angler was born. Jason lives in Helena with his wife Sheila and their yellow lab Zeke.
ROB WEIKER
ROB WEIKER
Life has taken Rob down many roads. From Ohio to California to the US Army to Montana. One thing he’s learned along the way, through all of his experiences, is that nothing beats a great day on the water! Rob loves working hard and watching people catch fish. Nymphs, streamers, dries…it makes no difference to him. He’s worked hard at mastering his skills and is at home with any technique you prefer. Rob has been fly fishing since he was 11 years old and still learns new things every season. He is a master fly tier and in his downtime he enjoys mountain biking the trails of Montana. Rob feels lucky to have the opportunity to guide some of the great waters of our state and he takes none of it for granted. Book a trip with Rob today. You won’t find a harder working guide.
JOHN CHAFFEE
JOHN CHAFFEE
John was born and raised in Montana and has lived in Montana all his life. Growing up in Helena, he enjoyed many outdoor activities but most of all fly fishing. He went to college in both Bozeman and Missoula and graduated in 2006 with an elementary education degree. John is a kindergarten teacher during the off season and enjoys teaching year-round, both in the classroom and on the river. John started guiding in 2019 after many years working part time during the summer and weekends at Wolf Creek Angler. He stresses the importance of having fun in life and especially while fishing.
BRAD TURNER
BRAD TURNER
Brad has been guiding since 1996. He spent 2 summers in Alaska and 20+ years in Northern Michigan. Seeking a new challenge to his career, Brad & his family moved to Helena to guide the Missouri River. Brad is a true professional and angling is his life. His relaxed teaching style makes it easy to spend a day in the boat with him. Brad has experience with numerous techniques but streamers are by far his favorite. In his free time, Brad enjoys fishing the countless streams in Montana and hiking with his family.
KARA TRIPP
KARA TRIPP
A 4th generation Montanan, born and raised in Northwest Montana, Kara grew up fishing for trout on some of the most fabled stretches of water in the US. After graduating from Montana State University she began looking for a job following her dreams and was hired by The Fly Shop in Redding, CA in 2009. Kara is committed to being a full timer in the fly fishing industry building on her years of experience managing the Outfitters Department and Casting Schools for The Fly Shop as well as many years of the highly acclaimed FishCamp program. She now lives in SW Montana where she is a full time outfitter, guide and fly fishing instructor, rowing her guests down the scenic Yellowstone, Madison, Gallatin and Missouri rivers. In 2017/18, she left the Montana winters to become the first female guide at El Saltamontes Lodge in a remote part of Patagonia, Chile. When not guiding, teaching and sharing her passion with others, she designs product for Damsel Fly Fishing, a women’s fly fishing accessory brand she co-founded with her sister, taking bland fly fishing accessories and adding a feminine twist. In between, she hosts trips to Belize in search of the “silver king”, Bristol Bay Alaska flying in float planes in search of ginormous rainbows, flying in a MI-8 helicopter over the Far East in pursuit of carnivorous mouse eating trout that call the rivers of the Kamchatka Peninsula home, or on the rivers of the Pacific Northwest chasing steelhead. Kara has teamed up with Wolf Creek Angler and Iron Fly Outfitting to lead our Annual Missouri River Women’s Fly Fishing Clinic since 2022 and we’re excited to have her on board for spring and fall guide trips on the MO.
SHAFTER JOHNSTON
SHAFTER JOHNSTON
Shafter was a saltwater guide for 10 years before making the move to trout. He has guided in the Florida Keys, Everglades, Louisiana, and South Carolina. After spending a lot of time in the west his love for big country and wild trout finally pushed him to make a full time move to Helena, Montana where he now lives with his wife and two children. Shafter fell in love with the technical fishing of the Missouri River and the large trout that live there.
Shalon Hastings
Shalon Hastings
Shalon is a 4th generation Montanan, originally from central Montana. She went to high school in Helena and came back to Helena after college to open a taco/burrito shop. After operating the taco shop for 15 years and a coffee shop for 6 years, she traded both in for a boat on the Missouri to pursue her dreams of guiding and instructing fly fishing. Shalon enjoys instructing both new and experienced anglers. In addition to guiding, Shalon teaches several adult ed classes at the local college and runs several women’s clinics in Great Falls and Helena.
Eric Schmitz
Eric Schmitz
Eric was raised just south of Helena in Jefferson City, Montana. His parents had a fly rod in his hand at 6 and he spent his younger years camping and chasing fish around Big Sky country. His young adult years were spent working construction around Montana, fishing and chasing any white water he could find.
In 2017 Eric’s life changed forever when he was diagnosed with cancer. After a short battle he realized change was in order. It was time to live a more deliberate life and chase some dreams. Eric and his family sold their house in town and moved to the river to start guiding.
Eric has over 40 years of experience fly fishing the Missouri River and loves to share his knowledge. He has the patience to work with beginners and the dry fly knowledge to put you on the rising fish.
Phil Peacy
Phil Peacey
Phil Peacey began fly fishing at the age of 8 and fell in love with the sport casting small dries at native brook trout in the Driftless Area of Southwest Wisconsin. Phil also has experience throwing streamers for smallmouth in Lake Superior and swinging streamers for steelhead on the Brule River. He has experience leading casting as well as fly tying clinics and is always willing to tackle any technique necessary to put anglers in the best situation for success. Phil is extremely motivated and is anxious to help anglers of all experience levels. His favorite aspect of guiding is getting to know the clients and their goals for the trip and then tailoring the day to provide the best experience possible.
Phil is returning for his third season on the MO and is wrapping up his BA in Outdoor Education at Northland College in Ashland, WI, with an internship at Wolf Creek Angler this season. He is an ideal guide for beginners and experts alike and he’s anxious to share his passion for the sport with all his clients.
Discover Wolf Creek, Montana
With two bar/restaurants, and the only gas station/convenience store between Helena and Cascade, Wolf Creek has everything you need in a classic small Montana setting. Only 8 miles from the town of Craig, Wolf Creek provides a respite from the hustle and bustle found around the Missouri River during the height of the season. Come discover for yourself the charm of Wolf Creek, Montana.
Helena as She Was (Historical Information)
Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance
Official State of Montana Travel and Vacation Site
The Wolf Creek Hotel, built in 1887, still stands and early on was frequented by outdoor enthusiasts and railroad travelers. It served as a stage stop along routes from Helena to Augusta and Fort Benton and sheltered workers who built Holter Dam in the early 1900’s. Two of our cabins at Wolf Creek Angler reportedly served as railroad housing during this era.
Prior to the construction of the railroad, the first road constructed through the canyon was a toll road built in 1865 by the Little Prickly Pear Wagon Road Company. By the early 1870’s, the road was an important freight and passenger route in the territory. Interstate 15, which winds through the canyon, was completed in 1967.
Wolf Creek gained some notoriety over the years with celebrity visitors such as the famous American boxer Jack Dempsey who trained here in 1923 and film stars like Dinah Shore, George Montgomery, Bing Crosby and Errol Flynn who visited Frenchy’s Resort in the 40’s and 50’s. The resort property still stands but the famous Frenchy’s Café burned down in 1958.
Amongst the fishing crowd, Wolf Creek is probably best known as the hometown of Jessie Burns in Norman Maclean’s semi-autobiographical novel A River Runs Through It. She was Maclean’s love interest in the story and became his wife. Her ashes were scattered on a mountain she named after herself, overlooking the Missouri River somewhere near Wolf Creek.
When traveling from the south, Wolf Creek is the jumping off point to access the Missouri River and provides easy access to Hwy 434 to get to Lincoln or Hwy 287 just north of Wolf Creek which goes to Augusta, Choteau and the east side of Glacier National Park.