Jason Orzechowski, Author at Wolf Creek Angler

About Jason Orzechowski

Outfitter, Fly Fishing Guide and Owner of Wolf Creek Angler - Chasing a dream, counting my blessings daily and writing about it in the midst of mountains, rivers and trout in amazing Montana.

Spring 2020 – A season of opportunity for the Montana angler

Amidst a covid crisis which has threatened our physical as well as our financial health world-wide, the sun continues to rise and set each day.

The ways in which we experience our world have undergone drastic change over the past two months with social distancing, shelter in place orders, arbitrary and ambiguous designations of which businesses are “essential” during a pandemic, empty store shelves, masks, meat shortages, travel bans, zoom meetings, fear and loathing and an uneasy uncertainty about what the future holds.

But through all this chaos in the structure of our lives the rhythms of the natural world continue, taking no notice of the covid chaos. Spring continues to transition into summer. The grass gets greener, the days get longer, the air gets warmer, the flowers grow and the rivers flow.

Spring has always been a great time to fish the Missouri and that hasn’t changed. What has changed however, is that with non-residents being required to quarantine for 14 days when traveling to Montana PRIOR to taking part in any activities, traffic on the rivers is but a fraction of what it would normally be during this time of the year.

And while that’s bad for fly shops and outfitters, it’s a golden opportunity for Montana anglers to extend the quiet season on rivers and lakes all around the state. The absence of out of state visitors means less traffic at the ramps and on the water, less pressure on the fish and an abundance of solitude, during what is usually an extremely busy time of the year, especially on the Missouri as run-off elsewhere forces an influx of traffic to the perfect water conditions on the MO.

That being said, we did just experience what was by far our busiest weekend of 2020 with a full house and a steady parade of customers in and out of the shop all weekend long. Things actually felt “normal” on Saturday (which would have been Caddis Fest) with boat ramps buzzing with activity and an armada of drift boats and rafts occupying every stretch of water. The hope is that these were all Montanans converging on the MO, taking advantage of the nice weather and the great fishing and reveling in the freedoms afforded by phase one of our reopening. The assumption however is that not everyone on the water this weekend was a Montanan.

We are so anxious to welcome all out of state visitors back to Montana. Not only are we looking forward to seeing you all again but our livelihoods actually depend on it. That being said, we’re of the opinion that Montana has done a great job of handling this thing thus far so we urge you to abide by the quarantine rules currently in place and wait until the quarantine is lifted before you travel here. We have a feeling that will be very soon.

In the meantime this is a season of opportunity for the Montana angler. An opportunity to have what will likely soon be very busy rivers all to yourself during the prime of spring fishing.

Wolf Creek Angler is your Missouri River destination with everything you need for magical days on the Missouri. The hardest working guides on the river, clean and affordable lodging, Adipose drift boat rentals, vehicle shuttles, Simms waders, boots and sportswear and the legendary largest selection of flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana. And don’t forget, we are also proud to host the Mending Waters Montana drift boat program providing FREE drift boat rentals to all vets and active duty military personnel. Book your boat today at mendingwatersmontana.org

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-05-19T21:02:24-06:00May 19th, 2020|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

Have it all to yourself (for the time being) this spring on the MO’

We’re three days into a dreary, wet and cold week on the Missouri with likely a couple more on the way. Welcome to springtime in the Rockies!

Our forecast for the remainder of the week looks to be much of the same with cool temps and a chance for rain and or snow most days but we should start to see some peeks of sunshine starting tomorrow. The grey days can be a little tough to take sometimes but on the bright side things are greening up nicely and it looks like we’ll see a bit of a warm up this weekend.

We’re still dealing with a mandatory 14 day quarantine for all out of state travelers which is substantially limiting our business right now but thankfully as things continue to open up in Montana we’re seeing business start to pick up as many look to get out of town and take advantage of having one of the premier trout rivers in the world right in their back yard. Lodging has really started to pick up and we’re managing to do a few guide trips here and there as well. All of this has us feeling cautiously optimistic about the future as we continue to adapt to the new normal.

Obviously things are far from normal but the hope is that if we continue to work hard at doing things right through these early phases of the re-opening then hopefully we’ll be able to expedite the easing of restrictions.

We’re still obsessively cleaning and sanitizing in the shop and limiting customers to four at a time. We’re wearing our masks and we appreciate when you do as well. I don’t see getting away from these practices anytime soon and whether we’re actually dealing with exposure to coronavirus or not it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a clean and germ-free shop.

Ditto with our enhanced housekeeping procedures. We’ve essentially doubled the time it takes to clean a room with the additional steps we’re taking to clean and disinfect so you can rest assured your health and safety, along with that of our employees, is our number one priority.

Guide trips look and feel a little different these days as well with a lot of disinfecting of surfaces and equipment happening as well as more attention paid to keeping our boats and our rigs clean. We’re wearing our masks in the vehicle on the way to the river as well as in the boat and asking our clients to do the same. Some aren’t crazy about the mask thing but it’s not so bad once you get used to it and if it allows us to get out there and put our clients on fish we’re happy to comply.

Slowly but surely it’s starting to look more and more like an actual season. Shotgun Annie’s and Izaak’s are open for business (with social distancing directives in place) so the food challenges are becoming less so. Annie’s is open Monday – Friday from 11 AM – 11:30 PM and 7:30 AM – 11:30 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Please note, closing time is dependent on how much business they are doing so I wouldn’t wait until 10 pm and head there for dinner, at least not without calling first. Izaak’s is open Wednesday – Sunday from 3 PM – 9 PM. We’re super-stoked to have them both back and we encourage you to support them through the challenges of limited capacity re-opening.

One more food option we’re super excited about this season is Mo’ River Eats. Kelli is providing us with exceptional lunches for our guide trips this season and also offering breakfast and dinner DELIVERED to your room at Wolf Creek Angler. You’ll find menus in all of our rooms with contact information so if you want a great dine-in option for dinner or want to start the day with an amazing breakfast burrito, breakfast sandwich, sausage biscuits or a Greek Yogurt Parfait all you need do is let Kelli know by 9 pm the night before and she will deliver items right to your room. I’ve sampled breakfast, lunch and dinner and highly recommend them all and the fact that she delivers is a game-changer. I’m expecting a busy season for MO’ River Eats as word gets out and hope you’ll give them a try.

So there you have it. We’ve got all kinds of lodging available AND you have a multitude of options for dining, including bringing your own food and preparing it in your fully furnished kitchen AND THE FISHING IS GOOD AND GETTING BETTER.

Dry fly fishing, nymphing, streamer fishing…all solid options right now.

So while things are still weird out there we are happy to provide you with an escape from the weirdness. Fresh air, moving water, wild trout….I can’t think of a better escape. And while we’re definitely hoping for a rapid return to being able to host out of state clients, at this point their absence is your gain as traffic is but a fraction of what it would normally be this time of year.

We hope to see you all very soon.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-05-12T19:47:05-06:00May 12th, 2020|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Izaaks, Missouri River, Mo' River Eats, Montana, running line, Shotgun Annie's, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

Spring is streamer time on the Missouri

As we emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown the timing couldn’t be better as spring fishing is just starting to hit its stride.

Bumps and drops in flows along with plenty of color coming from the Little Prickly Pear and Dearborn have made things somewhat inconsistent for the past week or so but with the creeks on the drop for the moment and the anticipation of stable flows and water temps for the next while we should be in good shape for the weeks to come.

Per the norm for this time of year the numbers (both fish and boats) have been at Holter Dam. The dam to Wolf Creek run has been the most consistent. Wolf Creek to Craig has had its moments but has been hit or miss for sure. Traffic below Craig is sparse and almost non-existent below the Dearborn save a few of those streamer guys plying the mud for prowling giants.

Nymphing is without a doubt your best bet for numbers right now with all of the usual suspects in play. Point flies of choice in my boat have been Ninch’s Pill Popper, Caviar Scud, Pink Amex, Tan UV Czech, Firebead Steelie Worm and Rainbow Weight Fly. Trail with #16 Tailwater Sow, #18 PT Green Machine, #16 UV Yum Yum Scud Pink, #18 Olive Lightning Bug, #18 Olive S & M, #18 Black Zebra, Soft Hackle Sows, #16 Pink Ray, #18 Magic Fly BWO etc.

The fish are on the move and we’re typically finding them in medium depth, fast (ish) water. Start around 5’ bobber to bb and adjust accordingly. Most of the known hot spots are producing, at least in that dam zone. Follow the traffic flow, observe adequate social distance between boats (much much more than 6’ please) and please don’t anchor up in the middle of the run. If you’re not getting into fish take a look around you and see what’s going on. If others are hooking up and you aren’t watch what they’re doing, where they’re going etc and follow their lead. And those boats with the red and white stickers – those guys generally have a pretty good idea of what’s happening and the vast majority of them are happy to help. Whether you’re having trouble cracking the code or encountering more serious (non-fishing) issues, don’t be afraid to seek help from those with the red and white tags.

Dry fly opportunities are not abundant at this point though there have been BWO’s around. It’s a right time, right place situation so keep that dry fly rod rigged and ready for action. We’ve been doing well with Sprout Baetis, Olive Para Adams or Para BWO’s trailed with your emerger or cripple or choice. Midges are abundant though finding fish eating them has been a challenge. If you find a sipper or two try feeding them a Bucky’s midge cluster or Griffiths gnat. We’ve also had good luck with Black Midges and Black Sippers….all available now at Wolf Creek Angler.

The streamer game should be good right now. It isn’t great. We’ve put a lot of time and effort into it these past two weeks and have come away disappointed more often than not. A few flashes here and there and the occasional hook up but overall not what you’d expect. We did find some success yesterday with a couple of shallow water explosions right on the bank which makes it all worthwhile but it’s important to keep your expectations in check.

I’m not saying you can’t mix streamer fishing with nymphing or dry fly fishing but you can’t crack the streamer code when you’re chasing bobbers or head hunting. Get serious. Grab your streamer boxes and leave the rest behind. Change size, color, retrieve, target water and any combo of these variables often until you crack the code and keep your expectations in check.

The fishing forecast for this week looks good. We’ll see a storm system move through the area tomorrow afternoon into Wednesday bringing cooler temps and some precipitation in the form of rain and a rain/snow mix Wednesday.The weekend looks good with partly sunny conditions and temps in the low 60’s with a slight chance of rain each day.

We’ve got plenty of lodging available and we’re also continuing our spring guide trip special as well as our lodging and guide trip special. $400 Full day guide trips through the end of the month and get a second night of lodging on us when you book two days of guided fishing and a night’s lodging. Please note, due to the 14 day mandatory quarantine for out of state visitors at this time we can only offer our services to Montana residents and those who have met the 14 day quarantine requirements if traveling here from out of state or returning to Montana from out of state travels.

While we’re definitely happy to be back at it this new normal will definitely take some getting used to for all of us. We’re wearing masks in the shop and on the boat and we are encouraging our clients to do the same.We are frequently cleaning and disinfecting in the shop and if you’re fishing with us you can expect your guide’s boat and vehicle to be clean and disinfected prior to and following your trip. We are health screening all guides and employees daily and will not allow anyone to work if they are showing any symptoms of being sick. We’re also health screening clients and we ask that you please not come if you are showing any symptoms of being sick. This goes for lodging guests, fishing clients and everyone shopping with us.

We’re doing our best to adjust and to make the best of these bizarre times in which we’re living. We encourage you to do the same and remind you that there’s no better way to escape the madness, if only for a few hours, than being on moving water with a fly rod in hand.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-05-05T18:10:49-06:00May 5th, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, midge, Missouri River, Montana, running line, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|3 Comments

Montana – The Treasure State (AKA The Social Distance State)

With our doors closed now at least through April 24th, it would be a gross understatement to say that life during a global pandemic has taken some getting used to.

Like most small business owners, I have been immersed in the seemingly ever-evolving provisions and procedures of seeking assistance through what will undoubtedly be the biggest financial and economic challenge of my lifetime.

Like all of those who have had their lives and livelihoods put on hold by Covid-19, I spend my days contemplating what the future might hold while ingesting a steady diet of webinars, zoom meetings and phone calls…what our life has become during the pandemic.

I’ve spent some time at the shop but there hasn’t been much to do there that can’t be done from home so why burn the gas to get there? There’s plenty of yard work to be done both at the shop and at home but spring snows have interrupted those endeavors and while it definitely feels and looks like spring today we will be under a winter storm warning starting tomorrow night and will likely see several inches of new snow and the return of single-digit temps on Saturday night.

I’ve spent plenty of time on the couch. Too much television, too much beer, too much junk food. And while I have done some hiking near my home, I’ve not been nearly active enough for my liking.

It was considering these circumstances that I decided Sunday night that I would spend as much time as possible on the water this week. Mind you drift boat fishing is out (unless you are with members of your household), so I decided it was a good time to go solo and visit a few of my favorite walk-wade spots, some close to home, some not so much.

My routine this week has been to spend the mornings answering emails and doing whatever business can be done followed by late morning drives to unspecified locations and afternoons spent standing in moving water doing what brought me here in the first place. It didn’t take long for me to conclude that there is no place in the world I would rather be during these times of social distancing than in the wide-open spaces and secret corners of Montana.

Spring streamer fishing is among my favorites and these last few days did not disappoint. Plenty of fish to hand, none of which were record breakers, but all of which were the perfect dose of euphoria, making even better these great escapes.

Empty roads, sprawling landscapes of mountains and valleys and forests and miles of magical water with nary a soul in sight. Four rivers over three days and I encountered no one which kind of surprised me seeing that everyone is trapped at home these days with nothing to do. But what a blessing. What a blessing to live in a place where we can always go out and do our thing and maintain social distance, sometimes to the extreme if we choose. I can not imagine what it’s like to live in a heavily populated area with nowhere to escape to and just to address the issue, I have heard plenty of people making the point that this isn’t a vacation, that you’re supposed to stay home but in Montana I would disagree.

Here we can cover miles of uninhabited space in a day, visiting the places we love, doing the things we want to do while not exposing ourselves or being exposed to anyone.

So, take that Coronavirus. You can disrupt our world. You can destroy our economy, but you cannot take this from me! Amid the scariest, most unprecedented thing I’ve seen in my lifetime I will continue to do what I love in the places that stir my soul.

That being said, as much as I love it, spending my days fishing does not pay the bills. So while I feel blessed beyond measure to live in this place and to be able to social distance in this way, like everyone else, I am ready to go back to work.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-04-10T14:21:36-06:00April 10th, 2020|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: COVID-19, Montana, running line, social distancing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

The Shape of Water 2020

It’s that time of year again when we take a closer look at current snowpack, long-term weather and precipitation forecasts, current flow conditions and current reservoir data at Canyon Ferry to come up with some kind of prediction of what you might expect to see for water conditions on the Missouri this spring and summer.

Five days into April we’re still looking at snow on the ground in Wolf Creek, left over from last week’s spring snow storm but heading into this week it looks like we’ll be seeing some more spring-like weather with temps in the 50’s through the middle of the week and possibly climbing into the mid 60’s on Thursday before another cold front moves through next weekend. I would bet we haven’t seen the last snowfall of the year but hopefully we’re on our way to those warm, sunny spring days on the MO.

The snow water equivalent is looking good with everything in the region in the 100 to 140 percent of normal range and the majority or locations at right around 120 percent of normal. This is right where we like to see things at this point in the season though snowpack fails to tell the whole story. It looks good now but a sudden warm up could rapidly deplete that snowpack and leave us well below average and similarly we could still see plenty of high country precipitation accumulating and setting us up for the possibility of higher flows depending on what we see in the way of spring rains.

Missouri River flows below Holter Dam are currently at 5180 CFS and have remained relatively steady all winter in the 4500 CFS – 5000 CFS range. I would expect to see that pattern remain over these next couple of weeks and then tick up in late April as the spring flows begin to take shape.

Canyon Ferry is currently 73% full with inflows at 3395 CFS and outflows of 5283 CFS. March weather resulted in near normal precipitation, while cooler temperatures occurred throughout the Missouri River Headwaters.
The one-month outlook forecast, dated March 31st, is an equal chance for normal, above, or below normal precipitation and a 50 percent chance that below normal temperatures will occur during April in the Missouri Headwaters.

Based on these factors the current model for April is predicting most probable flows holding right about where they’re currently at with the minimum probable at around 4500 CFS and the max probable at right around 6K. Not a lot of variation in April which will make for ideal fishing conditions.

The show starts in May as run-off begins and while we’re always hoping for at least a few days of flushing flows (over 15K) it looks like the most probable model has us bumping up to just 8000 CFS with the minimum being right around 4,000 and the maximum at just over 10,000 CFS which we would gladly take.

Looking beyond May this far out isn’t all that practical but at this point the best guess is for most probable flows holding at that same 8K before leveling out in the 5,000 cfs range while the max probable peaks around 14K and the minimum probable holds steady at around 4,000 CFS. At this point it’s really anyone’s guess so we try to steer clear of making any bold predictions about June this far out.

It’s all dependent on spring precipitation which we’re assuming at this point will be at or slightly below normal but again, it’s a bit like trying to predict what will happen with the Coronavirus, the models are only as good as the data that goes into them. The more data, the more accurate the model so we’re content to just sit and wait and see and hold off on any prime-time predictions until we have more data. (For both the Coronavirus and the water conditions).

All that being said, I will make the same bold prediction I make every year. There will be water (how much or how little we don’t know) and there will be fish (plenty) and we will be fishing.

Stay tuned for up to date reports and conditions from Wolf Creek Angler.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-04-05T19:47:55-06:00April 6th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Uncategorized|Tags: Holter Dam, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

Stay At Home

Late last week Montana Governor Steve Bullock issued a Stay at Home Directive which went into effect on Saturday and which is set to run at least through April 10th. The directive requires Montanans to stay home and temporarily closes all non-essential businesses, of which we of course are one.

We appreciate and understand the intent of the directive and we encourage everyone to abide by the order and by so doing, hopefully get things back to some sense of normalcy soon. We had shut down guiding operations early last week as well as closed access to the shop in an effort to comply with social distancing standards. Our lodging had remained open and though hotels/motels do fall under essential businesses in the directive we have decided to close everything down for the duration of the order in keeping with the spirit and intent of the directive which is that people should be staying home as much as possible for the duration. We understand that outdoor activity (close to home) is allowed and encouraged and fishing certainly meets the standard however in our view driving somewhere far away enough from home that overnight lodging is required is not really in keeping with the intent of the order.

For this reason all operations are shut down until further notice.

That being said, we are taking orders over the phone as well as by email and we’re happy to ship you anything you need. We’ve also seen a trend on social media encouraging folks to buy gift cards from the businesses they want to support as this immediately puts much needed money in the hands of these businesses. We applaud the trend and would be thrilled to sell gift cards in any amount. Our gift cards are good for everything we sell from lodging to guide trips to merchandise and they never expire. Please call the shop if you would like to purchase a gift card or any other item we can ship to you.

Like all of you, we are hopeful that the future will become increasingly clear as the uncertainty is crippling us all.

In spite of the darkness there is light and I am humbled by the support we’ve received from all of you. The emails and phone calls from our regular customers just checking in to see how we’re doing mean the world to me and the willingness of many to leave deposits in place for future trips has been overwhelming. We’ve also had a steady trickle of folks calling for flies and fly lines and leaders etc which I would bet in many cases have not been needed and I simply can’t express how grateful we are for all of this support through these uncertain times.

Every day draws us closer to the time this will all be a memory. As the weather warms and the grass starts to green and the songbirds return we are hopeful.

Stay Safe, Stay Sane, Stay Home!

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-03-30T20:13:30-06:00March 30th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Shop Life, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Missouri River Guide Trips ON HOLD

Following days of agonizing over how to proceed under the current Covid-19 circumstances we have made the decision to close our doors and also to suspend guide trips effective immediately until conditions allow for a loosening of suggested social distancing norms.

We will continue to offer curb-side service for those seeking flies or other merchandise but the shop doors will be closed to the public indefinitely. Please call the shop (406)235-4350 to place orders and pay via credit or debit card and we will deliver curbside to your vehicle at Wolf Creek Angler or to your doorstep in and around Helena. We’re also offering free shipping on orders over $50.

We have been vigilant about sanitizing and disinfecting touch surfaces but we’ve come to the conclusion that we’re simply not able to practically observe the CDC suggested 6 feet of social distancing within the confines of the shop or within the confines of a drift boat.

We’re not putting a time line on this closure other than to say “until further notice” as the situation continues to evolve rapidly but you can rest assured that we are keeping a very close eye on things and will re-open the shop and resume guide trips just as soon as it’s safe and responsible to do so.

Those with trips scheduled for the next couple of weeks have been notified and given the opportunity to reschedule.

We’ve not been ordered to close as of this moment but if we’re to adhere to the concept of only essential businesses being open at this time we really have no choice but to close for the time being. As much as we like to think of fly fishing as essential to our mental health it’s a bit of a stretch to include fly fishing retail or guide trips in this category so by all means you should get out and fish on your own and soon enough we will gather again to share the magic of social interaction within the framework of moving water and rising trout.

Thank you again for your support through these uncertain times. We are so appreciative of your business and your words of encouragement and we can’t wait to get back to doing what we do best.
Stay Safe. Stay Sane.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-03-25T17:13:16-06:00March 25th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz|Tags: Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

Your Escape from a new reality. Photo by Chris Beaudoin

It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by the doom and gloom of the moment, much of which is real, some of which is perceived but perhaps unfounded.

We’ve never seen anything like what we’re seeing now and the reality is we’re likely in for a rough ride in 2020 in the broadest (global) sense but if you drill down and look at this not only from the community health and safety perspective but also from an economic consideration it gets all too real all too fast.

And to be clear, I’m not saying we shouldn’t be doing exactly what we’re doing as communities, as states, as a nation, as a world, but the economic damage this virus and our reaction to it are inflicting on the economic system at all levels is truly incomprehensible.

You don’t have to look far to see the real impacts happening all around us as businesses are ordered to close and those remaining open face an uncertain future with all social and economic normalcy grinding to a halt.

So yes, the future is uncertain and we’re all riding this out together hoping and praying life will return to normal sooner than later. It feels like we’re living in a dream with the world turned completely upside-down.

It was under these uneasy circumstances that I took to the water a couple of days ago and I need to report that I did not expect nor was I prepared for the level of escape afforded me by this outing. An escape from the news, an escape from the looming economic challenges troubling my mind, an escape from a surreal reality where we’re watching numbers and waiting for the next shoe to drop.

We’re watching the numbers of infected and the number of deaths increase while at the same time watching the markets rise and fall in chaos. Our physical health is the driver as we collectively wait. We dread contracting the virus as we brace ourselves for what we’re told will be the worst of the outbreak happening over the next couple of weeks. Our economic health has already contracted the virus and no amount of social distancing will prevent the mass infection which has already taken hold.

Our mental health is also at risk of infection and while it is the responsibility of everyone to stay informed and adhere to the advice of the experts, the amount of hysteria being driven by some in the media is overblown and irresponsible and we must tune it out if we’re to stand a chance of maintaining our mental health.

So back to the water – I was asked by my good friends at SOVRN Creative in Helena to help with a media shoot to promote fly fishing and while I was more than happy to jump in the boat and row them down the MO, it wasn’t until an hour or more into the float that I realized what an incredible boost this was to my psyche.

No phone calls, no texts, no watching infection stats, no watching the roller coaster market, no dealing with cancellations….none of it. It was six hours of bliss, a perfect escape as yet again the river comes through and carries away the worries of the day.

A few friends, a few fish, a few beers and a desperately needed escape. And it’s readily available anytime you want it. Part of the escape for me was being able to hang out with friends but if you’re all about the social distancing there’s no better place to quarantine, just you and the fish and the magic of the river.

So in the midst of this stoppage of life as we know it, we’re still here, open for business and wanting to help you access this great escape. We’re trying to strike a sensible balance between social distancing and commerce and we will continue to adjust the way we’re doing things as the situation changes.

As outlined in my previous post we are offering you, our customers options to promote and comply with distancing measures. We encourage you to take advantage of any one of the following options;

Curbside Service – We are more than happy to take orders over the phone and have your product ready for you curbside when you get here. Just give us a call and tell us what you need and when you will be here and we’ll ring you up, process your credit card payment, assemble your order and deliver to you at your vehicle when you arrive.

Limited Delivery in the Helena Area – As above, give us a call and tell us what you need and where you live and we’ll ring up your purchase, process your credit card payment, assemble your order and deliver your product to your doorstep in the greater Helena area in most cases the same day.

Free Shipping – Orders of $50 or more ship free for the time being. Give us a call or email us at info@wolfcreekangler.com with your order and we will process your payment, assemble your order and ship anywhere free of charge.

Darken our Door – We don’t want you to feel unwelcome in the shop, we’re just doing what we can to encourage responsible social distancing. But should you prefer to darken our door you can rest assured that we’re cleaning and disinfecting throughout the day. The shop is clean and the staff is healthy. Should that change, we will let you know and we will adjust our options accordingly.

We encourage you to buy your Montana fishing license online which you can do here and if it’s just a shuttle you need you’re encouraged to call that in. We would also ask that if you are feeling sick or just under the weather that you would not enter our shop.

We are so thankful for your continued support through these strange times and we’re looking forward to the day when we can encourage and return to a shop full.

Stay safe and WASH YOUR HANDS!

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-03-19T19:38:44-06:00March 19th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

UPDATE

How the world has changed in the four days since I posted our initial thoughts about Covid-19/coronavirus. And while everything prescriptive which I wrote in that post still applies (WASH YOUR HANDS) there have been some developments nationally as well as locally which need to be addressed as they relate to your 2020 Missouri River fishing plans.

At the time of posting last Thursday Montana had zero reported cases of Covid-19, we now have six. At the time of that posting school was in session and while social distancing was being talked about, people were still going out to eat. That day we saw a state of emergency declared by Governor Bullock followed by a National State of Emergency declared by POTUS on Friday and since then we’ve seen all schools in Montana ordered closed for at least the next two weeks and as of today many counties in the state have ordered that all restaurants and bars be closed mirroring what is happening nationwide. It’s as surreal as it gets but we are hopeful that instituting these measures now will “flatten the curve” and slow the spread and hopefully put us in a better position collectively to move past all of this as soon as possible.

Montana is not currently a Covid-19 hot zone and we don’t expect it to become one, but we will of course keep everyone updated on any changes. It is thought that the big, spread-out nature of Montana can be of benefit when it comes to the social distancing recommended by the CDC.

Following the lead of others, we are instituting immediate changes to our Cancellation Policy for all guide trips and lodging scheduled between now and May 31st, including new bookings.

We will now allow you to make changes to your reservation inside of 30 days without forfeiting your deposit provided you use the deposit to book another trip in 2020. This policy allows you to keep your reservations in place and if illness or travel restrictions prevent you from coming at the last minute you will not be out your deposit. We feel this policy adequately addresses the current issues and we will keep the policy in place for as long as circumstances dictate, meaning if all of this stretches into the summer or fall then we would look at pushing bookings into 2021. All this being said, we do still HIGHLY RECOMMEND Trip Insurance!

Additionally, we want to stress once again that we take extremely seriously the guidelines, advice and directives administered by the World Health Organization, the CDC, Montana DPHHS, Lewis and Clark County Department of Public Health and other involved agencies. We are doing everything in our power to provide for the health and safety of our employees and our customers and will continue to adapt as the situation unfolds.

For the time being know that we are meticulously cleaning and disinfecting the shop regularly and we are taking extra steps to ensure all our rooms are clean, disinfected and germ free. We are currently operating essentially with a staff of one, so I’ve got a pretty good idea of the health of the staff. As business picks up and we start to build up our seasonal crew, monitoring the health of our employees and guides will be of paramount importance and we will not allow any employee or guide to work if they are sick.

As an ode to social distancing for the time being we encourage our customers to call in their shuttles and purchase fishing licenses online and while we’re by no means closing our doors to the public at this point, if you’d like to phone in your bug/leader/tippet etc order, we’ll be happy to meet you curbside. Rest assured, the shop is clean but it’s difficult to maintain the recommended 6 feet distance within our cozy confines.

Thank you for continuing to support us through these uncertain times. We’re looking forward to hosting your social distancing for as long as we need to and really looking forward to coming out on the other side of this hopefully much sooner than later.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-03-16T23:37:02-06:00March 16th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Weathering the Storm

These are no doubt crazy times. It feels like the world has gone mad and unfortunately this time that madness can be felt everywhere…even in Montana.

Many who settle in places like Wyoming and Montana do so to escape the madness and while there are no confirmed cases in Montana, and just one confirmed case in Wyoming at this time, it feels like it’s just a matter of time as cases are obviously on the rise. Just as a matter of housekeeping, you may have seen reports that Montana has one confirmed case of COVID-19 but according to the Montana DPHHS the patient acquired the illness outside of Montana and has not returned to the state since becoming ill.

It’s easy to get sucked in to the doomsday media hype and if you spend too much time listening to those talking heads you’re bound to start to panic sooner or later but that’s obviously the absolute worst thing you can do.

Obviously the markets are reacting to the hysteria and that is not an ideal scenario.

Don’t get me wrong, I am in NO way dismissing the seriousness of the situation but calm must prevail.

I watched the president’s prime-time address last night and I have to say that I didn’t find it particularly calming or reassuring but listening to the analysis afterwards was insane and maddening and disgusting and this gets to the heart of why it’s important to stay informed but why you shouldn’t be seeking information through a partisan filter.

As you would expect, the right said the address was great and the POTUS is doing a terrific job of handling things while the left proclaims he’s botched this from the start. I can’t stand listening to either side.

Here’s what we know. The coronavirus is here and it will likely be something we’re dealing with for a while. Confirmed cases are on the rise due in large part to increased testing and while the increase in cases looks scary the bright side is that the mortality rate is dropping rapidly due to the fact that the more reported cases there are the lower the death rate will be.

This is an interesting take from the Washington Times

We do not yet have a vaccine for the coronavirus but there are common-sense measures we can all take to avoid getting sick. I’ve heard a lot of talk that this shouldn’t be compared to the seasonal flu and that’s fine but the preventative measures are exactly the same. WASH YOUR HANDS!!

From the CDC…

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Older adults and people who have severe underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness. Please consult with your health care provider about additional steps you may be able to take to protect yourself.
Take steps to protect yourself

Clean your hands often
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Take steps to protect others

Stay home if you’re sick
• Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care. Learn what to do if you are sick.

Cover coughs and sneezes
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
• Throw used tissues in the trash.
• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Wear a facemask if you are sick
• If you are sick: You should wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. If you are not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then you should do your best to cover your coughs and sneezes, and people who are caring for you should wear a facemask if they enter your room. Learn what to do if you are sick.
• If you are NOT sick: You do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not able to wear a facemask). Facemasks may be in short supply and they should be saved for caregivers.

Clean and disinfect
• Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
• If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

To disinfect:
Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work. Use disinfectants appropriate for the surface.
Options include:
• Diluting your household bleach.
To make a bleach solution, mix:
o 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water
OR
o 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water
Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.
• Alcohol solutions.
Ensure solution has at least 70% alcohol.
• Other common EPA-registered household disinfectants.
Products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens pdf icon[7 pages]external icon claims are expected to be effective against COVID-19 based on data for harder to kill viruses. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application method and contact time, etc.)

Common sense right? Get off the panic track and do what you can to avoid exposure to the virus.

So here’s what we’re doing at Wolf Creek Angler in response to the Coronavirus threat…

Disinfecting/Cleaning early and often

We’re taking extra measures to make sure there are no viruses, corona or other, hanging around at WCA. We’re disinfecting often in the shop and you can rest assured that nobody is reporting to work if they are sick.

We are closely monitoring the guidance of the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the spread of the virus. Our focus is to ensure we meet our guest needs while doing our part to keep you, our associates, and our communities safe.

We have enhanced techniques used to clean guest rooms after each stay. We are paying particular attention to high touch point areas, to include room keys, public areas, door handles, locks and latches, light switches, and bathroom fixture handles as well as kitchen appliance handles and controls.

Our guides have been instructed to take extra precautionary measures like wiping down high touch surfaces in vehicles and boats and we are providing hand sanitizer to each of our guides for use by clients as well as the guides themselves throughout the day. Guides have also been instructed that they are not to report to work if they are sick.

If social distancing is major part of avoiding the virus then might we suggest that there is no better place to engage in social distancing than on Montana waters.

We strongly encourage you to limit your intake of doomsday catastrophizing and instead turn to neutral expert sources for information.

Here are a couple we follow closely.

Johns Hopkins University

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Montana DPHHS

Stay informed. Keep Calm and Fish On. We’re looking forward to a great season on the Missouri, regardless of the madness!