It’s been another wintery week on the Missouri with those April showers in the form of snow, not rain. If you look closely you can see the buds on the trees starting to take shape but for the most part it still looks and feels like winter.

The spring sun feels great when we’ve seen it and it generally makes quick work of melting the snow but we can’t seem to break away from winter precipitation and ridiculously cold temps in the forecast.

All that being said it could be worse….much worse. Spring precipitation and cold temps at night are exactly what we need to ensure a great season ahead so while we’re all anxious for sunshine, green vegetation, a steady stream of customs and warm spring days on the water we do appreciate the conditions and what they mean for the season ahead.

Looking towards next week it looks like we may just be emerging from winter’s grip, not that you haven’t heard that a time or two over the past few weeks but this time I think it might be for real.

We’ll see 50’s early next week, maybe even close to 60 on Tuesday. Unfortunately it looks like its going to blow but that’s to be expected and will come as no surprise to anyone who fishes here regularly. The better news is that overnight lows in the 30’s rather than the teens mean we may finally get the green light to open up the rest of our lodging including the newly remodeled #9 and #10.

Spring lodging and guide trip special going strong and running through the end of the month. $550 for two nights of premium lodging at WCA and a full day guide trip for one or two anglers with the best guides on the Missouri.

Don’t miss opening night at Izaak’s tomorrow night and whether or not you’re coming to stay with us you owe it to yourself to come check out the obscene deals on all kinds of great winter gear from all of your favorite brands. Amazing Deals while they last!

We published this last week and it mysteriously disappeared from our blog so we apologize if you’ve already read it.

We recently lost a long-time customer and friend of the Missouri, Perry Herst, who passed away last month. The following is a tribute to Perry written by his and our dear friend David Cooper. Rest in Peace Perry.

A good friend who was also a Missouri River fishing pal of ours, Perry Herst, died recently at the age of 88. Perry first joined us in Wolf Creek about a decade ago, bringing along his friends, Jim and Jean Crabtree.

Perry and the Crabtrees had fished and shot birds together in many parts of the world, including Africa, Alaska, Texas, Montana, and South America. Their tales of adventure, sometimes hilarious, could be spell-binding.

The Crabtrees usually joined us in Wolf Creek from their summer home in Idaho. Their winter residence was in the Los Angeles area. Sadly, Jim, a prominent physician, died several years ago. Jean continued to fish with us for several years and we had many happy times together.

Perry was a fine sportsman, either on the water with a flyrod, or in the field with a shotgun and one of his beloved birddogs. He delighted us always with tales of his exotic hunting and fishing adventures, most often with the Crabtrees. There were many happy dinners together at the Frenchman, Izaak’s or the 7R Ranch.

A native of Chicago, Perry had a keen mind and a successful career as a builder and developer of commercial office buildings, associated with the Tishman Realty and Construction Co. He guided the Los Angeles-based firm as it became one of the nation’s largest privately-held portfolios, with more than 40 million square feet of office space in the U.S. and Europe. Perry and his wife, Angela, had a home in Southern California.

Perry was a wonderful companion on our annual trips. At first blush, some might take him for a curmudgeon, but beneath his sometimes gruff exterior, there was a warm heart and kindness as big as the Ritz. He also was a quiet but significant philanthropist.

With Jerrell Beougher as his guide, Perry was also competitive on the river. “Well, my trout was 23 inches, how big was yours?” or, when nymphing, which he most often did, “How can you land those big trout with those tiny, little flies?”

He was fond of history and loved to talk about politics. He had a sense of humor and a great loyalty to friends and family. Our time together in June, 2017, with Wolf Creek Angler was to be his last trip to the Missouri and it was a bit of a struggle for him.

However, with Jerrell’s constant presence and watchful help, he was on the river everyday, thrilled by each trout he landed and released. Thanks, in part, to Jerrell’s skills, Perry always had a great fish story to tell at dinner. Funeral services were held March 2 in the Los Angeles area. We miss our pal.

By David Cooper, who has been fishing the Missouri from Wolf Creek almost every year since 1984

For your St Patrick’s Day Listening Pleasure….