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.

The Blur

The Blur

Finally it truly feels like prime time.

It’s not the dropping flows (though this has certainly helped matters).
It’s not the evening caddis splattering against the windshield (though this is part of it).

It’s not the emergence of the much anticipated tricos.

It’s not the increase in the number of vehicles parked at the pullouts indicating the return of the wade anglers.

It’s not traffic shift to the dry side of the fly bins.

It’s a little bit of all of this but the real reason we know it’s now prime time is that we’ve completely lost track of the days which have begun to run together into “the blur” of prime time.

Early morning launches and late night take outs of the rental fleet are the main contributors to the blur and despite our best efforts to stay on top of things we’re never quite sure exactly what day it is. At this point it really doesn’t make a difference as long as we keep track of who is floating where at what time.

The blur is when we hit our stride and autopilot kicks in. Somehow the boats get launched and picked up, the guide lunches get ordered, the guests check in and the guests check out, the rooms are cleaned, the fly bins are stocked, the lawn and the plants get watered, the grass gets cut, the boats get washed, the fill in orders get placed….and on and on it goes like a well-oiled machine, at least most of the time.

Unlike some of the other shops who have an army of employees, we run extremely lean at WCA. It’s just Zach and myself full time at the shop with John picking up the slack and our awesome housekeeping crew doing their best to make us look good behind the scenes. And speaking of working behind the scenes, if it weren’t for my amazing wife Sheila, the bookkeeping side would be in complete chaos so guides and other seekers of payment, if you see Sheila thank her for the tremendous job she does in addition to her day job.

Prime Time days often consist of launching boats at dawn well before the shop is open, handling the morning rush, tending to the day to day and ending the day chasing boats at dark. It’s not unusual to work from sunup to sundown during the blur and then the next thing you know it’s August and there’s nothing to do (comparatively speaking).

Yes, it’s good to be back in The Blur. It’s been a long time coming this season…better late than never.

It’s dry fly time on the MO’. Flows have dropped to 7220 CFS as of this writing and wading has become a real option though it’s still bigger than what you’re probably used to so use extreme caution.

We’re on the tail end of PMD’s and the front end of Tricos with plenty of Caddis action in the evenings. Terrestrials are technically in play all summer long but ants and hoppers will soon become a staple. You can still chase bobbers if you want to as nymphing is always a great option but you can also ditch the bobber and go with the Dry /Dropper, a summer favorite on the Missouri.

Most (though certainly not all) will retire their streamer sticks for the next few months. Some of us refuse to give up and will always leave that option on the table.

We hope to see you soon at Wolf Creek Angler, your one-stop-shop for everything Missouri River Fly Fishing. Lodging, guides, drift boat rentals, shuttles and a shop full of everything you could possibly need for fly fishing the Missouri and beyond. Come check out the best Missouri River Fly Shop you never knew was here.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-07-11T19:24:31-06:00July 11th, 2018|Categories: Shop Life|1 Comment

Happy Fourth from WCA

That’s right. The fourth of JULY. Can it really be?

According to the calendar we should be well into our prime season on the Missouri but the fact is we’re actually just getting started.

The water has finally started to drop (12,200 cfs at the time of this writing) bringing a collective sigh of relief from the army of wade anglers who’ve been patiently waiting for it to happen.

The BWO’s came and went and PMD’s are waning but you should be able to catch the tail end. There have been some near-epic caddis events (minus rising fish) and Tricos are starting to enter the mix. We’ve been saying it for weeks now while we’ve been waiting for the water to drop but just to reiterate, we should be in for some awesome dry fly fishing in the days and weeks to come and late summer terrestrial fishing could be off the charts.

It’s July and the majority of these fish have not yet been fished to with dry flies.

Nymphing is another story. While the fish haven’t seen many dry flies they’ve seen a Zirdle and Sow bug hatch of legendary proportion…..and they continue to eat them! Most of the Zirdle bins on the MO are now empty but not to fear, they will soon be filled again.

And speaking of empty bins, we expect we’ll have more than a few as today is our third annual Make America Fly fourth of July fly sale. All flies HALF off. Don’t miss this one.

The river is on the quiet side today as far as anglers go which is generally the case on the 4th of July which is traditionally a big rec day on the MO’.

Celebrate Freedom today and celebrate the long-awaited arrival of hot sunny summer days and cold clean fishy water.

Wishing you all a Happy Fourth from all of us at WCA. We are so blessed to live in this great nation and we owe all of you a huge debt of gratitude for making it possible for us to do what we do for a living.

Cheers!

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-07-04T19:17:07-06:00July 4th, 2018|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off

Summertime on the MO’

Can it really be that there are just four days remaining in the month of June?

Like it or not, the season is rapidly passing us by and we’re still waiting for the water to come down which sooner or later it will. And while sooner and later are relative terms we’re confident that two weeks from now we’ll be looking at more wade-friendly flows and perhaps the best dry fly fishing of the year.

Traffic has been on the rise this past week with the Missouri still being one of the few and likely the best option in the state right now. Last week’s heavy precipitation delivered the punch we’d been hoping to avoid. The swollen waters caused widespread flooding and road closures in our region and muddied up the MO below Little Prickly Pear and Dearborn which has made the Dam a VERY BUSY PLACE.

The good news is that things are on the drop and the weather forecast looks favorable to maintain this trend. The bad news is that flows on the MO had to be held steady while the tribs blew up but now that things are on the drop it’s time to dump the excess, hence the bumps in flows on the MO this week.

It’s not all doom and gloom though….here’s the brighter side of things.

Yes, high water consumed the month of June and ruined the plans of many a wade angler but the Missouri is so much better for it and if the past is any indication 2019 could be obscenely good following these flushing flows. Stay tuned

The creeks have been off limits for much of the time they’ve been open this year due to the high flows but things are about to come into shape and we should be in for a great summer of creek fishing. Many a season we’ve already been under Hoot Owl closures by this time on some of our favorite small water haunts so we’re stoked to have things just coming into shape as we approach the first of July.

Fishing on the Missouri has been excellent despite the high water and it’s about to get even better. As you’ve no doubt been reading the nymphing on the Missouri has been nothing short of awesome more often than not this season. Sow bugs have remained the steady diet of our trout for months and while I’m not saying there haven’t been a few tougher days out there, more often than not the fishing has been good. The right water, the correct depth, the right amount of weight and a sow bug or two has been the key day after day, no matter the flows. The baetis have come and gone and the PMD’s are soon to be in the rearview but not to worry. We’ve got at least a couple of weeks left of PMD activity and Tricos are on the horizon. Dry fly fishing has been a challenge to say the least but a few days of dropping flows (which we should see very soon) could totally change the game. If you’re headed our way sometime soon you might just be in for some phenomenal dry fishing.

You’re just in time for HALF PRICE FLIES! As always, the Fourth of July is the day for the annual WCA Make American Fly Again Half Price Fly Sale. It doesn’t get much better than half price flies!

Traffic is spreading out on the MO’. You can plan on seeing plenty of activity at the dam and Wolf Creek from here on out but maybe not quite so crazy as it’s been this past week. The water is rapidly clearing and people have already started to wander into the lower stretches. It makes all the difference in the world to have 30 miles of water to work with rather than eight.

These are just a few of the reasons the future is looking bright on the Missouri. We’ve all been biding our time, waiting patiently for things to start to feel a little more like Prime Time on the Missouri. I suspect it won’t be long…

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-06-27T00:09:46-06:00June 27th, 2018|Categories: Montana Fly Fishing, Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Half Price Flies, Holter Dam, Make America Fly Again, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

Rainy Days on the MO’

The rain keeps falling, the waters keep rising, the bugs keep hatching and believe it or not the fish keep eating!

It’s been a soggy few days here but the sky is brightening as I write and it sounds like drier weather is on the way.

The Little Prickly Pear and the Dearborn are running very high and pumping a fair amount of muddy water into the system. The Missouri flows have come up a bit but are currently being held at 14,400 CFS. The weather forecast for later this week and into next week looks favorable for a return to reductions in flows.

We are under a Flood Warning until 11:00 AM tomorrow but hopefully we’ve seen the worst of it. Remember – Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Rising waters west of the divide have prompted yet another migration to the MO’ which, as is so often the case in these scenarios, is the only fishable water to be found. Expect summertime traffic…tis the season.

PMD’s have been popping daily and the fish are hungry for them. The return of the stain from the LPP and Dearborn should bring the Dirt Snake back into play for the next few days and the much talked about sow bugs have yet to exit play this season. Keep those PMD nymphs in the mix as well.

While you could continue to chase the bobber as you seek out bugs and rising fish this is also an excellent opportunity to break out that streamer stick. Overcast skies and mud lines…conditions don’t get much better than this for throwing the big bugs. We’ve heard some reports of off the charts streamer action and have also heard from some that it’s been a bust but it’s all site specific. As with all disciplines, streamer fishing requires you to be in the right place at the right time with the right bugs. As far as I’m concerned the best way to increase your odds of having an excellent streamer experience is to pick a moderately lengthy stretch of water to float and commit to throwing streamers all day long. Just because it’s slow for the first hour or two it doesn’t mean it isn’t going to turn on around the next bend so keep at it!

With LPP and Dearborn puking mud (Dearborn 9710 CFS) you’ll probably want to stay high and river right for the time being but when that left side starts to clear it could be epic.

The sun returns tomorrow afternoon and it sounds like it’s going to stick around just in time for the first day of summer which is Thursday.

The bugs are here, the fish are here and the long-time regulars have begun to take up residence at Wolf Creek Angler. Soggy days aside, Summer has arrived in Wolf Creek.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-06-19T23:21:43-06:00June 19th, 2018|Categories: Fishing Report|1 Comment

PMD’s are what’s on the menu. Stop by Wolf Creek Angler for the widest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

The folks at the Bureau of Reclamation have made good on their promise to decrease flows, so much so that we’re currently sitting at 12,000 CFS. Remember it was just one week ago that we were bumping up against 20,000 CFS. A significant drop to say the least and one which has brought us the return of drift boat rentals (including the Project Healing Waters boat as of now) and a renewed optimism following a tough month of big flows and a lot of phone and email conversations having to do with high water.

The fish have begun to expand their diets to include the abundant PMD nymphs now mixed in with the sowbug smorgasbord which defined spring fishing in 2018.

PMD’s are hatching and dry fly fishing, while still a long way from prime, is becoming a real possibility with each drop in the flows and each passing day.

We’re just over a week out from the Summer Solstice….the longest day of the year which, consequently, means that, depressing as it may be, the countdown to winter will soon be underway. The clock is ticking on your 2018 season.

Traditionally we are in the thick of the grind by this point in the season but it seems the grind will be delayed this year. Don’t get me wrong, things are abuzz at WCA. Our lodging is running near capacity as you would expect in June and we’ve been busy in the shop most mornings and have been nearly overrun on more than a couple of occasions.

All that being said, things seem a little quiet on the MO’.

There are definitely folks around but there hasn’t been much waiting at the boat ramps and you can usually find a table or at least a seat at the bar on any given night at all of our local watering holes and restaurants. This isn’t typically the case in June.

It’s true that other waters around the state are coming into shape so that could account for some of it but for whatever reason traffic is down so you couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to come out and enjoy a bit of relative solitude on what is arguably one of the best fisheries in the country, if not the world.

The forecast looks good for dry fly fishing to improve daily. There are bugs hatching and the fish are starting to key on them. PMD’s and Caddis are the game and the long- dormant dry fly bin has finally started to get some attention.

Some suggestions for your dry fly arsenal….

PMD’s – Snowshoe Emerger, Greg’s Para Emerger, Nyman’s DOA Cripple PMD, Helen Keller PMD, PMD Flash Cripple, Brooks’s Sprout PMD, Hi Vis PMD, Rusty Spinner.

Caddis – Blooms Para Caddis, Outrigger Caddis, CDC Caddis Emerger, Jake’s Hi Vis Caddis, Cornfed Caddis, Front End Loader.

Essentials – Parachute Adams, WCA Trude, Purple Haze, Rocky Mountain Mint, Blooms Stealth Ant, Cinnamon Flying Ants, Buzzball.

Still chasing bobbers? Try tailwater sows, Split Case PMD’s, PMD and Rusty Magic Fly, PMD Redemption, Psycho May, S & M, Wondernymph, Weight Fly (purple or gold), UV Czech Caddis, Nitro Caddis Pupa, Tung Dart, Peep Show, PT’s , Lightning Bug (purple), Zirdle.

Streamer fishing seems to have fallen off a bit but with the water on the drop there’s an abundance of water back in play which had been negated by the higher flows. Many have moved on from streamers considering dry fly fishing is a real option so it’s an excellent opportunity to hit those spots you’ve been waiting all spring for. Sparkle Minnows, MK Ultras, Dirty Hippies, Circus Peanuts, D & D’s, Gongas, Dungeons….throw the ones you like, the fish like them too.

The water is expected to continue to drop barring any extended precipitation events and if the most probable outlook shown below comes to fruition we’re in for an awesome season with near perfect water conditions.

Near Perfect Water Conditions

The water is dropping, the sun is shining, the bugs are hatching, the fish are eating…life is good on the Missouri.

We hope you’ll join us for Prime Time on the Missouri River.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-06-12T19:22:38-06:00June 12th, 2018|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, pmd's, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|Comments Off

Missouri River Awesomeness Underway

2018 has proven to be a new experience for me in the world of Missouri River Fly Fishing.

Higher than average flows have presented challenges we’ve not had to deal with thus far at Wolf Creek Angler. Not really fishing challenges mind you but shop challenges which require a bit more creativity and finesse and faith.

The high water fishing challenges are easy. Longer rigs and more split shot make the world go round. That doesn’t do much for the Dry Fly crowd but they’ll get theirs soon enough. The flows will come down and the dry fly fishing will happen but it’s the promise of the future that really has us stoked following the scouring we’ve gotten this spring. Flushing Flows for sure!

Unfortunately shop challenges are not as easily met. We’ve muddled through however and it feels like the worst is behind us. Sure we’re still getting plenty of calls about the flows and we’re still having to have the unpleasant discussions pertaining to cancellations but as of yesterday it’s all starting to feel better. Pair this with the return of a full house of lodging and some very busy mornings in the shop and everything seems right with the world again.

Granted we may see some precipitation which could slow the drop in flows but yesterday’s notice from the Bureau of Reclamation that the peak inflow into Canyon Ferry Reservoir from the snowmelt runoff has occurred in the Upper Missouri Basin was sweet music to our ears. Yesterday’s 1000 CFS drop will be followed by another 1000 by tomorrow afternoon. It’s doubtful they’ll continue with such drastic decreases but it’s definitely on the drop and we will keep you posted on what we’re hearing is coming.

The fog of high water trauma has lifted. I can’t help but think that we’ll be renting out drift boats again soon (15,000 cfs) and look for the Project Healing Waters boat to be available before long as well (12,000 cfs).

As you would expect, the big drops tend to have a temporary adverse effect on the fishing which has been widely reported as off the charts as of late but which slowed a bit yesterday.

Obviously nymphing is going to continue to be the game for the time being but that dry fly light at the end of the tunnel you see…that’s PMD’s coming soon! Accordingly you should start adding PMD nymphs to your arsenal. We like the PMD Magic Fly, Split Case, Crack Back, PMD Wondernymphs, Doc’s PMD, Superflash PMD’s and PMD S & M’s (amongst many more). Worms and sows are still the staple and will be for the near future but we would definitely recommend getting some mayfly nymphs in the mix. Green Machines, Psychomays and PT’s could be the ticket.

As the flows recede you could do worse things than throw a streamer. Heavy sink is the key for the time being. Get it down fast and give it some life. The target zones will begin to expand and if you hit it on the right day (preferably overcast) you may just stumble into some excellent streamer fishing over these next couple of weeks. Olives, whites, naturals, black…..try the ones you like and see what happens.

Rooms and guides will be a little harder to come by from here on out but there’s been enough shuffling of the schedule that you’ve still got a good shot at both so give us a call today to book your Missouri River fly fishing trip of a lifetime.

Stop by the shop on your way to the river for everything you need for your day on the water. Shuttles, ice, licenses, sun protection, wading gear, rods, reels, rain gear, tools and accessories, lines, leaders and tippet a plenty, tons of split shot and of course the largest selection of bugs ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

We hope you stop in no matter where your are fishing but if you’re starting at Holter Dam or Wolf Creek Bridge you’d be foolish to go anywhere else. We are closer to these launch sights than any other shop. Come discover the best Missouri River Fly Shop you never knew was here.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-06-05T19:20:59-06:00June 5th, 2018|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

Like the view? Call Wolf Creek Angler and book your Missouri River Fly Fishing Guide Trip today.

As we bid farewell to May we can’t help but look forward to what lies ahead.

High water has obviously been the major topic of conversation state-wide for the past several weeks and while we expect the Missouri to bump up against 20K by tomorrow, the hope is that the peak is soon to be behind us.

From today’s Bureau of Reclamation water order…
Tributary flows downstream of Canyon Ferry to the Missouri River have decreased which has created additional river capacity. Therefore, releases to the Missouri River will be increased in order to continue to manage the rate of fill at Canyon Ferry Reservoir.

Based on the SNOTEL data as well as conditions at Canyon Ferry we can surmise that we should be close to seeing peak flows followed by stabilization , hopefully somewhere in the 12-15K range which will keep things on target for filling the reservoir by mid June. As of today the reservoir is at roughly 88% full.

Snowpack Going Green.

So what does this mean for your 2018 Missouri River fly fishing plans?

The bottom line is that while conditions may not be what you’re used to and may in fact not be ideal, there are plenty of fish to be caught. If you don’t mind nymphing from a boat and you are willing to make some basic adjustments to your game or better yet, let our guides take care of making those adjustments to your game, fishy days await.

We who make a living in the fly fishing industry and who write about it have been challenged this season. The winter dragged on and then the waters started to rise. Winter weather in the spring and big water are not great selling points so blogging has not been easy. We won’t tell you everything is great when it isn’t but it’s obviously not in our best interest to publish doom and gloom. There’s a fine line there between accurate reporting and embellishment and we are totally committed to providing you with honest information no matter what. We are your glass half full fly shop on the Missouri, greeting and meeting each challenge and feeling incredibly blessed to be doing so.

The fact of the matter is, that despite having to figure things out again with each big push of water, overall the fishing has been consistently good for most of the spring. This is as big as I’ve seen the river since I’ve been here. I missed 2011 by a season which is the last time we saw water this big and I’ll be honest, it’s not only been a challenge to write about it but it’s been a real challenge learning how to fish it.

Long rigs, worms, big bobbers and lots of split shot are elementary…it’s where to fish that can be puzzling but not so puzzling that you can’t get it figured out. Just remember those thousands of trout per mile are still here and while the water is big it’s also clean for the most part. Those big muddy flood waters you’ve perhaps been seeing on the nightly news…that is not the Missouri. So if you’ve been picturing yourself in a drift boat careening down a raging torrent, dodging trees and house trailers think again. It’s big water but it’s clean water and controlled water.

The fish are hot and hungry and while you may have to work a little harder to dial it in there is no better place to be fishing in the state of Montana right now than the Missouri. A visit to your favorite local fly shop will get you half way there with the latest info on rigging, bugs and where to go. Beyond that, spend some time watching what other folks (guides in particular) are doing out there and follow suit.

If numbers are your game your time is best spent nymphing but bring the streamer stick as well and don’t hesitate to use it, especially on the overcast days.

Traffic has been light despite what you may have heard. Its’ true that the Missouri is one of just a couple of options you have right now if you’re planning on fishing in Montana but despite this fact we are far from overcrowded. Come experience the best fly fishing in the state, you’ll be glad you did.

That being said, if dry fly fishing is what you seek the wait continues but the good news is that when flows drop (which they’re bound to sooner or later) the dry fly fishing could just be off the charts and maybe even a little on the easy side as most of these trout have yet to be fished to with a dry fly this season. Will you be here when it happens?

Stay tuned for updates and don’t hesitate to give us a call at the shop anytime for the latest. We’re open at 7 AM daily for all of your big water Missouri River fly fishing needs.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-05-29T22:27:20-06:00May 29th, 2018|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Canyon Ferry, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

5/22/18 Status Quo on the MO’

With much more of May behind us than ahead of us and just a month to go until the official start of summer things have settled into a biggish water groove here on the Missouri River.

We did hit that 15K CFS mark last Saturday and it looks like we’ll hold there (give or take) for the foreseeable future. We did make the call that day that drift boat rentals will not happen at 15K or more. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused over the weekend or may cause for the weeks ahead. The safety of our customers is our number one concern when it comes to boat rentals and we’d much rather pass on the rentals than have any of our clients get into trouble out there. Not that something drastic happens on the water at 15K that isn’t happening at 14,500K but you have to draw the line somewhere.

That being said we would be more than happy to book you with one of our guides for an awesome day on the water. Our guides are out there every day and know the water better than anyone. They know where it’s safe to drop anchor and where it’s not and more importantly…they know where the fish are and they will do everything they can to put you on them.

Fishing has been good and will continue to be from here on out. It’s never a given but suffice it to say that we’ve had many more good days than bad as of late. Nymphing has been where it’s at though we have done a few streamer trips as well with moderate success most days.

The year of the Tailwater Sow continues and judging by the empty sow bug bins in all of the shops it’s time to find the next HOT bug. Stick with worms (we like firebead steelies and Fish Finders) and don’t get stuck on the one bug mentality. It may seem like #14 Tailwater Sows are the ONLY thing that’s working but there are all kinds of sow bug patterns and despite the fact we are often humbled by these fish they really aren’t THAT smart or that discerning. Show them something similar and they’ll likely eat it. Or show them something completely different and you just might be surprised.

Other good bets from the nymph bins right now include Rainbow Czechs, Tan UV Czechs, Pink Amex, Firebead Rays, Soft Hackle Sows, Purple Lightning Bugs, Pill Poppers, UV Crush, Tung Darts, weight flies, Little Green Machines, Psycho Mays, Bubbleback Emergers, Peep Shows, Split Case BWO’s, Micromays, Zebras and straight up old school Pheasant Tails.

Dry Fly action has been sporadic at best. There are bugs. There are always a few fish rising but they seem to be few and far between. Don’t count on making a day out of it.

Streamer Fishing continues to have its moments but you’ve got to know what you are looking for water wise and you have to have the right line to get down fast. The higher flows haven’t made for the best streamer fishing but as always we encourage you to keep at it. It’s totally worth your while!

Need a new streamer line or a whole streamer set up? We’d love to walk you through your options and get you set up with what works best for you.

Following an extremely busy Caddis Fest Weekend things have quieted down considerably this week. We’ve got plenty of lodging available through the weekend though we’ve been busy with bookings this morning so don’t wait too long.

What better way to spend the UNOFFICIAL start of the summer season than a fly fishing getaway to the Missouri River? The small streams opened last weekend and while I did see a few folks trying their luck on the churning muddy waters of the LPP your best bet for clean, fishable water and lots of hungry trout is without a doubt, the Missouri.

Dawn is coming earlier each day which has led to some earlier starts but there still aren’t many on the water before 8 am. We’re open daily at 7 am, earlier than most, for everything you need for your day on the water. Shuttles, ice, sun protection, rain gear, wading gear and the biggest and best bug selection ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-05-22T21:48:20-06:00May 22nd, 2018|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off

Mid May Water Update

These are a couple of videos showing the extensive flooding in Western Montana. As you can imagine, videos and news reports like these have led to a lot of calls from folks who have Missouri River fishing trips booked for sometime this month or next and who, understandably, are wondering what their options are.

Let me start by saying I don’t want to downplay the seriousness of the situation in any way. The flooding is a real thing which has affected thousands of people in Montana….fishing guides and outfitters included. The snowpack is still well above average for this time of year so there’s plenty more to come.
Some rivers are reaching, or have already reached flood stage and many are flowing at levels which haven’t been seen in some cases in over 100 years.

The Missouri is not one of them.

While the Blackfoot, Bitterroot and Clark Fork Rivers are all running dangerously high the Missouri, while bigger than we’ve seen it for some time, continues to offer a safe and high quality Montana fly fishing experience.

Like we saw with the wildfires last summer, national news coverage can be misleading. Just because the state of Montana is on fire (which much of it was) or western Montana is underwater (which some of it is), it doesn’t mean these things are necessarily happening in the places you are headed to and if you’re headed to the Missouri here’s what you can expect…

The birds are singing, the sun is shining, the water is relatively clean and well within its banks and most importantly the trout are eating. Conditions are great for fishing from a drift boat and while there are a few wading anglers around we wouldn’t advise it at this point. It’s spring time in Montana and the fishing is just fine so we hope to see you soon on the Missouri.

Once again, if you have concerns about your trip by all means give us a call and let’s talk about it but please keep in mind that there is a major difference between 13,000 – 15,000 CFS of run off on a freestone…

and the same dam controlled flows in a tailwater like the Missouri. It may not be exactly what you had in mind but not only is there great fishing to be had but these flushing flows are exactly what the river needs and it should pay big dividends when it comes to this season’s aquatic vegetation and next season’s bug life.

It’s Caddis Fest weekend so expect plenty of traffic in and around Wolf Creek and Craig and drift boats a plenty on the MO’. Stop in and see us for up to the minute Missouri River intel and the biggest and best bug selection ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-05-15T22:57:09-06:00May 15th, 2018|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off

Book your Missouri River trip of a lifetime today.

The busy spring season is now fully upon us and while there have been some challenging days out there you can rest assured that there are plenty fish being caught. We’ve been getting a lot of calls about the river flows and where they might be headed and many are wondering, understandably so, what effect these bigger flows are going to have on the fishing.

Here’s what we know.
At the time of this writing flows below Holter continue to hold at 12,400 cfs which is where they’ve been for the last couple of days. Water temperature continues to climb and is currently just over 46 degrees.

We have received notice that flows will be increased this afternoon and again tomorrow afternoon to control the rate of fill at Canyon Ferry which is currently 70 percent full.

Snow pack for the Missouri mainstem remains at around 125% of average. There is some rain in the forecast for the next couple of days but cooler temps will go a long way in slowing the snow melt.

So what does this all mean for your Missouri River fly fishing plans?

Here are some answers to FAQ’s.

How’s the fishing? Fair to good. The majority of the fishing is happening between Holter Dam and Craig right now. Nymphing is by far your best bet. Some days its ON, some days it’s a little tougher. Some who are fishing on their own have had a tough go of it, some have had exceptional days. As you would expect guided anglers have had more success overall than those fishing on their own but guided or not, the majority of the traffic has been and will continue to be between the dam and Craig. The water between the dam and Little Prickly Pear is of course the cleanest which would explain the traffic jams happening on occasion up there. Don’t be afraid to launch at Wolf Creek though as there is plenty of good water between Wolf Creek and Craig. At these flows you can cover that stretch fairly quickly with plenty of time to go up and do the dam to Wolf Creek for the second half of your day. Don’t tell anyone about this sneaky move! Tailwater sows, Pill Poppers, Wire Worms, Caviar Scuds, Pink Amex, Rainbow Czechs, Grey Little Green Machines…pretty much the same stuff you’ve been running for the past couple of weeks. All available now at Wolf Creek Angler. Some are running short, more are running long with more weight than they want to but it’s all about adjusting to the conditions. Keep this in mind, act on it and you should do just fine.
Is there any wade fishing? Some. Not a lot. Fishing is definitely best done from a drift boat these days but there are a few guys wading out there. Should you decide to wade please use extreme caution and don’t try to wade out too far. Keep in mind while you may think you need to get out further look at what the guys in the boats are doing. More often than not they’re hugging the banks and fishing out to the same water you’d be fishing to from your wade spot. We aren’t expecting ideal wade conditions this spring. Think summer!
Is it worth coming out? Absolutely it is. If you made plans ahead of time to fish in Montana in May then the Missouri is the place to be. The clean water flowing from Holter Dam and the awesome trout population make the MO’ THE place to be no matter the flows.
What will the flows be in June? We don’t know. There are many variables, most of which have to do with the weather. Temps and amount of precipitation are key. The graph below is what the experts expect….we’ll go with that for now.

5. Do you have amazing Missouri River Fly Fishing Guides and clean and affordable lodging available for prime dates? Why yes, yes we do. It just so happens that we’ve had a few prime dates open up with some of the most sought after guides on the river. Give us a call at (406)235-4350 or drop us a line at info@wolfcreekangler.com to see what we can do for you.

It’s going to be a good, long season here in Montana and we’d love for you to be here. We understand and appreciate your concerns about the water and we encourage you to give us a call if you would like to talk about it. The bottom line at this point is that wading is not going to be optimal, at least not for the immediate future but if you don’t mind fishing from a boat we are of the opinion that you’re in for great times on the Missouri this spring. Green hills, blue skies, sunshine and hot fish…does it get any better?

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-05-09T20:59:59-06:00May 9th, 2018|Categories: Uncategorized|1 Comment

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