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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.

Wolf Creek is your Holter Lake Winter Destination

It may be too cold to fish the river right now but lodging at Wolf Creek Angler has become a hot commodity these past two weeks as the perch fishing on Holter Lake continues to heat up.

The word is out and the hard water anglers have discovered the hidden gem of winter lodging at Wolf Creek Angler.

The town of Wolf Creek is your base camp for ice fishing on Holter Lake as well as winter fly fishing on the MO’ if it ever warms up enough for us to get back to it and while we’re used to living in the shadow of Craig during the season winter is when the town of Wolf Creek really shines.

Whether its ice fishing or fly fishing that brings you here, Wolf Creek is where you want to be. We’ve got the only open restaurant and the only gas station /convenience store between Helena and Cascade.  As a matter of fact we also have the only US Post Office between Helena and Cascade which may not seem like much but it’s interesting to note that all that mail addressed to the self-proclaimed “center of the fly fishing universe” in Craig MT actually ends up right here in Wolf Creek MT.

As if that weren’t enough we’re excited to announce that come April we’ll once again be able to boast of having 2 bar/restaurants in Wolf Creek MT with Shotgun Annie’s Eatery and Tavern (formerly The Frenchman and Me)  joining Uncle Joe’s Oasis to offer you more dining and night life options.

Throw in an up and coming Missouri River Fly Shop with cozy, clean and affordable lodging just minutes from Holter Lake , Holter Dam and the Wolf Creek Bridge river access sites and it’s easy to see why Wolf Creek has become THE destination for winter fishing on Holter Lake and the Missouri. Once you discover all that Wolf Creek has to offer you may just make us your year-round Missouri River fly fishing destination. Many have.

Give us a call today to book your winter lodging. $99 (plus tax) gets you a cozy bungalow complete with a full kitchen and private bath. The bungalows sleep three comfortably with two twin beds and a pull out couch. Our shop hours have been a little less than consistent this winter with the dangerously cold weather but rest assured, we are OPEN EVERY DAY, 365 days a year, for lodging (and guide trips).

Make that call today and discover the secret!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By |2017-01-06T17:12:48-07:00January 6th, 2017|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |0 Comments
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New Year off to a Frigid Start

Most of the recent fishing traffic has been on Holter Lake

It’s been a quiet start to 2017 in the shop as we continue to struggle to break single digits during this current arctic blast.

It’s been a real Montana winter thus far with only a handful of days over the past month that we’ve even thought about getting out there to wet a line.

We’re tying flies. We’re booking for spring and summer and we’re spending more screen time than what we normally would. Cabin Fever is definitely creeping in.

While the shop has been quiet, lodging has become quite a commodity these past two weeks with ice fishing on Holter heating up so housekeeping has definitely been keeping us busy.

We’ll close out the week with a slight warm up into the 20’s on Saturday and near 30 on Sunday and Monday and at this point it looks like more cold and snow on the way for next week. We would love to be fishing the river right now but we’re happy to wait. This weather is just what we need for a great water year in 2017.

Keep us in mind if you’re headed this way to try your luck on the ice. We’re just minutes from the lake and all of our units are equipped with a full kitchen and all the pots/pans/dishes/silverware etc. Each room sleeps three comfortably with two twin beds and a pull out couch. Again, our lodging has definitely been in demand and we’ve had to turn plenty of people away so we would recommend booking sooner rather than later. We’re already full for Friday but we do have rooms available tomorrow and for the weekend. Book yours today.

Wolf Creek is your Holter Lake ice fishing and Missouri River winter fly fishing destination with the only bar/restaurant and the only gas station/convenience store you’ll find between Helena and Cascade. Uncle Joe’s Oasis is open every day but they are only serving food Thursday – Monday so plan on utilizing that kitchen in your room if you’re coming out Tuesday or Wednesday. The Canyon Store is open daily for fuel and necessities  including beer and wine and one of the best selections of Montana Micro Brews you’ll find anywhere.

 

 

 

By |2017-01-04T17:09:36-07:00January 4th, 2017|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Bidding Farewell to 2016

There’s been a lot of talk these past couple of weeks about what a terrible year 2016 has been, mostly in relation to the rash of celebrity deaths that occurred.

It was definitely a politically and socially tumultuous year as well and for all of these reasons I guess I understand the sentiment but the reality is that a turn of the calendar has little power to change the world in which we live.

I share in the hope that 2017 brings happiness and joy and peace and prosperity to the world. I too mourn the passing of beloved celebrities but in my case it’s not so much the passing of the individuals but rather the passing of time signified by the passing of these cultural icons who have been a part of our existence for so long.

Time marches on!

In that vein, I think that while we tend to magnify the bad things in our lives it’s important to account for all the ways in which we are blessed as well.

2016 was a year overflowing with blessings.

For me it was another year spent in Montana with an amazing family, growing a successful business. It was another year of good health, another year of spending time with great friends and family and another year spent doing what I love.

It was a year with plenty of challenges, as all of them are and will always be. Life is made up of some peaks and some valleys with most days spent on the plateaus of the day-to-day. The highs and lows are a certainty over which we have very little control. I enjoyed my walk on the plateau for the most part in 2016. One more time around.

Wolf Creek Angler continued on the upward trajectory in 2016. There were definitely growing pains and lessons learned but overall we couldn’t be more pleased.

We kicked off the spring with a brand new logo and hit the ground running.

We had a good water year and an early start to the season which resulted in fantastic growth on all levels. We continued to wage our battle to bring in more of the products you have asked for and we did make some tremendous headway with the addition of some BIG name products, most notably SIMMS sportswear, outerwear and accessories. We are still a long ways from where we want to be but we’re definitely on our way.

We increased our guide trips on both the Missouri and Blackfoot Rivers and hope to do the same in 2017.

2016 was a busy lodging season and while we didn’t make any dramatic changes we continued with our commitment to doing all of the little things we need to do to make your stay with us an excellent experience. Expect more of the same and likely a major improvement or two for the coming season.

One thing we didn’t have in 2016 was The Frenchman and Me. We missed it. Our guests missed it.

Change is underway at The Frenchman and as of this writing, Shotgun Annie’s Eatery and Tavern will open April 1st. We’re stoked! More news on this soon…

All in all a great year for Wolf Creek Angler. We are thankful for everything that has come our way but mostly we’re thankful for all of our customers, old and new, who continue to support us.

We love trout, we love fly fishing in Montana, we love being a part of the Missouri River fly shop/outfitter/guide community  but most of all we love our interactions with you our customers. We’ve met so many people and forged great friendships in these first three seasons which will last a lifetime and when things are quiet as they are this time of year  it’s the thought of summer days on the water and around the shop and of our  rooms filled with happy anglers that tides us over and keeps us sane as we await the start of the season.

Happy New Year to all! May 2017  be the best year yet.

 

By |2016-12-31T19:48:42-07:00December 31st, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , |1 Comment
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Weekend Outlook

Game On – Photo by Jim Murray

We’ve seen an uptick in traffic these last few days with people taking advantage of the nice weather to get out and enjoy the last days of 2016 on the Missouri.

I wouldn’t call it busy by any means but if you’re coming out today or tomorrow expecting to have the river to yourself that’s not going to happen.

Those runs you like to fish in the winter, they aren’t a secret. Others like to fish them too. Expect to find folks in most of those places and be prepared to share. There’s plenty of water for everyone.

Give it a few days however and you can probably have the whole thing to yourself as it appears as though we’re heading into a prolonged arctic blast, the likes of which reportedly hasn’t been seen in 20 years.

From KBZK.COM

An Arctic cold front is expected to drop through Montana on Sunday. Pacific moisture will also move into Montana producing widespread snow. Gusty winds are likely as the Arctic front drops through Montana. This will bring dangerous travel conditions to Montana Sunday into Monday. Snowfall of 2″ to 4″ is possible with heavier snow in higher elevations, wind will be increasing Sunday into Monday 15 to 30 with gusts to 40 mph, wind chill values of -15 to -30 are possible, considerable blowing and drifting snow is also likely Sunday and Monday.

High pressure will build into Montana beginning Monday night clearing skies and settling the gusty winds down. However, the combination of valley snow, clear skies and Arctic air digging into most valleys forecast lows will be well below zero beginning Tuesday morning. National Weather Service office in Missoula is predicting a low of -41 below for Butte by Tuesday morning and with a light 5 mph NE wind the “Feels Like” temperature could be closer to -60. Bozeman area could see lows drop down to or lower than -25 below and possible wind chills down to or lower than -30 below zero.

It’s been about 20 years since the last long duration extreme cold event, according to the National Weather Service, the last time temperatures were this cold and for over a week was back in 1998.

We won’t see quite those extremes here on the Missouri but it’s definitely going to be bitterly cold so our advice would be to get out and fish today and tomorrow if you want to fish the river because it may be a while once the Arctic Blast arrives.

While the fishing opportunities on the river may be diminishing for the time being things are really starting to heat up on Holter Lake for the hard water anglers judging by the amount of calls we’ve gotten for lodging over the last few days. We are full for the weekend and have already booked a few rooms for next week. If this keeps up we may just need to think about opening some additional lodging units as demand is definitely exceeding supply at this point. We’ll keep you posted.

We’ll be in the shop today and tomorrow for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs. We’re closed on New Year’s Day and will play it by ear for next week. As has become our mantra this winter,  if we’re looking at single digit temps and/or hazardous travel conditions the shop will more than likely be closed but we are open for lodging EVERY DAY.

 

By |2016-12-30T16:33:29-07:00December 30th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Late December Missouri River Fishing Report

It almost feels spring-like out there this morning.

The gale force winds of the last couple of days have diminished (for the time being) and while it’s by no means warm we’re currently looking at a comfortable 20 degrees going up to near 30 this afternoon.

If you’re looking to close out 2016 with one more trip to the river today looks like your best bet. Temps remain fairly steady through the weekend but it looks like the winds will return tomorrow.

The new year will be ushered in with another arctic blast. We’ll be in the single digits for most of next week.

We’ve definitely reached winter water conditions with current water temps at just over 35 degrees and flows holding in the 3600 cfs range. Next week’s cold snap will likely drop the water temp even closer to that freezing mark so you may have to put your Missouri River winter fly fishing plans on hold for a while as we wait for a warm-up.

As the water temps drop the fish become extremely lethargic as their metabolism slows. Once the water temp drops below 35 degrees fishing becomes almost futile as the fish simply aren’t interested in eating or doing much of anything. The good news however is that a tick up a degree or two in these conditions can really turn things on as the fish emerge from their cold-induced lethargy to feed once again. They still won’t be overly active or aggressive but they are hungry so if you know where they’re at and you deliver the goods right to them you can have some pretty damn good days in the dead of winter.

The other nice thing about winter fishing is that you can pretty much run the same rig all winter long. If the fish are feeding they typically aren’t overly choosy. I’m currently running a #12 Pink Weight Fly with a #18 Pink Firebead Sow Bug and while I may play around with that trailing fly I’ll likely go with what I’ve got until I lose everything and then I’ll either replace it with the exact same rig or some variation thereof.

Some of our favorite winter bugs are Casne’s Pinkalicious, the aforementioned Pink Weight Fly, Ninch’s Bubble Yum Scud, Pink Amex, Rainbow Czech, Rainbow Weight Fly, Firebead Soft Hackle Sows, Pink Lightning Bugs, Firebead Rays, Caviar Scuds, Ninch’s Thunderbug….etc. Go Pink and Go Firebead and you can’t go wrong.

Swinging is also a popular option on the MO’ during the winter months but per the above, you’ll likely have more success with water temps above 35 degrees. Swinging versus stripping is key as those fish simply aren’t going to chase anything down with the water being as cold as it is. That being said, I’ve had some tremendous streamer days in 37 – 39 degree water with a SLOW strip. You can’t go wrong with Smallish Sparkle Minnows, Clousers,  Kreelex, Polar Leeches and various buggers.

Dry Flies? Not so much at this point but as we roll into the heart of winter we’ll start to see some midge action so if winter dry fly fishing is your thing rig up a Hi-vis Parachute Adams trailed with a Griffiths Gnat, a midge cluster or a buzzball and have it at the ready.

If solitude is what you seek there’s plenty of it to be found out there right now. Keep an eye on the forecast and plan accordingly. We don’t anticipate much activity next week with holiday vacations winding down and sub freezing weather returning but the hard water fishing is starting to heat up on Holter so keep us in mind for lodging if you’re coming out to clean up on perch.

Once again we may not be around much in the shop next week if it’s as cold as what they are calling for but we are open EVERY DAY for lodging.

 

 

By |2016-12-29T17:53:56-07:00December 29th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: , , , , , , |0 Comments
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Countdown to 2017

This is it. Six days to go.

Will you fish again in 2016?

We’re looking at another warming trend beginning today but once again, with the warmer temps comes the wind. We’ll see low to mid 30’s all week-long starting tomorrow but if you’re coming out to fish be prepared for winds in the 15-20 mph range with blowing snow.

We will be back in the shop tomorrow and will be around all week so grab those WCA Gift Cards you found in your stockings and come buy yourself all the things you really wanted for Christmas!

The extended forecast shows another arctic blast as we enter the new year but once things start to warm up be sure to take advantage of our winter lodging/guide trip special. Two nights of lodging and a full day of guided fishing on the Missouri for one or two anglers with one of our expert guides for just $500 with no cancellation fees.

There are other specials out there….nobody can touch this one.

It has not been a busy winter for us thus far with the weather being what it’s been and we’re ok with that because we definitely need the snow and cold as it relates to the 2017 water year. Snowpack is still below average but as you can see we’re definitely headed in the right direction.

We would love to be running trout trips right now but for the time being keep in mind we’re a great lodging option for waterfowl hunters and hard water anglers as well. From what I’ve heard the hunting has been good and while I don’t think the ice on the lake is safe just yet it shouldn’t be long before it is.

We’re dog friendly, we’re located just minutes from Holter Lake and if you’re wondering about services during the winter months the town of Wolf Creek is the place to be with the only bar/restaurant and the only gas station/convenience store between Helena and Cascade.

We are your Missouri River winter destination.

Stop in and see us this week as we wrap up an amazing year on the MO’.

 

By |2016-12-26T15:52:45-07:00December 26th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , |1 Comment
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Time is Running Out

We’re closing in on Christmas….just a couple of days left to pick up those last minute gifts and to make final preparations for whatever you’ll be doing this weekend.

All it takes is a quick call to the shop and we can help you wrap up your shopping with WCA Gift Cards or if you happen to be traveling to Wolf Creek today or tomorrow stop in for free coffee and free cookies and let us help you pick out the perfect gift for the fly fishers on your list. While you’re at it why not treat yourself to something new?

What do I want for Christmas?

I’m hoping for a trip to the playoffs for the Detroit Lions via their first NFC North Title in 23 years but we’ll take it any way we can get it. So this is my wish list for the weekend….Vikings over Packers and Lions over Cowboys and just to keep that wildcard option viable, Saints over Bucs. These outcomes would be an awesome Christmas present though not a likely scenario so looking beyond this weekend we may have a very big showdown on New Year’s Day in Detroit between the Packers and the Lions for the Division.

Go Lions!

It sounds like we could see another winter storm rolling in on Friday night and lasting through Sunday so safe travels to all of you who will be traveling. The shop will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

 

 

By |2016-12-22T17:38:08-07:00December 22nd, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments
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Winter Solstice

Happy Wednesday!

Today is the Winter Solstice, the first official day of winter and the shortest day of the year.

You know what that means. Starting tomorrow the days start to get longer. We’ve made it the other side and before you know it spring and then summer will be here and we’ll be enjoying long warm days on the Missouri casting to sipping trout.

In the meantime enjoy the sunshine today and tomorrow and prepare for another blast of winter arriving Saturday. The timing really couldn’t be better.

A couple of not quite spring-like (but close) days on the river leading up to a cold and snowy Christmas Eve and Christmas. Just as it should be.

We’ll see 30’s through Friday and back to cold and snow for the weekend with temps dipping back into the 20’s and teens. The gale force winds with which we’ve been contending have diminished to a more tolerable 10-15 mph and should continue to decrease over the next couple of days.

We’ll be here through Friday for all of your Missouri River winter fly fishing or last-minute Christmas gift needs and we will possibly be here for a spell on Christmas Eve morning though with the forecast being what it is we are leaning towards being closed both Christmas Eve and Christmas. Game Time decision for Saturday but we will definitely be closed on Christmas Day.

While you are thinking about those warm summer days on the horizon it’s the perfect time to give us a call and book those summer fishing and lodging dates. Prime June/July dates are filling quickly so don’t wait too long if prime-time is what you are after and by  prime-time I am speaking only of the highest concentration of anglers.

As far as we’re concerned it’s Prime Time from about April 15th – November 15th and while we do see a lull in traffic for the entire month of August and into the first part of September there is no reason you shouldn’t make plans to be here during those months as well. The weather is great, the fishing is fine and the traffic is light. We typically do the majority of our large group trips during this time because of lodging and guide availability and they keep coming back if that tells you anything so if you’re looking to book a large group this season think about early spring and late summer.

A few days on the Missouri and maybe a day or two on the Blackfoot…..what could be better? Wolf Creek Angler is your base camp for Missouri River Montana fly fishing and beyond.

 

 

By |2016-12-21T17:28:47-07:00December 21st, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , , , , , , , , |0 Comments
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Last Minute Gift Idea

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Have you reached your wits end searching for the perfect gift for the fly fisher on your list?

Why not leave it up to them?

A Wolf Creek Angler gift card is the logical choice.

WCA Gift Cards can be purchased in any amount, they never expire, and they can be used for absolutely ANYTHING we sell.

Flies, shuttles, waders, Simms sportswear and accessories, Smith Sunglasses, Loop Rods and Reels, Fishpond packs, lodging, guide trips on the World Famous Missouri or Blackfoot Rivers, ARC, Rio and Airflo fly lines, Yeti coolers and drink ware, WCA Logo Gear…..ANYTHING and EVERYTHING we sell.

And they’re super easy to purchase. You needn’t leave the house. Just pick up the phone and give us a call and we’d be glad to send your gift card anywhere in the world.

You really can’t go wrong with this one.

By |2016-12-20T18:32:18-07:00December 20th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments
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