With current flows on the Missouri holding at just over 11K it’s a different river than what you might be used to this time of year but it’s fishing just fine and there’s no reason you shouldn’t have successful days out there provided you make a few basic adjustments to your game.

Before we get to that however the big question on everyone’s mind is “how high are those flows going to go”? We’ve been getting plenty of calls on a daily basis regarding the current flows and where they might be headed and what that might mean for June/July Missouri River fishing plans.

As is always the case, first off the disclaimer. We here at Wolf Creek Angler are ill equipped to give any sort of qualified professional predictions as to what the flows on the Missouri will or will not be over these next several weeks. We know what we’re seeing out there now, we know what the SNOTEL looks like and we know what the “experts” are forecasting….beyond that we are not hydrologists, climatologists or meteorologists so our guess is as good as yours.

This morning we received a notice from the Bureau of Reclamation calling for a DECREASE in flows on the Missouri. The notice included the following;

COMMENTS:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Operational plans indicate releases need to be reduced in order to gradually fill Canyon Ferry Reservoir to the top of the joint use pool.  Flows on the Missouri River below Holter Dam will be near 10,000 cfs.  In response, the following operation changes are required at Canyon Ferry Dam and Powerplant.   

CANYON FERRY RELEASES AND OPERATIONS: Times are Mountain Daylight Savings Time 

At 1600 hour on Wednesday, May 24, 2017:    Maintain releases through the river outlet gates at 0 cfs.  Decrease releases through the spillway gates to 4,750 cfs.    Maintain turbine release at ≈ 5,100 cfs (≈52.0 MW-Hrs/hr using 98. cfs/mw). Maintain releases for Helena Valley Project at 700 cfs (350 cfs pumped to Helena Valley and 350 cfs discharged to the Missouri River). Decrease release to the Missouri River to 10,200 cfs.  Decrease total release from Canyon Ferry to 10,550 cfs

At 1600 hour on Thursday, May 25, 2017:  Maintain releases through the river outlet gates at 0 cfs.  Decrease releases through the spillway gates to 4,250 cfs.    Maintain turbine release at ≈ 5,100 cfs (≈52.0 MW-Hrs/hr using 98. cfs/mw). Maintain releases for Helena Valley Project at 700 cfs (350 cfs pumped to Helena Valley and 350 cfs discharged to the Missouri River). Decrease release to the Missouri River to 9,700 cfs.  Decrease total release from Canyon Ferry to 10,050 cfs

Meanwhile, flows on the Dearborn are on the rise again (currently 1,020 cfs) while Little Prickly Pear continues to drop. The SNOTEL is still looking blue (and sometimes more blue by the day as spring storms continue to deliver snow to the high country).

So what’s it all mean? Those in the know are well aware of the snowpack and they have decided to reduce the outflow from Canyon Ferry in order to fill the reservoir. This tells me that the current contributing conditions are such that those calling the shots feel Missouri flows maintained in the 10K range below Holter Dam for time being will allow for sufficient fill rates. Above average precipitation over these next few weeks could definitely change this but if things remain average or below where precipitation is concerned we expect flows will be maintained at this level for the time being and will gradually be reduced as runoff peaks sometime in early to mid June.

We are getting calls about June and July conditions and what we are telling people as that our best guess is that we will see flows stabilize somewhere in the 6K range for the season once the peak flows have been reached. When exactly this will take place we don’t know but my gut is telling me we mid June…..I could be way off, it wouldn’t be the first time.

So how does all of this affect you and your Missouri River summer fly fishing plans? It all depends on how you fish. If you are a wade-only angler you may be challenged by the conditions this spring. If you fish from a boat you will likely LOVE the flows if they hold in the 10K range.

Last week the river was as muddy as I’ve ever seen it following Wednesday  night’s rain storm which pushed Little Prickly Pear into the 700 cfs range and the Dearborn to over 1500 CFS providing plenty of muddy inflow to the MO’. Muddy water has it’s own set of challenges but we still caught plenty of fish.

When you are fishing high or muddy water it’s important to keep in mind that the fundamentals remain the same. You need to find the fish and determine what it is they are eating. This is the case for any and all water conditions. Don’t overthink the challenges.

Generally speaking the fish move with the increased flows in order to maintain the type of water in which they like to reside. Changes in rigging are sometimes necessary to address the new location of the fish but if you have been having success with a certain rig (depth/weight/bugs) then leave it exactly as is and find the water for which you built it. We had pretty good success doing this with bumps of a couple hundred or even up to 1000 CFS but now that we’re double the volume we were a short time ago it has changed things a little more drastically.

The bugs have been the same but most are finding those fish in the deeper, slower water. These aren’t necessarily the slow, deep spots you are used to however because everything is bigger/deeper etc so you have to prospect a bit to find the fishy water.

Sow bugs and worms have been the recipe for success with Tailwater Sows leading the charge. The run on these has been nothing short of staggering over the last two weeks. We received a restock order last week and had to place another order yesterday. It looks like the bins should be full again by Thursday at the latest.

Some have been getting them to go on Little Green Machines, S & M’s, Peep Shows and other mayfly and/or caddis pupae patterns but I haven’t had any real reason to abandon the worm/sow combo aside from a few times a Tungsten Rainbow Czech beat out the worm on point.

The dam has been extremely busy this week as you might expect and reports have been good. Wolf Creek to Craig has been hit or miss but there are definitely hot spots in there which are worth your time. We’ve heard a mixed bag of reports from the canyon and not much from down low but overall it’s been decent to good depending on the day.

Streamer fishing has been solid during low light with black and olive both producing well. Stow the streamer stick during high sun and stick to nymphing.

Dry fly fishing opportunities have been few and far between. Plenty of bugs…sporadic rising.

The bottom line? Don’t be intimidated by the flows. This is more water than we’ve seen in quite a few years but it’s definitely fishable and may be your only option for the time being if you want to fly fish in Montana.

Don’t fall into the Dam Trap.  There are fish EVERYWHERE!

A great way to get a handle on fishing higher flows is to spend a day on the water with one of our expert guides. There’s no doubt you can figure it out on your own but what you learn in a day with a guide might take you years to learn on your own.

We’ve got plenty of lodging and plenty of guides available through the end of the month and the shop is FULLY STOCKED with all kinds of big water bugs and anything else you need for fly fishing the Missouri and beyond. We are your Missouri River Fly Fishing Destination!

It’s Go Time on the MO’.

Mid May has arrived and with it increased flows and increased crowds on the Missouri, chocolate milk on the freestones and plenty of precipitation in the form of rain and snow in the immediate forecast.

We’re actually under a Winter Weather Advisory beginning at 3 AM tomorrow morning and running through 6 AM Thursday for accumulations of  a foot or more of snow above 7,000 feet and 2-4 inches of slushy wet snow on the mountain passes. Down here we’re in for a wet day tomorrow with 100 percent chance of rain. They’re calling for between a half and three-quarters of an inch of rain to fall tomorrow so if you’re coming out to fish (and why wouldn’t you be) don’t forget your waders and rain gear. Should you happen to forget  we’ve got everything you need to keep you warm and dry.

Flows bumped to over 9000 cfs today which sounds like a lot but don’t be deterred. Wade fishing is still an option but you’ll want to use extreme caution and choose your spots wisely. Fishing from a boat is preferred by many and we of the drift boat brigade are loving these flows. We highly recommend fishing from a boat for the time being and if that sounds appealing it just so happens we’ve got plenty of RO and Adipose drift boats for rent so you can do it yourself. Better yet, book a guide for a day and watch how the pros do it. We encourage you to take notes, mental or otherwise. Navigating the Missouri is fairly easy, even for a novice rower. Navigating the Missouri in a manner which allows your buddies to fish with some chance for success while you row is a little more difficult, a little more involved. We’d be happy to teach you or just do all of the rowing for you. It’s your call.

Nymphing and streamer fishing should be your methods of choice for the time being but keep that dry fly rod rigged and at the ready. You never know what you’ll find out there.

We’re still playing the sow bug game more often than not but there are a bunch of other options coming in to play as well. Wire Worms, Gold or Purple Weight flies, Tungsten Tailwater Sows, Caddis UV Czechs, Ninch’s Bubble Yum scud, Tan UV Czechs, Rainbow Czechs, Tungsten Pheasant Tails….all fine point fly options.

Pair any of the above with a tailwater sow, tungsten zebra midge, LGM, Psycho May, 2 Bit, S & M, MicroMay, BWO Bubbleback Emerger, Rainbow Warrior, Yum Yum, BWO Magic Fly, Split Case BWO, Juju or Radiation Baetis, Dark Peep Show….etc. Lots of bugs working right now, you just need to find the right ones and put them where the fish are which at these flows is typically going to be deep. 9 – 11 feet overall from indicator on is where you want to be and more than likely you’ll want to add some weight. I’m generally running a single BB but I’m also sticking with a heavy tungsten point fly as well. Do whatever it takes to get your bugs down where they need to be.

Streamers? Yes.

Again, this is not the best streamer river in the world by any stretch but those who have been committing to it are finding success. Coffey’s Sparkle Minnows, Dirty Hippies, Dolly LLamas, Circus Peanuts, ZK’s MK Ultras and Bunny Wailers, Space Invaders and plain old black or rust buggers are all good options. We’ve done well bombing the banks and coaxing fish off the rock walls and out from under the vegetation but don’t overlook the riffles and don’t be afraid to fish tha middle water that you’d typically not even look at. The fish are everywhere. Like most, I tend to work those banks and any structure that is present but in the absence of any “obvious water” I’ll pick apart the water on both sides of the boat and just see what happens.

It’s Caddis Fest weekend and it looks like the weather is going to clear up on Friday and Saturday so we expect it’s going to be a busy weekend in Wolf Creek and Craig.  Caddis Fest always draws a good crowd but when the MO’ is virtually the only fishing option in the state right now we’re thinking it could be one of the busiest yet. Lots of great food and cool silent auction items and a great cause with proceeds going to the Craig Volunteer Fire Department. We hope you join us Saturday starting at 4 pm.

If you’re thinking of making a weekend out of it give us a call sooner rather than later and book a room. We’ve got just a couple left and they will more than likely be gone soon.

We are your Missouri River Fly Fishing Destination with clean, comfortable and affordable lodging, the hardest working guide crew on the river and a first-rate Full Service Fly Shop with everything you need for your day on the water.

We’re already nearly a week into May and things are heating up both literally and figuratively. We hit 80 degrees yesterday and will see low 80’s again today before cooler temps arrive tomorrow with a chance for some precipitation.

Flows on the river have stabilized in the 7400 cfs range with water temps climbing steadily into the high 40’s. The fishing has remained spotty overall but depending on the day and the section we have been putting together some pretty good days out there, mostly on the nymphing side.

As runoff starts to get underway around the state we continue to receive a lot of calls inquiring about the flows on the Missouri and while we can’t tell you exactly what we’re going to be seeing for the season where flows are concerned,  what we can tell you is that according to the latest information released from the Bureau of Reclamation yesterday those in the know are predicting a probable status quo scenario for the next two months with a peak just shy of 8000 cfs in June.

As you can see on the chart above the most probable scenario has us at 4500-5000 cfs for the months of July and August and while there are those who prefer flows in the 3500 range I think most would agree that flows in the 5000 range are preferred. We like what we’re seeing here and hope that it holds true. Even at the Max Probable we’d be looking at a climb to around 10,500 this month followed by a peak of 12,000 in June and leveling off to around 5500 for the rest of the season. This would make things challenging for the wade anglers in June but it would also provide a much-needed flush which would be a tremendous benefit to the river. Minimum probable flows would drop to 5000 cfs this month and then level off at the 4,000 cfs range for the remainder of the season. Any of these flow predictions would be an improvement over what we’ve seen the last couple of years so with runoff predicted to render many rivers around the region unfishable into July you can expect a busy season on the MO’.

Canyon Ferry is currently 83% full which is 109% of the 30 year average. The anticipated inflow for the May through July runoff period is forecasted to be 1,533.0 kaf, or 110 percent of the 30 year average.

So that’s the latest on river flows, now on to the fish numbers.

When discussing fish numbers it’s important to remember that even though we might be talking about declines or increases in the population we’re talking about them within the context of over 5,000 fish per mile in the section from Holter Dam to Craig. Amazing numbers to be sure. There was a substantial increase in Rainbow trout numbers which rebounded to 2014 levels  after three straight years of decreasing populations. 2016 saw rainbow numbers of 4,816 fish per mile. Brown trout numbers continued to decrease for the fourth straight season with 269 fish per mile in 2016 which is still a respectable number.

Size wise we’re still looking at a majority of rainbows in the 17″ – 19″ size class….BIG fish!  A fair amount of browns in the 17″-19″ size as well though those number have dropped considerably over the past couple of years. Of note is the large number of browns in the 6″ – 8″ size class….the future looks bright!

All in all we’re very pleased with the State of the Missouri for the 2017 season. A little more water and plenty of big fish. What more could you want?

It’s been an awesome early spring on the MO’ with cooler temps and plenty of overcast skies, ideal conditions for BWO’s as well as for streamer fishing…two of our favorite things about spring.

We continue to see precipitation in the form of both rain and snow and with the cooler conditions continuing to persist around the state the snowpack is being maintained and is actually increasing in many drainages.

It looks like it’s going to be a good water year in the region and it looks like the Missouri is going to be a busy place once runoff ramps up and brings us all those seeking fishable water.

It appears as though we’ll get our first real taste of warm weather this season as temperatures hit the high 70’s and into the 80’s beginning on Thursday and lasting through most of the weekend before things return to more normal temps for early May. We’ll see plenty of sunshine throughout the week but expect the overcast conditions to return on Saturday.

Good BWO activity being reported daily though the fairly consistent abundance of bugs has not necessarily meant consistency where rising fish are concerned. When you do find rising fish they’ve been fairly willing to take a well-presented fly so keep those dry-fly rigs at the ready. I’ve been running a parachute Adams along with a Wilcox’s Micromay BWO and haven’t had any real reason to abandon that setup though a Brook’s Sprout Baetis and a Quiqley’s Film Critic is another combo that’s hard to beat. There are still gazillions of midges out there as well so midge clusters should definitely be a part of your dry-fly arsenal right now.

Nymphing is still in the transitional stages. Wire worms, Rainbow Czechs, Pink Amex, Ninch’s Bubble Yum Scuds and Rainbow Weight Flies have all been good options trailed with a sowbug or a mayfly nymph. Tailwater sows, Ninch’s Pill Poppers and Firebead soft hackle sows have been more consistent for me but Green Machines, 2 bits, S & M’s, Psycho Mays, Juju’s, purple lightning bugs and the lot have also been getting plenty of attention.

The canyon still seems to be a better option for numbers right now but there are plenty of fish throughout the system. We’ve been skipping the dam to Wolf Creek stretch as of late but there are plenty of fish being caught up there in the places you’d expect them to be. The same can be said for the Wolf Creek to Craig stretch which has been consistently solid though perhaps not as productive as you would expect it to be but it should only get better from here on out.

We’re continuing to have better luck fishing longer rigs in the deeper slower water but the short leash in shallow fast water has definitely gained momentum over the past week (especially in the canyon).

It’s a great time of year to do it all. Chase bobbers or chuck streamers until you find rising fish.

There have definitely been some tough days and the flows have undoubtedly contributed to this but overall it’s been good enough to make it worth your while. We’re currently looking at 7510 CFS with a water temp of 45 degrees.

We’ve been slammed at the shop this past week with a lot of last-minute spring special trips as well as the start of the arrival of our spring regulars. A huge thank you to all of you who took advantage of our spring lodging and guide trip special. This was by far the busiest we’ve been with spring special guide trips.

We’re booking up weekly with the majority of our guests doing the Thursday – Monday routine leaving plenty of availability both for guides and lodging during the mid-week. We shouldn’t have any problem getting you booked for lodging and/or guide trips for the next couple of weeks but once we hit late May things tend to get challenging. That being said, we do have openings here and there and cancellations do happen so please give us a call and we’ll do our best to get you in.

Official shop hours are still 7:30 am – 5 pm daily though coffee is generally on right around 7 am. If the blinds are open and the lights are on come on in.