Currently 38 degrees and relatively calm in Wolf Creek with a light snow falling….that’s all about to change.

If you’re looking to get out today and/or tomorrow would be the time as winter is about to arrive in a big way.

We’re under a winter storm watch from tomorrow morning through Monday evening with several inches of snow possible and much more in the high country and then it gets real with arctic air arriving and temps plummeting.

We’ll see daytime highs in the single digits and overnight temps below zero throughout the first part of the week before things return to more seasonable conditions at the end of the week.

I wouldn’t expect much competition out there today and tomorrow as the breezy conditions will keep many away but it should be good fishing, especially on Sunday with mostly cloudy skies, a little less wind and highs near 40.

Stop by the shop for all of the essentials….shuttles, bugs, the best free coffee in the canyon and much more.

Need We Say More?

With all this talk about the coldest weather of the season arriving on Sunday night this weekend could very well be your last chance to get in on what many have considered to be the best fall fishing in several years.

Not that it won’t fish after the cold snap but the water is going to get cold and things are going to change dramatically next week.

Winter is on the way

Traffic remains extremely light so why not take advantage of these last few days of unseasonably warm weather and treat yourself to an early Christmas present….a December getaway to the MO’. We’ve got a couple of rooms left and guides available if you are interested in our INSANELY AFFORDABLE winter lodging and guide trip package. $500 for two nights lodging and a full day of guided fishing on the Missouri for one or two anglers with NO CANCELLATION FEES!

There are other specials out there but nobody can touch this deal!

Prefer to do it yourself? We’ve got a deal for you as well. $99/night (plus tax) for cozy lodging in one of our cabins or bungalows. Each room is furnished with a full kitchen and all of the cookware/dishes/silverware etc. you’ll need. If you’d prefer to dine out The Oasis is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (8AM – 8 PM) Thursday – Monday.

If you’re going to come out this weekend we suggest you load up on Tailwater sows and Rainbow Czechs and keep doing what you’ve been doing for the past six weeks. And speaking of Tailwater Sows, we were out of #14’s and perilously low on #16’s  for a couple of days last week but we have no shortage of either now so no need to look elsewhere, we’ve got all the bugs you need at Wolf Creek Angler.

Once again, for effective nymphing,  a #10 or #12 Tungsten Czech (we like Rainbow or Tan UV) paired with a #16 Tailwater Sow or some variation thereof fished on a medium length rig (4 – 5ish feet from indicator to bb or point fly) in medium fast , mid depth water should do the trick. Some have been fishing deeper, some have been short leashing the faster shallows….most are catching fish. That’s not to say that there haven’t been some slow days but overall when it’s on it seems you can catch fish in all zones but again, all that’s about to change as falling water temps force the fish into the slow deep winter runs.

Following next weeks arctic blast we’ll definitely be rigging up the firebeads and the pink stuff though there’s no reason to abandon the sows as they will continue to work. You’ll just need to change your approach and your presentation and start targeting that deep slow winter water. Not sure where that is? Stop in the shop and we’d be happy to point you in the right direction.

This weekend will also be a bit of a last hurrah for the streamer stripping crowd as we transition into winter swing techniques. There’s plenty of sunshine today but thankfully Saturday and Sunday look to be cloudy with snow showers….perfect streamer conditions. Try black, olive or natural and don’t forget the Hot Head Kreelex, a winter staple which has already started to produce.

We hope to see you this weekend at Wolf Creek Angler. We are your Missouri River Winter Fly Fishing Headquarters with more on-site lodging than anyone, some of the fishiest guides on the river, Adipose and RO Drift Boat Rentals, vehicle shuttles, cold-weather gear from Simms, an amazing sale rack filled with ridiculous deals and of course the almost legendary largest selection of bugs ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana. All this and just minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge.

We hope to see you today as we celebrate Small Business Saturday.

If you are planning on coming out to fish the MO’ today swing in for shuttles, bugs, the best coffee in the canyon and all kinds of great gift ideas for the fly fishers on your list.

We know you have a lot of choices out there when it comes to where to shop and we are so thankful for all of you who choose to shop with us.

We don’t have the best deals on merchandise – you’ll find those deals online or at the big box stores. What we can offer you is exceptional service and expert local advice which you definitely won’t find at the big box stores.

We are proud to be your local fly shop….wherever you are and we can’t thank you enough for supporting shops like ours.

A blessed Thanksgiving from all of us at Wolf Creek Angler.

We are so thankful for being able to live and work in this amazing place doing what we love and it’s all because of you. Thank you so much to everyone who shops with us, stays with us and fishes with us.

We are truly blessed beyond measure!

Enjoy the day with family and friends and food and whatever traditions make this day what it is for you.

We’ll be back in the shop tomorrow – we hope to see you there.

Go Lions!

In advance of our Black Friday Rod Sale we thought we would take a minute and talk about fly rods.

Being a destination shop fly rods are not one of our biggest sellers. Most of those who come to fish with us are well equipped with rods so much of what we sell is of the backup variety of rods people tend to purchase if they break or lose a rod while they are here.

That being said, we have steadily grown our rod inventory each season to meet the demands of a growing following of both local and not so local anglers who have adopted us as their “local fly shop”.

We sell some great rods from some great companies with a focus on quality and affordability and our plan is to continue to grow in this area. Just to address the elephant in the room, there are brands we would love to carry which are considered to be Montana Fly Shop staples. Without going too deep on this let’s just say that we’re doing everything we can to offer you the products you demand. It’s a complicated situation but one which you can rest assured we will continue to address until we get what you want.

All that aside….we fish what we sell and we believe in what we sell so while we would love to offer some additional options we feel you owe it to yourself to come check out an awesome lineup of fly rods, some of which may not have even been on your radar.

We are the exclusive dealer of LOOP rods and reels on the Missouri and while LOOP certainly has a following they are often overshadowed by some of the other high-profile rod manufacturers. We’re here to tell you that LOOP rods are as good as any out there and we invite you to come in and take one for a test drive. You’ll be amazed!

We feature a wide variety of LOOP rods including the amazing Cross S1 series. If a high-end rod is what you’re looking for, the Cross S1 redefines high-end.

If the large arbor provided revolutionary function that made the fly reel exponentially better, you won’t believe the difference Cross S1 construction makes with fly rods. We could write an entire book on the adventure that has led to the Cross S1 series of fly rods. We could look up and write down all the available superlatives that are yet unused by other manufacturers (not many left nowadays), but the only way to truly describe what we mean is to hand one to you and let you test it for yourself. If there has ever been a time in our history of development of high-performance fly fishing gear where Loop merited a “look” and a test from the fly fishing world, it is now. Over a period of two years we have developed these fly rods where we used the new 3M™ Powerlux™ Composites. The result is amazing, the strength associated with the 3M™ Powerlux™ Composites generates a lightness and controllable elasticity that simply must be experienced.

We have carefully restricted the inherent elasticity of the Loop Cross S1 so that the rod is working evenly over a much wider range than other fly rods. We have managed to make super-strong featherweight fly rods, with an emphasis on fishing where the rod is working with minimum vibration through an entire load range – from close-in and out to even extreme distances. The design requires minimal input power where the rod does the job. It has never been so easy and taken so little effort to deliver precision loops at 10-meters or 30-meters while easily controlling the line or changing the pace of the cast.

We also offer the NEW Next Generation Evotec CAST series of rods from LOOP.

The CAST series maximizes the benefits of the full to mid curve actions favored in today’s fly fishing, but in three distinct flex tempos. Whether it’s small creek brownies or swinging heavy flies deep for Atlantic salmon, the CAST range offers high performance fly rods in Medium, Medium Fast and Fast actions to complement not only your casting style, but also your chosen discipline of fly fishing.

Irrespective of your favored action, each of the rods offer unrivaled performance and outstanding value for money in their class. The CAST series utilizes our very latest DCT (Dynamic Core Technology). This unique technology is achieved during blank construction by building directional carbon fiber in a specific inter layering sequence. Each carbon layer is designed to work in unison with the rod’s flex plane by adding integral strength throughout the length of the blank. This has the direct effect of enhancing tip recovery during the casting cycle and also increasing rod durability.

By integrating DCT with industry-leading taper designs, the CAST series not only achieves but surpasses performance expectations in a tasteful and thoughtfully designed color coordinated package. Castability and fishability are the inherent LOOP trademarks that inspired the CAST concept.

Echo has been by far our best-selling brand of rods each season and we don’t expect that to change anytime soon. Echo rods are the epitome of affordable quality and with an ever-expanding product line and an unmatched commitment to customer service we can’t say enough good things about them.

We carry a wide variety of rods from Echo including the exceptionally advanced, high modulus graphite Echo 3, the fast action Echo Boost for those looking for the ultimate balance of power and precision, the ultimate affordable workhorse the Carbon XL and the industry’s only high performance rod built specifically for kids the amazing Echo Gecko.

A couple of awesome rods from Redington we just started selling this season are the Vapen Black and the Hydrogen.

The Vapen Black is an All water, fast action rod featuring;

• X-Wrap graphite technology for maximum vibration dampening, strength and torsional stability
• PowerGrip, featured on the Vapen Black and Vapen Red, is a non-slip polymer grip technology created in conjunction with Winn Grips and to reduce fatigue and amplify power
• Integrated composite cork on the Vapen Black and Vapen Red for superior durability
• Carbon fiber reel seat insert with custom anodized highlights
• Machined hidden hook keepers
• Alignment dots for easy setup
• Durable cordura rod tube with black suede rod sock
• Lifetime Warranty

Vapen Black

New last season the Hydrogen is the lightest rod in its class and is an absolute joy to cast.

The lightest rod in its class

• Super-tuned, smooth,medium-fast action blank construction
• Single-foot guides for increased tip recovery
• Skeletonized, CNC machined, anodized aluminum reel seat
• Pinpoint accuracy delivered through improved rod tracking
• Matte finish blank for flash reduction
• Section tips epoxy coated to prevent sticking
• Half-wells, premium gradecork handles
• Euro nymph actions feature a softer tip for easier turnover
• Fully protected cordura rod tube with dividers
• Trout Spey models feature Scandi and Skagit grain ratings on rod blanks
• Trout Spey models feature downlocking skeletonized reel seats for superior in-hand balance
• Trout Spey models feature Zirconia stripping guide inserts to reduce guide/line freeze
• Lifetime warranty

We hope you come check out our rod selection during our Black Friday rod sale running all weekend long. We’re offering the best deals of the season on our rods and rod and reel packages and in keeping with our philosophy of affordable quality you’ll find rods ranging in price from $100 – $800 with the majority coming in at less than $400.

Throw in Black Friday savings and you’ve got deals too good to pass up. Whether you’re treating yourself to an early Christmas present or shopping for your loved ones, we’ve got a rod or rod and reel combo that will perfectly fit your needs and your budget.