Fishing Report Archives - Page 40 of 41

Sunrise on Season One

Wolf Creek Sunrise

We opened the doors a month ago and the response has been overwhelmingly positive as the sun rises on our inaugural season. We couldn’t be more pleased with the way things have gone thus far and we are anticipating a busy season ahead at Wolf Creek Angler.

We are fully operational now with all of our lodging units open, a fleet of RO drift boats for rent and a fully stocked shop with everything you need for fly fishing success on the Missouri. With the secret out about our great guide lodging rates we’ve had plenty of guide traffic as the Missoula, Bozeman and Kalispell crews seek fishable water. We are anticipating much more of this as the weather warms and waters around the state continue to rise. Give us a call to book rooms for your clients and your guides. We are truly one-stop shopping with affordable on-site lodging, a great selection of bugs and gear, shuttle service and much more. With the Oasis, the Frenchman and the Canyon Store just down the road you’ve got everything you need right here in Wolf Creek Montana where you are just minutes from the dam and Wolf Creek Bridge launches.

A moderately busy April has given us a chance to ease into this business of running a fly shop, guide service and lodging operation. Now it’s game time. The crowds will soon descend upon the Missouri in search of insane fishing opportunities and we will be here to do whatever we can to make your trip a success and an experience you won’t soon forget.

The hot topic has of course been the water level and at what flow and for how long it will peak. Flows were increased a couple of weeks ago to around 8500 and have held relatively stable since then with minor fluctuations daily. There have been a couple of tough days out there during this time but there have been more than a couple of off-the-charts days as well so we will take it.

The question remains – where will the flows peak and the answer remains we simply don’t know. There have been plenty of reports out there discussing the topic in detail and these reports are very informative but the bottom line is that we just can’t say. There are simply too many variables, the main one being rainfall amounts. The official word though is that things will max out somewhere between 8500 and 12500. We shall see. From our perspective the river is best fished from a boat right now but that being said, we’ve had plenty of walk/wade traffic as well and it seems that people are getting it figured out. Either way, we’ve got you covered with rental boats, wading gear, shuttles, bugs and anything you might need for your day on the Missouri.

Holter Dam – March 1918

2014 – 8500 CFS. So Far So Good

What we do know is that the Dearborn and the Little Prickly Pear jumped to 875 and 344 respectively overnight following a couple of warm sunny days bringing the Missouri up to the 10000 cfs vicinity down low. What we also know is that it’s fishing just fine, at least from the reports we heard this morning from the pack of guides and guests currently calling Wolf Creek Angler and the Missouri River home.

The dreary skies today had some thinking streamers. Sparkle Minnows, Circus Peanuts, Hibernators and Autumn Offenders all left the bins today destined for big eats from big browns. And speaking of big browns, we heard talk earlier this week from a very credible source about some good numbers of above average size (some Extremely above average)browns in some water you LOVE to fish. Stop by the shop if you are interested in hearing more.

The nymph game has continued to revolve around firebeads and pink stuff for us but we’ve also had varying degrees of success with worms and baetis emergers, specifically Trina’s Bubbleback and Angelcase emergers in #18. Poxyback Baetis, Tungsten Warriors, purple Flux Capacitors, Green Machines, Red Zebras and both Rainbow and Olive Payczechs have also brought respectable numbers to the net over the past week. We’ve still been fishing longer rigs with a couple of bb’s in the deeper water but as the water warms look to the moderately fast water for success. The surface action remains sub-par. There are plenty of midges and BWO’s around but rises are sporadic at best. Stay late for success as most of the consistent activity we’ve seen has been post 8.

We are a month in and fully engaged and ready for a great season. The support we’ve received not only from our customers but from the community in general has been tremendous and we are thrilled to be a part of this Missouri River Thing. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and would like to give a special thanks to The Trout Shop, Headhunters, Crosscurrents and Trout Montana, all of whom have been nothing but helpful to and supportive of Wolf Creek Angler. We look forward to working with all of you.

See you in the shop and on the water….

~Jason O.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00May 3rd, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: Crosscurrents, Flux Capacitor, fly fishing, green machine, Headhunters, Holter Dam, Keeney's Hibernator, Missouri River, nymphs, RO Drift Boats, streamers, The Trout Shop, Trout Montana, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Any day now…

Winter returned on Saturday with snow showers and wind and fairly unpleasant fishing conditions overall, at least for this time of year. Consequently we had a lot of traffic in the shop, some curious about the new kid in town, many seeking a respite from the weather which we are always more than happy to provide. The response to the shop has been overwhelmingly positive and we love seeing all of the familiar faces as well as a lot of new ones. Run off is bringing a lot of folks from around the state to our door and we are thrilled to have you here. Lodging has been pretty well booked all week and while it’s a quiet Sunday in Wolf Creek MT we anticipate filling up again this week as we return to more normal spring temperatures and conditions. Our spring special rates on lodging and guided trips will remain in effect through the end of April with lodging starting at $59/night + tax and full day Missouri River guide trips for only $300.

We’ve been getting a lot of calls concerning the river flows and though we are in no position to predict what will be happening with flows come May and June, it seems that those in the know are satisfied with the water management at Canyon Ferry and the general consensus is that it’s going to be a great water year with things running much closer to normal. Last season’s low flows made for some great wade fishing opportunities but also led to some stressed fish, some weedy conditions and some lackluster bug activity. We are excited to see water in the side channels again and the higher flows should mean better bugs, happier and healthier fish and hopefully some delay in the weed development.

Our guides all reported good to great fishing throughout the week. Nymphing has been solid everywhere and the streamer action has been decent in the canyon and below. Dry fly action is fairly limited right now with a few fish being picked up on Skwalas down low. Tons of midges on the water with most of the feeding coming during the last light of the day. This could be the week for BWO’s – stay tuned and if you’re going out have a dry fly rig at the ready. Firebeads and pink stuff remain the go-to where the nymphing is concerned but the transition is certainly underway and we are seeing a lot more baetis nymphs leave the bins over the past few days. Juju Baetis, Juan’s Flux Capacitors, Little Green Machines and purple and pink lightning bugs have all been in high demand and we are happy to report that we’ve got you covered with these patterns and many more. Skiddish Smolts, Sparkle Minnows and Pollar Minnows have all had their days as of late for those willing to commit to the streamer. Keep your nymphing rig on the long side, 7-8 feet from the indicator to the first fly and make sure you are getting the bugs down to the fish with a couple of bb’s. The softer water continues to produce well but don’t be afraid to fish the moderately fast stuff as well as the water temps bump upwards.

New product continues to arrive at the shop daily. We’ve got a bunch of new bugs from MFC and Umpqua, plenty of rods from St Croix and Echo including The Bank Robber and the High Stick Drifter, all the wading and cold-weather gear you could want from Redington, bunches of Wolf Creek Angler logo gear, Hydro Flasks, Ross Reels, everything RIO and much much more. We’ve also got you covered with shuttles and RO drift boat rentals and plenty of gear and gadgets we hope you can’t live without.

It’s going to be a great season at Wolf Creek Angler!

See you in the shop and on the water…. ~Jason O.

Baetis Nymphs are starting to leave the bins

New bugs at Wolf Creek Angler

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00April 13th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, Echo, fly fishing, green machine, Hydro Flask, Missouri River, Montana, Montana Fly Company, Redington, RIO, RO Drift Boats, St Croix, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

Higher flows on the MO are perfect conditions for the worm!

On March 29th I fished the Missouri from Wolf Creek to Craig with a friend. With flows over 6,000 CFS I wanted to get out and do some recon to see where the fish are holding and what they are interested in eating. Well, they were where I thought they would be and with a little adjustment of leaders, indicator and weight, we were busy hooking up most of the day.

I’d be lying if I said the hatch was pretty precise. I spent about a half hour with a silver skittish smolt on the line and moved about six fish. They were hitting that streamer, but I was more focused on nymphs because I have some guide trips scheduled in the near future and I want to be prepared for clients. The fish hit on anything with a hot bead and the infamous extended red-bodied nymph (a.k.a red San Juan worm). We didn’t really try any other nymphs.

We noticed a midge hatch around noon in some of the quiet water back eddies. However, we only saw a few fish up so the midge are nothing to get excited over yet. Water temperature is in the high thirties, but I think when we hit the low forties, we will see more midge and blue winged olive hatches. Then the fish will rise.

I am really excited about what I think will be a nice water year, or maybe a normal water year. There has been a lot of talk about what is the ideal water flow number. I don’t necessarily think there is an ideal. It is sort of like discussing fish counts. In reality, fish need to eat to live. As a guide, it is my job to find out what they are interested in on any given day. The conditions and flows are largely out of my control anyway. When I am out there I am not thinking about flows or counts. I am just concerned about the fish on the end of my fly line.

More recently, I fished with the boys from Montana Fly Company. They were shooting footage for a new short film. The working title is “The Purist” and it is projected to be released in a year or two. A camera operator shot footage from my boat. Another camera operator filmed from a second boat manned by Rob Weiker, a guide from Whitefish, Montana. Montana Fly Company sales representative Stirling Ross Tyler fished from Rob’s boat during filming.

I got to throw a line in the water during breaks. It was cold all day, but fishing was good. We started with green machines and juju baetis nymphs along with some hot beads and black zebra midge and floated the stretch from Holter dam to Craig. It was a busy day chasing indicators. We had so much fun and didn’t even break out the streamer box. We caught quite a few rainbows and a few brown trout and they looked really good and healthy. The MFC film crew were cool cats and I hope to fish with them again.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00April 5th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, indicator, juju baetis, Missouri River, Montana, Montana Fly Company, montana fly shops, spring fishing|2 Comments

Before

After. The new fly cave at Wolf Creek Angler is filled with the patterns you need for success on the Missouri River

What was….

What is. We are fully stocked with new gear from Redington, Rio, St Croix, Echo, Fishpond, Ross and much, much more.

Yesterday was the official opening day of Wolf Creek Angler. It’s been a busy couple of weeks trying to get everything done and ready for the big opening day and while it’s still definitely a work in progress, the doors are open and we are ready to do whatever we can to earn your business and to hopefully become your Missouri River fly fishing destination

Most of our lodging units are open for the season and are available at discounted spring rates of $99/night for a cabin or bungalow and $59 for Cabin #3 which is the only one of the open units which does not have a full kitchen. We are keeping a close eye on the weather but with 60’s in the forecast for next week it won’t be long until our Motel units are up and running and ready to rent.

We are pleased to announce that Wolf Creek Angler will feature a brand new fleet of Montana made RO Drift Boats

We are proud to announce a brand new fleet of RO drift boats which will be available for rent at a rate of $150/day. The first of our three new boats is scheduled to arrive tomorrow with the other two to follow by May 1st. In the meantime whether it’s a drift boat or a raft or a kayak you are looking for we can help!

Last but certainly not least, the shop is open and we are anxious to serve you. Flies, shuttles, terminal tackle, waders, boots, cold weather and rain gear, rods, reels, accessories and plenty of Wolf Creek Angler logo gear and much, much more. We’ve worked hard all winter long assembling our inventory and creating the space in which to present it and we think you’re going to like what we’ve done.

Oh…and by the way, the fishing has been just fine. It’s been a while since we’ve seen the water ourselves, but we’ve had boats out the last couple of days working on an episode of Big Sky Outdoors which will be airing in June. We will keep you posted on this. All reports have been positive where the fishing is concerned, though we are still waiting on the warm sunny days that get the baetis going but it looks like they will be here soon. Pink anything, sow bugs, Rainbow Czechs….you know the routine. It’s all working and it’s just a matter of finding the right depth/weight combination and the right water which continues to be the slower winter fare. Streamers have been producing as well worked slow and deep. Try a swing through the deeper water rather than a strip. Darker colors are working well and you can’t go wrong with the Sparkle Minnow!

Having trouble figuring it out? Book a Wolf Creek Angler guide trip today at the ridiculously affordable rate of $300 for a FULL day through the end of the month.

See you in the shop and on the water! ~ Jason O.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00April 2nd, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, Fishpond, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, montana fly shops, Redington, RIO, RO Drift Boats, Ross, St Croix, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

Wolf Creek Angler Co-Owner Fred Davison getting it done with streamers on the MO

Streamer season is here! Wolf Creek Angler Guide Eric Mondragon with a nice brown from last weekend.

Fred Davison and I fished the Missouri just a few days before flows went up. Fred is a new friend and co-owner of Wolf Creek Angler, the new fly shop located in Wolf Creek MT. We spent the week before working pretty hard demolishing the interior of WCA’s new shop. We decided that Saturday would be a great day to get out. All work and no play isn’t good for the soul or the mind, so we loaded up the Adipose and an arsenal of streamer rods and hit the water. We floated from Stickney to Prewett Creek.

The morning started out slow but by 11:00 a.m. or so, we started moving fish on black colored and copper brown shaded streamers. Fred is from Michigan, so he was in his element with an eight weight streamer rod. He has a lot of time invested in the Au Sable, Pere Marquette and Manistee rivers where he stripped streamers for big browns back East. He can get it done, I’ll tell you.

I was surprised at how he was able to move fish. He didn’t really strip the bugs back toward the boat, but let the fly hit the water and then took one or maybe two strips. Then he jigged the rod tip back to an upright position. It looked almost like setting up for a roll cast. Then he would roll back out. I asked him about that technique. Fred explained that is how they roll back home in Michigan because of all the brush and trees overhanging the water. It worked great and I don’t think he got tired using an eight weight rod with a full sink line.

I, on the other hand, like a fast six or slow to medium speed seven weight rod. I prefer either a floating line or an intermediate sink tip line. When the water is cold like it was on Saturday (35 degrees or so), my technique is: small strip, pause, small strip, pause. Usually a hit comes during the pause.

By 3:00 p.m. we were moving fish above Mountain Palace in what I would call “kind of moderately skinny fast water” maybe 18” to 24” deep. In that section, a faster strip was more effective. Fred tied on a smallish black pattern a friend turned him on to and I used that copper colored sparkle minnow thingy. We caught some fish and even chased an indicator with good success. Xavier hot beads and pink lightening bugs were a good choice when we chose nymphs over streamers in the canyon stretch. All in all it was a fine day to be fishing (and not working). I hope to enjoy another day like that before I start making my living on the water this spring when guide season gets started.

Interested in streamer fishing the Missouri? Give Wolf Creek Angler a call at 1-800-800-4350 and take advantage of their $300 full day spring guide trip special through April.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00March 24th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: Fred Davison, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, montana fly shops, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Spring Time on the MO

A fat and happy Missouri River Spring Bow

Winter continues to come and go here in Wolf Creek Montana, but the time has come to get out and fish our world class Missouri River and we’ve got some ridiculously affordable spring deals on lodging and fishing you can’t afford to pass up. $300 full day guide trips and lodging starting at $59/night – it’s almost too good to be true.

The river is currently flowing at 6570 CFS and is holding at around 36 degrees – perfect conditions for nymphing and streamer fishing and there are plenty of midges on the water every day if you just can’t wait to throw a dry-fly. More dry-fly opportunities coming very soon! The weather is pleasant for this time of year with temps in the high 30’s and low 40’s and it looks like we’ll be back towards 50 early next week. Traffic is very light during the week though the weekends have been bringing out a fair amount of anglers especially from the dam to Craig. Fishing has been good in that section for sure but don’t be afraid to try your luck further down river if you want to avoid the crowds, there are plenty of hungry fish throughout the system.

The shop is getting close to being ready and will be open for business on April 1st. We are open now for guided fishing and lodging. Give us a call today and book your $300 full day guide trip and while you’re at it, book a cabin. We’ve got cabin #3 available for $59/night + tax and if you need a little more space and a kitchen we’ve got cabins 2 and 4 available for $100/night + tax.

This is an awesome opportunity to experience spring time on the Missouri at a fraction of the cost of normal rates. A full day of guided fishing on the MO and a night of lodging for as low as $359? The same thing will cost you just shy of $600 during the season! Worried about the weather? Don’t be! We are well aware of the ever-changing weather conditions and we don’t expect you to fish in the cold and snow (unless you want to).

See you on the water!

Jason O.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00March 19th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, Craig MT, fly fishing, midge, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Tearing into the old walls at Wolf Creek Angler

Out with the old and in with the new. Walls framed and drywall in process on Day 2.

These are busy and exciting days at Wolf Creek Angler as we begin the heavy lifting of transforming an old and tired structure into a first rate Missouri River fly shop.

Fred has been busy with the help of Wolf Creek Angler Guide Extraordinaire/master craftsman Eric Mondragon. The first days have been spent tearing out the old walls and lights and fixtures etc. and we are now on our way to creating what we hope will be your favorite Missouri River fly shop. Soon the old shop will be completely transformed as we make our vision a reality. We can’t wait to show you our new shop!

We took a break from shop work last weekend and traveled to Missoula for the Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana (FOAM) annual meeting. It was a great turnout and a great opportunity to meet colleagues and get the word out about Wolf Creek Angler.

This week has been busy at the shop as Fred and Eric work diligently towards completion of the remodel while I spend much of my days on the phone with customers, vendors, reps and the powers that be who regulate things like motels and fly shops. It’s all coming together and soon the property will be abuzz with activity as fishy folks from all over the state descend on the Missouri to escape their raging local waters.

And speaking of water – I did my first guide trip of the season yesterday and learned that 5400 cfs is considerably different from 3000 cfs which I had become so accustomed to over the past year. Predictions about the flow for this season are all over the place but the last correspondence we received from the Bureau of Reclamation is predicting average flows of 4100 for the year and if they are anywhere close to being accurate – we LOVE it! Stay tuned! As of today she’s flowing at 5550 and holding at 35 degrees. The weather is beautiful and it’s time for spring fishing. Pink everything, firebeads, san juan worms, zebra midges and streamers should all be in your mix right now.

Give us a call today and take advantage of our Spring Special guide rates. Full day $300 (Regular Price $495). Put us to work!

A fat and happy Missouri River Spring Bow

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00March 13th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, montana fly shops, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

A nice 19” fish caught by friend and fly fishing guru, David McClain

Fishing was out of the question for the duration of our recent Arctic weather. Instead, I caught up on some remodeling projects on the home front by installing acacia walnut flooring in four rooms, textured and painted walls in my office and guest room, and then finished all the trim around windows, doors and floors. All in all, it took about two and a half weeks, which worked out well. With an average day time high of minus ten degrees it was too darn cold to be outside for long.

When it warmed a little, I had cabin fever and was itching to get out. Last Sunday, I floated the Missouri from Craig to Stickney with my buddy, David McClain. Trout Dog, my golden retriever came along for the ride. From about 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., fishing was sporadically good.

We had some luck on the slow to medium speed water where it was three to four feet deep. Because of the long cold snap, fishing was better six to eight feet down in really slow frog water. We were surprised by the size of the fish staged in deep areas. We managed to land maybe a dozen fish that were eighteen to nineteen inches. When it is cold, deep fishing seems to be the ticket because water is warmer down there.

Hot bead flies, rojo, green machine and zebra midges are getting a few bumps. As Winter winds down and early Spring starts to take hold, more and more midge will start to stir. Fish will pay more attention to flies drifting by and strike harder. Right now, you pretty much have to hit the fish on the nose and strikes will be very subtle. They key to successful Winter nymphing is to find fish and stay on them. That old adage is true: “Don’t leave fish to find fish”. Take your time and work a specific piece of water well. It’s a Winter thing, so fish it up.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:09-06:00February 28th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: Craig MT, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, Recreation, running line, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Spring is in the air. A gorgeous Missouri River Rainbow

The clouds retreat over the Missouri River at Holter Dam.

Spring-like weather arrived in Wolf Creek this week and with it some much needed time on the water and some damn good fishing.

I made my weekly run to the post office in Wolf Creek on Tuesday and threw the rod in the rig just in case. Driving out of Helena I ran into wintry weather all the way to Wolf Creek but about the time I got there the snow stopped and the clouds began to move out. intrigued by the moody skies hanging over the mountains I decided to take a drive to the dam to see if I could get some good pictures. When I got to the dam the clouds were in full retreat, the sun was shining and the 40 degree temps felt like 70’s after more than a week of sub-zero temps and wind chills.

I snapped a few pictures and geared up and talked myself into two hours max as there is no shortage of Wolf Creek Angler business to attend to. That being said, fishing is the business of Wolf Creek Angler and this is why I came here in the first place so office work be damned (at least for a couple of hours). I took a stroll into a frog water winter haunt and hooked whitey on the second cast…not what I had hoped for but better than many other things I could be doing. I spent the next little while searching for the sweet spot and once I found it it was lights out. Half a dozen fish in 30 minutes – I’ll take that ANY day. Firebeads and pink and no reason to try anything else on this particular outing. Crazy midge activity but very few fish keyed into them at this point. I saw one or two rises but would personally rather rope them in on nymphs all day than play that game.

Midges aplenty on the Missouri River

What a great way to spend a couple of hours on a warm February day. I pretty much had the water to myself save for a boat full of comrades from downstream out enjoying the thaw and I did run into Wolf Creek Angler guide and shop veteran Matt Hargrave who was out doing R & D with some sexy new bugs he has created.

I followed that up with a visit to Hauser on Wednesday which resulted in various minor contusions and my typical fishing luck on that water which is not very good. FYI – though the thaw is certainly underway much of the ground is still frozen solid and very slippery. Not a good combination on a steep slope when one is hiking in wading boots. Ouch!

Spring Like conditions on the Missouri River at Hauser Dam

Back to work today. Lots of product ordered and starting to come in as we prepare for our April 1st opening. We will have all kinds of Wolf Creek Angler logo wear available when we open the doors as well as a HUGE selection of flies and plenty of surprises to keep you coming back.

Expect a fair amount of traffic on the water this weekend as the weather looks like it’s going to be awesome with temps in the mid to high 40’s and plenty of sunshine before things cool down again the middle part of next week.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:09-06:00February 13th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: fly fishing, Hauser Dam, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Montana, montana fly shops, nymphs, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Two months to go…

As we finally get an actual dose of winter weather here in Wolf Creek, the countdown to opening day has begun and April 1st looms large on the horizon.

We’re making steady progress with the launch of Wolf Creek Angler and while we have much to do in eight weeks, we can’t wait to open the doors on that first day of April and show off what we hope will soon become your favorite Missouri River fly shop.

For the time being our dining room table has been transformed into the home version of Wolf Creek Angler. Days are spent ordering merchandise, working on the web site, putting systems in place, drinking coffee and most importantly, corresponding with you. We have been busy booking rooms and guide trips and chatting about our plans for Wolf Creek Angler.

Wolf Creek Angler the home version. The dining room table makes a great fly shop!

Meanwhile….back in Michigan Fred has been busy shoveling snow, plowing snow, shoveling more snow and also finding time to build fly bins as he prepares for his journey west. Fred has also been busy spreading the word about Wolf Creek Angler and it sounds like we are going to have a lot of visitors from Michigan in the seasons to come.

Fred is hard at work building the fly bins.

Many are inquiring about the snowpack and wondering what the conditions will be like on the Missouri when they arrive this spring and summer. I wish I knew! Eight weeks is a lot of winter weather to go, but at this point things seem to be looking good. The snowpack for the Missouri is at over 100 % and the fish numbers look great – beyond that, it’s anybody’s guess what the conditions will be come spring.

MONTANA SNOTEL Year-to-Date Precipitation Update Graph

As of MONDAY: FEBRUARY 3 , 2014

Basin	Year-to-Date Precipitation Percent of Average
KOOTENAI RIVER BASIN	71%
FLATHEAD RIVER BASIN	88%
UPPER CLARK FORK RIVER BASIN	85%
BITTERROOT RIVER BASIN	85%
LOWER CLARK FORK RIVER BASIN	70%
JEFFERSON RIVER BASIN	88%
MADISON RIVER BASIN	90%
GALLATIN RIVER BASIN	105%
MISSOURI HEADWATERS	91%
HEADWATERS MISSOURI MAINSTEM	101%
SMITH, JUDITH, AND MUSSELSHELL RIVER BASINS	116%
SUN, TETON AND MARIAS RIVER BASINS	84%
MISSOURI MAINSTEM RIVER BASIN	99%
ST MARY AND MILK RIVER BASINS	84%
UPPER YELLOWSTONE RIVER BASIN	106%
WIND RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	91%
SHOSHONE RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	109%
BIGHORN RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	112%
TONGUE RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	111%
POWDER RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	128%
LOWER YELLOWSTONE RIVER BASIN	106%

Legend:

<70%

70-90%

91-110%

111-130%

>130%

* = Data are not available or data may not provide a valid measure of conditions for over half of the sites within the basin.

The river will likely be a lonely place this week as arctic air takes hold. Currently 9 degrees in Wolf Creek and getting colder as the week goes on. High of -2 on Wednesday with a low of -14. It looks like things will start to warm up early next week. Until then…tie some flies, clean your lines, daydream about battling fish after fish as you float down the MO on a warm summer day and call us – we can help make that daydream a reality. Lodging for June and July is rapidly disappearing and the guide calendar is filling fast. If you are thinking about making the trip this season we strongly recommend that you book your dates soon.

We will be back on the water next week as soon as things warm up. If a winter guide trip on the Missouri sounds appealing we can do that as well. We can do winter trips on extremely short notice at an extremely reasonable rate. Call us anytime if you are interested.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:09-06:00February 3rd, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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