Autumn Wandering and Splendid Isolation on the MO

It’s hard to believe but half of November has passed meaning the holiday season is essentially upon us.

Thanksgiving is two weeks from today and after that the holiday blur commences.

We’ve yet to really see much in the way of winter weather though we did get our first snow of the season on Election Day. It didn’t last long. The weather has been about what you’d expect for this time of year with cold mornings and daily highs in the 40’s and occasional 50’s.

Dark days are now upon us at Wolf Creek Angler where we’ll be missing the sun until mid to late March and while the lack of sunshine at the shop makes it always feel like it’s time to head home for the day, conditions on the river have more days than not been idyllic by autumn standards with blue skies and plenty of sun.

Traffic is, for all intents and purposes, non-existent. Sure, there are a few folks around, a couple of boats here and there, but there is no shortage of solitude here on the MO and it’ll likely be this way for the next several months, save a busy weekend here and there.

We’ve shifted to winter hours in the shop and have closed and winterized most of our lodging though we will have our bungalows available all winter long for just $149/night plus tax (No Pets Please).

Published shop hours are 8 AM – 4 (ish) Tuesday – Saturday. Shuttles are currently hit and miss as I just don’t have anyone to help at the moment but we will offer them throughout the winter months whenever possible.

Things being what they are, the late autumn season has become one of my favorite times to wander and this year has been no different.

We’ve spent some time wandering Glacier country and I just returned from a quick jaunt to the home waters. I’ve not missed a Griz home game this season and while it’s been a little disappointing as far as the outcomes have gone, I wouldn’t miss those games for the world, win or lose. Saturdays in Missoula are definitely top of the Happy Place list for me. One more regular season game in Missoula this Saturday and then Cat/Griz Brawl of the Wild in Bozeman on the 23rd. What a great time of year if you’re a football fan.

And speaking of football….DETROIT LIONS! What else can I say? Sundays have brought much joy these past couple of seasons and it feels like it’s for real.

If you’re not spending your days watching football or chasing elk the fishing has been plenty good and should continue to be a great way to spend a day for as long as the weather holds. Tomorrow looks like it could be a great BWO day with a chance for rain and snow, cloudy skies and relatively calm winds. Saturday and Sunday look to be on the breezy side but aside from that things look pretty good with temps in the 40’s and 50’s respectively.

Status quo on flies with sow bugs continuing to overproduce. Throw in a Little Green Machine or other baetis nymph for good measure but for my money I’m running double sows. Actually, I’m only throwing streamers this time of year but if I were nymphing I’d be going double sow. Keep your dry fly rig at the ready and if you’re wading please watch those active redds.

A Guest Blog from Montana Casting Co’s Hannah Dreesbach

The Annual Missouri River Women’s Fly Fishing Clinic brought to you by Iron Fly Outfitting, Hidden Canyon Lodge and Wolf Creek Angler

Memorial Day Weekend is upon us and despite last night’s Winter Storm in the high country, the unofficial start of the summer season is underway.

We’ll return to normal programming on Running Line next time around but this week we’re featuring a guest blog from Hannah Dreesbach of Montana Casting Co. Hannah recently attended the Annual Missouri River Women’s Fly Fishing Clinic hosted by WCA, Iron Fly Outfitting and Hidden Canyon Lodge and documented her experience. We host this group annually and hope to offer more beginner and intermediate clinics in the future for those interested. Please contact us if you are interested in attending future clinics.

The Women’s Fly Fishing Clinic at Hidden Canyon Lodge

 

Stepping into Hidden Canyon Lodge on a cool April evening, the first sensation I felt was one of warmth. A fire glowed in the hearth and a cozy sitting area—decked out in a tasteful hodge-podge of fly fishing memorabilia and old-timey antiques—buzzed with conversation. Drinks were being mixed behind the bar. Savory smells drifted from the kitchen. I felt my anxiety melt away immediately.  

I’d come for the fourth annual women’s fly fishing clinic hosted each year in partnership with Wolf Creek Angler—a fly shop nestled in nearby Wolf Creek, Montana. Kicking off on a Friday evening with cocktails and dinner, the weekend ahead promised plenty of fly fishing, good food, and—of course—the company of my fellow female anglers.

I grew up in Helena, Montana, a stone’s throw from one of the world’s premier blue-ribbon trout fisheries: the Missouri River. These days, I work for Montana Casting Co., writing about fly fishing for a living. Those two facts always seem like they should be connected, but in truth I’ve never really considered myself much of an angler until recently.

It wasn’t for lack of trying on behalf of my parents. When I was little, my father put a fly rod in my hand at every opportunity—and he was endlessly patient. When I was older, I was lucky enough to meet a step-dad who never missed a chance to take the drift boat out and who spent his spare time building custom fly rods. In recent years, my mom has also become an avid angler. Now she rarely heads for the mountains without her fly rod handy.

In short, I was surrounded by people who loved fly fishing. I could see their passion for it and the excitement to share it with me. Because I didn’t want to disappoint them, I fished when they asked me to go fishing… But I never felt confident fishing alone, and that meant, despite years of off and on exposure, I was still very much a beginner every time I picked up a fly rod. And that was frustrating.

When the option to attend a women’s fly fishing clinic arose, I was nervous. I could feel old insecurities circulating in the back of my mind: what if I looked unpracticed? What if they noticed I was a “fake” fly fisherman? I already felt hesitant about the sport and I wasn’t sure I could match their passion or excitement for a weekend on the water. But there was also a feeling of anticipation. Perhaps this time around, I could discover what it might feel like to fly fish for myself.

 

Friday Night: Cocktails and Catch-Up

 

Hidden Canyon Lodge is roughly a ten-minute drive from the fly fishing mecca of Craig, Montana. Tucked into an offshoot of the Missouri River canyon, it’s a few short strides from the Mountain Palace Fishing Access Site along Old U.S. Highway 191.

Modern luxury hides a storied past: built in the early 1900s, it began as the Mountain Palace Tavern—a once bustling stop-over for travelers between Helena and Great Falls. “Anyone over fifty still knows it that way,” Madeleine Cantoni, manager and executive chef, told me with a laugh during a phone call following the clinic.

Since the 1970s, it’s seen a stint as a biker bar, a period as the Fly Fisher’s Inn, and several years of dormancy before it was finally bought in 2016 by current owners Peter and Patricia Wooldridge. Heavy renovation and restoration of the original cabin structure resulted in a luxurious, Montana getaway perfectly suited to the fly fishermen who flock to the Missouri year after year.

Long days in the outdoors don’t always lend themselves to the cleanliest of clientele—but you wouldn’t have known it given the sparkling state of Hidden Canyon Lodge’s beautiful rooms. I dropped my bags beside a luxurious queen bed. Between the clean and comfy furnishings, heated bathroom tiles, fully-stocked Keurig, and a generous handful of Werther’s Original candies, I was half tempted to spend the rest of my evening relaxing in the confines of my room. Alas, that queen bed would have to wait. I stepped out into the crisp evening air and headed for the main lodge. It was time to say hello to the ladies.

The core group of women who attend this particular fly fishing clinic hasn’t changed too much since the first clinic in 2021. The end result feels more like a family reunion than a random gathering of individuals looking to improve their fly fishing skills. The introductory cocktail hour is filled with hugs and stories from the year past—but they’re not the only familiar faces. Three of the weekend’s four guides trickled in as the evening progressed: Libby Stultz, Kara Tripp, and Shalon Hastings—who’s been with the clinic from its very inception.

There’s still a relatively limited number of female guides on the river, so getting enough of them to lead this clinic annually is one of the challenges Jason Orzechowski (co-founder of Wolf Creek Angler and owner of Iron Fly Outfitting) and Shalon face each year when organizing the event. “We do have other female guides on the river,” Shalon told me later, “but they’re booked.” This year, they asked the cheerful and easy-going Luke Koerten to guide the fourth boat.

Though I didn’t end up sharing a boat with Shalon, I did get the chance to pick her brain the following week during a phone call. I was interested to hear if she’s faced any challenges breaking into a community that has long been male-dominated. She took a moment to answer—she’s got a warm, thoughtful presence about her that immediately puts me at ease—then said, “It’s been great, to be honest.” Prior to becoming a guide, she already had roots in the fly fishing community.

After owning and operating small businesses in downtown Helena for years—including the popular coffee shop Hub Coffee and Taco Del Sol—she saw a rising demand for fly fishing instruction among female anglers. In March of 2018, she helped kick off Last Chance Fly Gals, a nonprofit working to connect female anglers with community, education, and meaningful experiences. Shalon went on to start Fly FisHer Adventures (currently offering personalized instruction for women anglers in partnership with Iron Fly Outfitting) and become a certified guide, citing the support and teaching of other guides as an important factor in her success.

Jason attended the first meeting of Last Chance Fly Gals as a sponsor. Just six years prior, he’d moved his family to Montana to pursue fly fishing as a career and embrace the outdoors lifestyle. After a year of guiding and managing a fly shop for Montana River Outfitters, he purchased the fly shop from MRO, remodeled, and opened Wolf Creek Angler in the spring of 2014. Now, WCA is a go-to source for guide services, shuttles, watercraft rentals, gear (including an impressive selection of fly patterns), river info, and great advice for making the most out of your fly fishing adventures. The idea for a women’s clinic came to Jason after seeing the massive turn out for the Last Chance Fly Gals meeting, and he approached Shalon about it soon after.

Since the first successful clinic in 2021, it’s morphed from a station-heavy course in fly fishing basics to a small community of gung-ho female anglers who reunite on an annual basis. Shalon has come to look forward to the experience each year. “I marvel at this, and it happens at other women’s clinics I do… The women just mesh.”

That “meshing” was on full display night one around the dinner table. The initial awkwardness of getting reacquainted soon devolved into fluid conversation jumping between work drama to new puppies to exciting fly fishing adventures—many of which came from Kara’s reflections on guiding in Chile and Argentina. (The size of the trout and the force of the winds at Patagonia’s Jurassic Lake both seem truly legendary.)

At some point, Kara posed a question to the group: “What’s been your biggest high and your biggest low from the past year?” There was a collective moment of silence before someone started laughing. “Getting right into the deep stuff, aren’t we?”

But the women around that table didn’t shy away from the deep stuff. One by one, we all shared. The highs were beautiful—new found job satisfaction, a grandbaby on the way, an adorable puppy joining the family, or simply getting to be there for a weekend of fishing on the Missouri. The lows were hard—family members battling cancer or other diseases, difficult transitions in relationships or jobs. For a moment, we all got to see one another for the complex human beings that we are, and it was humbling.

The night ended with some delightful huckleberry cheesecake—the sinful punctuation to a multi-course dinner including fresh Caesar salad, spinach-stuffed chicken over pilaf rice, and hand-picked wine pairings. (I feel it’s worth mentioning that several participants throughout the weekend cited the food as a significant factor in returning to this clinic year after year. Madi takes pride in the lodge’s culinary offerings. She, along with the other chefs she manages, are encouraged to be creative…and it’s yet to disappoint.)

Filled up on good food and good company, we all headed to bed with the promise of a wide-open river and flashing trout to lull us to sleep.

 

Saturday: Fishing through the Rain

 

Women have become an increasingly important demographic in the world of fly fishing. With more and more women showing interest in the sport, it’s no surprise that businesses have started catering to them. Women-specific clothing, gear, and skills clinics have been on the rise. Shalon, Jason, and even Kara—who runs Damsel Fly Fishing with her sister, Lynae Axelson—have all jumped on the bandwagon… And that’s opened up a plethora of new opportunities for women in the area looking to get into fly fishing.

Business ventures aside, their main goal leading up to and during the clinic has always been to provide a safe and welcoming space for participants to learn in. When I asked him what he hoped participants would take away from the clinic, Jason remarked that, “While we are, of course, focused on teaching the basics of fly fishing—tackle, entomology, casting, knots, etc.—what we’re really hoping for is an experience that is student-driven.” He also pointed to the bonds formed between participants and guides as an important aspect of the experience, believing such relationships lay the ground work for future events and experiences tailored to participant needs.

Saturday, the first official day of fly fishing, was a prime example of how those relationships have molded and enriched the clinic over the years. With many of the participants coming back from the previous year(s), the guides decided to move away from more classroom-style teaching and spend as much time as possible on the water giving one-on-one instruction.

The morning presented a gloomy canvas: low clouds shrouding the green hills and craggy canyon walls along the river. The Missouri loped by the Craig boat launch in currents of steely grey and the ran began almost as soon as my mom and I stepped into the drift boat.

Our guide for the day was Kara. Quick, confident, and full of stories, she’s a hoot to be on the water with—and an excellent instructor. Despite the positive presence, however, I felt myself slipping back into a place of anxiety. My fingers, already stiff from the rain, fumbled with the line as I tried to remember the motions of casting, mending, and setting the hook. I’d done this before, hadn’t I? Shouldn’t I at least be passable at it?

Five or six missed strikes later, I felt the familiar frustration of being a beginner. The rain hadn’t let up. My mom had caught several nice trout, but I knew she wanted more than anything to see me experience the thrill of catching fish… In that moment, I was sorely tempted to wallow in self-pity.

But it dawned on me then; it’s not every day I get to be on the Upper Missouri—a land rife with dramatic scenery and wildlife. More importantly, it’s not every day I get to go fly fishing with my mom. I’d come to this clinic hoping to approach fly fishing with a different perspective and now was the time to put that into practice. So, I did. I practiced my cast. I practiced being there in the moment. I practiced fly fishing the entire day, and by the time we reached our take-out at the Mid-Canon Fishing Access, soaked and shivering, I’d caught a Missouri River Grand Slam (that’s at least one brown trout, rainbow trout, and whitefish, for those of you who are unfamiliar with the term). The best part? I’d had fun doing it.

That night, the lodge was alive with talk of all the fish that were caught. One participant hadn’t fished in forty years. That morning, she’d been nervous about picking up a rod and getting in a drift boat. Now, she sat by the fire with a mug of tea, her face split in a broad smile— “I’m so excited to get back in that boat!” There was something deeply infectious about her enthusiasm.

 

Sunday: Queens of the River

 

The last day started with sunshine and comradery. Rigging up our rods outside the lodge, I struck up a conversation with one of the other participants. It was her second year in attendance at this specific event, but she’s been to other women’s fly fishing clinics as well and attends a fly tying club back home. When I asked what the biggest takeaway from these experiences has been, she only had to think for a moment. “Community.”

I chatted with a few of the other women throughout the morning, curious about their takes on the clinic. One participant pointed to the food as the highlight of the weekend—only half joking. I approached another, the older woman who was so excited to get back in the boat the day before, intending to ask her what it’s been like to fly fish again after so long. Instead, we spent a good fifteen minutes talking about some of the long-distance hikes we’d done across the pond in Europe. I couldn’t help but smile. Community indeed.

My mom and I fished with Libby. Though there was hardly a rain cloud in sight, the day promised to be a windy one—the occasional gust through the canyon set my rig into knots more than once. Between Kara’s aid the day before and Libby’s own brand of easy-going, practical approach to instruction, I started to find a groove. Before lunch, I’d managed to double the number of fish I’d caught the day before—and it was a blast.

The guides kept the drift boats closer together for the last day. Though we were all focused on fly fishing, it also quickly became clear that this was not a group that shied away from being loud and energetic. Every so often, a wave of hoots and hollers announced that it was “Fish on!” in at least one of the boats. Fly fishing can sometimes be a window into the silence and solitude only nature can offer. That day, however, it was about reveling in the pure joy of wrangling fish in good company. In that moment, we were all queens of the river—and nothing could dampen our spirits.

This women’s fly fishing clinic began as a way for women to find their confidence in the basic skills of fly fishing. After four years, it’s turned into a community of anglers who find mutual support and comradery in one another. “We want to continue to bring all of you in as a group of fishing friends and to continue to help you all further develop and hone your skills…” Jason told me later, adding that, “we’re also anxious to bring in new groups of beginners and start the process all over again.” 

For my part, I walked away with a new found desire to spend more time on the river. The women’s clinic had shown me a group of anglers of all different skill levels who all engaged with the sport in different ways. Some were there to hone their skills and feel more confident fishing by themselves. Some were there because they wanted to spend a weekend fly fishing with a fun group of people. Some were there because they hadn’t touched a rod in years and wanted to give it another go. For a long time, I’ve avoided fly fishing because I felt I guilty that I didn’t love the sport as much—or perhaps in the same way—as the avid anglers all around me. I realize now that I might’ve been missing the point.  

 

Why Fly Fishing?

 

Over the course of preparing to write this article on the women’s fly fishing clinic, I had the chance to interview several of the individuals involved to hear about their experiences with the clinic and beyond. There was one question I asked all of them: “Why fly fishing?” I found their answers inspiring, so I decided to share them below:

The co-founder of Wolf Creek Angler and a dedicated fly fisherman, Jason’s immediate response was “Is there anything else?” While he doesn’t begrudge other anglers their fun with conventional gear, for Jason there is only fly fishing. “I love the artistry of the sport and the soul stirring fulfillment I get out of my hours spent in solitude with a fly rod in hand.” As for the guiding, starting a fly shop, running skills clinics, and supporting projects like Mending Waters (a program dedicated to helping veterans and active military personnel find healing through fly fishing)… He loves giving others the chance to find that love for themselves.

Shalon had to pause and think for a moment. “That’s a good question. I’m not sure I know the answer. I really like the intricacies of it. I’ve developed an addiction to flies… I love looking at the patterns and I love doing seines.” Seine, in this context, refers to a small, fine-meshed net that is used to capture a sampling of aquatic insects in a river or stream—a handy tool if you’re unsure which fly to use. In the end, though, it’s really the whole package for Shalon. The romance. The challenge of wrangling a fish or working on her cast. “I’m always learning something new,” she remarked over the phone, and there’s something deeply beautiful in that. As for attending the clinic—surrounded by a group of boisterous, supportive, adventure-hungry women—Shalon admitted that, “It’s one of the more meaningful trips I do all year… And that’s worth something.”

Madeleine, who spent much of her life hoping across the central and eastern United States, is often too busy catering to fly fishermen when the weather’s good to do much of it herself. She stumbled upon the job posting at Hidden Canyon Lodge by chance back when it was first opening. She landed an interview. The interview led to a cooking demonstration… “And I was moving to Montana.” Since then, she’s gotten to embrace her passion for cooking while working alongside stellar people in a truly scenic part of the state.

The job comes with its share of challenges—power outages, septic issues, boulders falling on propane tanks from the looming cliffs above… These all come part and parcel with working in a remote river canyon, but so do the grand views, the constant susurrus of the river, and the opportunity for solitude. “Living by myself in winter… It puts you strangely in tune with things. I can step outside and know whether a rustle is a bobcat or a bear.” Madi hopes to do more fly fishing in the future and sees events such as this clinic as a turning point for the industry. “Men, when they’re new to the sport, there’s more of an aggressive attitude,” she reflected—and I could hear her smile through the phone. “Women don’t use their strength as much. I think they’ve got more natural finesse when learning to cast.”

Finally, I asked my mom, wondering if her fourth outing with this group of women has had any impacts on the way she sees fly fishing.

She came to fly fishing later in life, largely through meeting and falling in love with my step dad, Scott. “I always thought it was beautiful to watch a truly gifted fly fisherman cast a dry on a still summer day during a hatch,” she remarked. Stepping into the sport late was intimidating. She was surrounded by skilled fishermen—all men eager to help—and it was a struggle at times to relax into the process of learning. “I think the people who are teaching you to fish always want to see you catch fish…” Which doesn’t always lend itself to patience.

Though she picked up a lot of her skills prior, the women’s clinic gave her the confidence she’d lacked in rigging her own rod, picking her own flies, and reading the water. Now, she actively seeks time on the river, whether it be among friends and family or by herself. “Fly fishing has… provided me with another way to connect with God. Call it what you want—a connection to nature, the universe, the spiritual world, a sense of something greater than yourself. The sound of the river, the sight of the landscape around me, the color of the fish… Each new fishing experience is an opportunity to find a new connection to that side of us that longs to be connected to something better and greater.”

When I try answering this question for myself, it feels like it might just be another iteration of what’s been said above. To some, fly fishing might just be one more way people have found to exist in the outdoors. But the more I learn about the sport, the more I have to admit that there’s something special to it.

Maybe it’s like Shalon said—the romance of standing in a river, a single human being surrounded by the power of rushing water. The improbability of existing in a great big universe that you’ve somehow been lucky enough to find a tiny little nook to fish in. Maybe it’s the joy of constant discovery. Of honing old skills and seeking out new ones. Maybe it’s whooping across the river in spite of the glares from other passing fishermen because your new friend has just caught her first or second or twentieth trout.

Or maybe it’s the literal connection of your line to something living, wriggling, fighting. Probably, it’s all of that and more.

 

A Shoutout to the Organizers, Guides, and Partners Who Made This Clinic Possible:

 

The hard work, passion, and dedication of many made this weekend of fly fishing possible. Thank you to the staff at Hidden Canyon Lodge, who constantly worked behind the scenes to provide us with delicious food, pristine rooms, and friendly customer service. Thank you to our guides for sharing your endless patience, knowledge, and passion for fly fishing. And thank you to Jason, for your behind-the-scenes dedication in organizing this event. All of these wonderful people have found ways to embrace their love of fly fishing while also sharing that passion with others—check out their businesses below!

Arctic Blast

Following last week’s arctic blast which saw temps bottom out at near -40 with wind chills of -65 we are now looking at another stretch of above average temps with highs in the low to mid 40’s starting tomorrow and running at least through late next week.

We did receive a few inches of snow with this system which is great but unfortunately there is nothing in the immediate forecast for more precipitation. We are still in desperate need of precipitation as we’re over a third of the way through our snow pack building season with most of the state sitting at 40% – 60% of normal.

Some of the infrastructure at WCA didn’t fare particularly well through this arctic blast. Leaving the faucets running thorough the arctic blast was not enough to prevent the dreaded frozen pipes so here we are again with a substantial plumbing project in the works. We have yet to get the water moving again but we’re hoping to make some progress as temperatures warm this weekend and into next week.

We will be open next week but without restroom facilities available. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Fishing has come to a standstill with the lower river choked with ice at the moment. I’d expect winter traffic to resume with the warm up. Please use caution if you’re headed out there as shelf ice could be a hazard for a while and the dam will be shedding ice as well so watch out for those chunks heading downstream. Many of them will be large enough to cause problems for you.

No official reports at this time but you’d do well to think pink if you’re headed out in the days to come. Flows are currently at 5160 CFS and water temps are cold, just shy of 33 degrees so you’ll want to target the deep and slow winter water.

Pill Poppers, Amex, Rainbow Czechs, Pederson’s Sow, Caviar Scuds, Bubble Yum Scuds etc should all be fine options trailed with tailwater sows, Rainbow Warriors, Soft hackle sows, zebra midges and the like. And don’t forget the midges for your January Dry Fly Fix.

Tomorrow looks to be a little breezy but the next few days don’t look bad. Partly sunny days with temps in the 40’s and relatively calm winds could result in some decent dry fly opportunities.

Winter is also swing season on the MO and I’d expect we’ll see a bump in that traffic as well this week.

The ramps are likely not in the best shape but it shouldn’t be long with those warmer temps and a little bit of sun. We’ll get you a ramp report in the next couple of days. In the meantime, be prepared for bad ramps with plenty of rope in case you aren’t able to back down the ramp. If there’s any doubt just slide your boat down the ramp. It’s a little more work but much better than getting your vehicle stuck on the ramp or worse.

Shop hours are spotty, especially with our repair projects underway, but you can expect us to be here Tuesday – Saturday from 9 AM to mid-afternoon. Shuttles available most days and winter lodging is available for $149/night plus tax.

We’re praying for snow and more winter to arrive soon but in the meantime we’ll look forward to seeing you during this January Thaw.

Winter (FINALLY) on the Way

Snow Dance Please

It’s been over two months since the late October snow storm that kicked us into winter mode only to set us up for a ridiculously mild late fall and early winter. Hopefully that’s all about to change.

There’s not a lot of precipitation in the forecast just yet but it does appear that temps will start to trend towards normal by this weekend and we should see single digits and below by the middle part of next week.

 

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not in love with the thought of single digits but it is January and it’s time for it to happen. Hopefully the cold will be accompanied by snow, at least in the high country, as we desperately need winter to start taking hold around the state. The ski hills need it desperately and our rivers DEMAND it. 

Get your fishing in this afternoon and tomorrow and Saturday. The cold starts on Sunday when you should be somewhere watching the Montana Grizzlies compete for the National Championship anyway, followed by the last slate of games in the NFL regular season? Where did the time go?

Once this cold snap has come and gone you’ll likely find the fish have all settled in to the winter depths as water temps which are currently sitting at right around 35 degrees, will plummet. Classic winter nymphing techniques ahead.

It’s been an interesting early winter with fish still holding in faster, shallow water but that should soon correct itself.

Swinging will still be an option with long, deep tailouts being your prime winter targets.

Summer is booking quickly with the mid June to mid-July prime pretty well full and the early season rapidly following. Fall dates are booking up as well with September looking to be another record-setting month on the MO.

Bottom line – if you’re planning on a Missouri River fly fishing adventure anytime in 2024 you best get those dates on the books.

We’ll be here sporadically next week, weather dependent and we’d love to see you. We’d love even more to fire up the POS and sell you some bugs or a shuttle but I have a sneaking suspicion that if it’s been dead with temps in the 40’s and 50’s we’re not likely to see much traffic with temps in the single digits. Prove me wrong! (But call first and make sure I’m here!)

Welcome winter! Praying for Snow.

Go Griz!!

An Intro to Holter Dam

Much of the information below was compiled from the article Holter Dam’s Century of Excellence from Hydro Review, March 25th, 2020. Historic photos courtesy of Helena as She Was

It’s not something we spend much time thinking about but that massive structure we’ve become so accustomed to seeing, which holds back the Mighty Missouri and which marks the start of one of the most prolific trout fisheries in North America, not only produces electricity to supply much of the region with power but is also an amazing piece of engineering history, having been in operation for more than 100 years.

Recently our shop staff had the opportunity to tour the facility from the bottom up and it is truly an amazing thing to see.

Holter Dam is one of a series of hydroelectric, straight gravity dams on the Missouri River. The dam is a run-of-the-river dam because it can generate electricity without needing to store additional water supplies behind the dam.

Prior to our tour I had little understanding of how a hydroelectric dam works and while I’m still fairly ignorant of the process, it’s nice to finally have a basic knowledge of what’s happening inside the Powerhouse of a dam. The illustration below is not Holter specific but does show the basics of hydroelectric power generation.

One of the things that really struck me is that much of what you see in the way of design and equipment are much the same as they were when construction of the dam was completed in 1918. When you consider the pace at which technology is currently progressing, it is amazing to think that power generation is happening the same way now as it was in 1918. It is obviously more efficient now, but the basic concepts and designs are unchanged. Holter Dam continues to perform with high reliability with the original infrastructure and design intact.

Electricity produced by Holter Dam is used to supply tens of thousands of residential and commercial electric customers in Helena, Great Falls, Butte, and Missoula with clean, affordable, and reliable energy.

The dam was inducted into the Hydro Hall of Fame in 2019.

Originally known as the Wolf Creek Project, Holter Dam was one of several business ventures of a partnership formed between Anton Holter and entrepreneur Samuel T Hauser. Construction of Holter Dam was on the drawing board during the construction of Hauser Dam at the turn of the century.

Both projects came at a time when the State of Montana was developing Hydro power in large part to support copper mining in the region which was booming because the country was in the process of electrification and needed copper wire everywhere.

Work was halted on the dam in 1909 due to cost over-runs and fear of bankruptcy. Work resumed in 1916 by Montana Power Company with around five hundred workers on the job site. The construction camp at Holter was the largest ever built by MPC and included more than 115 structures, the very last of which still stand as dam employee housing.

The first turbine-generator unit was operational by 1917 and was joined by three others in 1918. The finished dam was 1,350 feet long and more than 110 feet high, which was the highest dam in Montana at the time of completion.


The powerhouse contains 4 12-MW turbine generator units that generate 6600 Volts, four 20,000 kVA transformers that set the voltage to 100,000 volts. Holter Lake impounds 240,000 acre-feet of water.


MPC owned the dam until 1999 when all power generating facilities were sold to PPL Montana which operated the facility until 2014 when Northwestern Energy purchased the PPL Hydro facilities.

So next time you are fishing the dam and you hear the siren indicating an increase in release volume from the spill bays you might take a second and think about what’s actually going on in that building which we often don’t even notice because we’ve seen it a million times.

We often reduce the dam operation to Cubic Feet per Second and how flows are going to affect our fishing but there is a much larger picture, one framed in history, which it is worth taking the time to understand and appreciate.

Our sincere thanks to Cody Gatch, Operations Foreman at the dam, for taking the time to give our shop staff an informative, interesting, and entertaining look at Holter Dam.

The State of the Missouri

Now that it seems winter has FINALLY relented, let’s take a look at what the season has in store.

With our first somewhat sustained heatwave of the season on the way later this week you can expect plenty of traffic on the MO as runoff conditions commence around the region driving the throngs to the MO.

Locally, flows bumped to near 5800 cfs today with water temps slowly climbing (currently 41.5 degrees). We’re expecting to see continued increases in flows with most probable flow models calling for max flows near 8k in May and possibly a peak of 10 – 12K in June.

Obviously the 6K plus flows are not ideal for wade fishing but for those doing the boat thing these predicted spring flows are right where we want them. Not too high, not too low. And these flows are great for the fishery as well giving our spawning rainbows more cover and also providing them access to side channel habitat which has been dried up the past couple of seasons. Please keep an eye out for those redds when you’re wading and avoid walking on them.

And speaking of the fishery – we’ve been meaning to share these numbers for a few weeks now but just haven’t had a chance to get to it.

As if you needed any more of a reason to fish the Missouri this season, the numbers are in and they confirm what we’ve been telling you all along, that the MO is hands down one of, if not THE best trout fishery in North America. Prolific doesn’t even begin to describe what we’ve got here but it’s a start.

Just how prolific are we talking? How about over 7700 trout per mile in the Craig stretch? Sounds pretty prolific to me.

That’s 6,132 rainbows (almost double the mean of 3,263) and 1,594 browns (approaching three times the mean of 604). This is the third highest total count since they’ve been keeping records, down just slightly from 2021 which was the second highest count on record. And for those who are big fans of brown trout – this is the highest count ever of brown trout in the Craig stretch.

 

And these aren’t minnows we’re talking about. These are all fish over 10” with an abundance of fish that will likely be pushing 18” – 20” this season. Last year’s rainbow count found over 1000 rainbows per mile in the 16” class and there were also a bunch of browns in that 12” – 14” range so expect plenty of 16” plus browns this season. There should also be some lunkers out there with over 100 browns in the 20” – 24” class last year.

The Cascade stretch also saw good numbers with close to 2000 trout per mile. That’s 1,265 rainbows (down from the 1703 average) and 566 browns (well up from the 393 average).

It’s a busy river with a ton of angling pressure and conditions have been less than ideal for a couple of seasons now with drought conditions which even led to Hoot Owl Restrictions on the MO in 2021. Low flows, high water temps, high angling pressure…these are not ideal conditions for any river and in many cases these conditions can lead to a serious decline in the quality of the fishery.

But not on the MO.

She continues to amaze each season but that being said, we refuse to take this amazing resource for granted and you shouldn’t either.

Please consider making a donation to one or more of the watchdog groups on the MO who make it their business to monitor and care for our amazing fishery.

The Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance, Pat Barnes Trout Unlimited, Missouri River Flyfishers and Montana Trout Unlimited could all use your help today.

Easing Into Spring

 

 

As we approach mid-April things are slowly, but surely starting to look (and feel and smell) like spring.

Sunshine and 70’s on Monday FINALLY took care of the snow that had been lingering here around the shop since NOVEMBER.

But don’t  swap out the fleece and flannel for flip flops just yet. We’re currently under a WINTER STORM WARNING in effect from 6 PM tonight through 12 AM on Friday. Today looks perfect with a slight chance of rain, mostly cloudy skies, high in the low 50s and light and variable wind.

Rain changes to snow tonight with a low of 34 and tomorrow looks fairly miserable with a high of 42, snow early on changing to rain in the afternoon and north winds 10-13 mph with gusts to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent with 1 – 2 inches of accumulation possible. If this was October it might be the makings of an epic BWO day but with our water temps still well shy of 40 degrees we’re a ways out from that.

Current water flows are higher than we’ve seen in a while at around 5400 cfs. Expect those flows to bump as the spring progresses. We’ll likely see increases up to 8K in May, peaking at around 10K before settling back to the current 5 – 6K in June. These flow predictions are great for the health of the river and obviously indicate a good looking big picture for all of the regional waters for the 2023 season. Snow pack currently ranges from 90 to 120 percent of average for the vast majority of the region.

The warm weather brought out a fair amount of traffic over the Easter weekend and Monday was the busiest day we’ve seen in a while. High wind warnings kept folks away yesterday on a day which turned out to be pretty damn nice. It’s a quiet hump day but the river will be busy this weekend if our bookings are any indication.

We’re close to a full house this weekend but we do have a couple of vacancies if you’re looking to spend your weekend on the MO.

We’ve also got our first big group trip of the season with the Annual Iron Fly Outfitting/Hidden Canyon Lodge Women’s Intermediate Fly Fishing Clinic happening Saturday and Sunday.
Winter Storm Warning aside – it looks to be a perfect spring weekend with plenty of sunshine and ideal temps in the 50’s on Saturday and edging back towards 70 on Sunday.

We’re expecting a busy weekend so get here early and beat the rush. The shop is literally bursting at the seams with new product so please come and take some of this stuff off of our hands. Waders and outerwear from Simms and Redington, boots from Simms and Korkers, rods and reels from SAGE, LAMSON, ECHO and REDINGTON and piles of fly lines from SA, Rio and Airflo. From general purpose weight forward floating lines to a full range of specialty sink lines and EVERYTHING in between we’ve got you covered.

With all of the new product coming in we’ve had to make some room so we’re clearing out a bunch of winter inventory at incredible prices. 30 – 40 percent off on winter wear and fly lines. Get em’ before they’re gone!

Need flies? You won’t find a better selection of Missouri River flies ANYWHERE! Those trendy bugs you’re reading about in all of the fishing reports- we’ve got em’. We’ve got em’ all! Pill Poppers, Bubble Yums, Tailwater Sows, Radiation Baetis, Amex, Cotton Candy, Yum Yums, Rainbow Czechs, Zebra Midges, Ray Charles, Little Green Machines and on and on. Looking for dries? We’ve got midge patterns galore and more BWO patterns than you’ll know what to do with. Looking for classics? Look no further. Parachute Adams, Purple Haze, Pheasant Tails, Hares Ears…we’re fully stocked on all of the classics in all of the sizes. And these aren’t shop ties or knock offs – these are the real deal from trusted brands like Montana Fly Company, Umpqua, Solitude Flies and Yellowstone Fly Goods

Skwalas? Of course. We’ve got bins full of them.

Streamers? Ha! Don’t get me started. We are the undisputed Streamer Authority on the MO!

Need a couple more reasons to make Wolf Creek Angler your Missouri River Fly Fishing Destination?

Our guides are amongst the very best in the region with well over a century of combined experience. And not only are they fishy, you won’t find a more patient and humble crew anywhere. If you like a guide with a huge ego who spends half the day yelling at you and the other half telling you what a great guide they are then you’ll want to book elsewhere. You won’t find them here. 

Our lodging is still amongst the most affordable in the area and your comfort while staying with us is our number one priority. Following our major remodel this winter we now have rooms ranging from basic motel style rooms to fancy efficiencies, something to fit every budget. We are dog friendly in most of our rooms with the exception of the newly remodeled bungalows.

We offer the cheapest dam shuttles on the MO…spread the word!

we are your source for Fishing licenses, ice, hats and socks and gloves, sunscreen and buffs, piles of tools and accessories from MFC, SA and more.

Wolf Creek Angler is closer to the Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge fishing access sites than any other shop. LPP and the Dearborn are currently dumping mud into the MO so chances are you’ll be starting at one or the other for the time being.

Wolf Creek is the home of Lazy I Beerworks with over 20 beers on tap and also home to the Canyon Store which is the ONLY place for gas and groceries between Helena and Cascade.

Wolf Creek is just 7 miles from Craig, home of Izaaks and the Craig Taphouse and I think there are a couple of other fly shops there as well.

As you can see, Wolf Creek is, by all measures, your Missouri River spring fly fishing destination.

See you in the shop and on the water soon.

The Shape of Water – February 2023 Edition


This is the time of year the calls really start to pick up from folks looking for flow predictions for the Missouri for the spring season.

Having just received the monthly Water Supply and Projected Operations report from the Bureau of Reclamation I figured I’d take this opportunity to give you the latest.

Current conditions as of February 8th have us at 3710 CFS with steady water temps just shy of 34 degrees, fairly standard winter flows and temps. The weather has been mild with daily highs generally in the high 30’s and low to mid 40’s, a trend we will see continue for at least the next 10 days.

That last substantial weather system we saw the week before last did deliver some much needed precipitation in the high country so we are indeed in that ideal winter pattern at this point with a good looking snow pack but little to no snow on the ground locally. If it wasn’t for the gusty winds, conditions really couldn’t be much better for February fishing.

Local conditions might make one think we’re destined for a low water spring but drilling down into the data, it doesn’t appear that this will be the case, at least according to the current snow pack and reservoir conditions.

With the Missouri Headwaters currently sitting at 114% of average, a favorable monthly precipitation and temperature outlook and Canyon Ferry currently sitting at 73.3% full,  it seems we may in fact get the necessary and preferred flows we need this spring.

As indicated by the chart above, our most likely scenario at this point is flows holding at a steady 4K through this month and next before bumping slightly in April and then increasing to around 8K in May before peaking in the 9500 CFS range in early June. April through July runoff inflow forecast volume into Canyon Ferry Reservoir of 2,263,000 acre-feet, or 123 percent of average is predicted.

That being said, we’ve got a long way to go so actual flow volumes will likely deviate from February predictions.

I know I’ll be receiving calls after I post this from wade fishing folks who are going to voice concern and displeasure with said projections. Here’s what I’ll say about that…

First and foremost, just to repeat, we’re a long ways out. These projections are based on climate forecast models and current snowpack conditions and reservoir volumes. Nothing is carved in stone and I’d venture a guess that it’s very possible we see something more in the minimum probable model with flows holding steady right where they’re at all season long.

Second, should we see a peak of 8k – 10K it’s important to keep in mind that this is NOT considered to be “high” flow. The mean average peak flow below Holter Dam from 1947 – 2020 was 14,061 CFS so 8 – 10 K is historically considered to be on the low side.

As far as how flows relate to fishing conditions, we LOVE 6 – 8K. The wade anglers don’t love those flows as that 6K and up starts to present challenges but looking at the bigger picture, the sustainability of the fishery is dependent upon healthy flows. We’d love to see at least a few days of those “flushing flows” in the 15K range for the health of the river but an 8K – 10K peak is certainly preferred to a sustained 4K all season long.

It’s the same story every season. Those in the know make their best educated guesses as to what we’ll see and then Mother Nature gives us whatever she wants to give us. Maybe we’ll see 4K, maybe we’ll see 20K. It’ll likely be somewhere well in between.

What I can say for sure is that there will be water and we will be fishing it regardless of how high or low the flows may be. My February gut tells me that by the second week of June we’ll be settling in to summer flows and while those early summer flows may not be exactly what you LOVE I have a feeling that boat and wade anglers alike will be enjoying the start to another amazing summer season on the Missouri. That instinct may change depending on what happens between now and April but I’ll keep you posted.

Here’s to a great season ahead.

Winter Returns

24 degrees this Monday morning in Wolf Creek with a light snow falling…the calm before the storm.

There is a Winter Storm Warning in effect from 6 PM tonight through 6 AM Wednesday for heavy snow and gusty winds starting late this afternoon.

We saw temps near 80 degrees last Friday and while it’s hard to not enjoy a day like that, we hope we don’t see that again for at least the rest of April. The forecast is calling for blustery north winds at 24 – 28 mph this evening with 4-8 inches of snow expected followed by more of the same with an additional 2 – 4 inches of snow tomorrow. The snow tapers off on Wednesday but we won’t make it above freezing that day and the temps actually dip into the single digits Wednesday night with a low of 6.

Things return to somewhat more seasonable conditions starting on Thursday with daily highs in the low 40s. Storm Total snow accumulations of 5-10 inches expected at lower elevations with 10 – 20 inches of desperately needed snowfall expected in the mountains. Let’s hope so!

We had a fairly busy week of guide trips scheduled and have already cancelled all trips for Tuesday and Wednesday. Hopefully we’ll be able to salvage a few days at the end of the week.

The extended forecast looks good as far as fishing weather goes with temps back in the 50’s next week but we’ll take as much of this winter weather as we can get.

Our lodging is 100 percent open now with plenty of availability throughout the rest of the month. Things get progressively busier once we hit May but we’ve generally got at least a vacancy or two most nights until we hit June so we hope you make us your Missouri River spring fly fishing destination.

The shop is bursting with new gear. In fact we’re running out of places to put it all.

We’re open at 8 AM daily with everything you need from guides to lodging to shuttles to flies and all the gear you could possibly want.

Sit back and enjoy the spring snow storm resting assured that this is exactly what we need, and we’ll see you on the other side.

February on the MO

We’re one month in to 2022 and though it feels like the dead of winter as we settle into the current cold front, the season will be upon us before you know it. January felt LONG, as it always does but as we turn the page to February today the countdown is underway.

Enjoy these final weeks of solitude because very soon we’re going to be in the thick of it. We got a little taste of what’s to come over the weekend with a fair amount of traffic both the wade and boat varieties. A mild weather weekend in late January always brings out the crowds by winter standards but nothing like we’ll see in a few more weeks as spring approaches.

Fishing has been good, especially on the front side of this weather system which arrived last night. The nymphing has been solid with plenty of fish being caught on the swing as well. More often than not you’ll have at least a little wind to contend with but if you somehow hit it on a calm day you can expect some dry fly action as well as the midge action begins to heat up.

It’s the time of year you can often run the same nymph rig all day long, never changing flies or depths and hooking up throughout the day.

Rainbow Czechs, Tailwater Sows, Pill Poppers, Bubble Yums, Pederson’s Sow, Soft Hackle Sows etc. Bug selection is not critical. If you happen to be out there on the right day and you’re fishing the right water you should have plenty of success.

Slow and deep is your target water but don’t overlook those tailouts, especially if you’re swinging. Polar Leeches, Kreelex, Fruit Rollups, Thin Mints and Black Buggers have all been deadly on the swing.

Winter has returned today with temps back in the teens and wind chills in the single digits and below. More of the same on tap for tomorrow but we start to warm up again Thursday and into the weekend with highs back in the 40’s and pushing 50 on Monday. Expect some traffic out there this weekend and look for things to get busier as winter progresses. Cabin Fever usually starts to hit folks pretty hard in February with the promise of spring on the not-too-distant horizon.

It’s the perfect time to take advantage of our Winter Guide Trip and Lodging Special. Get Two nights of lodging and a full day guided trip for one or two anglers for just $550 with NO CANCELLATION FEES FOR ANY REASON.

It’s always a roll of the dice with the weather in the winter but rest assured that if things end up going south with the weather, or if you just have a change of heart and decide you don’t want to catch a bunch of Missouri River trout on a winter afternoon, you’re not on the hook for anything. With nothing to lose there’s no reason you shouldn’t be booking your winter guide trip on the MO. An abundance of fish and winter solitude await!

If you’re looking for things to do in Helena this weekend don’t miss Pat Barnes TU 2022 Ice Bowl Membership Drive and Winter Social at Sleeping Giant Lanes on Saturday at 4 PM. Bowling compliments of PBTU, pizza compliments of Rocky Mountain Credit Union. It’s a great way to spend a Saturday evening in February.

Go to Top