Montana Fly Fishing Archives - Page 3 of 7

Looking Towards Fall

Fall on the Missouri – photo by Neale Streeks

Thinking about fall fishing on the Missouri? We are too!

October is one of our favorite months to fish the MO’ and judging by our lodging and guide trip bookings, it’s yours too.

The first three weeks of October look to be extremely busy though we still have openings so don’t put it off any longer, give us a call today and book that fall trip.

As of right now things are pretty busy starting around the middle of September and then thin out the last week of October. Keep in mind that these last few years the late October/early November fishing has been the best of the fall. The weather can be hit or miss but it’s typically cool/cloudy/snowy/rainy days that are preferred if fishing BWO’s is your game.

Fall is also the time for streamer fishing. Weeds will still be a factor but it’s definitely worth the effort when you hook into that giant Missouri River brown decked out in full spawning colors.

Don’t let the possibility of rain or sleet or snow or cold discourage you as it’s often the case that the worse the weather is the better the fishing is. And the beauty of lodging and fishing with WCA is that you’ve got a premier Missouri River fly shop on site ready to meet all of your fly fishing needs. Cold weather gear; layering; waders and boots; rods from Loop, Echo, St Croix and Redington; reels from Ross, Loop, Nautilus, Redington and Echo; ARC and Rio fly lines; packs, nets and accessories from Fishpond and the biggest and best selection of bugs ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana, including a streamer selection that rivals that of any other shop with a bunch of WCA Exclusives you won’t find anywhere else. We’re starting to stock up for fall fishing with all kinds of new bugs and new gear. Stay tuned for a MAJOR shop-related announcement coming soon!

So while it’s definitely still summertime on the Missouri it won’t be for long. Leaves are starting to change, pre-season football has started, the first of the Oktoberfest beers have already hit the shelves and in two weeks your kids will be back in school and you’ll all be wondering where the summer went. Fret not, fall is a magical time on the MO’.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:33-06:00August 15th, 2016|Categories: Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: ARC Fishing, brown trout, Fall fishing, Fishpond, fly fishing, Redington, RIO, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

Weekend Update

front

Things continue to be a little tough out there but don’t despair. There are plenty of reasons you should be fishing the Missouri right now.

These are just a few of them.

1. HOOT OWL RESTRICTIONS

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Water levels continue to drop on many rivers around the state. Low flows mean high water temps, especially during hot weather. High water temps mean stressed trout. The Hoot Owl closure list continues to grow with a couple of rivers (Jefferson and parts of the Big Hole) now completely closed to fishing. Meanwhile on the Missouri we’re enjoying relatively stable flows in the 4100 cfs range and comfortable water temps in the low to mid 60’s. Rumor has it we’re going to see a drop in flows here as well but we don’t expect anything too drastic. Should we drop into that 3500 range you can expect more weeds but for the time being we’re liking the conditions on the river, especially by August standards. If Hoot Owl conditions have chased you off of your favorite water it’s time to hit the MO’.

2. LIGHT TRAFFIC

August is traditionally a slow month on the Missouri and while we appreciate the break after an extremely busy several months, six days in and we’re rested and ready to ramp up again! We typically see a big drop in traffic during August and early September despite the fact the fishing can be good. It can also be challenging but if it wasn’t a challenge what fun would it be? Regardless, for whatever reason, there aren’t a lot of people around in August so it’s the perfect time to come fish the Missouri if it’s relative solitude you seek. It’s not quite December solitude but you can usually find yourself a stretch of water void of other anglers. No waiting at the ramps, less competition on the water, immediate seating at Izaaks and plenty of vacancies in the area are all good reasons to try August fishing on the Missouri.

3. GRASSHOPPERS AND ANTS

Although not known as a great terrestrial fishery the Missouri gives up plenty of big browns to hoppers and ants strategically drifted and occasionally twitched through the right spots. Banks, seams, riffles…..you know the spots. Do a long float covering as much water as you can and be patient. Hopper fishing is rarely action-packed but there are occasional good days and frequent good parts of mediocre days so it’s definitely worth your while to give it a try. Not sure where to go? Stop by the shop and we’ll get you set up with the right bugs and give you some direction on where to go. If you really want to get your hopper game dialed in book a trip with us and we’ll have one of our expert guides take you to the ultra secret hopper hot zones. We’re happy to send you to these spots on your own but nobody knows the water better than those who are out there every day. If you are new to the Missouri or new to fly fishing or both we can’t stress enough how critical a guide trip can be to your future success or lack thereof. You’ll learn more in a day on the water with one of our guides than you could in a whole season of trying it on your own.

4. FLYSHOP EMPLOYEES ARE CRAVING HUMAN CONTACT

While it’s not quite that bad there are definitely some lonely spells in shop these days. The upside to this though is that we’ve got plenty of time to do things like cleaning the shop, grounds keeping….etc so the shop is really clean and the lawn is making a comeback after a bit of neglect since we’ve had plenty of time to dedicate to a sprinkling program. We’re busy working on fall fill in orders and starting to put together pre-season orders for 2017 and also doing a fair amount of lodging and guide trip boo

kings for fall and for next season. There are always things to do around the shop but our favorite thing to do in the shop is help customers so it would make our day if you came by.

5. DOG DAYS OF SUMMER LODGING SPECIAL

Now through the end of August book a guide trip and two nights lodging with Wolf Creek Angler and we’ll throw in a third night of lodging for free. That’s up to a $129 value. It’s a great opportunity to do a second guided day on the MO’ or to rent one of our RO or Adipose Drift Boats and try it on your own after which you can relax at WCA for another night for free.

See you soon at WCA.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:33-06:00August 6th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: brown trout, Dog Days, fly fishing, grasshoppers, Missouri River, RO Drift Boats, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

On the Road Report: Political Refugee Edition.

Over the past few weeks, with the mercury on the rise, water across the state flat-lining and the political climate starting to resemble an episode of Jerry Springer straight out of a Kafka book; I’ve found myself more often than not, getting the hell away from everything. I’m already done with hearing the political talk at the bars and on the river. Combine the never ending political ramblings with the unavoidable heat, lets just say that Chewy needs a change of pace. But first, onto the fishing report.

Like our goofy grinned friend up the street says, fishing right now, is as good as you are. Crowds, weeds, high sun and ohh yeah picky fish. Still seeing a good trico spinner fall in the morning providing some good targets and the hopper bite throughout the day has been picking up. Try a More-or-Less Hopper or a Chubby in the riffles and seams with a split case or cray dropper.

Limited options right now if you’re looking at getting off the MO onto some freestone or small water. Hoot-Owl restrictions on lots of Western District and a handful of Central waterways. Check out the complete list HERE but just be ready for more to be added on as we push into the latter part of summer. Even with a lot of big name rivers feeling the sting, still loads of options if you’re looking into something different. Our buddies at Lakestream Fly Shop in Whitefish have been posting some good reports from the Flathead & Swan as well as a handful of guides reporting good action on the Yellowstone. If you’re looking for something a little more local, you’ll have to work for it, but the options are still out there. Alpine lakes, and the higher reaches of rivers not being affected as much by low flows and high temps are a good place to start looking.
As for me, I’ll be loading up a cooler and hitting the high country in search of cooler temps, less crowded water and a total lack of political discourse. Not to mention the backcountry brookies and cutthroat. Jason will be manning the shop for the next few days while I claim refugee status in the greater Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. Bourbon, Beer & Bear Spray, a solid recipe for a weekend if you ask me. If you don’t see me in a few days, don’t worry about it, something tells me I won’t be missing much.

~Cheers, Chewy.

By Zach King|2016-10-25T16:15:33-06:00August 1st, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

On The Road Report: River Closure Edition.

Few less options for the week ahead if you were thinking of hitting the road. Montana Fish Wildlife & Parks have announced the first of this summer’s Hoot-Owl Restrictions. Meaning NO FISHING FROM 2 P.M – MIDNIGHT, that is if you find yourself on any of these stretches of water….

The Big Hole from Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Drive to Dickie Bridge & from Notch Bottom f.a.s. to the mouth.
The Madison from Ennis Dam to the mouth.
The Beaverhead from Anderson Lane to the mouth.
The Jefferson; Entire river.
The Ruby from Duncan District Road to the mouth.
The Gallatin from Shed’s Bridge f.a.s. to the mouth.

Just a friendly reminder that this is not a suggestion from F.W.P. its’s mandatory and you can be ticketed for fishing during the closure. The official list this year is still pretty short, so far. We’ve still got a lot of summer ahead of us and things probably wont improve anytime soon. Forecast for July is above average temps, and below average precipitation. Bottom line is the summer of 2016 isn’t shaping up to be a banner year. With that said, I’m going to jump on my soapbox for a minute. Just because F.W.P. hasn’t listed your favorite stream, or where you planned on fishing this week, doesn’t mean it’s in good shape. Take for example the Smith River, temps at Camp Baker have been peaking at over 70 and temps at Eden Bridge have been close to 80. I’m no scientist, but that seems pretty warm not to make the list. And that’s just one example. What I’m trying to get at is this; common sense and decency go a long way this time of year to protect fisheries across the state. Take a few minutes to do some research on where you plan on fishing, if the water temps are in that upper 60 degree range(65-67), move on. Seriously, don’t be a @$$hat about it. I know it sucks to have to pass up on your favorite water but I assure you there are other options at this point. You may have to put some effort in or deal with the crowds like Matt did yesterday, but it’s better than screwing up a fishery for everyone.

~Cheers, Chewy.

Don’t be these people

By Zach King|2016-10-25T16:15:34-06:00July 3rd, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|1 Comment

On the Road Report: Five Days With Dad Edition.

Over the past five days I was lucky enough to get my pops out of his office in Bellingham Washington, convince him to drive 12 hours and close to 700 miles with a few pounds of smoked salmon and a couple growlers for a weeks vacation checking out some Montana freestone streams. Considering he and my mom are busy with their own business and the shop is in full swing here, we were both pretty lucky to find some time in our schedules that matched up. He crushed the 12 hour drive in record time, more like 10, even after stopping in Missoula to load up on some big bugs from our buddies at Kingfisher Fly Shop (thanks guys) and after a good nights rest, we hooked up the raft and got back on the road. The plan was to get four solid days of floating and car camping in before I had to get back to the shop to give Jason a break from one of our busier weeks on the books. Things didn’t turn out quite as planned, but looking back on it, I think we’re both glad they didn’t.

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By Zach King|2016-10-25T16:15:34-06:00June 18th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|1 Comment

Across the Road Report 6/11/16. (Hey its the same forwards as backwards!)

Been a while since my last O.T.R Report, been like that for a reason. Shop is kicking into high gear and honestly, I just haven’t had enough time to really get on the road to report back to everybody. However, I have been spending a good amount of time Across the Road. Pretty easy to grab the 4 weight, handful of flies for the evening hatch and a spare cold beer, cross the road and see what I can get into. Low effort, big rewards; after a long day in the shop, I’ll take it. Just to clarify, despite what you may have seen, heard or participated in, the Little Prickly Pear is closed to fishing from Labor Day to the third Saturday in May, for a reason. It’s one of the most popular spawning grounds for Rainbows and Browns alike. We’re lucky enough to have this little gem flow past the front door just a few steps away and it makes a great alternative to the MO if you’re looking it mix it up a little bit after a day floating.

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By Zach King|2016-10-25T16:15:34-06:00June 12th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Shop Life, Uncategorized|1 Comment

On The Road Report: Secret Spots.

April has faded into May, which will give way to June in a few weeks and before we know it, Tamaracks in the high country will go gold. I don’t want to think that far ahead just yet though, so lets talk about the time in between. Specifically the latter part of spring and summer. As runoff subsides and the swollen banks fade to friendlier wading levels, loads of us ditch the boats for packs, 4 wts, bear spray & back roads. How do I know this? Because I do it (obviously) and because I, along with every other shop dog around, get asked on a pretty regular basis to divulge, my spots. If you just rolled your eyes, thinking this is going to be a post telling everyone off and to find your own damn water, well you’re sort of right, but hear me out. Especially if you’re reading this shortly after it is published, there’s a good chance you inspired it.

Inevitably the calls start coming in from guys planning summer excursions to the Missouri and surrounding areas looking for that, ya know, off the radar, next level shi….(whatever that is). If you’re one of those people, you know I am a master of ambiguity, to an infuriating level to some, at points. Most think I just do it out of spite or selfishness, but I promise that is not my motivation. Okay, it’s a little bit of me being selfish, but it serves a purpose. I’m apprehensive to share a handful of spots for just as many reasons. First and foremost, many places I consider to be even remotely secret are in fact no secret at all, lets just get that out of the way. Some of them were shown to me by close friends, usually under the pretense of silence on my part; and just as many were the end result of a few hours shooting between Google Maps and Montana Cadastral then putting rubber on road.

The main reason I hold back revealing some of the spots I frequent is I’d like to think I’m fostering some sense, minuscule as it may be, of exploration in someone who would rather just have the answer given to them. Ideological of me? Yeah, but I can’t understand why people want to be told where to find the most beautiful trout stream they’ve seen, instead of stumbling across it themselves. With that said, if you call or swing by the shop and you’ve been looking into River X and wondering if I knew anything about it, I won’t lie. It’s not covered in rattlesnakes, bears aren’t around every corner and the rancher won’t chase you off with a shotgun if he see’s you fishing through his property. Though I will tell you if that’s the case, because places like that do exist. But I promise I won’t draw you a map either. I’m not trying to hoard these spots for the simple fact that the spots I try to keep quiet are in fact, not my spots. They’re all of our spots, I just happen to believe you should take the time to find them.

~Cheers, Chewy.

By Zach King|2016-10-25T16:15:35-06:00May 10th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Montana|0 Comments

On the Road Report: Spring Sting Edition.

Sorry to confuse you folks out there buts it’s Spring Sting not Springsteen. I can understand the confusion, especially when you say it fast enough. Needless to say we won’t be talking about The Boss, New Jersey’s favorite son. Instead I feel the need to address a feeling I’m sure many of you are sharing with me at this time. It took W.C.A guide, beer slinger and all around bearded, flannel clad ~~hippie~~ trout-bum Matt Hargrave to put to words that I’ve been battling with internally for the past two or so weeks. It’s the Spring Sting, that feeling you get when you’ve been pent-up in the canyon for close to eight months, the weather is reminiscent of my time in Southeast Alaska, it’s cold, my waders still leak and fishing options are limited because gauges across the state look a lot like, well sort of what you would expect with the warmer weather last week, crap. The good news my friends, looks can be deceiving.

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By Zach King|2016-10-25T16:15:35-06:00April 28th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Montana, spring fishing, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Mark Your Calendars: Bugs & Suds Tying Night with Vince Wilcox.

If you’ve fished the Missouri in the last 4 or so years you’ve probably heard of a little mayfly nymph named Wilcox’s Little Green Machine. If you haven’t heard of it, I don’t know what to tell you except you should probably reconsider your choice of fly shop. The LGM is pretty much a must have for your box and is now a standard, go-to Missouri River fly once the smaller techy bugs start getting some attention. The man behind the Green Machine, Vince Wilcox will be joining us all the way from his home in the Adirondack Mountains of New York for a relaxed evening of fly tying and food during his yearly pilgrimage to Western trout waters. The grill will be cranking out burgers and dogs and we’ll supply some beverages to go along. Bring your tying vice, materials, tools and pull up a chair along side on the most creative tiers of our time. The fun begins on May 5th at 6 p.m. at the shop with a ~~sit down, question and answer period~~ fish stories and other lies, probably. In all seriousness folks, this is not an instructional course, all skill levels are welcome to attend and share techniques, tips and just enjoy some, what I would imagine to be, decent company and good beer at the least.

~Cheers, Chewy.

By Zach King|2016-10-25T16:15:36-06:00April 20th, 2016|Categories: Montana Fly Fishing, Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: fly tying, Montana, montana fly shops, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

On The Road Report: Well, Sort of Edition.

I know I promised everybody another installment of OTR but I failed. I failed and I’m sorry. It’s just between getting the shop ship shape for Spring, a phone that doesn’t seem to stop ringing, moving myself into the summer cabin, crappy weather and two couch surfing trout bums over the past few days I just couldn’t manage. It’s really just the combination of the latter two, I blame the hippies and wind. Either way, I was able to make it out with two good buddies of mine Will from Bozeman who just needed an excuse to get off the Gallatin and Bill, guide at large getting in some spring fishing before the season really kicks off . So it’s sort of an On The Road Report, for those two guys at least. Between the three of us we did two pretty similar floats, Mid-Cannon to Pelican and Mid to Mtn. Palace, with two very similar results. Not sure they were the ones any of us expected, but whatever, that’s fishing.

First float was with Will from Mid to Pelican. Looking back on the weather report from that morning and the overall length of the float, it was ambitious. Roughly 11 miles with wind and rain moving in later that afternoon. In hindsight we should have taken out at Prewett Creek. Wind was haneous, to the point that I considered dawning my p.f.d. after one particular gust of wind. Despite the hostile weather later in the day we managed to pull in a few on nymphs and got some great chases and hook ups on streamers. B.W.Os were out for a while before the rain rolled in, but we had a pretty short window to fish to risers podded up in the soft water.

Second trip was with Bill from Mid to Mtn. Palace. Lessons learned from the day before we stuck to the shorter float. Lots of wind throughout the canyon but the skies were clear this time. Didn’t see as many baetis as the previous day, likely because of the bluebird conditions. Still saw a few coming to to surface on clusters of midges. I was able to pull a few decent bows’ to the boat on nymphs but Bill stole the show with a pair of back to back Browns on the streamer. Kid hasn’t been in town 24 hours and hangs 40″+ of buttery Missouri River goodness. Probably had a lot to do with the fly though, hand tied by your truly, articulated with just the right amount of flash.

Like I said before, two similar floats with two similar outcomes, and not what we were expecting. Over the course of the two days between the three of us, we got more chases, hits and hookups from big streamers off hard banks and in deep trenches. Coincidence? Maybe, but my thought is that the bigger fish lower in the system are HUNGRY! I’m talking HANGRY, charging out of the depths with a vengeance and just crushing the fly. What I’m getting at is that in might be worth your while to dedicate a day to throwing some big junk and trophy hunting. Ditch the bobber for float or ten and you may surprise yourself. If you do decide to play the streamer game, here’s five for your box I think will drum up some beefcakes. Okay and some dries and nymphs too…

Streamers: Circus Peanut, Sex Dungeon, Cat Toy, Articulated Sparkle Minnow & ZK’s Mercenary.

Nymphs: Tung. Split Case BWO, LGM, Psycho May, BWO Wondernymph & Rainbow Czechs.

Dries: Q’s Cluster Midge, WCA Trude, Prachute Adams, Buzzballs & Sprout Baetis.

~Cheers, Chewy.

By Zach King|2016-10-25T16:15:37-06:00April 8th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: baetis, brown trout, fly fishing, Montana, spring fishing, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments