Montana Fly Fishing Archives - Page 5 of 7

CONNECT

Team Wolf Creek Angler toasting our inaugural season at our first Craig Caddis Festival. – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

The theme for today’s photo 101 challenge is CONNECT. This was a cool shot from the 2014 Craig Caddis Festival where Fred and Sheila and myself toasted Wolf Creek Angler which has certainly connected us as partners but which has also connected us to a community, a lifestyle, a state of mind and to a bunch of awesome people. It was a great first season and we learned a lot about what it takes to run a fly shop and lodging operation. We’ve got all kinds of ideas for the coming seasons and we will implement them as our budget allows. Stay tuned….

~Jason O.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:05-06:00November 10th, 2014|Categories: Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: connect, photo 101, photo101, running line, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Fall nymphing on the Missouri River – photo by Wolf Creek Angler, LLC

Guest Blog by Wolf Creek Angler guide Jim Murray

It’s not just the golden rule of real estate, but of nymph fishing the Missouri as well.

There’s a lot of fish in the Mighty Mo, and those fish like to eat (shocking I know). Luckily for all those fish, the Missouri ecosystem produces A TON of food for them to eat. And while this is great for the fish, it can sometimes be less than ideal for the fisherman. Let me explain.

This great amount of food (insects, worms, crustaceans, etc.) flows through the river constantly, giving these fish a buffet table of food to choose from. As a result, these fish don’t have to travel very far to get a bite to eat. What this means for the fisherman, is that this river fishes very differently from many of our great freestone rivers in this state. Fish in small streams, and even some of the larger freestone rivers are very opportunistic feeders. They will move, sometimes even a few feet, to eat a morsel of food that they see pass through their window of opportunity to get a bite and fill their stomach. The residents of the Missouri do not need to do this. They tend to stay in their prime feeding lies, rarely moving unless forced out. As a result, they will not travel far to eat your fly. They don’t have to.

When fly fisherman, myself included, start struggling to get a lot of eats on the river, the first instinct is often to change the fly. Micro May not working? Let’s try a Green Machine. Size18 not working? Let’s go to a 20. Worm? Sow? What are they eating?!?

More often than not, it’s not the fly, but the location of the fly. The next time you aren’t catching the amount of fish you feel that you should, change the location. This means both depth and range. If you are fishing deep, shorten it up. Already short? Go deep. Add some weight. Take some off. One of my good friends, and probably the best nymph fisherman I know, Bob Glassen, states that he “changes depth constantly”. He’s not satisfied until he’s found out where they are in the water column. Also, if you float through a good run that you are sure is holding fish, don’t be afraid to go back up, move over 3 or 4 feet and run it again. You will often be surprised by the results. A few feet on this river can be the difference between a great day in the boat and a slow or average one.

This isn’t to say that fly choice doesn’t matter at all, but It’s been my experience that if you put the fly in front of the fish, they will eat it. So the next time you aren’t getting into them like you should, remember the old real estate adage, Location, Location, Location, and adjust accordingly. You’ll be happy you did!

Give us a call at (406)235-4350 and book a trip with Wolf Creek Angler today.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:06-06:00October 27th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: fly fishing, green machine, indicator, Missouri River, nymphs, running line, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Perfect Autumn morning at Wolf Creek Bridge. Photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Fall colors are in full swing on the Missouri River. Photo by Neale Streeks

Fishing has been improving steadily over the past few weeks as we make the full transition to fall. We’ve had summer-like weather for the most part save for one day of snow showers early in the month and while it’s made for some beautiful days on the water we would prefer some cooler, cloudier weather to get the bugs going. Tomorrow could be the day with a chance of rain and snow showers and highs in the low 50’s. Sunny skies return on Monday and Tuesday but with temps dipping into the high 30’s at night hopefully we will see a drop in the water temp which should usher in the big bugs everybody is waiting for.

The fishing has been pretty solid depending on the day throughout the system with the possible exception of the Holter Dam to Wolf Creek Bridge stretch which, after giving it up consistently for many weeks, has gotten relatively quiet. The usual suspects (zebras, sow bugs, pt’s, green machines etc.) will still pick up a few fish on any given day up there but we haven’t seen the consistent action like we were seeing a few weeks ago. The cray fish has also gone quiet after a spectacular run, though I wouldn’t hesitate to try one if nothing else is working.

Below Wolf Creek Bridge it’s a different story with dries, nymphs and streamers all getting it done. The browns are on the prowl and will hammer a streamer right now. Good patterns for us have been Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow in Sculpin, polar leeches in black, copper and olive/copper, olive smolts and the gold/silver Kreelex. Change your bugs, change up your strip and be patient. The Streamer game is not a numbers thing and you may go a long time between chases and may go all day without a hook up but the anticipation and the occasional hog on the chase will keep things interesting, at least for those of us who are into that sort of thing. We are stocked up in the shop with a great selection of streamers that work and we are always happy to share our secrets with you.

Big Autumn Browns colored up and on the chase on the Missouri photo by Wolf Creek Angler LLC

The nymphing game below the bridge has been good with the Little Green Machine leading the charge most days. Other hot bugs have been WD 40’s, Rainbow Warriors, Chezch nymphs, sow bugs, PT’s, Dark Peep Shows and all kinds of baetis stuff including Angel Case Emergers, Bubbleback Emergers, Magic Flies and juju’s. Some days it’s a short rig – other days not so much. Air-Lock Strike Indicators continue to fly off the shelves due to the ease with which you can change depths in no time by simply loosening the nut and sliding the indicator to the desired depth. Long known for our skepticism of gimmicky products – the WCA guide crew has fully embraced this technology and we are proud to endorse Air Lock Strike Indicators as our official indicator of choice on the MO.

Air-Lock Strike Indicators always available at Wolf Creek Angler

Plenty of fish up on any given day as well and many willing to play. We’ve been liking a Parachute Adams or a Purple Haze with an RS2, CDC Caddis emerger, zebra midge or Juju trailer but a #14 Sloan’s Outrigger Caddis coupled with a #22 pseudo isn’t a bad call either. Plenty of options as we await the BWO’s. Stop by the shop for all of these bugs and more along with as much or as little instruction as you would like on the where’s, when’s and hows.

Lodging is busy right now but we’ve got a few vacancies here and there so give us a call. We are the only full service fly shop in Wolf Creek with lodging, guides, shuttles, RO drift boat rentals and a shop filled with everything you need for Missouri River fly fishing success including the greatest selection of bugs ever to be assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana. Stop in and see us and find out for yourself if all the things you’ve heard are true. You’ll be glad you did.

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

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:06-06:00October 11th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: Air-Lock Strike Indicators, brown trout, fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, Missouri River, RO Drift Boats, running line, Sloan's Outrigger Caddis, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Our favorite time of year. Cool fall mornings at Holter Dam on the Missouri River photo by Wolf Creek Angler LLC

Autumn is starting to take hold on the Little Prickly Pear – photo Wolf Creek Angler LLC

Fall day at Wolf Creek Bridge photo Wolf Creek Angler

Join us all this weekend as we bid farewell to our first summer with huge savings on everything in the shop where we are clearing space to make room for new fall merchandise arriving daily. Twenty percent off everything storewide. Flies, rods, reels, waders, hydroflasks, Simms logo wear, fly lines, leaders, tippet – everything is on sale!

It’s been a great inaugural summer for Wolf Creek Angler. We’ve met so many great people over the past 5 months in the shop and on the water and out and about at various community and industry events. We’ve learned a lot since April about what works and what doesn’t and we’re making changes as we go. Look for constant growth and constant improvement and a constant committment to customer service from Wolf Creek Angler.

The cool weather and the rain last weekend flipped the switch on the MO and the fishing has been crazy good – downright ridiculous at times. The crayfish craze has been in effect for a couple of weeks now and we’ve done extremely well dead drifting various crayfish patterns in tandem with zebra midges at the dam and a whole host of bugs below the Wolf Creek bridge. Peep Shows, Little Green Machines, Micro Mays, Soft Hackle Sows, Shop Vacs and flashback PT’s have all had some strong showings over the past few days. The fish are where you would expect to find them and also where you might not expect them to be. Hit the water you like and the water you don’t – it’s all good right now.

There are still plenty of tricos around and there have been a few heads up here and there for the DFO’s to target. We’ve also had moderate success on hoppers, especially below Craig. We like to trail with an ant or drop a weight fly to bump the odds.

Fall lodging and guide trips are booking up quickly – especially for October so don’t wait too long. We are a little sad to see summer go but we’re ready for fall in Wolf Creek. Awesome days of fishing the MO followed by dinner and libations at the Oasis and/or the Frenchman followed by a good night’s rest at Wolf Creek Angler – does it get any better?

Rooms, boats, bugs, shuttles and all the terminal tackle you need along with rain gear, wading gear, layering gear and more all at Wolf Creek Angler – minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge. Nobody is closer!

Axel with one of the prettiest Missouri River rainbows I’ve seen

Brad Turner aka The PM Angler from Baldwin Michigan got a good taste of what the Missouri River has to offer

Father and Son Dan and Paul had a great day on the Missouri River with Wolf Creek Angler guide Jim Murray

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:06-06:00August 30th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, Missouri River, nymphs, rainbow trout, running line, tricos, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

The famed Blackfoot River

Being that things are a little slow around the Missouri right now, Fred and Matt and I have all taken the opportunity to get out of the canyon and visit some different waters. We love the Missouri but it’s always nice to get out and see other parts of this beautiful and amazing state we call home. I was able to spend a couple of days this week fishing west of the divide with my son and spent the day Thursday in Yellowstone checking Slough Creek off of the bucket list.

Last summer I convinced my son to go wandering with me so we threw the tent and the sleeping bags and the rods in the car and ventured west. We ended up camping at River Junction on the Blackfoot and had a great time despite the fishing being a little slow. I worked on my teaching skills and he worked on his casting skills and we were able to tolerate one another for the most part. I had hoped it was the start of fishing together with some regularity but once school started a week or two later things got busy. Once we bought the shop things got even busier so here we are a year later, summer is waning and we haven’t fished much so we decided we would at least continue the tradition of a day of wandering and fishing and a night of camping. We again found ourselves drawn to the Blackfoot, this time camping at Russell Gates. As we watched the rafts taking out that night and launching the next morning we talked of an overnight on the river next summer. We shall see! My son is not crazy about fishing, in fact I think it would be fair to say that he tolerates fishing. We don’t have a lot in common right now. He is a 13-year-old kid with 13-year-old kid interests and we don’t spend a lot of time together so to have the opportunity to hang out together meant a lot to me and hopefully to him as well. We fished some great small waters, caught some cutthroats, worked on casting/mending/line control and were lulled to sleep by the soothing sounds of the river flowing outside of our tent. We fished a bit the second day but spent most of our time exploring the back roads in and around the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

Worked in the shop Wednesday morning and then made my way south to Gardiner to meet up with some friends from back home. On Thursday we headed into Yellowstone to fish the legendary Slough Creek.

The Legendary Slough Creek. Everything you’ve heard is true!

Brad Turner www.pmanglercom and his wife Lasha hail from Baldwin Michigan where Brad guides on my home water, the Pere Marquette River. Brad taught me much of what I know about fly fishing years ago and has been a huge influence on me over the years. Time spent on the water with Brad over the years certainly contributed to the decision to pursue this dream here in Wolf Creek MT and it’s always a pleasure to fish with the Turners.

Today marks two years since my wife, our son, our dog and I walked out the door of our home in Ludington MI for the last time and headed west to pursue our dream. It was shortly after we arrived in Helena that the Turners came out to Yellowstone on vacation and I met them there with intentions of fishing Slough Creek. Being new at that time to living in a state where we share the land with critters like grizzly bears I was a little apprehensive about venturing into the wilds of Yellowstone. As luck would have it we had no grizzly encounters but did have an encounter with a bison who decided to charge us to keep things interesting. We did not venture beyond the road accessible parts of the creek and the fishing was challenging to say the leas. I left Yellowstone having failed to catch a fish.

The Turners didn’t make it out last year but we’ve been planning our return to Slough for over a year now. We did the research and discovered that the only way to fish Slough is to hike into the meadows. As we began our trek yesterday morning I commented that there was no way I would have made this hike the first year because of the aforementioned critter anxiety so I feel like I’ve come a long way. Over six miles each way, we did a BIG hike through some very Beary looking country. The plan was to hike until we found water we would have to ourselves. There were several anglers at the first meadow so we hiked on to the second where we found a great stretch of water where we had a couple of hours of outstanding cutthroat fishing. With a several hour hike ahead of us we cut the fishing short and headed out. It was a day I won’t soon forget.

Beautiful views of the valley on the hike out

So what’s happening on the Missouri? Steady as she goes. Tricos in the morning, nymphing coming back into shape and hoppers getting it done. More details to come as I shift gears and get back on the MO in the next couple of days.

Stop by the shop and see what’s new. We’ve got everything you need for the Missouri and beyond. Bugs, shuttles, terminal tackle, rods, reels, rooms, guides and all kinds of Wolf Creek Angler logo gear to suit any taste. Friendly service and honest reports and advice always.

See you in the shop and on the water.

~ Jason O.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:07-06:00August 15th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: Blackfoot, fly fishing, Gardiner MT, Missouri River, Montana, Pere Marquette River, running line, Slough Creek, tricos, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, Yellowstone National Park|0 Comments

Summer is back in Wolf Creek

What a difference a week makes. Last week at this time we had people cancelling weekend reservations because of high flows. By the end of the week we were under 6,000 and from what we are hearing we will be under 4,000 by the end of the day. The doom and gloom predictions of a repeat of the high water of 2011 were wrong. Hopefully the predictions of average flows in the 5,000 range for the remainder of the year will prove to be true.

The fishing has been good with nymphing still leading the charge but dry fly fishing is definitely ON with a fair amount of caddis around and some downright prolific baetis hatches over the past few days. The lower flows have the fish looking up consistently and you can definitely make a day out of dry fly fishing between targeting rising fish and blind casting a large dry with a trailing emerger.

Nymphing has been good to great with a couple of tougher days during the big volume drop. Wire worms continue to produce followed closely by sow bugs. Soft hackle and tailwater sows have been getting it done as have Little Green Machines, Purple Wild Things, Weight flies in gold and purple and Juju baetis is purple. Lots of different bugs getting eats but we’ve heard more consistency with the sows than anything else but that could change at any time.

We’ve been busy with trips and lodging and people are starting to take notice of Wolf Creek’s best fly shop. We’ve got plenty of great bugs in the bins, including Green Machines, and there are new additions arriving almost daily. Plenty of WCA Logo gear in stock and everything you would expect to find in a first rate Missouri River Fly Shop, including friendly faces and a committment to great customer service. Follow our new signs off the Interstate and find out what the buzz is about!

Eloise Peter rachele colman

New signs bring you right to our door

Wolf Creek MT’s fly fishing destination

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00June 12th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: fly fishing, green machine, juju baetis, Missouri River, Montana, nymphs, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Stormy weather on tap for this weekend. Streamer fishing anyone?

Showers and thunderstorms on tap for this weekend. Missouri River flow currently at 11,100 cfs. Anglers from around the state have descended upon Wolf Creek and Craig in search of fishable water and we’re happy to report that we have plenty of it. Fishing has been good all week but has slowed a bit with the bump in flows yesterday and today. Nymphing is still the way to go with Hotbead Wire Worms and Sow Bugs leading the charge – especially with the bigger flows. A couple of bb’s and a 6′ – 8′ leash from indy to lead should get you started. Fish the spots you know and adjust accordingly. Other bugs of choice this week have been Green Machines (Back in Stock at Wolf Creek Angler), Bubbleback emergers, dark Peep Shows, Rainbow Czechs, soft hackle sows, Tungsten tailwater sows, Tung Darts, Weight Flies in Gold and Purple and the Blue Faerie Circus in #18. It could be a worm game for a while with the higher flows. We’ve got plenty of worms in the bins though we’ve all but sold out of the hotbead wireworms. More on the way. Streamer fishing could be the way to go this weekend with cloudy skies and rain. We haven’t heard an abundance of reports on this front but we did manage to steal away for a few hours yesterday afternoon to give it a go in the canyon and it was surprisingly productive considering the blue skies and bright sun we had all day. Nothing much to report as far as dry fly action as of yet. Evenings have offered the best opportunities but for the time being it’s still primarily a sub-surface game.

A few vacancies for tonight and Sunday but for the most part the Inn is Full! Monday things open up but we’re rapidly filling up starting Tuesday and running through the remainder of the week. If you’re thinking of coming to Wolf Creek this week and you’re planning on having a place to stay we suggest you call sooner rather than later. Stop by the shop for bugs and shuttles and anything else you might need for your day on the water. RO Drift boats available for rent for $150. At 11,000 cfs we suggest you fish from a boat and we’d love to help you out with that. As long as you’re going to fish from a boat you may as well hire us to take you fishing. Expert guides standing by – ready to work.

Have a great Missouri River weekend. See you in the shop and on the water. ~ Jason O.

Missouri River Rainbow
photo courtesy of Ryan Casne

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00May 30th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: Craig MT, fly fishing, green machine, Montana, nymphs, RO Drift Boats, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Missouri River Success

Our guests and clients have been getting it done on the MO over the past few days as spring fishing continues to heat up. Still not much to report on top but the nymphing has been anywhere from ok to good to off-the-charts depending on the day. Flows jumped a bit over the weekend and are now holding at around 9000 with a water temp somewhere in the 46 – 48 degree range depending on the time of day. Fish are on the move, transitioning from the deep slow winter water to the faster spring stuff. Work the medium depths and moderate currents changing depths and bugs until you find what works. Hot bugs as of late have been Rainbow Czechs, Sow Bugs, Green Machines, Flux Capacitors, Juju Baetis, Bubbleback Emergers and san juan worms. Firebeads and pinks are still holding on but much lesser so than a week ago. Streamer fishing has had its moments with sparkle minnows and leech patterns continuing to lead the charge.

Stop by the shop for shuttles, bugs, gear, RO drift boat rentals, friendly faces and up-to-the-minute information on flows, hatches, rigging information etc. Shop hours are 7 am – 5 pm daily and if we’re around we’re open – no matter the time!

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

WCA Client Lynn Perkins at it again with guide Eric Mondragon

Jan Perkins with a healthy Missouri River bow

Justin Bleazard with a Missouri River hog.

Ryan Casne with a beautiful side channel rainbow

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00May 14th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: fly fishing, green machine, juju baetis, Missouri River, Montana, RO Drift Boats, running line, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

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.