The Week Ahead

Arriving Daily - BWO Days Ahead.

Arriving Daily – BWO Days Ahead.

It’s another gorgeous start to the week here in Wolf Creek with sunshine and 70 degrees. Another nice day to soak up the sun though not the preferred fishing conditions.

It looks like we’ve got some favorable BWO days coming with a chance of rain every day for the remainder of the week. We might see 70 tomorrow but then things cool down for the rest of the week with more seasonable weather. Cloudy with a chance of rain each day and highs in the 40’s and 50’s. Sunshine returns this weekend.

In the meantime we could see some great fishing this week with prime conditions for throwing dries or chucking streamers. The nymphing will continue to produce as well as we make the transition into full-on spring fishing.

Keep running those Bubble Yum Scuds, Rainbow Czechs, Firebeads etc but make sure to throw some mayfly nymphs into the mix. The time is now. Little Green Machines, Split Case BWO’s, Psycho Mays, Juju’s, LB’s in all flavors, Allen’s Holla-Back Girl in pink or purple, S & M’s, 2 Bits, Juan’s Hi-Def Baetis, Peep Shows, Hot Belly PT’s….it’s time to both broaden and think outside of the box.

Our nymph bins are overflowing with hot new patterns as well as tried and true Missouri River staples. We’ve also got a bunch of new dry flies including some great midge clusters and BWO patterns.

What’s happening on the streamer side of the equation? Still a little slow out there but the conditions say GO and if you’re going to go then you need to commit!

Best bug for me as of late has been the old standby Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow Sculpin but we’ve got piles of new bugs (and old ones as well) in the bins which are just a cast and a strip away from being crushed by a hungry 2′ brown. Keller’s Montana Mouthwash in Olive or White, Kraft’s Kreelex in all flavors, Gongas, JJ’s, Polar Leeches and a bunch of WCA exclusives from ZK!

We’re running our spring special rates on lodging and guide trips through the end of the month so don’t miss out on the opportunity to experience world-class fishing on the Missouri River minus the crowds of late spring and summer. $400 guide trips and $99 cabins or bungalows along with our always affordable single and double motel units. While you are here stop in the shop and take advantage of blow out pricing on spring clearance items from all of your favorite companies.

We’ve got vacancies through the early part of the week but only one cabin left for the weekend which will likely be gone by the end of the day. Why not make it yours today. Guides are at the ready so give us a call and put us to work for you.

HUGE SPRING CLEARANCE AT WCA

The best deals of the season at WCA

The best deals of the season at WCA

All the new product rolling in these last couple of weeks has begun to crowd us out so if you’ve been waiting for ridiculous deals on all kinds of great gear, the wait is over.

Now is the time to shop at Wolf Creek Angler for 40 percent off KAST Hell Razor and Velocity jackets and great deals on select items from Redington, Smith, Echo and more.

We’ve seen re-designs on a lot of products this season so we’re left with no choice but to clear out the old models at obscenely low prices. Redington Palix River waders and boots as well as the women’s Willow River waders and boots 40 % off. Echo has really dressed up their Carbon series rods with the new Carbon XL. Pick up last years Carbon in 4, 5, or 6 weight for 40% off. Smith has revamped several of their standard models so now is the time to pick up a pair of Smiths for a great price.

Great deals like this won’t last long so be sure to stop by WCA soon and take advantage of the best deals of the season.

Don’t want the old stuff? No problem. We’re loaded up with all kinds of new gear from all of the above and many more including an impressive lineup of rods and reels from LOOP and a bunch of packs and accessories from Fishpond. We’ve also got a bunch of new WCA logo gear  we think you’re going to love.

We are open 7 days a week at 7:30 AM for bugs, shuttles, coffee, guide trips, RO and Adipose Drift Boat Rentals,  affordable lodging and everything Missouri River Fly Fishing so make us your first stop on the way to the river. We are proud to be your Missouri River Fly Shop and if we’re not we would love the chance to earn your business. Stop by soon and see what the buzz is about….you’ll be glad you did.

On The Road Report: Well, Sort of Edition.

billybrown3

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 willbrownambitious. 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.

billybrown2Second 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.

This Day in History – Lewis and Clark Depart Fort Mandan

From https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lewis-and-clark-depart-fort-mandan

smith_ftMandan

After a long winter, the Lewis and Clark expedition departs its camp among the Mandan Indians and resumes its journey West along the Missouri River.

The Corps of Discovery had begun its voyage the previous spring, and it arrived at the large Mandan and Minnetaree villages along the upper Missouri River (north of present-day Bismarck, North Dakota) in late October. Once at the villages, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark directed the men to build a sturdy log fort. The following winter was a harsh one, but the expedition had plenty of provisions. The two captains made the best of their enforced halt, making copious notes in their journals and preparing maps of their route. Most importantly, they met frequently with the local Indians, who provided them with valuable information about the mysterious country that lay ahead.

As spring came to the upper Missouri, Lewis and Clark prepared to resume their journey. Lewis penned a long report for President Thomas Jefferson that would be sent back down to St. Louis with 16 men traveling on the expedition’s large keelboat. Although Lewis had yet to explore any truly unknown country, his report provided a good deal of valuable information on the upper Missouri River region and its inhabitants. He optimistically predicted the expedition would be able to reach the Pacific and make a good start on the return journey before the coming winter. “You may therefore expect me to meet you at Monachello

[Monticello] in September 1806,” he told the president.

In fact, the journey was more difficult and slow than Lewis anticipated. The expedition actually spent the winter of 1805-06 along the Pacific Coast, and Lewis did not finally meet with Thomas Jefferson in Washington, D.C., until January 1, 1807. However, as Lewis and Clark prepared to leave Fort Mandan on this day in 1805, they did not know the trials ahead and were likely filled with optimism and excitement. As the keelboat shoved off and started down the Missouri with Lewis’ report to Jefferson, the Corps of Discovery (and their female guide, Sacagawea) resumed the far more difficult task of rowing their small boats upstream.

That night Lewis wrote in his journal that, “Our vessels consisted of six small canoes, and two large pirogues. This little fleet altho’ not quite so rispectable as those of Columbus or Capt. Cook, were still viewed by us with as much pleasure as those deservedly famed adventurers ever beheld theirs.” As Lewis began his journey into a land “on which the foot of civilized man had never trodden,” he proclaimed this day of departure as “among the most happy of my life.”

By |2018-04-10T01:42:35-06:00April 7th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|2 Comments

Spring Water Update

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March was very good to us as far as precipitation goes. We saw a substantial increase in snowpack pretty much state-wide and we’re looking really good by first week of April standards. These next few months are normally the wettest of the season for us so depending on how much precipitation we actually get it could turn out to be a great water year.

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Those in the know have bumped up their flow forecast for the year with a most probable peak of around 6,000 and a steady 4,000 through the summer months which would be fine. The max probable peaks at around 10,500 and holds steady around 5K for the season….we would love to see the max probable but as always we will take what we get and make the best of it.

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We’re expecting a busy remainder of the week with some summer-like days in the forecast. We will likely see 70’s tomorrow and we could hit 80 on Friday. This being the case we decided to open up the remainder of our lodging units today so we do have a few motel rooms available for the weekend. By far the most rustic of our accommodations, the motel units are hugely popular amongst those looking for clean, basic lodging at an extremely affordable price. At $65 for a single room and $75 for a double you won’t find a more affordable lodging option in the area.

We’ve got more and more guide trips going out but still have plenty of availability. Take advantage of our spring rates while you can. $400 gets you a full day trip for two with one of our expert professional guides, each of whom are amongst the best on the water.

It’s an awesome time to fish the Missouri with plenty of opportunities no matter what your preference. BWO’s are already making a showing along with plenty of midge activity for the dry-fly guys, nymphing is heating up and streamer fishing should definitely be on your to- do list.

We hope to see you soon at WCA!

Back in Action

WCA-mountains-fish-bridge-location-navy

I’m back in the shop today following a quick visit back to Michigan where I got to spend a couple of days on the home waters chasing Great Lakes Steelhead. It was a great trip for sure and I even managed to land a couple of hot fish but I’m excited to be back in Wolf Creek where spring has begun to take hold.

The grass is greening, the spring flowers are beginning to appear and there are buds on the trees and bushes in various stages of bloom. We love this time of year on the Missouri.

The fishing has reportedly been on the slow side for the past several days and the real-time reports I’ve been getting today seem to indicate a continuation of this trend but fear not, sooner or later it will be happen,

Chewy did a fantastic job holding down the fort in my absence and managed to get plenty of fishing in as well. He announced the presence of BWO’s in his last blog post and while it may be a while before we see the bugs in numbers there are plenty of midges around if you just can’t wait to throw a dry-fly.

Nymphing has been the best bet per usual. Status Quo on the bugs. Pink stuff, firebeads, Sows, Czechs etc. and we’re starting to see the mayfly stuff move as well. Split Case BWO’s, BWO Angel Case and Bubbleback Emergers, Micromays, Peep Shows, PT’s and on and on. We invite you to come check out our ever-expanding selection which is literally growing by the day.

Streamer fishing has yet to really take off but this is the time of year to commit to it as it will just get better and better for the next month or two as that water warms and the fish start to go on the prowl. I spent much of my time in Michigan fishing streamers last week and the bite was terrible but as those in the know will tell you, you have to commit. Change flies, change retrieves, change colors until you find what works. And it may well be that nothing works but if you’re going to be successful at the streamer game you absolutely must commit.

Once again, come by and check out what we have heard some refer to as “the best streamer selection in the canyon”. We’ve got bugs you simply won’t find anywhere else thanks to Chewy and his obsession with tying and fishing streamers.

New bugs, new gear, new logo, new boats, new hours, more lodging options…..it’s definitely game on at Wolf Creek Angler. New rods and reels from LOOP, Echo, Redington and more. Tons of new lids and logo gear from Simms, killer packs from Fishpond, the aforementioned tons of new bugs and boxes of new stuff coming through the door daily. Come see what the buzz is about at Wolf Creek Angler. Stop in for shuttles, RO and Adipose drift boat rentals, fishing licenses and the friendliest service you’ll find anywhere.

We’re now open 7 days a week from 7:30 am – 5:00 pm. We’ve currently got about half of our lodging units open and available and will likely get the motel opened up next week. $400 guide trips and special spring rates on select lodging through the end of the month. It’s one of our favorite times of the year, watching everything come alive again. Come experience spring time on the Missouri, you’ll be glad you did.

Izaaks in Craig is open every day but Monday and The Oasis here in Wolf Creek is now open 7 days/week for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  If you prefer to do it yourself, most of our cabins and bungalows feature a full kitchen and there are gas grills available for all of our guests. Give us a call today and book your lodging and guided fishing with WCA. We’ve got a few rooms available throughout the week but just one left on Thursday and nothing on Friday so don’t wait until the last minute to make those plans. We’ve got plenty of guides at the ready who would love to get you on the water and show you what springtime on the Missouri is all about.

We’re looking at a chance of snow tomorrow with highs in the 40’s and breezy but the rest of the week looks like spring with plenty of sunshine and temps in the 60’s and 70’s. We hope to see you soon.

 

 

 

Weekend Outlook 4.01.16

baetis

April Fools Day here in Central MT, lots of you fools missing out on some awesome fishing, I pity you. If you’ve been calling or swinging by the shop over the last week you’ve probably noticed a strange absence. No joke, someone is missing. Not to say that we miss him, I’m getting along just fine; but with that said, single handing the shop has had one major drawback: It’s really cutting into my fishing time. In case you’re wondering, the big boss is on Spring Break somewhere in Michigan getting some family time in and of course fishing. So while Jason is having a blast chasing Great Lakes Steel, drinking, what I’m told is some of the best beer in the nation and cruising around in a wicked awesome mini-van (rental), I’m at the shop finding new homes for flies, booking lodging, pimping trout guides and generally, just making sure the place doesn’t burn down. It’s all fun and games until you get a #22 trico spinner buried in your finger, alone, bleeding on the floor. Hopefully the weekend will treat me better.

Weekend ahead is looking good as far as the weather is concerned and based on the reports we’ve been getting, the fishing should follow suite. Still waiting to see the blue wings in mass but I did get into a few yesterday in the canyon. Nothing to go crazy for just yet, but soon. Midges have been out consistently and the dry-fly fishing is picking up. Small, make your eyes bleed size midges have been getting it done when the wind permits. Nymphing is still the main game for now with lots of success being had on a multitude of  patterns. Transitional water and the slower runs have been fishing well but remember to keep an eye out for the Redds! Streamer fishing has been hit or miss depending on the stretch and time of day but is still a viable option. Hard banks and deep slower water paired with an intermediate sink tip has been fishing best for me. Leeches, buggers and bait fish all doing getting some attention.

Boss man will be back Monday so keep an eye out for another On The Road Report from, well, wherever the hell I decide to go. I’ll be checking fishing reports over the next few days in between spring cleaning and fly slinging. As for the self impalement with the trico, it was successfully removed and the bleeding was stopped before the situation became dire. As far as a workman’s comp claim, I think some of that fine MI oat-soda and few days fishing with the boys will do, that’s fair right?

Flies to get your fourth month of 2016 off right….

Dries: Q’s Cluster Midge, Baetis Sprout, WCA Trude, Parachute BWO, Cripple Thorax BWO, Black Sippers & Q’s Hackle Stacker BWO.

Nymphs: Amex, Pinkalicious, Firebead Sow, Firebead Rays, Zebras, Split Case Blue Wing, LGM, Olive Psycho Mays & Rainbow Warriors.

Streamers:  Polar Leeches, Sparkle Minnows, Ganagas, Kreelex, Iced Out Grills, & Skiddish Smolt.

~Cheers, Chewy.

Welcome Spring

Spring is beginning to show itself on the MO. Photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Spring is beginning to show itself on the MO. Photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Spring officially arrived yesterday with sunshine and 60’s, a nearly perfect day. We were happy to soak it in yesterday, but we’re looking at another week of winter-like weather ahead and we’re happy to have it.

We’re very pleased to report that the snow pack is continuing to build and should be maintained with slightly below average daytime highs and cold nights in the high country.

Here on the Missouri we’re looking at a chance of snow showers every day this week starting tomorrow with temps in the high 30’s and low 40’s. Consequently, we’re going to hold off on opening up more lodging for the time being but we expect to have all the cabins open and available the first week of April and will likely have the motel units up and running by mid to late April, depending on the weather.

Spring lodging and guide dates are filling rapidly so don’t put it off any longer. Book your spring dates with us now. It’s an awesome time to fish the Missouri River with light to moderate traffic and great opportunities no matter what your fly fishing game. Nymphing has already started to really heat up, dry-fly opportunities are becoming more consistent and with the water temp flirting with 40 degrees, the streamer game is also starting to turn on and will only get better from here on out.

Come spend a few days with us and see why we consider spring to be one of the best times to fish the Missouri. Spend a day or two on the water with one of our expert professional guides and then spend a few more on your own either taking advantage of the abundant walk in access or perhaps renting a RO or Adipose Drift Boat to explore the 30 plus miles from Holter Dam to Cascade. Ask about our spring special. We’re offering great prices on lodging, guide trips and boat rentals through the end of April. You can’t afford to pass these deals up!

$99 gets you cozy and quiet accommodations in Wolf Creek with a full kitchen, private bath, access to barbecue grills and to THE UP and COMING Missouri River fly shop fully stocked with everything you need for your day on the water.

New gear arriving daily including LOOP, Echo, St Croix and Redington rods and reels, a bunch of cool new Simms WCA logo gear, tons of bugs added to an already impressive and expansive selection and the most laid-back, ego-free, customer service committed atmosphere you’ll find anywhere.

The Hell Razor Jacket from Kast available at Wolf Creek Angler

The Hell Razor Jacket from Kast available at Wolf Creek Angler

Don’t miss Extreme deals on Extreme Fishing Gear from KAST. The calendar may say spring but the weather will continue to say winter for a while ( we hope). Pick up a Hell Razor prima-loft jacket at 40% off and you’ll be laughing at the cold as you experience the hottest fishing of the season.

Your dining options will greatly increase this week as the legendary Izaaks in Craig opens for the season this Thursday, the 24th. We can’t wait!  Izaaks will be open Tuesday-Sunday at 4 PM through April and will be open daily come May.

The Oasis in Wolf Creek will continue to be open Thursday – Monday from 8:00 – 7:00 PM serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Please support our local businesses.

The shop will be open seven days a week beginning April 4th, from 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM.

Yes the season is upon us! We hope to see you soon at Wolf Creek Angler!

 

Spring Water Outlook

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We’ve been receiving some much-needed precipitation here in Western Montana over the past week including the first covering of snow we’ve seen on the ground in Wolf Creek in over a month. Snow pack is looking pretty good throughout the region though there are a few areas that are hurting, namely the Sun, Teton and Marias Rivers which are currently looking at <70% of average.

So what does it all mean for your spring and summer fishing plans? It’s still too early to tell but suffice it to say that we are thrilled to be getting snow right now. Keep it coming!

Continued accumulation and cold nights will go a long way in getting us where we want to be but as per usual we are not meteorologists or climatologists, nor are we hydrologists so we’ll leave the expert predictions to the experts. We sell fish hooks for a living!

That being said we’re happy to present you with the latest information we have from said experts and we might even venture some predictions if you ask.

Screenshot (57)This is the latest from the Bureau of Reclamation showing a bit of a dialed back “Most Probable” peak of around 4500 CFS versus the >6000 they had been predicting last month. If this holds true we’re going to see a similar year to what we had last year with flows holding close to the 4000 mark. Canyon Ferry is currently at 78% full (as of March 1st), which is 102% of average. The Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) Graphic for Canyon Ferry shown below shows 93% of average as of March 1st.

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If we continue to build snowpack and see average or colder than average temps for the next couple of weeks we could be in a little better shape. If it’s a wet spring we could be in really good shape and be looking at something more like the “Max Probable” with a nice flush of 10,000 or more at peak flow in June. Fingers crossed!

Notice that the difference between the Most Probable and Minimum Probable flows isn’t all that much, around 1,000 cfs for most of the season which would have us looking at flows in the 3K range. Let’s hope for Most Probable or more and know that these are things over which we have no control. You’ve heard it here before and you’ll hear it here again. There will be water, how much or how little we don’t know but we’ll take what we get and adjust our methods accordingly.

What is certain is this. We will hear complaints about the water being too high or too low, we will hear that the flows are perfect (no matter where they are at), we will hear that there are no bugs and that there are more bugs than have ever been seen, we’ll hear that there are no fish and that there are more fish than there have ever been. Everyone has something to say and we love to hear from all of you.

Our hope is for more snow and a wet spring and we’d love to see a >6,000 peak flow. Whether or not we get any of the above we are certain that it will be another awesome season on the Missouri River no matter. We’ve enjoyed a much better than average winter due to the mild weather and we’ve already had plenty of great days on the water. We hope you join us in celebrating the precipitation we’re currently receiving, in hoping for ideal spring conditions in not over thinking any of it and in enjoying another amazing Missouri River Fly Fishing season already underway.

 

 

Winter Returns

Winter Returns to Wolf Creek

Winter Returns to Wolf Creek

Judging by the forecast this may not be the most pleasant week  to come out and fish the MO’. While we’ve loved the spring-like weather (and spring-like fishing) we’ve been enjoying for the past month or so we’re very  happy to see winter’s return this week.

Winter Returns this week to Wolf Creek

Expect colder temps, a chance of snow showers and breezy conditions throughout the week before we see a bit of a warm-up over the weekend. Not to say the fishing won’t be good but you’ll definitely want to bring the cold-weather gear if you plan to come out. It might be the perfect time to take advantage of our spring blow out on KAST Hell Razor jackets currently at 40% off. We need to clear the cold weather gear out soon so we’re wheeling and dealing daily. Stop by the shop for Extreme deals on Extreme Gear!

The change in the weather may slow things down out there but on the other hand we could also be in for some great days as this system works through the area. Sometimes these systems shut things down, other times things turn on. You won’t know if you don’t go!

The canyon has been the place to be for the past week with all kinds of smaller fish and a few cookie cutters being caught  down there. I did a couple of guide trips late last week and found the upper sections to be fishing well though nothing like what was reportedly going on down in the canyon. Winter water was good on Thursday but we also caught fish in the faster, shallower runs. Friday was a great respite from the wind and there were a bunch of fish up on midges which made for a great day with all kinds of options.

Beadless black zebras, firebead soft hackle sows, pink Amex and Rainbow Czechs were the ticket in the upper stretches while it sound like there wasn’t much they weren’t eating from Craig down.

As you might expect we’ve got plenty of available lodging this week should you decide to brave the winter weather and we’re well on our way to being  fully stocked for spring in the shop with a bunch of new rods and reels from LOOP, Echo and Redington, RIO Powerflex Plus leaders and tippet and a full range of fly lines. Don’t forget we’re now featuring rental boats from RO and Adipose, we’re loving both, try em’ all and see what you like. Our fly bins are overflowing with new bugs with many more arriving soon.

We hope you make Wolf Creek Angler your one-stop Missouri River fly shop. We’ve got everything you need and if you’re coming from Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Helena, Missoula, Kalispell and essentially most of the rest of the state (and beyond) then we are the first Missouri River Fly Shop you get to on your way to the to the river and we’re working hard  to try to become the only shop you’ll ever need! Stop by and see what the buzz is about.

 

By |2016-10-25T16:15:38-06:00March 15th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

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