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Welcome Spring

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

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!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:38-06:00March 21st, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Adipose, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Holter Dam, Izaaks, Kast Gear, Loop, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, Montana, RO Drift Boats, running line, St Croix, The Oasis, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:38-06:00March 17th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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

Pat Barnes TU Banquet Tonight

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We hope you join us tonight at 6 PM at The Gateway Center in Helena for the 35th annual Pat Barnes Missouri River Chapter Trout Unlimited Banquet.

It’s a great opportunity to connect with the fishing community of Helena and the surrounding area and to support TU through your purchase of raffle tickets and some awesome live and silent auction items.

The big prize of the night will be the 2015 Hyde LP Drift Boat package valued at over $9800. There are only 100 tickets being sold at $100 each and there are still a few available. A couple hundred dollars gives you pretty decent odds of winning. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity.

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We’ll also be doing a Big Fish Raffle for your pick of items off of the live auction. Only 50 tickets will be sold at $50 apiece for your choice of items including Guided Fishing trips on the Ruby, the Blackfoot, the Flathead and a Winter Steelhead day on the Oregon Coast. Other live auction items include some great rod/reel combos like a Winston 5 WT Micro Spey with Nautilus Reel, a Redington 4 WT Butterstick with Ross CLA Reel and a custom Bamboo rod with a LOOP Classic reel.

There will be plenty of silent auction items available and a couple of great bucket raffles including a Titan Rod Vault and Yeti Cooler combo.

Come enjoy an evening of great company, great food and great prizes for a cause we can all get behind.

Dinner tickets are still available. $40 for a single, $75 for a couple. Doors open at 6 PM, dinner is at 7.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:38-06:00March 12th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

The Road Ahead

Next month will mark the official beginning of our third year in business. We couldn’t be more excited!

We’ve undergone some changes and have had our share of growing pains but our trajectory remains upward and focused and we can’t wait for the season to really get rolling. That being said, part of what we’re so excited about is the amount of business we’ve done this winter both in the shop and with lodging. We would have preferred a bit more of a winter but the mild weather has certainly benefitted us. With the exception of December which is always slow it’s been a consistently busy winter. We’ve been doing the 5 day/week schedule closing on Mondays and Tuesdays which has worked out for the most part but we will definitely be looking at expanding that schedule to 7 days if we see another winter like this next year.

We’ve got a busy season on the books for lodging and guide trips and we’re excited to show off our shop to a bunch of new clients. Our regulars will also find plenty of changes which we hope will keep them coming back. We’re always looking to expand our inventory to give you the products you want as well as to offer you some items you can’t find at every other shop.

To this end we’re super stoked to be the brand new exclusive dealer of LOOP rods and reels on the Missouri. The response has been great so far as the LOOP ARMY hones in on a local source and those who aren’t familiar with the brand get exposed to this great product line. We are steadily building up our LOOP inventory but if there is something you need that we aren’t currently carrying we can get it for you right away, generally in a day or two. Come by and cast a few of these rods. You may just find yourself joining the LOOP Army. We’re super excited to help build the brand here on the Missouri.

We’re also very excited to announce that we’ve significantly expanded our already impressive fly selection. More nymphs, more dries, some serious growth in our streamer selection and a bunch of new foam. We’ve also begun to build a selection of non-Missouri specific flies for those interested in exploring the wealth of other waters nearby and while the majority of our rods and reels are geared to the Missouri you will now find some great #3 and #4 weights as well as a smattering of two-handed selections.

We continue to be your exclusive full-line KAST dealer and we’ve expanded our selection of packs and accessories from Fishpond and Umpqua and expanded our fly line inventory to include a much broader selection of specialty lines from Rio and Airflo. We’re fully stocked on waders and boots for the whole family from Redington including the new Palix River wading pants, a great alternative to chest waders during the warmer months and on smaller streams. These are an exceptional value at under $140.00. Check back often for new additions to our inventory as we continue to make inroads with the brands and products you want to see in your Missouri River fly shop.

We’re also pleased to announce that we’ve partnered with Adipose Boatworks to add the wildly popular Adipose Flow to our rental fleet. Now you can rent a RO or an Adipose. We love them both and we’re excited to be able to offer you a choice.

We’ve continued to make improvements to our lodging which you may or may not notice. New paint, new couches, new chairs…these are some of the bigger ones but it’s our intention to continuously improve at all levels which might mean new sheets, new towels , new dish racks etc. You won’t notice many of these changes but you might notice if we didn’t make them. It’s our hope that your stay with us will always be enjoyable and while we aren’t the Hilton we are committed to providing clean, comfortable, affordable lodging coupled with exceptional service from our entire staff.

And speaking of our staff, you will definitely see a few new faces around the shop this season. Zach King (AKA Chewy) started with us last fall and will be assuming the role of shop manager for the coming season. Chewy has spent the winter here at Wolf Creek Angler keeping an eye on things for us, covering the shop on Sundays and obsessively scouting and fishing the Missouri almost daily. He is a great addition to our team and we’re excited to have him on board. We will likely add one or two more to the staff as things ramp up.

Another staff change you will notice this year is in our guide crew. We’ve added a couple of new guides and parted ways with a few others so while some of the faces may be new what hasn’t changed is our commitment as a guide staff to providing you with an exceptional experience both on and off the water. For us your guide day starts long before we meet you at the shop. We’re busy prepping our boats, getting your lunches together and contemplating where to float in order to give you the best day possible. We like to spend a few minutes talking with you once we’ve met to figure out what your expectations are and how we can best meet those expectations. We’ll figure out where to go and what to do based on what you want out of your guide trip, not on what’s most convenient or easy for us as your guide.

We are your outfitter owned and operated Missouri River fly shop and guide service. For us guide trips are not just another service we offer, they are the foundation upon which Wolf Creek Angler was built. We don’t just book the trip, we also row the boat. Fishing the waters of Montana is what brought us here. This is our passion and we would love to share it with you.

This is the road ahead. Change is constant. Continuous improvement is our mantra and whether your staying with us, fishing with us, shopping with us or any or all of the above you are why we are here and we feel truly blessed to be able to do what we do and to serve you.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:38-06:00March 5th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Adipose, Fishpond, fly fishing, Kast Gear, Loop, Missouri River, Montana, Redington, RIO, RO Drift Boats, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

Win a Hyde Drift Boat

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Have you been considering buying a new drift boat this season? Before you do, buy a ticket or two to win a 2015 14′ Hyde LP Drift Boat and trailer package worth over $9800.00.

Tickets are $100 and with only 100 tickets being sold a couple hundred dollars gives you pretty decent odds of winning. The winning ticket will be drawn at the upcoming 35th Annual Pat Barnes Chapter Trout Unlimited Banquet on Saturday, March 12th at The Gateway Center in Helena.

Lots of great raffle and silent and live auction items as well including some great rod/reel packages.

Dinner tickets are $40 for a single, $75 for a couple and $300 for a Gold Table for 8 and are available now at Wolf Creek Angler in Wolf Creek, Headhunters and The Trout Shop in Craig and CrossCurrents, Montana Fly Goods and Elk Mountain Motors in Helena. A limited amount of boat raffle tickets are still available as well at each of these locations. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to get yourself a new Hyde Drift Boat for $100.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:38-06:00March 4th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Hyde Drift Boats, Pat Barnes Trout Unlimited|2 Comments

Weekend Outlook

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Looks like a nice weekend ahead if you’re planning on coming out to fish the Missouri and if you’re not planning on it you should change your plans. Sunny skies and low 60’s tomorrow and Saturday. Mid 50’s and cloudy with light showers on Sunday, make this your streamer day.

We’ve got plenty of lodging available tonight and Saturday night, just one room left for Friday night though so if you want to make a weekend out of it you should make that call this morning and grab that last cabin.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served Thursday – Monday at The Oasis from 8:00 am – 7:00 pm and each of our units are equipped with full kitchen facilities and barbecue grills if you would prefer to do it yourself. Be sure and visit the Canyon Store while you are in Wolf Creek for last minute grocery items and an impressive selection of Montana Micro Brews.

How about a Missouri River Guide trip this weekend? Through the end of March $400 gets you a full day on the water for one or two anglers with one of our expert professional guides. The price includes all the gear you need, lunch and refreshments and transportation to and from the river. We’re happy to tailor your trip to fit your needs. Whether you want to work on improving your skills in a certain area or you want to do something a little different like throw streamers or maybe you want to see a section of the river you’ve never floated before or maybe you just want to nymph up as many fish as possible…it’s your trip and we’re ready to do everything we can to make it a great day. We’ve got some of the hardest working most professional guides on the river and we can’t wait to share our amazing resource with you. Call and book a trip today.

If you’re just coming out to fish for the day don’t forget to stop by Wolf Creek Angler for everything Missouri River fly fishing. Shuttles, Adipose and RO Drift Boat rentals; great deals on outerwear from KAST and Redington; tools and accessories from MFC, Fishpond, Dr Slick, Umpqua and Loon; leaders and tippet from Rio and Trout Hunter and a bug selection that rivals that of any shop in the canyon. We’re fully stocked on waders and boots from Redington and we are the exclusive dealer of LOOP rods and reels on the Missouri. Stop in soon and see what the buzz is about.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:38-06:00March 3rd, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Kast Gear, Missouri River, Montana, Redington, RIO, RO Drift Boats, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Winter is rapidly losing its grip.

Our early spring continues here on the Missouri as we enter March with temps flirting with 60 degrees for the rest of this week.

What’s it mean for the coming season? It’s still too early to tell but the Snow Water Equivalent is still looking decent at 91% of average. We’re hoping winter persists in the high country, at least for a while but we’ve started to come to terms with the fact that we may very well have seen the last of winter weather here on the river.

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Those in the know are not predicting any kind of high water event, in fact what’s being predicted is a water year very similar to 2015 with average spring flows holding around 4,000. We shall see. Spring rainfall is the big factor in the water equation so all we can do is wait and see what happens. In the meantime we are enjoying the mild weather, especially on the days the wind doesn’t blow (which are few and far between).

Traffic seems to come in spurts. We were busy in the shop and were full most of last week and even did a few guide trips but things have been pretty quiet this week with just a few guests around. If you’re planning to come out and fish this weekend we’ve got one cabin left for Friday night and two on Saturday. Looking at the forecast it’s likely we will be full so don’t miss out.

Come by the shop and see what’s new. We’ve been receiving a bunch of our spring orders and have some cool new gear from Loop, Redington, Echo, Rio and more. We’ve also got some great deals on winter gear as we make room for the new arrivals including 40% Kast Hell Razor jackets. These are awesome jackets at an unbelievable savings.

Fishing reports have been mixed this week. Some good days, some ok days and some downright slow days depending on who you ask. We’re continuing to target winterish water with winterish bugs for the most part but transition is definitely underway as the water continues to warm up.

Swingers are out in force having varying degrees of success with the two-handed rods while the single hand streamer crowd is also finding some willing players. Keep that retrieve slow for them time being but don’t limit yourself to slow water as the fish have been found in all different depths and speeds of water over the last week or two.

Dry fly fishing is a go, depending on the day. There are midges around and fish on them. Sun and wind conditions will define your day. Stay late as some of the best action has reportedly been just before dark.

We hope to see you soon, in the shop and on the water. We’re open REGULARLY at 8:00 AM Wednesday – Sunday and we’re usually around on Mondays and Tuesdays as well depending on the weather. Look for the seven-day a week shop schedule to start soon and remember we are always OPEN every day for lodging and guide trips. We will likely open more lodging up next week as we’ve had to turn people away on a fairly regular basis. We won’t open the motel units until April but we should have a couple more cabins ready to go very soon.

Stay tuned for updates!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:38-06:00March 2nd, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: Echo, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, Redington, RIO, RO Drift Boats, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

On the Road Report: Screw it, I’m Going Edition.

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You ever have a day of fishing that starts out like that? Weather looked bad, not quit motivated to get on the road and I know I don’t need to drive two hours over the Continental Divide to catch fish this time of year, but screw it I’m going. This time of year I’m generally content swinging flies on the MO before the inevitable crowds of summer descend and it becomes a madhouse. It’s also the time of year I get, well bored. Living so close to one of, if not the single, best trout streams in the West is a blessing and a curse. The Missouri will spoil you, especially when you live 5 minutes from its banks. So yesterday I loaded up the 4 wt, some foam flies, loads of big freestones nymphs and jumped over the pass to kick it for a day with Wolf Creek Angler guide Brock Long on one of my personal favorite semi-local freestones, Rock Creek. I mean screw it, worse comes to worst, I know the beer in Philipsburg will at least be worth the drive.

By the time I rolled into P-Burg the rain had mostly let up and the wind had died off. The valley we’d be fishing was still shrouded in very gray, very ominous clouds, but I’m here, semi-prepared, so screw it, we’re going. Our initial attempt to find some open water along the Rock Creek road was feb281 sidelined by road conditions that reminded Brock of goose-snot on a bowling ball, to say the least he didn’t feel like putting his new guide rig into a ditch so we stuck to the main road and jumped in at Gillies Bridge (now the Kyle G. Bohrnsen bridge). Right off the bat, the Pat’s Rubber Leg got some action followed by a surprising surface eat by a beautiful cutty. I say surprising because the end of February is hardly the time for Skwala to be coming out but by the end of the day we had several eats on the surface. By early afternoon the sun was breaking the clouds up, and it had warmed up enough the road along the creek was a little less snotty so Brock and I headed into the canyon.

If you’ve never wet a line on Rock Creek I have two pieces of advice, especially if you head into the canyon. Its easy, Studs & Guns. Studs for the slick wading conditions and guns for the wildlife, primarily the Moose. After being kicked in the ### (literally)by an ornery mama moose two summers ago I learned a valuable lesson. Yes they are awesome, majestic creatures, but they’re also pricks. I’m not saying shoot the things, but a friendly warning shot across their bow is a good deterrent. Carry spray if you think you can let one get within 20 yards of you before you turn tail….

After a few more fish the gray closed in again and from the looks of it, we were in for some nasty looking weather. Instead of just throwing on another feb282 layer of Gore-Tex and staying on the river Brock and I came to the conclusion of screw it, we’re going, to the bar. It’s a short skip over the hills back to P-Burg and the brewery where the beer is always worth the drive. Make sure you check out Brock’s blog The Montana Drifter for updates from the mind of one fishy fellow as he prepares for another season guiding some of the most spectacular waters all over Montana. And make sure to keep up with us here on The Running Line for more reports from the road as spring makes an appearance and rivers all over the state start shaping up.

~Cheers, Chewy.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:38-06:00February 28th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Weekend Report

Sunny and breezy in Wolf Creek this morning. Wind will definitely be a factor today if you’re planning to get out there with sustained west winds of 25-28 mph gusting to near 40. Maybe not the most pleasant conditions but kind of part of the deal this time of year.

What would definitely help make it more tolerable would be a Kast Hell Razor jacket. We’ve got plenty in stock and they are priced to move so we can make room for spring arrivals. 40% off now until they’re gone. Don’t miss this opportunity for huge savings on an awesome jacket that stands out from the rest.

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Incredibly lightweight & extremely warm

The Hell Razor is the ultimate in performance and comfort, and the perfect insulating layer or outerweark in colder climates. Utilizing Primaloft 60g ONE insulation allows us to build a jacket that is incredibly lightweight yet extremely warm. There is no other way to describe the Primaloft technology other than magic. Windproof, water resistant, yet highly breathable and thermally efficient, the Hell Razor is our personal favorite and go to jacket for wrestling with big fish or the occasional trip to town.

Features:

Windproof and water resistant
60g Primaloft One insulation
Highly breathable and thermally efficient
Lightweight and compressable
Ample zippered storage
YKK zippers
Fleece lined oversized pockets

The reports from this past week have been mixed but overall it seems to be heating up.

As is generally the case the nymphing has been the best bet to put fish in the net. Pink Amex, Rainbow Czechs, Firebead Soft Hackle Sows, Rainbow Weight Flies, black zebra midges, tailwater sows, pink lightning bugs, Snack Nasty Sows and a host of other pink or firebead patterns. Don’t be afraid to throw some mayfly nymphs in the mix as well. We’re a ways out yet from BWO’s but the fish don’t care, throw em’.

Per usual the majority of the traffic is between Holter Dam and Craig but there have been plenty of people fishing below Craig as well with just as good of results.

The streamer bite has continued to improve and will only get better as we move towards spring. The water temps have been hanging right around 36 degrees and we’ve definitely seen a marked improvement in the fishing over what it was at 32-34 degrees a couple of weeks ago. Fish are moving into transitional water so keep fishing the slow froggy winter water but start working the medium fast runs as well. I wouldn’t expect much from fast shallow water yet but you never know.

I would still recommend a slow retrieve or a swing on the streamers but as that water warms they will start to move for it. Try to vary your retrieve until you find something that works. I’ve been doing a slow retrieve with plenty of pauses and finding that the pause is more often than not when they hit. Best patterns for us continue to be the Polar Leeches in Olive or Copper, Gold or Brown and Yellow Kreelex, ZK’s Ragnar in Black, Olive Skiddish Smolt, various Clouser type patterns (we like Wiese’s Swimming Minnow), Sparkle Minnows and we’ve also heard the JJ Special has been getting some attention.

Tomorrow looks like it’s going to be nice with highs near 50 and a little less wind at 9-13 mph out of the Southwest. We’ve got a few folks around for the week ahead but plenty of lodging left for just $99/night.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:38-06:00February 20th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

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