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Time to book those spring and summer guide trips

Like the view? Call Wolf Creek Angler and book your Missouri River Fly Fishing Guide Trip today.

Prime dates are rapidly disappearing. Don’t put it off any longer, book your 2016 Missouri River Fly Fishing trip of a lifetime today.

Lodging is nearing capacity for the months of June and July and it looks like we’re going to have a busy spring as well based on the amount of April and May bookings.

We’ve got a bunch of guide trips already booked for June and early July but don’t despair, it’s not too late. We’ve still got plenty of guides and dates available.

Looking for something a little different? Why not add a little variety to your trip and plan to do a day on the nearby Blackfoot or Dearborn Rivers in addition to the Missouri?

The Dearborn season is early and short, usually just a couple of weeks depending on water levels, but if you can do a late May/early June trip chances are good we can get you on the Dearborn for a day.The Blackfoot offers the same wilderness, freestone experience but with a much wider window of opportunity.

With legendary dry-fly fishing as well as nymphing and streamer fishing, an insane abundance of trout, ease of access and year-round opportunities, the Missouri will keep you coming back time and again but you owe it to yourself to try the quintessential Montana Wilderness fly fishing experience offered by these other rivers. You will likely catch more and bigger fish on the Missouri but you’ll never regret devoting a day to experiencing something so different from the Missouri.

With the Missouri just minutes away and miles of other phenomenal trout waters within easy reach, Wolf Creek Angler is your base camp not just for the Missouri but for Montana fly fishing period.

Many of our guests stay for a week or more at a time and fish the Missouri hard but also venture off to explore the surrounding waters. We encourage you to arm yourself with a can of bear spray and a gazetteer and spend a day or two exploring the blue lines.

The shop of course caters to the Missouri River fly-fisher but we can also get you set up for fishing the smaller waters. We’ve got the rods and reels and lines, the wading staffs and hand nets; the maps and the knowledge and of course the bins full of foam and the BIG DRY FLIES which are a staple of freestone fly fishing and we’re happy to get you pointed in the right direction.

No matter your water preference, we would love to have you as our guest at Wolf Creek Angler this season. Give us a call today and let us help you plan your Montana fly fishing dream vacation on the Missouri River and beyond.

Stop dreaming and start planning. Call the dream vacation HOTLINE at 800-800-4350 and book today.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:38-06:00February 18th, 2016|Categories: Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: Base Camp, Blackfoot River, Dearborn River, dry fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Mid February on the Missouri

Valentine Sky at Holter Dam – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

We’re looking at continued unseasonably warm temperatures, likely for the remainder of the month. Let’s hope for at least one more winter blast in March. In the meantime why not brave the winds and come out and do some February fishing on the Missouri.

We’ve opened additional lodging to accommodate the increase in traffic and we would love to have you as our guest. $99 (plus tax) gets you a cozy cabin or bungalow complete with full kitchen facilities. Stock up on groceries and set up camp in Wolf Creek.

The Oasis Bar is open every day if it’s a taste of Wolf Creek night life you seek but if you’re hoping for dining out options be sure to book your trip Thursday – Monday as these are the days they are serving breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Oasis from 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM. Once again, with lodging equipped with full kitchens and barbecue grills you don’t need to worry about dining out during your stay with us.

Need a boat? No problem. Wolf Creek Angler features RO Drift Boats for rent including the Tailwater Skiff and Deville. Better yet, leave the rowing to us and book a winter guide trip for just $400.

We’ve had a few trips out and a bunch of people staying with us the past couple of weeks making it feel like the 2016 season is getting underway. Sure there are still some quiet days in the shop but we’ve had plenty of busy mornings and we keep busy throughout the day running shuttles, cleaning rooms, adding inventory for spring and booking guide trips and lodging.

We invite you to swing by and check out our new selection of rods and reels from LOOP Tackle as well as a bunch of great gear from KAST Extreme Fishing. Why not treat yourself to a pair of Kast Steelhead gloves and a Kast Hell Razor jacket? It’s awesome gear and definitely stands out from the rest. Deals to be had at Wolf Creek Angler as we make the transition to spring gear.

The shop is open REGULARLY Wednesday – Sunday at 8:00 AM and we’re usually around on Mondays and Tuesdays as well if the weather is fishy. Call ahead if you have any doubts but you’ll see the OPEN sign ON from the northbound Interstate as you approach the Wolf Creek Exit. If you don’t see the sign on we encourage you to continue to Craig and visit our friends at The Trout Shop or Headhunters. It all depends on the weather but we will likely go to a 7 day schedule starting sometime in March.

Keep in mind we are open EVERY DAY for lodging and guide trips, it’s only the shop that is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

We hope to see you in the shop this week. We’ve got you covered with shuttles, bugs, cold weather gear, the biggest and best streamer selection ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana and much more.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:39-06:00February 16th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, LOOP USA, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, RO Drift Boats, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Happy President’s Day?

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Washington’s Birthday is a United States federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February, meaning it can occur the 15th through the 21st inclusive, in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States, who was born on February 22, 1732. Colloquially, it is widely known as Presidents Day and is often an occasion to remember all the presidents, not just George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday is also in February.

[1][2] The term “Presidents Day” was coined in a deliberate attempt to change the holiday into one honoring multiple presidents.[3]

The day is also a state holiday in most states with official names including Presidents’ Day, President’s Day and Washington’s and Lincoln’s Birthday.[1] Depending upon the specific law, the state holiday might celebrate officially Washington alone, Washington and Lincoln, or some other combination of U.S. presidents.[1] Some states celebrate Washington and the third president Thomas Jefferson but not Lincoln.[1]

Montana celebrates this day officially as Lincoln’s and Washington’s Birthday.

We’re under a high wind warning right now through tomorrow evening. They’re calling 20-30 mph winds gusting as high as 50 mph. We’ve seen nothing of the sort. In fact there is barely a breeze. So much for the forecast.

For what it’s worth the week ahead looks like it’s going to be a continuation of what we’ve been seeing. Highs in the 50’s, lows in the 40’s and breezy. Will winter return? We hope so but it’s sure not looking like it at this point.

Call ahead for the accurate Missouri River weather report. Pay no attention to the forecast, seems more often than not it’s wrong.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:39-06:00February 15th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Valentine’s Weekend Outlook

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The spring weather continues and the migration to the Missouri will be in full effect this weekend as people from all around the state take advantage of the opportunity to leave winter behind and get an early start on spring fishing. The Missouri River is without a doubt the hottest fishing destination in Montana right now.

It’s been our busiest lodging week of the season so far and the shop has been abuzz daily with folks getting shuttles and stocking up on flies and other Missouri River essentials.

We’ve got one cabin left for the weekend and we expect it will be gone by lunchtime. It’s not exactly the Honeymoon Suite but it would still make a great place to spend your Valentines Day weekend with your significant other. Throw in a $400 Missouri River Guide Trip or do it yourself with a RO Drift Boat rental and watch the romance bloom!

Wolf Creek Angler Lodging Options

Nothing says Love like a new fly rod, particularly a new LOOP Cross S1 or Opti Stream fly rod and reel to match. If you are in the market for a new rod be sure to stop in and check out our new expanded selection from LOOP, ECHO, ST CROIX and REDINGTON along with reels from ROSS, LOOP, NAUTILUS and more including the acclaimed BEHEMOTH reel from Redington, an awesome value at $110.

Valentine Deals to be had store-wide.

Wolf Creek is the nexus of Missouri River winter fly fishing with the only OPEN restaurant and the only gas station/convenience store between Helena and Cascade. Pair that with an up and coming Missouri River fly shop and guide service offering clean and comfortable rooms complete with full kitchens all minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge and you’ve got yourself a Montana winter fly fishing destination like no other.

Expect a fair amount of traffic at the dam this weekend and don’t be afraid to spread out as we’ve been hearing decent reports from the dam down to Mid. I wouldn’t hesitate to go even lower, the fishing should be fine, we just haven’t heard much from the lower stretches as of yet.

Stop in for up-to-date info on the what to use when and where.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:39-06:00February 12th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Holter Dam, Loop, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, Redington Behemoth Reel, RO Drift Boats, running line, St Croix, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Springtime on the MIssouri?

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Crazy mild weather on tap for this week making it feel more like April than February. It’s going to be on the breezy side with sustained South Southwest winds in the 15-20 mph range for the next few days but with air temps in the 50’s it will definitely be tolerable.

Expect some traffic out there as this kind of weather usually brings folks out to scratch that itch en masse.

Bring your streamer rods and your nymph rigs and your dry-fly rigs, you’ve got all sorts of options. We’ve got streamers on the brain and will likely get out and do some of that this week but the nymphing has been good and should continue to improve and if you can find some shelter from the wind you’ve got a reasonably good chance of finding some fish on midges.

We’ve got lodging available tonight and tomorrow, we’re full Wednesday and Thursday and things open up again on Friday.

Give us a call today and book your $99 room and don’t forget $400 full day guide trips all winter long.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:39-06:00February 8th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Weekend Report

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Thanks to everyone who came out last night for the Fly Fishing Film tour in Helena. Great films, great company and a great time as always. It’s not a coincidence that the film tour comes around in the dead of winter when folks are looking for a fly fishing fix and the films never fail to get us primed for the season ahead.

The good news is you don’t have to wait until spring to fish. We fish all year on the Missouri – you should too! The bad news is we’re under a high wind warning today. It’s not horrible now but expect some serious winds if you’re coming out.

From the National Weather Service….

…HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS
AFTERNOON…

* TIMING…SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE LATE EARLY THIS
MORNING AND REMAIN STRONG THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. STRONGEST
WINDS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR THIS MORNING THROUGH MID-DAY.

* WINDS…SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 70
MPH.

* IMPACTS…STRONG WINDS MAY CAUSE DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS
FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED
OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ENDANGER TRANSPORTATION AND COULD
CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Maybe not the best day to come out and fish but the week ahead looks awesome starting with sunny skies and a high of 44 tomorrow with much less wind and into the 50’s all week long.

Give us a call today and book your lodging for this week. We already have a few people booked and chances are good we will be full much of the week.

It would be a good week to book yourself a $400 Missouri River Guide Trip as well. Guide trips make Great Valentine’s Day presents.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:39-06:00February 6th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T), Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Upcoming Events

One of the most frequently asked questions I get from folks calling to book their spring and summer dates is “so what do you do in the winter?” Well, there is always plenty to do in the fly shop. There are orders to place, reservations to confirm, new items to check in, blogs to write, parking lots to shovel, rooms to clean, laundry to do… And then of course there’s the fishing. I try to do plenty of that all winter long and then there’s a bunch of off-season engagements to attend.

Here’s a list of some upcoming events that may be of interest.

February 5th, Fly Fishing Film Tour – Helena

F3T

Tonight, February 5th at 6:30 pm at the Grandstreet Theater.

Sponsored by Cutthroat Creek-Elk Mountain and Wolf Creek Angler this Independent Screening is hosted by the Pat Barnes Chapter of Trout Unlimited. $15 Discount Tickets available at CrossCurrents Fly Shop, Elk Mountain Sports, Montana Fly Goods and Wolf Creek Angler. Tickets, if availablle, at the door at $20.

2016 marks The F3T’s 10th lap around North America and this year’s lineup of films is without question the best the Tour has ever presented. From Bolivia to the Seychelles, British Columbia and Patagonia, from Saskatchewan to Zambia and Virginia to Montana, the notable characters, unique storylines and unparalleled fishing in these films will lead you on an adventure around the globe!

February 16th – Travelogue: Fly Fishing in Cuba (Hosted at the Montana WILD Center, 7:00 PM, FREE)

Cuba

Brought to you by Pat Barnes Trout Unlimited. Come explore the hottest fly fishing destination, Cuba.

February 24th – State of the Missouri – Montana Wild Center Helena , 7:00 PM

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Fish counts, water flows and much more. Presented by FWP and hosted by Pat Barnes Trout Unlimited.

February 29th, Community Pint Night to benefit Pat Barnes TU at Blackfoot River Brewing Company

BR-logo_copy Come enjoy a pint or four at Blackfoot River Brewing Company in Helena with $1 from each pint going to benefit Pat Barnes Trout Unlimited.

March 11th and 12th – FOAM Annual Membership Meeting, Missoula Holiday Inn Downtown

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Join outfitters and guides from around the state for the annual membership meeting of the Fishing Outfitters Association of Montana. Two days of great sessions and speakers. Check out http://www.foam-montana.org/ for more information.

March 12th, Pat Barnes Trout Unlimited Annual Banquet – The Gateway Center, Helena MT

topbanner Join us in support of the Pat Barnes Missouri River Chapter of Trout Unlimited. The annual banquet is a great opportunity to get together with friends and colleagues and enjoy an evening of raffles, silent and live auctions and great food. There are some tremendous items up for bid as well as the opportunity to enter various raffles including one for a Hyde Pro Series Drift Boat. Banquet tickets and Boat Raffle Tickets are available for purchase at Wolf Creek Angler.

For more information check out http://www.patbarnestu.org/

As you can see there’s a lot going on in the Montana Fly Fishing World, even in the dead of winter. We hope to see you at all of these events.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:39-06:00February 5th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T), Missouri River, running line, State of the Missouri, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Weekend Outlook

Photo by Jim Murray

We’ve definitely got a fishable weekend ahead with temps in the 40’s and mostly sunny skies. The wind will be an issue (as it seems to be more often than not) out of the SW at around 20 mph tomorrow and around 30 on Saturday with gusts approaching 40 mph.

This morning looks like the best day of the bunch with cloudy skies and relatively calm winds, it could turn out to be a perfect streamer day.

Next week looks like the time to be here with highs in the 50’s on Monday. We may see 60 on Tuesday. I have a feeling our lodging will be full so if you’re having any thoughts about coming out for a couple of days next week I suggest you book it now.

F3T

It’s going to be a busy weekend off the water for us with the Fly Fishing Film Tour at the Grandstreet in Helena tomorrow night and the Super Bowl on Sunday but we’ll be around the shop all weekend for all of your Missouri River Fly Fishing needs.

We’ve got half a dozen tickets left for the F3T – they will be gone by the end of the day. The show always sells out and is always a great way to spend a winter evening. It’s hard to go wrong with beer and fly fishing films and the chance to win F3T gear and swag from your favorite fly shops, including your 2016 Headline Sponsor – Wolf Creek Angler. We hope to see you there.

Most of the recent fishing traffic has been on Holter Lake

How’s the fishing you ask. We haven’t been out this week and really haven’t seen much traffic aside from the steady stream of traffic headed to Holter Lake. There are literally buckets of perch being caught and the ice is still in decent shape from what we’ve heard but that could definitely change over the next several days with the warming trend so please use caution if you’re heading out there. There is currently around 6″ of ice on the lake.

The few river reports we’ve heard have been less than stellar but it’s always worth your time. You never know when it’s going to turn on. Flows are currently holding right around 3800 and the water temp has bumped up to 35 degrees. Still on the cold side for sure but sometimes all it takes is a warm up of a degree or two to get those fish feeding. You won’t know if you don’t go.

We’ve got Streamers on the brain and we think it’s definitely worth your time to dedicate a couple of hours to throwing them but nypmhing is still going to be your best bet for catching fish. No real changes on that front. Pink stuff, Firebeads, soft hackle sows, Tailwater Sows, Zebra Midges….you know the routine. We would also suggest running some mayfly nymphs. Try a Little Green Machine, a Peep Show or an S & M and see what happens. Continue to focus on the slower, deeper water but don’t overlook the transitional water (a little faster, not quite as deep). The uptick in water temp will often times get the fish moving.

Expect an increase in dry-fly opportunities from here on out as the midges fire up. Check those side channels for rising fish and have your midge cluster of choice rigged and ready.

If you’re going to throw streamers we would suggest smaller/slender patterns. Kreelex, Clousers, Polar Leeches etc. but it never hurts to think outside the box and show them something they haven’t seen.

The shop is open at 8:00 am for all of your Missouri River winter Fly Fishing needs.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:39-06:00February 4th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: dry fly fishing, Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T), Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Welcome February

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It’s feeling a little more like winter right now with a current temperature of 24 but we’re headed back into spring-like weather later this week with temps in the 40’s and near 50 on Saturday.

The groundhog has predicted an early spring, let’s hope it’s not too early.

Despite the unseasonably warm temps here on the Missouri our snowpack isn’t looking too bad, currently at 90 percent of average. We would definitely like to see that continue to increase. It’s really an ideal situation to have the cold and snow in the high country building our spring flows while we experience above average temps here making winter fishing on the Missouri a fairly constant option.

We’ve got lodging available throughout the week, though the weekend is almost full so don’t wait too long to book that room. We’ve been staying busy with lodging all winter long between the hard water anglers and those coming out to fish the Missouri. We’ll keep an eye on the long-term forecast and will likely open up a few more units sooner rather than later as the weather and the demand dictate.

Don’t forget $400 guide trips all winter long. Book it now, if you don’t like what the weather brings on the day of your trip you are free to cancel with no penalty for doing so. Guides are starting to get restless and are ready to get back at it. Give us a call and put them to work today.

Be sure to stop in on your way to the river for shuttles and bugs and anything else you might need for your day on the water.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:39-06:00February 2nd, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Join us this Friday for F3T in Helena

F3T

Here’s a little something to get you primed for the Fly Fishing Film Tour, coming to Helena this Friday, February 5th at the Grandstreet Theater. We are a headline sponsor of the event and we would love it if you joined us. It’s always a great time to get together with fellow fishing fanatics and enjoy some awesome fly fishing films. If drinking beer and watching fly-fishing films sounds like a perfect Friday night to you stop by the shop and pick up your tickets for just $15.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:39-06:00February 1st, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: F3T, Grandstreet Theater, Helena, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments