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Get Those Guide Days Booked Soon

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

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

The last couple of weeks have been extremely busy reservation weeks with folks booking lodging and guide trips for the coming season.

There’s still time to make your plans but the prime dates are rapidly disappearing both for lodging and guide trips. Not to despair! We’ve got a deep roster of guides who work for us so you should be able to get the dates you want but the opportunity to pick who you want on the days you want is definitely coming to an end. Where lodging is concerned, we still have openings but things have filled rapidly these last few weeks and it feels like it’s definitely going to be a busy season at WCA.

We have made a few changes to our guide roster, adding a few and losing a few but what we haven’t changed is our commitment to providing you with top-notch, professional guides who share our passion for the sport, for the fishery and most importantly for providing you with an unforgettable experience.

The Missouri River below Holter Dam will always be our specialty and we pride ourselves on having guides who know the entire river and who can show you what a diverse fishery we have between the dam and Cascade but we also offer trips on the nearby Dearborn and Blackfoot Rivers as well as the Missouri River below Hauser Dam, known as the Land of the Giants. We have extensive contacts throughout Montana and the rest of the Mountain West and we would be happy to help you with your Montana fishing plans, wherever they may take you.

Give us a call today and book your Missouri River Fly Fishing trip of a lifetime.

Don and Leda doubled up on the MO – photo by Jim Murray

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By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:39-06:00January 31st, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Holter Dam, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Wolf Creek Angler welcomes LOOP to the Missouri

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We are super stoked to announce that we have become the Exclusive Dealer of Loop Tackle on the Missouri River.

Probably best know for the creation of the large arbor reel in 1984, Loop has developed a cult following of hardcore anglers worldwide who come from all walks of life and comprise what has come to be known as the LOOP ARMY. We are thrilled to be affiliated with LOOP USA and we’re excited to help build the brand of one of the elite companies in the fly fishing industry here on one of the best trout rivers in the world.

Loop was founded in Sweden in 1979 by Christer Sjöberg and Tony Karpestam – two young enthusiastic fly fishers with one goal in mind; to make a living doing what they loved. They wanted to be involved in the developing world of fly fishing and to explore and fly fish in areas previously impossible to reach.

We have been on the hunt since we opened our doors two years ago for great products which we can get behind and which are not available at every other shop in the area. Along with KAST GEAR which we brought in last year, LOOP certainly falls into this category.

Loop is a complete fly-fishing company. Today Loop designs, develops and manages every manufacturing process of their gear themselves. All of their products are designed and built to last and function in the world’s toughest conditions and to last for season after season. Experience, enthusiasm and an unbreakable will has led them to only put the Loop brand on the best products. Loop started out as a dream and for over twenty years Loop has been a leader in the fly fishing industry. Today that dream has evolved into an international company focused on delivering dreams to their customers.

Along with an impressive lineup of rods and reels Loop also offers an extensive assortment of fly lines and some limited apparel. We are currently featuring rods and reels and will add to our inventory offerings as we build the brand but for those already in the LOOP ARMY, we are your authorized LOOP dealer on the Missouri and we are happy to special order anything you need.

These are great rods and reels, on par with any of the big names in the industry. I just started fishing the S1 and have found my new favorite rod! We invite you to come by and cast the flagship Cross S1 and see for yourself.

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The new LOOP Cross S1 fly rod series is the single most important revolution to occur in fly fishing since we introduced the large arbor reel over 20 years ago. It’s that big.

If the large arbor provided revolutionary function that made the fly reel exponentially better, you won’t believe the difference Cross S1 construction makes with fly rods. We could write an entire book on the adventure that has led to the Cross S1 series of fly rods. We could look up and write down all the available superlatives that are yet unused by other manufacturers (not many left nowadays), but the only way to truly describe what we mean is to hand one to you and let you test it for yourself. If there has ever been a time in our history of development of high-performance fly fishing gear where Loop merited a “look” and a test from the fly fishing world, it is now. Over a period of two years we have developed these fly rods where we used the new 3M™ Powerlux™ Composites. The result is amazing, the strength associated with the 3M™ Powerlux™ Composites generates a lightness and controllable elasticity that simply must be experienced.

We have carefully restricted the inherent elasticity of the Loop Cross S1 so that the rod is working evenly over a much wider range than other fly rods. We have managed to make super-strong featherweight fly rods, with an emphasis on fishing where the rod is working with minimum vibration through an entire load range – from close-in and out to even extreme distances. The design requires minimal input power where the rod does the job. It has never been so easy and taken so little effort to deliver precision loops at 10-meters or 30-meters while easily controlling the line or changing the pace of the cast.

3M and Powerlux are trademarks of 3M Company.

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We’re currently stocking the Cross S1 and Opti Stream rods and both the Classic and Opti Reels and we will be adding more products as we move towards the spring season. We invite you to check out http://www.loopflyusa.com/ to learn all about LOOP and the great products they offer.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 29th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Cross S1, fly fishing, Loop Classic 46, LOOP USA, Missouri River, Montana, Opti Stream, running line, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

This week on the MO

Winter fishing has been heating up on the Missouri – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

The spring-like weather continues with high 30’s and low 40’s expected all week. We’re hoping we haven’t seen the last of winter but if you’re getting the itch this would be a great week to come out and fish the Missouri.

The shelf ice is becoming less of an issue and most of the ramps are clear. Even so, please use extreme caution if you’re going to float. Icy ramps can make for real problems. Give us a call at the shop for up-to-the minute river and ramp conditions.

The dam will be shedding ice like crazy this week so if you’re wading be aware of what’s headed your way. Keep an eye out for those chunks of ice heading downstream. Some of them are large enough to take you out!

Flows are holding nicely at or around 3400 – 3500 cfs and the water temp has crept back up to 34. Perfect winter nymphing conditions.

$99 lodging and $400 guide trips all winter long. Give us a call and book yours today.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 18th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Weekend Report

Winter Fare at Wolf Creek Angler

We’ve got a nice weekend on tap here on the Missouri River, especially by mid-January standards with temperatures in the high 20’s and to low 30’s, relatively calm winds and a chance for snow showers each day. We are under a winter weather advisory beginning this afternoon at 2 pm and ending tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM. We could see 2-4 inches of new snow tonight.

The fishing could potentially be pretty good on the river and there was a fair amount of traffic headed up the lake again this morning. We’ve got a full house tonight but things open up on Sunday. If you’ve got Monday off for MLK day it wouldn’t be a bad call to book yourself a bungalow for Sunday night and a $400 full day guide trip on Monday. We’re supposed to see temperatures in the 40’s Monday.

Good reports from the past couple of days both from the nymphing set and the streamer guys. The go-to flies have been Pink Sows, Pink Scuds, Pink Lightning Bugs, Pink Amex…..notice a pattern? We’ve also done well with a few firebead patterns. Rainbow Weight Flies, Firebead Sows, Firebead Rays….. there are plenty of bugs that are working well these days, you just have to put them in the right place. With water temperatures in the 33-34 range those fish simply aren’t going to move much so you need to make sure you are putting it right in front of them. Generally you’ll find that where you pick one up you will pick more up as they are congregating in those spots right now.

Hot Head Kreelex, Hot Head Buggers, Polar Leeches in Brown and also Olive/Copper, Sparkle Minnows and Skiddish Smolts are all getting some action on the streamer side. We’ve got all of these and many more including a bunch of new patterns just begging to be fished. Stop by and check out the undisputed best streamer selection in Wolf Creek Montana.

There will definitely be some traffic out there this weekend with the weather being what it is. It’s a great weekend to fish! It’s also a pretty good weekend to watch playoff football with the Chiefs and Pats playing this afternoon and the Packers and Cardinals tonight. Seahawks and Panthers tomorrow morning followed by Steelers and Broncos tomorrow afternoon. They should all be great games.

Be sure and stop at Wolf Creek Angler if you are coming out to fish. We’re your one stop for everything you need for winter fly fishing on the Missouri. Shuttles, cozy lodging, cold weather gear, closeout deals on St Croix and Echo fly rods, RO Drift Boat Rentals, all the best winter bugs, Kast Steelhead Gloves, great coffee and much more.

The Oasis is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Thursday-Monday so you’ll definitely have a place to eat as well as have a cocktail or two while you watch the football games this weekend.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 16th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Echo, fly fishing, Kast Gear, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, RO Drift Boats, running line, St Croix, Streamer Fishing, streamers, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Water Report 2016

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Let the 2016 prognostication begin!

The frequency of calls related to 2016 river flows has increased substantially over the past week as folks start to hone in on their plans for the spring and summer.

Per usual, we shy away from predictions, especially this early in the game, as we simply don’t know what we’ll see come spring.

There’s the anecdotal discussion of the amount of snow we’ve been getting and the colder-than-average temps we’ve experienced but pair that with the current January thaw, El Nino and the long-term forecast and you’re left with the same old answer…..it’s anyone’s guess.

There are a lot of factors involved, one of which doesn’t come into play until spring. We talk a lot about snow pack and rightfully so. It plays a huge roll in what happens come spring. We’re currently sitting at around 86% of average so we would certainly like to see that number increase to over 100. It’s a fluid number which sometimes changes daily. One good dump of snow can push that number up quickly so I would just caution against reading too much into the SNOTEL maps at this point.

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While snow is important it all comes down to how wet things get in the spring. Spring rainfall amounts are the perennial wild card and while there are plenty of sources you can check out to look at long-term forecast models we are content to wait and see what happens.

We realize our wait and see approach probably isn’t of much help to those working on fishing plans. Thankfully we do have predictions from the Bureau of Reclamation to share with you. These predictions aren’t always right but we’re far more comfortable sharing predictions from “those in the know” than we are with telling you what we think is going to happen.

So by the looks of it the Bureau of Reclamation expects a water year similar to 2015, with flows likely holding steady in the 3500 to just shy of 4000 range for the winter before increasing slightly in April and May and peaking around 6000 cfs in June and leveling out at around 4000 for the summer and fall. We would be happy with this, we’d be happier with the Maximum Probable prediction of a peak of around 12k followed by an average of roughly 6000 for the summer and fall. Minimum Probable shows 3000ish right on through. We don’t care much for that!

As always, our prediction is that there will be water. Flows will likely be higher than some care for and lower than others prefer but either way we’ll be enjoying another amazing season on one of the finest trout rivers in the world.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 14th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Blast from the Past

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I came across this pictures today while cleaning out file cabinets. I’m not sure what is going on with the helicopter out in front of the shop but for the record, it’s fine with us if you choose to travel here by helicopter, we’ve even got adequate parking for your rig!

Things definitely look a little different around here these days.

The One and Only Wolf Creek Angler – located at 515 Recreation Road in Wolf Creek

The second picture is of the arrival of the bungalows and the construction involved in making them what they are today.

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Enjoying some spring-like weather this week with temps in the low 40’s. A full house tonight as you might expect.

Lodging available for the rest of the week and guide trips available any and every day.

Full fishing report tomorrow – right now we’re MO bound.

See you on the water.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 12th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Cold Weekend Outlook

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Snowy and cold this weekend on the Missouri although not nearly as cold as what they had been calling for a few days ago. We’ll see highs in the mid 20’s tomorrow and close to 30 on Sunday with partly sunny skies….maybe not ideal conditions but certainly fishable.

Night time temps in the single digits will keep things icy. Slush will be a constant irritation. Watch that shelf ice and be on the lookout for icebergs on the move when you’re wading.

We wouldn’t recommend floating the river this weekend with wind chill values as low as -10 but if you decide to do it please use extreme caution at the ramps as they can definitely be on the sketchy side in these weather conditions. Four-Wheel drive is a must.

Things are going to warm up next week with highs near 40 on Wednesday and Thursday. If you feel a couple of sick days coming on give us a call and book yourself a cozy bungalow for a night or two. $99 gets you a room for three with a full kitchen. Don’t feel like cooking? The Oasis Bar and Grill is serving breakfast, lunch and dinner Thursday – Monday from 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM.

Looking for a guide? $400 gets you a full day float trip on the MO with one of our expert professional guides, a hot lunch, plenty of solitude and the chance to discover what an awesome winter fishery the Missouri can be. Book it today – if you don’t like what you’re seeing weather wise come game time you are free to bail. We will be out there weather permitting – you may as well be out there with us.

Need shuttles, winter bugs, hats, gloves, hand warmers, cold weather gear or anything else for a cold day on the water? Wolf Creek Angler is your Missouri River Winter Fly-Fishing headquarters. Stay with us, shop with us, fish with us. With 99% of the winter fishing taking place between Holter Dam and Craig, Wolf Creek is the place to be, just minutes from the dam and Wolf Creek Bridge.

Pay us a visit and find out why Wolf Creek is rapidly becoming the nexus of winter fly-fishing on the Missouri River. People from around the state and beyond choose Wolf Creek when they are looking for a winter fly-fishing fix. With the only restaurant and the only gas station/convenience store between Helena and Cascade and a first-rate Missouri River fly shop with comfortable and affordable lodging just minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge, the choice is clear. Wolf Creek Angler, Uncle Joe’s Oasis Bar and Grill and The Canyon Store provide everything you need from flies to food to fuel to night life. Keep an eye on the weather and when you see a break come discover for yourself all that Wolf Creek has to offer.

Everything you need in Wolf Creek Montana

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 8th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, The Oasis Bar and Grill, The Wolf Creek Canyon Store, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Missouri River Bug Report from UMOWA

The Upper Missouri River Watershed Alliance recently released the baseline macroinvertebrate monitoring report for the Missouri River.

A couple of the other shops have already posted on this but just in case you missed it you can read all about it here

http://www.umowa.org/2015/12/22/umowa-baseline-macroinvertebrate-monitoring-report-2015-released/

While you’re there why not take a minute to join UMOWA and help to support our precious resource.

This is a comprehensive study of the bug life on the Missouri River and will be the baseline by which we measure things going forward. It’s a lot of information but is definitely worth spending some time on for those interested in macroinvertebrate populations, and who isn’t?

I’ve heard a lot about the way things used to be from many of our regular guests but I also know we tend to glorify the past. Now we know where things are at and we can say with certainty going forward how things measure up against 2015.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:41-06:00January 7th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Warm Up Underway

A nice warming trend to start the new year.

Looks like things are going to warm up just in time for everyone to go back to work!

We’ll see highs near 40 the first half of the week before things start to trend colder again on Thursday.

It could be the perfect window for January fishing on the Missouri. There have been a fair amount of anglers around the past couple of days taking advantage of the holiday freedoms but it’s been cold for sure.

A lot of swinging going on out there – apparently some success being had.

Nymphing is your best bet for success right now though some of those slow froggy spots you should be fishing are currently covered with ice. Find the ones that aren’t and work them slow and deep with something pink. Pink Amex, Pinkalicious, Rainbow Czech? Your call. They will all work as long as you’re putting them where they need to be which is directly in front of the fish. With the water temp at 33 degrees or colder the fish simply aren’t going to move very far to eat.

Stop by the shop for cold weather gear, shuttles and piles of pink bugs and firebeads. Scads of new streamers filling the bins as well – come check them out.

We will definitely be out there this week. You should be too. Rooms available for $99 + tax. Guide trips $400 all winter long.

See you in the shop and on the water.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:41-06:00January 2nd, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Sun Rises on 2016

Another year in the books.

Welcome 2016. We think it will be our best year yet!

Lots of exciting things happening at Wolf Creek Angler in 2016 as we continue to grow and to establish our brand. We couldn’t be more pleased with our second season compared to the first and we’re poised and ready for continued growth as we prepare for Season Three.

We’re finding our voice and settling in as we continue to be spurred on by the overwhelming encouragement we receive from our guests and customers.

Our goal is not just to get you in the door but to keep you coming back. We’re sincerely humbled by the response we’ve gotten over these first two seasons as we’ve seen a lot of new faces but also many that have become familiar. We are honored to be your Missouri River Fly Shop and we are committed to making your experience with us the best it can be.

From keeping the shop fully stocked with the products you want to constantly making improvements to the lodging to continuing to develop our guide crew…it’s all rooted in serving you. We’ve faced plenty of challenges in each of these areas and we haven’t always been successful in implementing the changes we would like to make but we’re always working on it.

One of the more frustrating challenges has been getting the products in the shop that we know you want. It’s much easier said than done but we continue to make inroads as we seek out products and brands we’re excited to get behind. Those who shop with us know that our fly and terminal tackle selection rivals that of any other shop and we will always maintain our focus on these because these are the things you are coming here to buy but we will also continue to expand our other offerings. Expect to find more of the products you want available at Wolf Creek Angler each and every season.

The challenge with lodging is that the sky is the limit where improvements are concerned but not so with the resources. Small steps…we’ll get there. Much of what we do on the lodging side you’ll probably never notice and we’re ok with that. We are committed to providing clean, affordable accommodations and that’s what you will find when you stay with us. We don’t expect you to notice new mattresses, new bedding, new towels…etc but we know you’d likely notice if we didn’t keep up with these things.

Perhaps one season you will arrive at WCA to find a brand new lodge with all the trappings but for now rest assured you will find clean, affordable lodging and a friendly staff committed to doing everything they can to make your stay with us as comfortable and as enjoyable as possible. We have the best housekeeping staff in the canyon…hands down.

The same commitment we have to customer service in the shop and the lodging carries over to our guide staff. Each and every one of our guides is expected to treat your day on the river the same way we treat your stay with us. Our goal as guides is to tailor each day to meet your individual expectations and to make your Missouri River fly-fishing experience one you won’t soon forget. We don’t push the numbers game – we provide an overall experience which certainly includes catching fish but we don’t measure the success of our days strictly by the number of fish caught, nor should you.

The Missouri is an amazing river with incredible numbers and size of fish but there is so much more to it than that. We provide you with experienced, professional guides, each of whom understands and subscribes to our commitment to our guests to provide exceptional service and to make your trip with us one you wont soon forget.

We’re excited about 2016 and we can’t wait to see you at Wolf Creek Angler.

Our sincere thanks to all of you for making 2015 such a great year and for making us your Missouri River Fly Shop.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:41-06:00January 1st, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments