Uncategorized Archives - Page 9 of 53

Election Day

It’s finally here, Election Day 2020. And while I live for this stuff as an off and on political junkie, I can’t wait to put this one in the rearview.

I’m weary of it all. The flyers that fill my mailbox daily. The non-stop commercials telling me why the other guy sucks. The insults and outrage and hostility and divisiveness fed by our respective echo chamber media consumption. The fact that some people are actually choosing adherence to political alignment over having a broad spectrum of friends representing a diverse assortment of opinions and political ideologies. Everything is STUPID right now.

Campaign spending is expected to exceed $150 million in Montana this year which comes out somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 spent per vote cast, and that figure assumes high voter turnout, exceeding 80 percent which looks to be accurate this election cycle.

Think of the things you could do with $150 million aside from bombarding the electorate with ads to which they’re likely paying little or no attention.

I know in our house those flyers go directly from the mailbox to the trash and the commercials are always a perfect opportunity to change the channel so yeah, money well spent.

Voting is our single best opportunity to participate in our democratic process and to let our voice be heard so yes, by all means, get out and vote.

That being said, I’m not sure everything needs to grind to a halt on Election Day, especially in this age of mail-in ballots and early voting. Considering that by some estimates over 70 percent of registered voters in Montana had already cast their ballots by this morning I feel like we could probably manage to execute our civic duty without the interruption of business as usual on a Tuesday in November.

Maybe it’s just me but at 50 years old I’ve been voting since 1988 and while my voting record may be a hodgepodge ideological evolution of ebbs and flows, there are two things that are constant….one – I’ve never not voted and two – I’ve never taken the day off from work or school or life to cast my vote.

General Election Day is a holiday for state employees which is not a shock. Election Day is NOT a Federal Holiday. The banks are open. The post office is open and for all intents and purposes it is business as usual. However, many college classes have reportedly been cancelled and some businesses are closed, I guess due to the gravity of the situation on this day. LOL

It’s a beautiful November day. Blue skies and sunshine. Maybe not the best fishing conditions but a great day to cast your vote if you haven’t already and then get out and soak it all in.

It’s good to be alive this day. In spite of Covid. In spite of who is or isn’t in office. In spite of who wins and who loses any of these races. And that’s not to minimize the importance of this moment in history. As previously stated, I am an absolute junkie about this stuff and I’m very well aware of the political and social goings on around me and I have thoughts and opinions about ALL OF IT.
BUT – you know what’s more important to me than this election? About a billion things and counting. Namely my family, my faith, and my friends of any and all political persuasions and the rich tapestry of life I will continue to enjoy no matter what happens out there.

Happy Election Day! I hope it goes the way you want it to and I hope that even if it doesn’t, that you will look around you and remember how little all of that actually matters in the scope of your day to day life, the people you love and who love you back and the things that make up the rich tapestry of your being.

Yes, it’s an election of Critical importance….they all are. Yes, the results of the election will have some effect on all of our lives and the lives of those who come after us but ultimately the sun will set this evening and will rise again tomorrow and we will keep on keeping on.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-11-03T19:01:33-07:00November 3rd, 2020|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: Election Day|0 Comments

Autumn Equinox

Autumn has officially arrived and with it the promise of good things to come on the Missouri and surrounding waters.

Terrestrial season is holding on with decent hopper and ant action, particularly in the lower stretches and we’ve begun to see the occasional October Caddis so now would be a good time to work that into your blind dry fly or dry/dropper rotation.

Aside from the terrestrials action we’re in a bit of a holding pattern right now where dry fly fishing is concerned as we await fall BWO’s. Caddis can fill the gap on any given day and pseudos will satisfy the needs of the true dry fly masochists but look for BWO’s to arrive with cooler weather and darker days, hopefully sometime in early October.

The streamer set has begun to arrive on the scene led by our Michigan friends from Schultz Outfitters returning to fish the MO with us this week. It’s a Michigan invasion all week long at Wolf Creek Angler and we’re thrilled to have a bunch of streamer junkies back in the boats with us. Leave the wooly buggers behind, load up the 7 and 8 weights and take cover…it’s time to do this thing Michigan Style! Weeds be damned, it’s big game hunting season on the MO’.

For the less bobber averse set, nymphing is good, especially in the upper stretch and should continue to pad the daily numbers. #18 Black Zebras will be back in stock tomorrow, still no ETA on Frenchies or Purple Weight Flies but fear not, we’ve got bins and bins filled with bugs that will meet or exceed performance expectations. Green Machines, Tung Darts, Gold Weight Flies, Purple or Olive Zebras, Tailwater Sows, Split Case BWO’s, BWO Magic Flies, Soft Hackle Sows, Olive Micromays, Olive or Brown S & M’s, Juju’s, BWO Redemptions, Radiation Baetis, Rainbow Czechs…and on and on.

It looks like we’ll see a nice cool down into the low 60’s this weekend but right back into the mid 70’s the first part of next week. Even so, chilly nights are keeping water temps on the drop. Temps are currently holding at around 61 degrees with flows at or near 4000 CFS. You really couldn’t ask for better conditions for fall fishing but these are definitely the days you’ll want to layer up in the morning knowing that you may be peeling off layers throughout the day but adding them back as that sun dips down.

We’ve got plenty of lodging availability this week though the guide calendar is pretty well filled through early next week. Take the time now while you’re thinking of it to book an October trip with us.
Whether you wish to be pampered with luxury accommodations and gourmet meals at Hidden Canyon Lodge or you prefer the cozy rustic charm offered at Wolf Creek Angler we’ve got you covered. Same great guides and same price for fishing at both, it’s just a matter of what you’re looking for outside of the fishing experience. Give us a call for details or to book your dates at either location.

We welcome fall and hope you join us on the Missouri and Blackfoot Rivers in the coming weeks for the most wonderful time of the year.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-09-22T21:29:52-06:00September 22nd, 2020|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Autumn Equinox 2020, caddis, dry fly fishing, green machine, Hidden Canyon Lodge, juju baetis, Michigan, Missouri River, Montana, October Caddis, running line, Schultz Outfitters, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

September 11th, 2020

This is a day I usually do a thoughtful post about remembering 9/11/01 and just as importantly, 9/12/01 when we were truly united as a country after collectively suffering through the physical and psychological trauma of the deadliest terrorist attack on US soil in US history.

Each year for the past several, I would highlight the fact that we, as a nation, seem to be forgetting what it was like that day and the weeks and months following. Maybe that changes next year on the 20th anniversary but this year 9/11 almost feels like an afterthought.

The country is as divided and as polarized as it’s been in my lifetime and in the midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic and the current social unrest and the absolute politicization of both, one can’t help but wonder where it ends.

People on all sides are angry and edgy and we, as a nation have drifted so far from what draws us together and unifies us that it’s tough to even recognize America and what she is becoming.

Tribalism driven by sequestering ourselves to echo chambers of like-minded ideology while we utilize our favorite media sources to fuel our outrage at the other side has created an atmosphere unlike anything I’ve seen.

Thankfully, here in Montana we are as far removed from this chaos as I believe it’s possible to be, though it still seeps in.

So this year all I will say is that we are miles from unity and unfortunately, in many cases, miles from civility and in its totality, it ain’t a great place to be.

On this September 11th I’m thankful to live in what is, in spite of all her imperfections, still the greatest country in the world and rather than urge unity all I can do is look inward and take stock of the amazing blessings in my life and I would urge everyone to do the same.

I’m tuning out from media this day, rather than fueling the fires of outrage. Yes, there is an abundance of chaos out there and I have opinions about all of it, just like you do. But in the absence of civility amongst those keyboard warriors so desperate to prove their points, I’m not going to waste my time with it.

Today I’m going turn my attention to the world by which I’m surrounded. I’m going to appreciate the blue sky and the changing colors. I’m going to enjoy the sunlight on my face and I’m going to spend time this day with the people who are the most important thing in my life. I reject outrage this day and I reject being manipulated into divisiveness and hatred.

On this day I look to the heavens and thank God for everything that is good in my life and for the strength to endure what is not and I pray for this nation and for this world.

These are angry, uncertain and exhausting times but there is light. Light not found in political parties or candidates or social movements but in personal relationships, in kindness to our fellow human beings, whatever their stripes, and in love.

Be the light.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-09-11T18:41:31-06:00September 11th, 2020|Categories: Uncategorized|6 Comments

Autumn is a magical time on the Missouri – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

The Dog-Day Slog of August is over. At least that’s what the calendar says. There’s been no drastic change on day one of September but according to our lodging book we’re just a few days out from a return to busier days and it can’t come soon enough!

The river has remained quiet with just a handful of folks around on any given day. I would expect that that’s about to change.

Sure, we’ve seen plenty of cancellations for the fall and yes, the world still seems utterly insane (somehow seeming more so every day) but there’s nothing like the arrival of fall to shut the door on the summer season and collectively move us towards new beginnings.

After all, the lazy days of summer are drawing to a close and it’s time to get back into action. A new school year has begun, election season is in full swing, NFL football is on track to start at its normal time of year and fall fishing is about to heat up. And ultimately while we don’t know how any of this will pan out we are ready for the new beginnings.

Of course we’re continuing to track the Covid numbers and we’re continuing to do everything in our power to keep our guests, customers and employees safe and healthy but as we head into autumn we’re excited to embrace the change of season and while it may in fact just be wishful thinking, I for one feel like it’s time to move on. Mind you I’m not talking about moving on from mandates or from doing all of the things we’ve been doing for SIX MONTHS now to protect ourselves and others from sickness. What I’m talking about is moving on from the mental anguish of letting these things drag us down.

I hope to hell things go smoothly this fall. I hope there are no major outbreaks and that school at all levels remains open and continues to make strides towards business as usual. I hope we get through these next couple of months leading up to the election without continuing to be so entrenched in our respective ideologies that we choose politics over relationships, echo chambers over open discussions and tribalism over tolerance.

One thing I do know for certain is that there are places you can go to escape. Places that are a long ways from the chaos. Many of these places are not solely physical locations but are the fusion of beautiful and remote places combined with a renewed and refreshed and relaxed state of mind one can only attain by removing oneself from the daily and immersing oneself in the moment. That moment might consist of wandering in the mountains, wading in a stream or floating down a river. It might consist of simply sitting in silence, unplugging from everything and appreciating the moment for what it is.

Needless to say, there are many places you could go to chase this elusive state of enlightenment (satori) and one of those places is right here, floating down the Missouri River on an early autumn day. Covid disappears, social unrest disappears, politics disappears but only if you allow them to do so. Out here it’s sun and sky, moving water, gentle (and at times not so gentle) breezes and your focus on your cast, your drift and with any luck your proficiency at fighting and landing fish, all the while taking in the amazing scenery around you.

Fly fishing is the ultimate escape from the chaos.

Let us facilitate your escape and deliver this experience to you this fall at Wolf Creek Angler.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-09-01T20:30:44-06:00September 1st, 2020|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|4 Comments

Montana – The Treasure State (AKA The Social Distance State)

With our doors closed now at least through April 24th, it would be a gross understatement to say that life during a global pandemic has taken some getting used to.

Like most small business owners, I have been immersed in the seemingly ever-evolving provisions and procedures of seeking assistance through what will undoubtedly be the biggest financial and economic challenge of my lifetime.

Like all of those who have had their lives and livelihoods put on hold by Covid-19, I spend my days contemplating what the future might hold while ingesting a steady diet of webinars, zoom meetings and phone calls…what our life has become during the pandemic.

I’ve spent some time at the shop but there hasn’t been much to do there that can’t be done from home so why burn the gas to get there? There’s plenty of yard work to be done both at the shop and at home but spring snows have interrupted those endeavors and while it definitely feels and looks like spring today we will be under a winter storm warning starting tomorrow night and will likely see several inches of new snow and the return of single-digit temps on Saturday night.

I’ve spent plenty of time on the couch. Too much television, too much beer, too much junk food. And while I have done some hiking near my home, I’ve not been nearly active enough for my liking.

It was considering these circumstances that I decided Sunday night that I would spend as much time as possible on the water this week. Mind you drift boat fishing is out (unless you are with members of your household), so I decided it was a good time to go solo and visit a few of my favorite walk-wade spots, some close to home, some not so much.

My routine this week has been to spend the mornings answering emails and doing whatever business can be done followed by late morning drives to unspecified locations and afternoons spent standing in moving water doing what brought me here in the first place. It didn’t take long for me to conclude that there is no place in the world I would rather be during these times of social distancing than in the wide-open spaces and secret corners of Montana.

Spring streamer fishing is among my favorites and these last few days did not disappoint. Plenty of fish to hand, none of which were record breakers, but all of which were the perfect dose of euphoria, making even better these great escapes.

Empty roads, sprawling landscapes of mountains and valleys and forests and miles of magical water with nary a soul in sight. Four rivers over three days and I encountered no one which kind of surprised me seeing that everyone is trapped at home these days with nothing to do. But what a blessing. What a blessing to live in a place where we can always go out and do our thing and maintain social distance, sometimes to the extreme if we choose. I can not imagine what it’s like to live in a heavily populated area with nowhere to escape to and just to address the issue, I have heard plenty of people making the point that this isn’t a vacation, that you’re supposed to stay home but in Montana I would disagree.

Here we can cover miles of uninhabited space in a day, visiting the places we love, doing the things we want to do while not exposing ourselves or being exposed to anyone.

So, take that Coronavirus. You can disrupt our world. You can destroy our economy, but you cannot take this from me! Amid the scariest, most unprecedented thing I’ve seen in my lifetime I will continue to do what I love in the places that stir my soul.

That being said, as much as I love it, spending my days fishing does not pay the bills. So while I feel blessed beyond measure to live in this place and to be able to social distance in this way, like everyone else, I am ready to go back to work.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-04-10T14:21:36-06:00April 10th, 2020|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: COVID-19, Montana, running line, social distancing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

The Shape of Water 2020

It’s that time of year again when we take a closer look at current snowpack, long-term weather and precipitation forecasts, current flow conditions and current reservoir data at Canyon Ferry to come up with some kind of prediction of what you might expect to see for water conditions on the Missouri this spring and summer.

Five days into April we’re still looking at snow on the ground in Wolf Creek, left over from last week’s spring snow storm but heading into this week it looks like we’ll be seeing some more spring-like weather with temps in the 50’s through the middle of the week and possibly climbing into the mid 60’s on Thursday before another cold front moves through next weekend. I would bet we haven’t seen the last snowfall of the year but hopefully we’re on our way to those warm, sunny spring days on the MO.

The snow water equivalent is looking good with everything in the region in the 100 to 140 percent of normal range and the majority or locations at right around 120 percent of normal. This is right where we like to see things at this point in the season though snowpack fails to tell the whole story. It looks good now but a sudden warm up could rapidly deplete that snowpack and leave us well below average and similarly we could still see plenty of high country precipitation accumulating and setting us up for the possibility of higher flows depending on what we see in the way of spring rains.

Missouri River flows below Holter Dam are currently at 5180 CFS and have remained relatively steady all winter in the 4500 CFS – 5000 CFS range. I would expect to see that pattern remain over these next couple of weeks and then tick up in late April as the spring flows begin to take shape.

Canyon Ferry is currently 73% full with inflows at 3395 CFS and outflows of 5283 CFS. March weather resulted in near normal precipitation, while cooler temperatures occurred throughout the Missouri River Headwaters.
The one-month outlook forecast, dated March 31st, is an equal chance for normal, above, or below normal precipitation and a 50 percent chance that below normal temperatures will occur during April in the Missouri Headwaters.

Based on these factors the current model for April is predicting most probable flows holding right about where they’re currently at with the minimum probable at around 4500 CFS and the max probable at right around 6K. Not a lot of variation in April which will make for ideal fishing conditions.

The show starts in May as run-off begins and while we’re always hoping for at least a few days of flushing flows (over 15K) it looks like the most probable model has us bumping up to just 8000 CFS with the minimum being right around 4,000 and the maximum at just over 10,000 CFS which we would gladly take.

Looking beyond May this far out isn’t all that practical but at this point the best guess is for most probable flows holding at that same 8K before leveling out in the 5,000 cfs range while the max probable peaks around 14K and the minimum probable holds steady at around 4,000 CFS. At this point it’s really anyone’s guess so we try to steer clear of making any bold predictions about June this far out.

It’s all dependent on spring precipitation which we’re assuming at this point will be at or slightly below normal but again, it’s a bit like trying to predict what will happen with the Coronavirus, the models are only as good as the data that goes into them. The more data, the more accurate the model so we’re content to just sit and wait and see and hold off on any prime-time predictions until we have more data. (For both the Coronavirus and the water conditions).

All that being said, I will make the same bold prediction I make every year. There will be water (how much or how little we don’t know) and there will be fish (plenty) and we will be fishing.

Stay tuned for up to date reports and conditions from Wolf Creek Angler.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-04-05T19:47:55-06:00April 6th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Uncategorized|Tags: Holter Dam, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Stay At Home

Late last week Montana Governor Steve Bullock issued a Stay at Home Directive which went into effect on Saturday and which is set to run at least through April 10th. The directive requires Montanans to stay home and temporarily closes all non-essential businesses, of which we of course are one.

We appreciate and understand the intent of the directive and we encourage everyone to abide by the order and by so doing, hopefully get things back to some sense of normalcy soon. We had shut down guiding operations early last week as well as closed access to the shop in an effort to comply with social distancing standards. Our lodging had remained open and though hotels/motels do fall under essential businesses in the directive we have decided to close everything down for the duration of the order in keeping with the spirit and intent of the directive which is that people should be staying home as much as possible for the duration. We understand that outdoor activity (close to home) is allowed and encouraged and fishing certainly meets the standard however in our view driving somewhere far away enough from home that overnight lodging is required is not really in keeping with the intent of the order.

For this reason all operations are shut down until further notice.

That being said, we are taking orders over the phone as well as by email and we’re happy to ship you anything you need. We’ve also seen a trend on social media encouraging folks to buy gift cards from the businesses they want to support as this immediately puts much needed money in the hands of these businesses. We applaud the trend and would be thrilled to sell gift cards in any amount. Our gift cards are good for everything we sell from lodging to guide trips to merchandise and they never expire. Please call the shop if you would like to purchase a gift card or any other item we can ship to you.

Like all of you, we are hopeful that the future will become increasingly clear as the uncertainty is crippling us all.

In spite of the darkness there is light and I am humbled by the support we’ve received from all of you. The emails and phone calls from our regular customers just checking in to see how we’re doing mean the world to me and the willingness of many to leave deposits in place for future trips has been overwhelming. We’ve also had a steady trickle of folks calling for flies and fly lines and leaders etc which I would bet in many cases have not been needed and I simply can’t express how grateful we are for all of this support through these uncertain times.

Every day draws us closer to the time this will all be a memory. As the weather warms and the grass starts to green and the songbirds return we are hopeful.

Stay Safe, Stay Sane, Stay Home!

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-03-30T20:13:30-06:00March 30th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Shop Life, Uncategorized|0 Comments

UPDATE

How the world has changed in the four days since I posted our initial thoughts about Covid-19/coronavirus. And while everything prescriptive which I wrote in that post still applies (WASH YOUR HANDS) there have been some developments nationally as well as locally which need to be addressed as they relate to your 2020 Missouri River fishing plans.

At the time of posting last Thursday Montana had zero reported cases of Covid-19, we now have six. At the time of that posting school was in session and while social distancing was being talked about, people were still going out to eat. That day we saw a state of emergency declared by Governor Bullock followed by a National State of Emergency declared by POTUS on Friday and since then we’ve seen all schools in Montana ordered closed for at least the next two weeks and as of today many counties in the state have ordered that all restaurants and bars be closed mirroring what is happening nationwide. It’s as surreal as it gets but we are hopeful that instituting these measures now will “flatten the curve” and slow the spread and hopefully put us in a better position collectively to move past all of this as soon as possible.

Montana is not currently a Covid-19 hot zone and we don’t expect it to become one, but we will of course keep everyone updated on any changes. It is thought that the big, spread-out nature of Montana can be of benefit when it comes to the social distancing recommended by the CDC.

Following the lead of others, we are instituting immediate changes to our Cancellation Policy for all guide trips and lodging scheduled between now and May 31st, including new bookings.

We will now allow you to make changes to your reservation inside of 30 days without forfeiting your deposit provided you use the deposit to book another trip in 2020. This policy allows you to keep your reservations in place and if illness or travel restrictions prevent you from coming at the last minute you will not be out your deposit. We feel this policy adequately addresses the current issues and we will keep the policy in place for as long as circumstances dictate, meaning if all of this stretches into the summer or fall then we would look at pushing bookings into 2021. All this being said, we do still HIGHLY RECOMMEND Trip Insurance!

Additionally, we want to stress once again that we take extremely seriously the guidelines, advice and directives administered by the World Health Organization, the CDC, Montana DPHHS, Lewis and Clark County Department of Public Health and other involved agencies. We are doing everything in our power to provide for the health and safety of our employees and our customers and will continue to adapt as the situation unfolds.

For the time being know that we are meticulously cleaning and disinfecting the shop regularly and we are taking extra steps to ensure all our rooms are clean, disinfected and germ free. We are currently operating essentially with a staff of one, so I’ve got a pretty good idea of the health of the staff. As business picks up and we start to build up our seasonal crew, monitoring the health of our employees and guides will be of paramount importance and we will not allow any employee or guide to work if they are sick.

As an ode to social distancing for the time being we encourage our customers to call in their shuttles and purchase fishing licenses online and while we’re by no means closing our doors to the public at this point, if you’d like to phone in your bug/leader/tippet etc order, we’ll be happy to meet you curbside. Rest assured, the shop is clean but it’s difficult to maintain the recommended 6 feet distance within our cozy confines.

Thank you for continuing to support us through these uncertain times. We’re looking forward to hosting your social distancing for as long as we need to and really looking forward to coming out on the other side of this hopefully much sooner than later.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-03-16T23:37:02-06:00March 16th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Weathering the Storm

These are no doubt crazy times. It feels like the world has gone mad and unfortunately this time that madness can be felt everywhere…even in Montana.

Many who settle in places like Wyoming and Montana do so to escape the madness and while there are no confirmed cases in Montana, and just one confirmed case in Wyoming at this time, it feels like it’s just a matter of time as cases are obviously on the rise. Just as a matter of housekeeping, you may have seen reports that Montana has one confirmed case of COVID-19 but according to the Montana DPHHS the patient acquired the illness outside of Montana and has not returned to the state since becoming ill.

It’s easy to get sucked in to the doomsday media hype and if you spend too much time listening to those talking heads you’re bound to start to panic sooner or later but that’s obviously the absolute worst thing you can do.

Obviously the markets are reacting to the hysteria and that is not an ideal scenario.

Don’t get me wrong, I am in NO way dismissing the seriousness of the situation but calm must prevail.

I watched the president’s prime-time address last night and I have to say that I didn’t find it particularly calming or reassuring but listening to the analysis afterwards was insane and maddening and disgusting and this gets to the heart of why it’s important to stay informed but why you shouldn’t be seeking information through a partisan filter.

As you would expect, the right said the address was great and the POTUS is doing a terrific job of handling things while the left proclaims he’s botched this from the start. I can’t stand listening to either side.

Here’s what we know. The coronavirus is here and it will likely be something we’re dealing with for a while. Confirmed cases are on the rise due in large part to increased testing and while the increase in cases looks scary the bright side is that the mortality rate is dropping rapidly due to the fact that the more reported cases there are the lower the death rate will be.

This is an interesting take from the Washington Times

We do not yet have a vaccine for the coronavirus but there are common-sense measures we can all take to avoid getting sick. I’ve heard a lot of talk that this shouldn’t be compared to the seasonal flu and that’s fine but the preventative measures are exactly the same. WASH YOUR HANDS!!

From the CDC…

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.
The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Older adults and people who have severe underlying chronic medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness. Please consult with your health care provider about additional steps you may be able to take to protect yourself.
Take steps to protect yourself

Clean your hands often
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Take steps to protect others

Stay home if you’re sick
• Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care. Learn what to do if you are sick.

Cover coughs and sneezes
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
• Throw used tissues in the trash.
• Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Wear a facemask if you are sick
• If you are sick: You should wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. If you are not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then you should do your best to cover your coughs and sneezes, and people who are caring for you should wear a facemask if they enter your room. Learn what to do if you are sick.
• If you are NOT sick: You do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not able to wear a facemask). Facemasks may be in short supply and they should be saved for caregivers.

Clean and disinfect
• Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
• If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

To disinfect:
Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work. Use disinfectants appropriate for the surface.
Options include:
• Diluting your household bleach.
To make a bleach solution, mix:
o 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) bleach per gallon of water
OR
o 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water
Follow manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.
• Alcohol solutions.
Ensure solution has at least 70% alcohol.
• Other common EPA-registered household disinfectants.
Products with EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens pdf icon[7 pages]external icon claims are expected to be effective against COVID-19 based on data for harder to kill viruses. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfection products (e.g., concentration, application method and contact time, etc.)

Common sense right? Get off the panic track and do what you can to avoid exposure to the virus.

So here’s what we’re doing at Wolf Creek Angler in response to the Coronavirus threat…

Disinfecting/Cleaning early and often

We’re taking extra measures to make sure there are no viruses, corona or other, hanging around at WCA. We’re disinfecting often in the shop and you can rest assured that nobody is reporting to work if they are sick.

We are closely monitoring the guidance of the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the spread of the virus. Our focus is to ensure we meet our guest needs while doing our part to keep you, our associates, and our communities safe.

We have enhanced techniques used to clean guest rooms after each stay. We are paying particular attention to high touch point areas, to include room keys, public areas, door handles, locks and latches, light switches, and bathroom fixture handles as well as kitchen appliance handles and controls.

Our guides have been instructed to take extra precautionary measures like wiping down high touch surfaces in vehicles and boats and we are providing hand sanitizer to each of our guides for use by clients as well as the guides themselves throughout the day. Guides have also been instructed that they are not to report to work if they are sick.

If social distancing is major part of avoiding the virus then might we suggest that there is no better place to engage in social distancing than on Montana waters.

We strongly encourage you to limit your intake of doomsday catastrophizing and instead turn to neutral expert sources for information.

Here are a couple we follow closely.

Johns Hopkins University

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Montana DPHHS

Stay informed. Keep Calm and Fish On. We’re looking forward to a great season on the Missouri, regardless of the madness!

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-03-12T17:46:44-06:00March 12th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Uncategorized|Tags: coronavirus, COVID-19, Missouri River, Montana, running line, wash your hands, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Not so fast…

As if on cue, winter is about to make a return coinciding nicely with our recent decision to open additional lodging units to accommodate the increase in traffic spurred by last week’s warm weather.

We had been looking at a full house for the weekend but as it stands now we have ample availability should you decide to tough it out.

Temps look fine this week but it’s going to be breezy today and tomorrow. . We’ll make 50 today and close to it tomorrow but expect gusty winds 11-18 with gusts to 30 today and 18-26 mph with 30+mph gusts tomorrow. Thursday may be your best bet with a high of 42 and winds 5-9 mph.

Winter rolls in on Friday with snow and a high of 34 and then the bottom drops out with lows in the single digits Friday night. We’ll struggle to make it into the teens through the weekend so while I had hoped we were past this (should’ve known better) I guess we’ll be resuming the fight against frozen plumbing! If we can make it through the early part of next week things look to trend warmer beginning on Tuesday.

Maybe not a great fishing weekend but it’s not all bad as another shot of precipitation certainly won’t hurt.

We’re currently looking at 100 to 120 percent of normal snow water equivalent throughout the region which should translate into another good water year on the Missouri.
Updated projections from the Bureau of Reclamation indicate most probable peak flows in the 8K range and summer flows in the 5 to 6K range. Max probable peak at this point looks to be somewhere in the 13K range and minimum probable holds steady around 4K all season long.

So what does that mean for your 2020 season flows? It’s still early to tell but odds are we’ll see some decent volume (not flushing flows by any stretch) early on, leveling off to somewhere in the 6K range for your Prime Time.

Once again, spring rainfall (or lack thereof) can make all the difference in the world but at this point we’re liking what we’re seeing for the Missouri and also liking the fact that current projections indicate a good water year throughout the region and perhaps minimal Hoot Owl restrictions but time will tell.

This is the time of year when most calls to the shop turn from booking trips to inquiring about what the conditions will be for said booked trips. While we’re definitely not experts, from a layman’s perspective it appears as though that volume shift away from early June towards mid-June/early July we saw in bookings in 2019 and in our current bookings was the right call.

In spite of the winter weather hiccup we’re anticipating an early and busy spring season. Half of our lodging units are now open and the rest will follow as soon as the weather permits and the traffic volume dictates.

The word is that Shotgun Annie’s will be opening for the season this Thursday. It’s been a long winter without them being open and we’re super stoked to have them back.

If you decide to sit this weekend out why not take some time and book yourself a spring special guide trip. $400 for a full day for one or two anglers. Book two days on the river and a night of lodging and we’ll throw in a second night’s lodging for FREE!

Spring merch arriving daily by the truckload at Wolf Creek Angler. Stop by the shop and see what’s new.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-03-10T17:53:53-06:00March 10th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Uncategorized|Tags: Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, Montana, running line, Shotgun Annie's, Shotgun Annie's Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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