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Is it too early to talk about fall fishing on the MO’?

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

As far as I’m concerned it’s never too early to talk about fall fishing.

After all, Autumn is creeping in. The days have grown substantially shorter (seemingly all of a sudden), the nights are cool, the green grasses of spring and summer have mostly faded to brown and the leaves are just starting to turn ever so slightly to the red and yellow hues of fall. The branches of the chokecherry trees are sagging under the weight of an bumper crop and it likely won’t be long before the bears arrive for the harvest.

Looking at the water projections we recently received for the remainder of the season the mind wanders far from the 100 degree scorchers we’re about to encounter to the cooler days of fall which lie ahead.

Water levels are projected to hold pretty much where they’re at for the rest of the season (4380 CFS as of this writing) which is as close to perfect as you could ask if you’re a wade angler.

There’s no time like the present to pick up the phone and book your autumn stay. Lodging and prime guide dates are starting to fill up from mid September through late October and by the looks of it it’s going to be a busy fall on the Missouri.

Autumn is probably my favorite season and it’s an absolutely magical time to fish in Montana. There’s nothing quite like the bright blue sky of a chilly autumn day on the water, accented by the brilliant yellow shades of the cottonwood trees.

And speaking of fall colors, there are none quite as striking as those of the spawning brown trout. Streamer fishing anyone?

Good terrestrial fishing, hot nymphing and perhaps the best time of the year for streamer fishing…fall has it all.

A few months from now it’ll all be drawing to a close. Don’t miss out on what could very well be the best fishing of the season.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-08-13T13:45:25-06:00August 13th, 2018|Categories: Montana Fly Fishing, Shop Life|2 Comments

Trico Eat on the Missouri – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

The clock is ticking on Summer 2018.

The streets of Wolf Creek and Craig are relatively quiet. The parking lots at the boat launches are relatively empty.

Rooms are readily available and immediate seating is the rule, not the exception.

Meanwhile, within the churning currents, eddies, seams and slack waters of the Missouri things are not so quiet.

It is here that the cycle of life is being played out daily as trico spinners swarm over the water in a mating frenzy at first light before dying and falling to the surface film where they become like candy to the ravenous pods of trout gorging themselves on clusters of the tiny bugs.

It’s the real deal…a feeding frenzy, and you can find it happening here daily.

Don’t like fishing tiny dries? No problem. Terrestrials are on the menu as well. We’ve been spending a fair amount of time throwing hoppers and have yet to find the magic but they are eating chubbies and ants. Hoppers were plentiful through several sections of the canyon yesterday so keep at it…sooner or later they’re going to eat them.

Overall the fishing has been pretty good with plenty of dry fly opportunities and good nymphing in most of the go to spots. That being said, it is fishing and you’re bound to have an off day here and there so keep those expectations in check and maybe hire a guide to get you dialed in. We can help you with that!

HOT weather is on the way. We’ll see highs near or possibly exceeding 100 degrees on Thursday and Friday but it appears as though more seasonable temps will return over the weekend.

Don’t miss out on the Dog Days of Summer Special all this month at WCA. We’re offering a FREE second night of premium lodging when you book a full day guide trip and a night of premium lodging along with great deals on sportswear, wading gear and rods and reels.

Give us a call at the shop for up to the minute reports and conditions and make us your first stop on your way to the MO’. We are your Missouri River One Stop Shop with everything you need for your time on the water.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-08-07T19:44:49-06:00August 7th, 2018|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, tricos, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Caddis Sunset – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

I overheard some folks at dinner the other night proclaiming that the season is back after apparently having had a particularly good dry fly day, and while I’m not sure it ever really started to begin with it does seem as though things are coming into shape….just in time for the late summer lull.

There are bugs (tricos a plenty, lingering PMD’s and caddis in the evening). The water is perfect for wading (right around 5K and holding) and most importantly, there are pods of rising fish.

It’s happening much later than what it usually does but better late than never!

As luck would have it the summer traffic cycle has been normal. Prime Time traffic is over but Prime Dry Fly Fishing has just begun.

The boat ramps are quiet (relatively speaking), there’s an abundance of lodging and guide availability and the river is calling.

As if that weren’t enough, starting tomorrow we’re running our Dog Days of Summer Lodging and Guide Trip special. For the entire month of August when you book a full day guide trip and a night of premium lodging we’ll throw in a second night of lodging for FREE.

Does it get any better?

Keep in mind prime time usually books out a year in advance. Now you’ve got a golden opportunity to fish prime conditions on the Missouri at a huge cost savings with a last minute call.

We can’t make any promises about the fishing. It’s been good these past several days and hopefully will continue to be but there are no guarantees. The conventional wisdom is that tricos will continue through the month of August. PMD’s are all but done but terrestrials are about to become a major player. Caddis activity has been somewhat sporadic but is always a possibility.

Will we see epic dry fly days throughout the month of August? Time will tell. I expect we will see some good days and some not so good days, as always.

Give us a call today to book your Dog Days Special. You’ll have the potential for some awesome Trico fishing and there is no better month to fish hoppers on the Missouri. Some of our biggest browns of the season are always caught on hoppers. I haven’t even mentioned the nymphing since most of the focus seems to be on top right now but should you want to fish the bobber you’ll likely do just fine.

Best bets for nymphing right now include Little Green Machines, Weight Flies (gold or purple), Tung Darts, Psycho Mays, PMD and/or Rusty Magic Fly, Black Zebra Midge, PMD Redemption, Purple Lightning Bug, WD 40’s, Soft Hackle PT jigs, Red Headed Step Child, Dark Peep Show, Doc’s Summer Bug, Nitro Caddis Pupa, Pulsating Caddis Pupa, 2 Bits and various crayfish patterns (Claws R, Snapping Cray, Zirdle etc.)

Best Dries- Indicator Spinner Trico, Hi Vis Trico Spinner, RS2 Trico, Drowned Trico, Barr’s Trico Emerger, Trinas Hi Vis Sprout Black, Bloom’s Parachute Caddis, Outrigger Caddis, CDC Caddis Emerger, X Caddis, Front End Loader and your grass hopper or ant of choice. We like More or Less, Moorish and White Cloud hoppers just to name a few.

It’s also time to take advantage of the best deals of the season on Simms sportswear during our Annual Summer Sale. 25% – 30% off men’s and women’s sportswear from Simms, Ouray and more.

This could be the best August we’ve seen in years. Will you be here for it?

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-08-01T21:19:57-06:00July 31st, 2018|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: brown trout, caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, running line, simms, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Dog Days on the Way

As we look towards wrapping up this last week of PRIME TIME on the Missouri it’s time to plug our annual Dog Days of Summer Guide Trip and Lodging Special happening all throughout the month of August.

Beginning August 1st, one week from tomorrow, book a full day guide trip and a night of lodging and your second night of lodging is on us.

It’s no secret that August is traditionally a very slow time on the Missouri as far as angling traffic is concerned. The Prime bug events have come and gone and people are starting to look towards autumn outings despite the fact that tricos tend to last through most of the month and August is prime time for hopper/terrestrial fishing.

This being the case it has made sense for us to offer an extra incentive during the late summer to try to draw in more business. What’s different this year though is that since everything got off to a later start with the high water we’re still holding out hope that the best dry fly fishing of 2018 is yet to come.

It’s the perfect culmination of thinning crowds and ever improving fishing conditions. Throw in free lodging and you’d be absolutely crazy not to make a late summer trip to one of the best dry fly rivers in the nation.

We’re still doing early starts to beat the heat so why not arrive the night before your trip and relax. Get a great night’s sleep and save yourself the morning drive. Your guide awaits…just a few steps from your door.

Spend a gorgeous summer day on the water with your guide and then return for another night of relaxation at Wolf Creek Angler. The sun and the heat (and all that fighting fish) will take it out of you and you probably won’t feel like doing much of anything after your trip. You definitely won’t feel like driving home so kick back on the deck and relax after a great meal at Shotgun Annies, The Oasis, Izaaks or The Trout Shop Cafe. Share your stories from the day over a cocktail or two with the other guests or venture out on your own for an evening of hunting heads.

It’s an awesome time of year to avoid the crowds of primetime and there’s no reason you couldn’t stumble into a spectacular fishing day. You just never know.

Prepare for the challenges of the season, embrace those challenges and you’ll have a great day

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-07-24T21:01:59-06:00July 24th, 2018|Categories: Montana Fly Fishing, Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: Dog Days of Summer Special, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

photo by Sam Casne

Here we are, well past the mid point of July. Summer is almost a third of the way behind us but in some respects it feels like we’re still waiting for the season to get rolling.

The early morning/late night rental boat marathon is behind us. Our Delaware River contingent has all but disappeared and now we’re reaching the point in the season where typically the Dog Days would soon be upon us. Will that be the case this year? Only time will tell.

This strange season continues to perplex. We had been anticipating some phenomenal dry fly action once the water dropped. The water has dropped. The dry fly fishing has been shy of phenomenal. There are bugs (Trico Madness, evening Caddis and some PMD’s still hanging around), there are fish rising to well presented offerings but overall I would say the dry fly fishing has been on the mediocre side.

The targets seem to be few and far between most days and there are no shortage of dry fly anglers out scouring the river looking for them so it’s been challenging to say the least but if you happen to get there first and you are on your game you will indeed enjoy the Missouri River Dry Fly Experience. More targets would be great, fun for all! In the meantime start early, stay late and don’t overlook the heat of the day.

Will we get our phenomenal dry fly fishing? We’re still hoping so. It could happen any day!

On the flip side nymphing remains the path to numbers. The action on the Zirdle/Sow combo has finally started to slow down but you’d do well to at least give it a go before swapping bugs. Believe it or not there are still a few fish out there who haven’t gotten their fill. Give it a good 30 minutes or so in water you know should be productive and if it isn’t happening swap it out. A good second string has been the purple weight fly trailed with a green machine. Redemptions, S & M’s, 2 Bits and Split Case (all of the PMD variety) have also been effective.

River traffic has dropped off, as is typical for this part of the season, so with what we’ll continue to hope is just a delay in the peak of the dry fly fishing, it could be the perfect opportunity to enjoy solitude and great dry fly fishing on the Missouri. And don’t forget….hopper fishing is coming SOON.

Lodging is pretty well booked up for the rest of the month but there are some holes we’d like to fill. Please call for availability. Once we hit August things drop right off so you’ll have no trouble booking a room. That being said, I think many have started to look towards fall as mid September through November is starting to fill up. Make those fall fishing plans sooner rather than later and give us a call to make sure we can get you rooms and guides for your preferred dates.

Summer rolls on. Get out here and enjoy it while it lasts. Wolf Creek Angler is your one-stop shop for everything Missouri River Fly Fishing and beyond. Affordable lodging, the best guides on the river, Adipose Drift boat rentals, shuttles bugs and so much more.

Remember, we are your exclusive source for Montana Project Healing Waters Adipose drift boat rentals available to all active duty military and vets FREE OF CHARGE each and every day. We are so blessed to have so many brave men and women willing to serve and we feel honored to be able to provide this service for all of you.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-07-19T18:18:56-06:00July 19th, 2018|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

The Blur

Finally it truly feels like prime time.

It’s not the dropping flows (though this has certainly helped matters).
It’s not the evening caddis splattering against the windshield (though this is part of it).

It’s not the emergence of the much anticipated tricos.

It’s not the increase in the number of vehicles parked at the pullouts indicating the return of the wade anglers.

It’s not traffic shift to the dry side of the fly bins.

It’s a little bit of all of this but the real reason we know it’s now prime time is that we’ve completely lost track of the days which have begun to run together into “the blur” of prime time.

Early morning launches and late night take outs of the rental fleet are the main contributors to the blur and despite our best efforts to stay on top of things we’re never quite sure exactly what day it is. At this point it really doesn’t make a difference as long as we keep track of who is floating where at what time.

The blur is when we hit our stride and autopilot kicks in. Somehow the boats get launched and picked up, the guide lunches get ordered, the guests check in and the guests check out, the rooms are cleaned, the fly bins are stocked, the lawn and the plants get watered, the grass gets cut, the boats get washed, the fill in orders get placed….and on and on it goes like a well-oiled machine, at least most of the time.

Unlike some of the other shops who have an army of employees, we run extremely lean at WCA. It’s just Zach and myself full time at the shop with John picking up the slack and our awesome housekeeping crew doing their best to make us look good behind the scenes. And speaking of working behind the scenes, if it weren’t for my amazing wife Sheila, the bookkeeping side would be in complete chaos so guides and other seekers of payment, if you see Sheila thank her for the tremendous job she does in addition to her day job.

Prime Time days often consist of launching boats at dawn well before the shop is open, handling the morning rush, tending to the day to day and ending the day chasing boats at dark. It’s not unusual to work from sunup to sundown during the blur and then the next thing you know it’s August and there’s nothing to do (comparatively speaking).

Yes, it’s good to be back in The Blur. It’s been a long time coming this season…better late than never.

It’s dry fly time on the MO’. Flows have dropped to 7220 CFS as of this writing and wading has become a real option though it’s still bigger than what you’re probably used to so use extreme caution.

We’re on the tail end of PMD’s and the front end of Tricos with plenty of Caddis action in the evenings. Terrestrials are technically in play all summer long but ants and hoppers will soon become a staple. You can still chase bobbers if you want to as nymphing is always a great option but you can also ditch the bobber and go with the Dry /Dropper, a summer favorite on the Missouri.

Most (though certainly not all) will retire their streamer sticks for the next few months. Some of us refuse to give up and will always leave that option on the table.

We hope to see you soon at Wolf Creek Angler, your one-stop-shop for everything Missouri River Fly Fishing. Lodging, guides, drift boat rentals, shuttles and a shop full of everything you could possibly need for fly fishing the Missouri and beyond. Come check out the best Missouri River Fly Shop you never knew was here.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-07-11T19:24:31-06:00July 11th, 2018|Categories: Shop Life|1 Comment

PMD’s are what’s on the menu. Stop by Wolf Creek Angler for the widest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

The folks at the Bureau of Reclamation have made good on their promise to decrease flows, so much so that we’re currently sitting at 12,000 CFS. Remember it was just one week ago that we were bumping up against 20,000 CFS. A significant drop to say the least and one which has brought us the return of drift boat rentals (including the Project Healing Waters boat as of now) and a renewed optimism following a tough month of big flows and a lot of phone and email conversations having to do with high water.

The fish have begun to expand their diets to include the abundant PMD nymphs now mixed in with the sowbug smorgasbord which defined spring fishing in 2018.

PMD’s are hatching and dry fly fishing, while still a long way from prime, is becoming a real possibility with each drop in the flows and each passing day.

We’re just over a week out from the Summer Solstice….the longest day of the year which, consequently, means that, depressing as it may be, the countdown to winter will soon be underway. The clock is ticking on your 2018 season.

Traditionally we are in the thick of the grind by this point in the season but it seems the grind will be delayed this year. Don’t get me wrong, things are abuzz at WCA. Our lodging is running near capacity as you would expect in June and we’ve been busy in the shop most mornings and have been nearly overrun on more than a couple of occasions.

All that being said, things seem a little quiet on the MO’.

There are definitely folks around but there hasn’t been much waiting at the boat ramps and you can usually find a table or at least a seat at the bar on any given night at all of our local watering holes and restaurants. This isn’t typically the case in June.

It’s true that other waters around the state are coming into shape so that could account for some of it but for whatever reason traffic is down so you couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to come out and enjoy a bit of relative solitude on what is arguably one of the best fisheries in the country, if not the world.

The forecast looks good for dry fly fishing to improve daily. There are bugs hatching and the fish are starting to key on them. PMD’s and Caddis are the game and the long- dormant dry fly bin has finally started to get some attention.

Some suggestions for your dry fly arsenal….

PMD’s – Snowshoe Emerger, Greg’s Para Emerger, Nyman’s DOA Cripple PMD, Helen Keller PMD, PMD Flash Cripple, Brooks’s Sprout PMD, Hi Vis PMD, Rusty Spinner.

Caddis – Blooms Para Caddis, Outrigger Caddis, CDC Caddis Emerger, Jake’s Hi Vis Caddis, Cornfed Caddis, Front End Loader.

Essentials – Parachute Adams, WCA Trude, Purple Haze, Rocky Mountain Mint, Blooms Stealth Ant, Cinnamon Flying Ants, Buzzball.

Still chasing bobbers? Try tailwater sows, Split Case PMD’s, PMD and Rusty Magic Fly, PMD Redemption, Psycho May, S & M, Wondernymph, Weight Fly (purple or gold), UV Czech Caddis, Nitro Caddis Pupa, Tung Dart, Peep Show, PT’s , Lightning Bug (purple), Zirdle.

Streamer fishing seems to have fallen off a bit but with the water on the drop there’s an abundance of water back in play which had been negated by the higher flows. Many have moved on from streamers considering dry fly fishing is a real option so it’s an excellent opportunity to hit those spots you’ve been waiting all spring for. Sparkle Minnows, MK Ultras, Dirty Hippies, Circus Peanuts, D & D’s, Gongas, Dungeons….throw the ones you like, the fish like them too.

The water is expected to continue to drop barring any extended precipitation events and if the most probable outlook shown below comes to fruition we’re in for an awesome season with near perfect water conditions.

Near Perfect Water Conditions

The water is dropping, the sun is shining, the bugs are hatching, the fish are eating…life is good on the Missouri.

We hope you’ll join us for Prime Time on the Missouri River.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-06-12T19:22:38-06:00June 12th, 2018|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, pmd's, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Missouri River Awesomeness Underway

2018 has proven to be a new experience for me in the world of Missouri River Fly Fishing.

Higher than average flows have presented challenges we’ve not had to deal with thus far at Wolf Creek Angler. Not really fishing challenges mind you but shop challenges which require a bit more creativity and finesse and faith.

The high water fishing challenges are easy. Longer rigs and more split shot make the world go round. That doesn’t do much for the Dry Fly crowd but they’ll get theirs soon enough. The flows will come down and the dry fly fishing will happen but it’s the promise of the future that really has us stoked following the scouring we’ve gotten this spring. Flushing Flows for sure!

Unfortunately shop challenges are not as easily met. We’ve muddled through however and it feels like the worst is behind us. Sure we’re still getting plenty of calls about the flows and we’re still having to have the unpleasant discussions pertaining to cancellations but as of yesterday it’s all starting to feel better. Pair this with the return of a full house of lodging and some very busy mornings in the shop and everything seems right with the world again.

Granted we may see some precipitation which could slow the drop in flows but yesterday’s notice from the Bureau of Reclamation that the peak inflow into Canyon Ferry Reservoir from the snowmelt runoff has occurred in the Upper Missouri Basin was sweet music to our ears. Yesterday’s 1000 CFS drop will be followed by another 1000 by tomorrow afternoon. It’s doubtful they’ll continue with such drastic decreases but it’s definitely on the drop and we will keep you posted on what we’re hearing is coming.

The fog of high water trauma has lifted. I can’t help but think that we’ll be renting out drift boats again soon (15,000 cfs) and look for the Project Healing Waters boat to be available before long as well (12,000 cfs).

As you would expect, the big drops tend to have a temporary adverse effect on the fishing which has been widely reported as off the charts as of late but which slowed a bit yesterday.

Obviously nymphing is going to continue to be the game for the time being but that dry fly light at the end of the tunnel you see…that’s PMD’s coming soon! Accordingly you should start adding PMD nymphs to your arsenal. We like the PMD Magic Fly, Split Case, Crack Back, PMD Wondernymphs, Doc’s PMD, Superflash PMD’s and PMD S & M’s (amongst many more). Worms and sows are still the staple and will be for the near future but we would definitely recommend getting some mayfly nymphs in the mix. Green Machines, Psychomays and PT’s could be the ticket.

As the flows recede you could do worse things than throw a streamer. Heavy sink is the key for the time being. Get it down fast and give it some life. The target zones will begin to expand and if you hit it on the right day (preferably overcast) you may just stumble into some excellent streamer fishing over these next couple of weeks. Olives, whites, naturals, black…..try the ones you like and see what happens.

Rooms and guides will be a little harder to come by from here on out but there’s been enough shuffling of the schedule that you’ve still got a good shot at both so give us a call today to book your Missouri River fly fishing trip of a lifetime.

Stop by the shop on your way to the river for everything you need for your day on the water. Shuttles, ice, licenses, sun protection, wading gear, rods, reels, rain gear, tools and accessories, lines, leaders and tippet a plenty, tons of split shot and of course the largest selection of bugs ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

We hope you stop in no matter where your are fishing but if you’re starting at Holter Dam or Wolf Creek Bridge you’d be foolish to go anywhere else. We are closer to these launch sights than any other shop. Come discover the best Missouri River Fly Shop you never knew was here.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-06-05T19:20:59-06:00June 5th, 2018|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

5/22/18 Status Quo on the MO’

With much more of May behind us than ahead of us and just a month to go until the official start of summer things have settled into a biggish water groove here on the Missouri River.

We did hit that 15K CFS mark last Saturday and it looks like we’ll hold there (give or take) for the foreseeable future. We did make the call that day that drift boat rentals will not happen at 15K or more. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused over the weekend or may cause for the weeks ahead. The safety of our customers is our number one concern when it comes to boat rentals and we’d much rather pass on the rentals than have any of our clients get into trouble out there. Not that something drastic happens on the water at 15K that isn’t happening at 14,500K but you have to draw the line somewhere.

That being said we would be more than happy to book you with one of our guides for an awesome day on the water. Our guides are out there every day and know the water better than anyone. They know where it’s safe to drop anchor and where it’s not and more importantly…they know where the fish are and they will do everything they can to put you on them.

Fishing has been good and will continue to be from here on out. It’s never a given but suffice it to say that we’ve had many more good days than bad as of late. Nymphing has been where it’s at though we have done a few streamer trips as well with moderate success most days.

The year of the Tailwater Sow continues and judging by the empty sow bug bins in all of the shops it’s time to find the next HOT bug. Stick with worms (we like firebead steelies and Fish Finders) and don’t get stuck on the one bug mentality. It may seem like #14 Tailwater Sows are the ONLY thing that’s working but there are all kinds of sow bug patterns and despite the fact we are often humbled by these fish they really aren’t THAT smart or that discerning. Show them something similar and they’ll likely eat it. Or show them something completely different and you just might be surprised.

Other good bets from the nymph bins right now include Rainbow Czechs, Tan UV Czechs, Pink Amex, Firebead Rays, Soft Hackle Sows, Purple Lightning Bugs, Pill Poppers, UV Crush, Tung Darts, weight flies, Little Green Machines, Psycho Mays, Bubbleback Emergers, Peep Shows, Split Case BWO’s, Micromays, Zebras and straight up old school Pheasant Tails.

Dry Fly action has been sporadic at best. There are bugs. There are always a few fish rising but they seem to be few and far between. Don’t count on making a day out of it.

Streamer Fishing continues to have its moments but you’ve got to know what you are looking for water wise and you have to have the right line to get down fast. The higher flows haven’t made for the best streamer fishing but as always we encourage you to keep at it. It’s totally worth your while!

Need a new streamer line or a whole streamer set up? We’d love to walk you through your options and get you set up with what works best for you.

Following an extremely busy Caddis Fest Weekend things have quieted down considerably this week. We’ve got plenty of lodging available through the weekend though we’ve been busy with bookings this morning so don’t wait too long.

What better way to spend the UNOFFICIAL start of the summer season than a fly fishing getaway to the Missouri River? The small streams opened last weekend and while I did see a few folks trying their luck on the churning muddy waters of the LPP your best bet for clean, fishable water and lots of hungry trout is without a doubt, the Missouri.

Dawn is coming earlier each day which has led to some earlier starts but there still aren’t many on the water before 8 am. We’re open daily at 7 am, earlier than most, for everything you need for your day on the water. Shuttles, ice, sun protection, rain gear, wading gear and the biggest and best bug selection ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-05-22T21:48:20-06:00May 22nd, 2018|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Book your Missouri River trip of a lifetime today.

The busy spring season is now fully upon us and while there have been some challenging days out there you can rest assured that there are plenty fish being caught. We’ve been getting a lot of calls about the river flows and where they might be headed and many are wondering, understandably so, what effect these bigger flows are going to have on the fishing.

Here’s what we know.
At the time of this writing flows below Holter continue to hold at 12,400 cfs which is where they’ve been for the last couple of days. Water temperature continues to climb and is currently just over 46 degrees.

We have received notice that flows will be increased this afternoon and again tomorrow afternoon to control the rate of fill at Canyon Ferry which is currently 70 percent full.

Snow pack for the Missouri mainstem remains at around 125% of average. There is some rain in the forecast for the next couple of days but cooler temps will go a long way in slowing the snow melt.

So what does this all mean for your Missouri River fly fishing plans?

Here are some answers to FAQ’s.

How’s the fishing? Fair to good. The majority of the fishing is happening between Holter Dam and Craig right now. Nymphing is by far your best bet. Some days its ON, some days it’s a little tougher. Some who are fishing on their own have had a tough go of it, some have had exceptional days. As you would expect guided anglers have had more success overall than those fishing on their own but guided or not, the majority of the traffic has been and will continue to be between the dam and Craig. The water between the dam and Little Prickly Pear is of course the cleanest which would explain the traffic jams happening on occasion up there. Don’t be afraid to launch at Wolf Creek though as there is plenty of good water between Wolf Creek and Craig. At these flows you can cover that stretch fairly quickly with plenty of time to go up and do the dam to Wolf Creek for the second half of your day. Don’t tell anyone about this sneaky move! Tailwater sows, Pill Poppers, Wire Worms, Caviar Scuds, Pink Amex, Rainbow Czechs, Grey Little Green Machines…pretty much the same stuff you’ve been running for the past couple of weeks. All available now at Wolf Creek Angler. Some are running short, more are running long with more weight than they want to but it’s all about adjusting to the conditions. Keep this in mind, act on it and you should do just fine.
Is there any wade fishing? Some. Not a lot. Fishing is definitely best done from a drift boat these days but there are a few guys wading out there. Should you decide to wade please use extreme caution and don’t try to wade out too far. Keep in mind while you may think you need to get out further look at what the guys in the boats are doing. More often than not they’re hugging the banks and fishing out to the same water you’d be fishing to from your wade spot. We aren’t expecting ideal wade conditions this spring. Think summer!
Is it worth coming out? Absolutely it is. If you made plans ahead of time to fish in Montana in May then the Missouri is the place to be. The clean water flowing from Holter Dam and the awesome trout population make the MO’ THE place to be no matter the flows.
What will the flows be in June? We don’t know. There are many variables, most of which have to do with the weather. Temps and amount of precipitation are key. The graph below is what the experts expect….we’ll go with that for now.

5. Do you have amazing Missouri River Fly Fishing Guides and clean and affordable lodging available for prime dates? Why yes, yes we do. It just so happens that we’ve had a few prime dates open up with some of the most sought after guides on the river. Give us a call at (406)235-4350 or drop us a line at info@wolfcreekangler.com to see what we can do for you.

It’s going to be a good, long season here in Montana and we’d love for you to be here. We understand and appreciate your concerns about the water and we encourage you to give us a call if you would like to talk about it. The bottom line at this point is that wading is not going to be optimal, at least not for the immediate future but if you don’t mind fishing from a boat we are of the opinion that you’re in for great times on the Missouri this spring. Green hills, blue skies, sunshine and hot fish…does it get any better?

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-05-09T20:59:59-06:00May 9th, 2018|Categories: Uncategorized|1 Comment

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