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Sunny and cold today on the MO’. Normal November weather.

We’ll see a warm up tomorrow with daytime temps climbing back into the 50’s for the remainder of the weekend and into next week. Not normal November weather but you may as well enjoy it while it lasts.

Fishing reports from yesterday were a mixed bag and with nobody out there to speak of the sample size is on the small side but generally speaking it sounds like you had to work for them.

A few reports of decent dry fly action but most are nymphing and/or chucking streamers right now. It sounds like both the nymphing the streamer fishing were on the slow side.

Similar weather/water conditions our there today so I would expect a similar result though it could very well return to the glory of the past few weeks. You won’t know unless you go.

Water temps continue to descend slowly and are hanging right around 49 degrees currently with flows just shy of 3700. Not bad conditions by any stretch but definitely a transition phase as the fish start to make their move into the slower winter water.

They aren’t there yet but I would concentrate my efforts on the medium fast, medium depth water in close proximity spending a fair amount of time at the top and bottom of some of those traditional winter runs. They are headed that way and you will likely find them concentrating in some of those areas. And that’s not to say you shouldn’t fish the slow stuff. We’ve been picking fish up in some of that water as well, but they definitely aren’t stacked in the winter water at this point.

Stick with the sow bug/scud combo or maybe try throwing a worm in the mix. Firebeads wouldn’t be a bad call either.

If you’re going to throw streamers try to concentrate your efforts in the shadows but don’t be afraid of the sun, you’d be surprised how many fish don’t play by those bright sunny day rules.

Best bets for streamers?  JJ Sparkle Minnows, Autumn Splendor, Hot Head Kreelex, Black or Rainbow Dirty Hippy, ZK’s Club Drug in Olive, Dolly Llama in Black/Olive, Space Invaders in Black or Yellow and Circus Peanut in tan or olive.

We’ve got one room left for the weekend and things open up on Sunday. It might be the perfect weekend to take advantage of the nice weather and the winter special – $500 gets you two nights of lodging and a full day guide trip ALL WINTER LONG.

We’re moving to winter hours in the shop next week but remember we are ALWAYS OPEN for lodging and guide trips. Shop hours starting November 20th will be Sunday 8 – 12, closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and open 8-4 Wednesday – Saturday.

If you’re planning on coming out on a Monday or Tuesday  please give us a call at the shop. If it’s nice we’ll more than likely be around. If we’re not, we encourage you to visit our friends down the road in Craig for shuttles and bugs and shop stuff.

Things have definitely gotten very quiet in Wolf Creek as we settle in to our winter routine.

It’s starting to feel a bit more like late fall now with temps in the low 40’s rather than the 50’s and 60’s we’ve been experiencing the last couple of weeks.

A chance of snow today through tomorrow night and lows in the 20’s are par for the course and while we will see a return to above average temps this weekend and into the early part of next week it’s a safe bet winter is starting to take hold.

The snow in the high country is a welcome sight this morning and while we don’t expect any significant accumulations here anytime soon we’d be fine with it.

Fishing remains good though you wouldn’t know it judging by the number of boats on the water. There is plenty of solitude to be found out there right now and some good fishing to boot if you don’t mind the nymphing game. Status quo yet again with sows getting the nod more often than not. Czechs, Rainbow Weight Flies, Amex etc. all serve the purpose as your lead fly but your options are wide open. You can’t go wrong with something in the #12 – #10 range, ideally with a tungsten bead. Drop a Tailwater Sow or something similar or buck that trend and go with a zebra midge or mayfly nymph. Lightning Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, Juju’s, Little Green Machines, 2 Bits, Peep Shows and many more.

Streamer fishing has been on the slow side but definitely good enough to give it a go but then again, when isn’t it?

Dry fly fishing? Pretty sure that ship has sailed but you never know. If nothing else midges are just around the corner!

Looking for a late season fix? We’ve got the best deal on the river. $350 for a full day float trip on the Missouri for one or two anglers all winter long or take advantage of our winter fishing and lodging special – two nights in one of our cozy cabins or bungalows and a full day of guided fishing on the MO’ for just $500. You won’t find a better deal anywhere.

We are your year-round Missouri River fly fishing destination with more on-site lodging than any other shop, the hardest working guide crew on the river and a shop full of everything you need for your day on the water.

Our winter shop  hours will go into effect next week. We will be open Wednesday – Saturday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Sunday 8:00 AM – Noon. Open for lodging and guide trips EVERY DAY. Planning a Monday or Tuesday visit and need shuttles, bugs or other shop stuff? No worries. Our friends down the road in Craig will be happy to help you!

November Browns on the MO’

We’re continuing to take advantage of some extremely mild November weather this week on the MO’. Yesterday saw record highs pushing 70 degrees and it looks to remain unseasonably warm through the weekend and heading into the early part of next week.

Those who are anxious for winter to arrive will be glad to hear that the forecast is calling for colder temperatures and a pretty good chance for some precipitation in the form of snow starting on Wednesday of next week.

Cloudless blue skies and sunshine are not exactly the best for fishing but you can’t help but enjoy it out there right now as you soak up the sun knowing that soon enough you’ll be fighting the elements and battling ice in the guides with cold hands and numb fingers while you continuously reevaluate your decision to float the Missouri on a semi-arctic day.

Don’t get me wrong. We are anxious for some fishier days to arrive and when they do we’ll be out there, regardless of the weather but in the meantime we’ll enjoy what is likely the last gasp of Indian Summer.

And speaking of fishy days, we’ve got no complaints about the fishing this fall. Nymphing has been off the charts most days and while we would certainly benefit from some darker skies the streamer fishing has been good enough to keep us coming back.

Bugs and techniques have not really changed much over the past few weeks. Your best bet for numbers is going to be nymphing a medium to long rig with some sort of sow or scud combo. Tailwater sows, soft hackle sows, Rainbow Czechs, Ninch’s Bubble Yum Scuds, Pink Amex, UV Czechs, Rainbow Warriors, Rainbow Weight Flies….you know the drill. You also might not want to overlook pink or purple lightning bugs, grey Little Green Machines, Dark Peep Shows, Juju Baetis, Zebra Midges and Firebead anything.

Dry Fly fishing continues to be an elusive prospect though nobody would fault you for running a dry dropper rig with an October Caddis or something along the lines of a parachute Adams. BWO’s? So far pretty much a bust this fall but don’t give up….it could happen.

If streamers are your game this is your time. As I’ve stated many times the Missouri is not the best streamer river in the world and bright sunny days are not ideal for streamer fishing but that being said there is no reason you shouldn’t make a serious effort at it. There are plenty of big browns (and bows) willing to chase a streamer and if you cover enough water and are willing to change bugs as necessary you might just find yourself having a great streamer day on the Missouri.

Some like to swing and thoroughly work a piece of water. My preference is to fish from the boat, covering  a lot of water and working the banks and the seams, switching bugs and varying the retrieve until I find something that works. You can definitely catch fish either way and while I know some who measure success by numbers (fish to the net)  even when streamer fishing, I’ve always considered the number of fish moved to be my measure of a successful streamer day. Obviously fish hooked and better yet landed go a long way in making a good streamer day great but moving a few giants should definitely be counted as a success in my book.

JJ Sparkle Minnows, Black Circus Peanuts, Brown or Black Dirty Hippies, Dolly Llamas in Olive/White, ZK’s Ragnar in black, Hot Head Kreelex, Olive/Black Space Invaders and Polar Leeches in various flavors have all been moving fish. We’ve picked up a few in the bright sun but your best bet on the sunny days is to find the banks cloaked in shadows. Trout like to hide in the shadows on sunny days so you should fish them where they are most likely to be and then fish them where you wouldn’t expect them to be because they don’t always follow the rules.

Stop in for all the latest intel on the when/where/how and don’t forget, we are your destination for late fall and winter fly fishing on the Missouri River with more on-site lodging than anyone and a shop packed full of everything you need for your day on the water. Winter lodging rates are in effect now at Wolf Creek Angler.

All is quiet in Wolf Creek this day and while we’re a little surprised we haven’t seen more traffic, especially with such mild weather, it’s par for the course for early November.

We had a surprisingly busy weekend with guide trips and lodging and also had our annual end-of season guide and staff party at Lewis and Clark Brewery which was a great time as always.

These next months will be quiet ones for us with many focusing on filling tags rather than fly fishing and with Thanksgiving just a couple of weeks out the focus will soon shift to the holiday season.

It’s a welcome break for some. A chance to decompress and unwind. A chance to catch up on projects abandoned at the start of the season and a good time to get rolling on end-of-the year busy work while looking ahead to the 2017 season.

That’s all fine and well and we all stand to benefit from the downtime but as far as I’m concerned I can’t wait for the new season to get underway.

We’ll bide our time counting and tying flies, booking 2017 trips, tending to other shop business and doing a fair amount of fishing ourselves as we await the new season and while we’re always anxious for the return of the crowds we understand and appreciate the necessity of a period of rest for the river.

It’s been another record-setting traffic year on the MO’ with things having been fairly busy since sometime around mid March so after nearly eight months of pressure the fish could definitely use the break.

That being said, most do their fishing on the Missouri between the months of May and July and that’s not going to change. Late fall and winter will always provide a much-needed rest for the fishery.

You needn’t feel like you shouldn’t come fish the Missouri during this time because there simply aren’t now and likely will never be that many people interested in fly fishing in Montana during the dead of winter. After all there are plenty of other things to do here during the winter months and there are plenty of warm places you can go if warm weather is high on your list of prerequisites for fly fishing destinations.

If, however, having miles of prime trout water virtually all to yourself sounds appealing and if you don’t mind the likelihood of fishing in cold and snowy weather then late season fly fishing on the MO’ might just be your thing. No crowds, just thousands of hungry trout per mile!

We hope you make Wolf Creek Angler your late season Missouri River fly fishing destination. We’ve got more on site lodging than anyone and we’ve got a fully stocked shop with everything you need for late season success including vehicle shuttles, cold weather gear from SIMMS and KAST and the best winter bugs in the canyon.

Additionally Wolf Creek is the place to be during the late season with the only restaurant and the only gas station/convenience store between Helena and Cascade and all just minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge.

And just to reiterate – the cold will come sooner or later and we’re ready for it,  but in the meantime we are enjoying unseasonably warm weather once again this week  so if the whole late season thing sounds good to you but you aren’t a fan of the cold then this is your time. Rooms and guides ALWAYS available at WCA. Book your late fall getaway today.

Expect plenty of sunshine out there this weekend and not much in the way of cloud cover. Temperatures in the high 50’s and low 60’s make it feel more like early October than the 5th of November and it sounds like we’re going to continue to see above average temps at least through the middle of the month.

We’re all anxious for cold, cloudy days but in the mean time we’re making the best of it and enjoying the mild weather while it lasts.

Nymphing will be your best bet on these sunny days but don’t count out the dry fly fishing. There are definitely opportunities if you know where to look and if you don’t know where to look we’re happy to get you headed in the right direction. It’s not exactly prime streamer weather either but fish eat streamers on sunny days too. You just need to know where to go and where to throw and we’re happy to tell you.

Status quo on the nymph selections. SOW BUGS, SOW BUGS and SOW BUGS. You’ll also do fine with Little Green Machines, Juju Baetis, BWO Magic Flies, Purple or Pink Lightning Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, Rainbow Czechs and a host of other mayfly, scud and sow patterns. We haven’t had a ton of action on the firebeads but it won’t be long.

It’s been another week of great fishing on the Missouri with very little traffic. You should be here. If late starts, frequent hook-ups and little to no traffic sound good you’ve got at least another week or two to experience the best fishing of the fall season on the Missouri. Couple that with $99 winter lodging rates and you’ve got the perfect late fall getaway before the holiday rush begins.

And speaking of that holiday rush….we are loaded up with all kinds of great gift ideas for the fly fishers on your list. Winter wear from SIMMS, WCA Growlers and flasks from Stanley and Hydroflask, ready to fish Redington Path combos, WCA logo gear, Fishpond packs a plenty and much more. Not sure what to get? Wolf Creek Angler gift cards in any amount can be used to purchase absolutely anything we sell. Guide trips, lodging, flies, shuttles…anything and everything we sell.

Look for a huge holiday rod and reel sale coming soon. We’ll be putting together some great combo deals from Loop, Echo, Redington, St Croix, Ross and Nautilus.

Plenty of lodging available for the coming week and guides at the ready. Call and book today to get in on some of the best fishing we’ve seen all season.