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Shift

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The shift has occurred.

Sometime over the last few days LATE season arrived.

The weather is fine. The fishing is really good and destined to get better over the next couple of weeks.

Mornings in the shop are still bordering on bustling, depending on the day.

There are some folks around.

Wolf Creek and Craig have not exactly reached Ghost Town status just yet but there’s definitely a different feel to things this week.

The parking lots at the boat ramps are starting to look pretty empty and post 11 am in the shop has definitely taken on that winter vibe.

This is the time of year we shift gears as we acclimate to shorter days and much less traffic.

It’s the natural progression of the season. It’s not a bad thing. It just takes some time to adjust.

That being said there is no reason you shouldn’t be here right now. Once again, we could be looking at some of the best fishing of the season in the coming weeks so book those rooms and boats and guides….it could be off the charts.

Yes your dining options are dwindling by the day but don’t let that stop you. After all if you’re coming here in late October/early November you’re coming here for the fishing, not the culinary experience.

The Oasis is open Thursday – Tuesday and there are other dining out options if you don’t mind traveling, one of which is the Beef N Bone in Ulm which I went to last night for the first time. It’s definitely a bit of a drive but absolutely worth it. A great steak for sure!

Another option you have any day of the year at Wolf Creek Angler is to bring your own food and prepare your own meals right in your cabin or bungalow. We’ve got full kitchen units with full size refrigerators, microwaves, ranges and access to gas grills. Sure you have to do the work yourself but with darkness arriving earlier every day you’ll have plenty of time for cooking.

The late fall and winter seasons are when Wolf Creek shines. We’ve got the only open restaurant and the only gas station between Helena and Cascade, not to mention the only place to buy daily essentials including an awesome Montana Microbrew selection at the Canyon Store.microbrews

Couple that with a fully stocked, full service Missouri River Fly Shop with lodging available 365 days a year located just minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge and you’ve got your late season fly fishing destination. Why would you go anywhere else?

I’m getting ahead of myself. We definitely have yet to descend into the depths of winter but we hope you keep us in mind as the shift continues.

In the meantime we’ve got a breather today (meaning plenty of open lodging) but things fill up again tomorrow for the weekend though we do have a room or two still available so make that call today.

We hope to see you soon at WCA.

By |2016-10-26T14:49:15-06:00October 26th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|2 Comments

10/25

 

Wolf Creek Angler is Your Missouri River Fall Fly Fishing Destination

Wolf Creek Angler is Your Missouri River Fall Fly Fishing Destination

The forecast says a slight chance of showers between 9 and noon today, otherwise partly sunny. The nice thing about “partly sunny” is that it’s also “partly cloudy” which is exactly what we’re looking at right now. Ample cloud cover, 50 degrees and barely a breath of wind…doesn’t get much better than this.

We may see some sunshine later today and since the forecast is calling for SSW wind at 9-15 mph gusting to 20 I’m confident we’ll see at least that but so be it. There’s no time like the present.

Sunny and breezy is fine for nymphing but you could definitely spend this first part of the day throwing streamers. We would!

Tomorrow looks like it’s going to be another day of near-perfect conditions for fall fishing and while they’re calling for abundant sunshine on Thursday the weekend looks very fishy with a good chance for rain Friday and Saturday.

Again, it doesn’t get much better than this. Fishing is very good and getting better, we’ve got lodging available for the next few days, guides are at the ready and traffic is not going to be an issue from here on out. Why wouldn’t you be here?

Wolf Creek Angler is your Missouri River fall fly fishing headquarters with more on-site lodging than any other shop, the hardest working guide crew on the water and a Missouri River Fly Shop where the focus is on meeting the needs of each individual customer, rather than on how we can get the most customers through the door.  We are people focused, not numbers focused and whether you are staying with us, fishing with us, shopping with us or all of the above it is our mission to serve you in the best way we can and to make your trip to the MO’ a success as defined by you. You have a lot of choices when it comes to Missouri River Fly Shops and there is definitely a shop for everyone. We hope to be yours.

We are the best fly shop you never even knew was here. Stop in soon and see what the buzz is about.

By |2016-10-25T16:15:31-06:00October 25th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Back To It

Glacier National Park never disappoints - photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Glacier National Park never disappoints – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Back in the shop today after a few days doing the annual fall pilgrimage to Glacier country. A great time as always but it’s nice to be back. It doesn’t sound like much has changed in my absence. Fishing has remained solid, especially on the nymphing front while the dry fly guys continue to await the arrival of the bigger baeits and the Streamer set, well, they just keep doing their thing regardless.

Look for partly cloudy skies with high temps in the low 60’s for most of the week. Beautiful October weather on the Missouri.

Water temps continue to drop and are currently in the low 50’s, right where we (and the fish) like them. Flows are holding steady near 3500 cfs. You can always find things to complain about whether it’s too much sun, too much wind, not enough water etc. but being the glass half full types that we are at WCA we’re pretty comfortable telling you that conditions are near perfect for fall fishing on the MO’.

Couple that with abundant lodging vacancies this week and guides looking to fill any days they can before the long, cold winter sets in and you’ve got yourself a perfect late October getaway.

The traffic has died down with many trading their fly rods for firearms so now is the time to come if you want solitude and great fishing with the chance for epic hatches daily.

The best fishing of the season could very well take place during these next three weeks. We hope you don’t miss it!

 

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By |2016-10-25T16:15:31-06:00October 24th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Mid Week Report 10/19

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Good reports from yesterday though we did hear the morning nymphing was challenging, at least in the dam to Wolf Creek section. It sounds like things improved as the day went on however and dry fly reports from the afternoon/evening were encouraging to say the least.

We try hard to not paint too rosy of a picture for you and you can always expect honesty in our reporting on this blog but no matter what happened out there yesterday or what’s happening out there today it might not, and likely won’t be the same tomorrow so we encourage you as always to keep your expectations realistic. That being said, I have no problem saying that overall the fishing is REALLY good right now and that if you were looking for a time to come fish the MO when you would more than likely experience some incredible fishing this would be that time.

The fishing is good and should continue to improve as we head into late October/early November. You couldn’t ask for better weather. Plenty of cloud cover, day time highs in the 50’s and overnight lows in the high 30’s/low 40’s. Ideal conditions for fall fishing. Currently just over 53 degrees, the water temp is creeping downward daily. Cold water, cool temps and cloudy skies….perfect conditions for BWO’s and while we can’t predict the future and won’t attempt to do so, it’s a safe bet that the big bugs will start popping sooner rather than later.

We’ve got a window from Sunday to Wednesday next week with a fair amount of lodging available before things fill up again on Thursday so this would be your opportunity to get in on the action. As we’ve mentioned before, 2016 is turning out to be one of the better fall fishing seasons we’ve seen in a while so we hope you can make it.

Give us a call today and book your Missouri River Fall Fly Fishing Odyssey. We would love to have you as our guest and even if you aren’t staying with us you need look no further than Wolf Creek Angler for everything you need for your day on the water. Vehicle Shuttles, Adipose and RO Drift Boat Rentals, cold weather gear from SIMMS and KAST,  bins overflowing with all of the bugs you need for the MO and much more.

 

 

 

By |2016-10-25T16:15:31-06:00October 19th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

10/18 (No Time Like the Present)

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The secret is out…fall fishing on the Missouri is as good as you had hoped and dreamed it would be….probably even better.

Traffic is up, lodging is full and though it is a super busy month on the MO’ you don’t need to worry about over-crowding. There is plenty of water and there are plenty of fish and while you should expect to see some folks out there you shouldn’t have any trouble finding your water.

Nymphing is crazy good right now. So good that more often than not this last while you have likely come away from the river each evening feeling like you are a better angler than what you actually are…..me too!

Fish are eating right now. They are eating nymphs, they are eating dry flies and despite what you may have heard elsewhere, they are consistently eating streamers. That being said, those who are into the streamer thing are well aware that they could dramatically increase their numbers by switching to a nymphing rig but that’s really not what we’re after.

We get a lot of folks asking what the HOT streamer is and while we do have a few go-to patterns we’re happy to put in your hands we encourage you to spend some time perusing the bins. There’s a lot going on in those bins, a lot to look at. Find the ones you like, picture the way they’re going to swim and picture that 2′ brown on the hunt chasing down that bug. If it’s not difficult to see this scenario in your mind’s eye then you’ve likely found your bug.

We’ll tell you what we know about effective colors and sizes and we’ll tell you what we’ve been catching fish on but ultimately it’s up to you to try to think like a trout and find your quarry.

Sow Bugs of all varieties continue to be by far the most frequently purchased bugs for the past week or so followed by a host of mayfly nymphs. Tailwater Sows (with our without the bead), soft hackle sows in gray or pink, Snack Nasty Sows, Firebead Sows…..I’m not sure it really matters which pattern on most days but #14’s or 16’s are the sizes with which we’ve been doing well.

Green Machines, 2 Bits, Military Mays, Magic Flies, Jujus, Rainbow Czechs, Rainbow Warriors, Peep Shows, PsychoMays, Zebras, Worms…tons of stuff working right now.

Keep your fingers crossed for big bugs and in the mean time keep throwing your Parachute Adams and Tiny Olive Pseudos and CDC Caddis Emergers etc.

We’re here every day for all of your Missouri River Fly Fishing needs and to answer a frequently asked question….we DON’T close for the winter so go ahead and consider us your year-round Missouri River fly fishing headquarters. More on-site lodging than anyone, the hardest working guide crew on the river, a fully stocked fly shop and a staff of two fully dedicated to doing whatever we can to make your experience on the MO’ and beyond a success. We LOVE this place, we know you do too.  And yes,  we do know how lucky we are to be able to live and work in this place doing what we love and loving what we do.

Thank you for making this happen!

 

By |2016-10-25T16:15:31-06:00October 18th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Sunday Update

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Plenty of traffic out there this weekend despite some breezy conditions on the water.

A mixed bag of reports from yesterday with that sow bug bite reportedly dropping off a bit. Mayfly nymphs coming on strong.

It’s on the quiet side here today but still a few folks willing to brave the 30 mph gusts in their quest for Missouri River fall Trout Nirvana.

Rooms turning over  as we welcome the next bunch of guests primed for their week of fly fishing the MO’. It looks like it’s going to be a good one weather wise with winds diminishing and temps holing in the 50’s all week under partly cloudy skies and a chance of showers each of the next several days.

Nymphing and streamers will be preferred for the next while as we wait patiently for the bigger bugs but keep the dry fly rigs at the ready because you never know when it might happen. Start late – end late, evenings have been worth sticking around for.

The transition is underway in Wolf Creek and Craig as we move towards the off-season. The Oasis is currently open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on  Thursday – Monday and last we heard Izaaks will be open Wednesday – Sunday for the remainder of the month. We will keep you posted on the food situation as it changes but as of right now Tuesdays are food free in Wolf Creek and Craig save breakfast and lunch from The Trout Shop deli through the end of October. Just something to keep in mind as you make your plans for late season fishing on the Missouri.

Another thing to keep in mind is that we offer rooms with full kitchens and access to gas grills so that whole no place to eat thing actually doesn’t have to be a problem at all, just bring your own food and dine in.

We are your year-round Missouri River fly fishing destination with more on-site lodging than anyone. We are outfitter owned and operated and able to get you on the water most anytime so hit us with those last minute plans….we would love to have you as our guest. Vehicle shuttles, Adipose and RO Drift Boat rentals, cold weather gear from Simms, Kast and Redington, Loop Rods and Reels and of course, the largest selection of flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

Open daily at 7 AM. Nobody is open earlier!

Welcome October!

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Enjoy the sunshine today. Fall weather in store for the week ahead.

Grab your dry fly rods and streamer sticks and head for the MO’.

We like what we’re seeing in this fishy forecast, you should too.

Make us your Missouri River fly fishing one stop shop. More on-site lodging than anyone, the best guides on the river, RO and Adipose Drift Boat rentals, all of your fall fly fishing essentials from SIMMS, Redington, KAST, Smith, Fishpond, ARC, RIO, LOOP, Ross and many more.

Wolf Creek Angler is your Missouri River Montana fall fly fishing destination!

By |2016-10-25T16:15:32-06:00October 1st, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Missouri River Report: Last Bastion of Summer.

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The calendar says fall, but the last few days on the MO have felt more like summer. With the forecast pulling a crazy-Ivan in the next few days towards the former, I thought it best to hop on board the Adipose with Lakestream Fly Shop Owner and Guide Justin Lawrence when he invited me out for a day of d.f.o (dry fly only) on the lower river before the weather turns south.

Got a late start, per-usual for fishing with a guide on their day off, but once the boat was in the water it didn’t take long to bring a fish to the net. Dry fly fishing in the high sun is impossible according to some folks, we found it to be a little different.  Plenty of fish up tight to the banks, when I say tight I mean yoga pants tight. Shady cut banks, root balls  and scum lines all produced good fish on the surface.

Justin had his heart set on one final big hopper chug  of the year and he got it amidst the clouds of pseudos that enveloped the boat at one point. Strong, violent hatch, then, nada. Few smaller caddis still making their way around, few fish to the boat on the caddis emerger.

Bluebird and close to eighty in the flats. Summer weather for a fall backdrop, dry flies, hot fish & cold beer doesn’t get much nicer than that.

Great day of fishing with a true professional. The man has caught fish in places many haven’t heard of and most never will. For every fish landed, it seemed like Justin was the most excited. If you’re ever in Whitefish and are looking to get out with the best, make sure to check out Justin and his crew at Lakestream Fly Shop.

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From the looks of it the last day of summer has come and gone. Seattle forecast for the foreseeable future. No complaints, moisture is always a good thing. Looking forward to settling into my fall/winter routine. Soup, hot-toddies, trout spey and fly tying.

Still have a few lodging options open for October if you’re thinking of seeing what all the buzz is about. New outer-wear from Simms to keep you dry, so you stay warm. I’m already eyeing the cold weather pants and flannel, we’ve got em in sizes to match any waistband. New flies coming off the vise almost daily, WCA exclusives tied by yours truly and free coffee every morning from now until the end of time. Not to mention the most personable shop on the MO. Stop on in, see what you’ve been missing out on.

~Cheers, Chewy. 

By |2016-10-25T16:15:32-06:00October 1st, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Late September on the MO’

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We’re closing out September with another dose of summer with sunshine and highs approaching 80 for the next couple of days. Fall returns Sunday as we return to more seasonable weather with highs in the 50’s and a chance of rain each day through the middle of next week.

We’re enjoying the sunshine and the fishing has been good but we’re excited for the return of fall weather this weekend. Sunny blue sky days make the fall colors pop….it’s beautiful out there right now. The bad news is the fish don’t like cloudless sunny days so if it’s rising fish and dry flies you prefer next week is looking good. Like dry-fly fishing, streamer fishing gets better with cloud cover so if you like either you should plan to be here next week. If you have no preference and just want to catch fish then you should be here now. Nymphing will get it done, rain or shine and this isn’t to say that you can’t fish dries or streamers on bright sunny days. You can and you should and you will likely encounter some success no matter what your method  if you work hard enough at it.

Having trouble getting it figured out? Stop by the shop and pick our brains. We like nothing better than helping folks get dialed in on the MO’.

Best bets for this week –

Nymphs. Tailwater Sows, Tan UV Czechs, Little Green Machines, Weight Flies in gold or purple, Juju’s, Olive Psychomays, Superflash PTs,  Trina’s BWO Angelcase Emergers, Rainbow Warriors, Military Mays, San Juan Worms, Peep Shows and October Caddis nymphs.

Fish tandem nymphs with a split shot medium to long on depth shortening up and ditching the weight late in the day.

Dries – Sprout Baetis, WCA Trudes, Wilcox’s Micromay BWO, Nyman’s DOA Cripple Baetis, Flash Cripples, Olive Para Adams, Ants, October Caddis, CDC Baetis Emerger, Cripple Callibaetis, Pseudos.

Streamers – Sparkle Minnow, JJ, Late Night Wanda, Dolly Llama, Sundell’s Moss Fire, ZK’s Mercenary, Baby Gonga, Autumn Splendor, Circus Peanut, Skiddish Smolt.

Olives and naturals have been good but don’t be afraid to throw something different at them.Stop by WCA for information overload on effective streamer strategies. We are your streamer specialists on the MO’ and beyond.

Make Wolf Creek Angler your Missouri River Fall Fly Fishing Destination. More on-site lodging than anyone, a hard-working guide crew the number one priority of which  is making your time on the water a success as defined by you and an up and coming Missouri River Fly Shop fully stocked with everything you need including SIMMS sportswear and accessories and the largest selection of flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

We’re the best fly shop you never even knew was here. Open daily at 7 AM. Nobody is open earlier!

Weekend Update

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Fall Colors are Popping in Wolf Creek Montana

Great fall weather and great fall fishing this weekend on the Missouri.

Mostly cloudy and calm this morning. The wind forecast has been dialed back to WNW around 10 mph with a chance for isolated showers throughout the day. It should make for another great streamer day and the dry fly fishing could get really good. You won’t know if you don’t go.

The traffic has been steady today but the river is far from crowded. It’s a perfect week to come out and do some fall fishing on the Missouri. We’ll see temps in the high 60’s and a lot more sunshine this week which isn’t exactly what we want from a fishing perspective but get out and enjoy it while it lasts. It won’t be long before we’re watching the snow fall and dreaming of warm sunny days.

It’s been somewhat of a mixed bag of fishing reports this week with some doing very well, most doing ok and a few having a tough go of it. The consensus seems to be that the dam has kind of shut down after a couple of stellar weeks. As is usually the case after a sustained period of heavy traffic the fish go on hiatus for a while but not to worry. They are still there and it will get good again, hopefully very soon.

In the meantime the water from Wolf Creek Bridge all the way down to Cascade has been productive so spread out and fish the water you like. We’ve been mixing it up each day with nymphs, streamers and dry flies when given the opportunity. Effective nymphs have been all over the board with a bunch of different bugs catching fish but no one in particular dominating the mix. Czechs, Sows, Mayfly nymphs, worms, the occasional cray….we’re using them all right now. Best bets include Olive Psycho Mays, Tungsten Rainbow Warriors, Purple Lightning Bugs, beadless Tailwater Sows, LGM’s, WD40’s, HI-Def Baetis, Tan UV Czechs, Split Case BWO’s, Brown 2 Bits, Olive Micromays, Docs October Caddis, Firebead Rays and Dark Peeps among many others.

We’re having success with a mid length rig generally fished without weight in the medium depth, medium fast to fast water but we’ve heard of folks doing well with both deep rigs and the short leash so fish the rig you like and seek out the water that makes sense.

Dry flies of choice this past week include  Brooks Sprout Baetis, Wilcox’s Micromay BWO, Quickley’s Hackle Stacker BWO, Nyman’s DOA Cripple Baetis, Olive Parachute Adams, Buzzballs and the recently re-stocked, ever disappearing CDC Caddis emerger.

If streamers are your game now you’re talking our language! Dolly Llamas, ZK’s Colonel Kurtz, Purple Kreelex, Olive Mossfire, Sparkle Minnows, Dirty Hippies and brand new arrivals Lynch’s Drunk and Disorderly. We are your Missouri River streamer headquarters with exclusive bugs you won’t find anywhere else and a full range of streamer lines from Airflo and RIO. Stop in and talk streamers with us. We can’t get enough!

We’re open every day at 7 AM for everything you need for the Missouri River and beyond. Lodging, Guides, Shuttles, Drift Boat Rentals and a shop filled with Montana Fly Fishing essentials. Stop in and see what the buzz is about.

We are proud to be your Missouri River Fly Fishing Destination!

 

By |2016-10-25T16:15:32-06:00September 24th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

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