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Weekend Outlook

riverjake

Looks like a nice weekend ahead if you’re planning on coming out to fish the Missouri and if you’re not planning on it you should change your plans. Sunny skies and low 60’s tomorrow and Saturday. Mid 50’s and cloudy with light showers on Sunday, make this your streamer day.

We’ve got plenty of lodging available tonight and Saturday night, just one room left for Friday night though so if you want to make a weekend out of it you should make that call this morning and grab that last cabin.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served Thursday – Monday at The Oasis from 8:00 am – 7:00 pm and each of our units are equipped with full kitchen facilities and barbecue grills if you would prefer to do it yourself.  Be sure and visit the Canyon Store while you are in Wolf Creek for last minute grocery items and an impressive selection of Montana Micro Brews.

How about a Missouri River Guide trip this weekend? Through the end of March $400 gets you a full day on the water for one or two anglers with one of our expert professional guides. The price includes all the gear you need, lunch and refreshments and transportation to and from the river. We’re happy to tailor your trip to fit your needs. Whether you want to work on improving your skills in a certain area or you want to do something a little different like throw streamers or maybe you want to see a section of the river you’ve never floated before or maybe you just want to nymph up as many fish as possible…it’s your trip and we’re ready to do everything we can to make it a great day. We’ve got some of the hardest working most professional  guides on the river and we can’t wait to share our amazing resource with you.  Call and book a trip today.

If you’re just coming out to fish for the day don’t forget to stop by Wolf Creek Angler for everything Missouri River fly fishing. Shuttles, Adipose and RO Drift Boat rentals; great deals on outerwear from KAST and Redington; tools and accessories from MFC, Fishpond, Dr Slick, Umpqua and Loon; leaders and tippet from Rio and Trout Hunter and a bug selection that rivals that of any shop in the canyon. We’re fully stocked on waders and boots from Redington and we are the exclusive dealer of LOOP rods and reels on the Missouri. Stop in soon and see what the buzz is about.

 

 

Welcome March

Winter is rapidly losing its grip.

Winter is rapidly losing its grip.

Our early spring continues here on the Missouri as we enter March with temps flirting with 60 degrees for the rest of this week.

What’s it mean for the coming season? It’s still too early to tell but the Snow Water Equivalent is still looking decent at 91% of average. We’re hoping winter persists in the high country, at least for a while but we’ve started to come to terms with the fact that we may very well have seen the last of winter weather here on the river.

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Those in the know are not predicting any kind of high water event, in fact what’s being predicted is a water year very similar to 2015 with average spring flows holding around 4,000. We shall see. Spring rainfall is the big factor in the water equation so all we can do is wait and see what happens. In the meantime we are enjoying the mild weather, especially on the days the wind doesn’t blow (which are few and far between).

Traffic seems to come in spurts. We were busy in the shop and were full most of last week and even did a few guide trips but things have been pretty quiet this week with just a few guests around. If you’re planning to come out and fish this weekend we’ve got one cabin left for Friday night and two on Saturday. Looking at the forecast it’s likely we will be full so don’t miss out.

Come by the shop and see what’s new. We’ve been receiving a bunch of our spring orders and have some cool new gear from Loop, Redington, Echo, Rio and more. We’ve also got some great deals on winter gear as we make room for the new arrivals including 40% Kast Hell Razor jackets. These are awesome jackets at an unbelievable savings.

Fishing reports have been mixed this week. Some good days, some ok days and some downright slow days depending on who you ask. We’re continuing to target winterish water with winterish bugs for the most part but transition is definitely underway as the water continues to warm up.

Swingers are out in force having varying degrees of success with the two-handed rods while the single hand streamer crowd is also finding some willing players. Keep that retrieve slow for them time being but don’t limit yourself to slow water as the fish have been found in all different depths and speeds of water over the last week or two.

Dry fly fishing is a go, depending on the day. There are midges around and fish on them. Sun and wind conditions will define your day. Stay late as some of the best action has reportedly been just before dark.

We hope to see you soon, in the shop and on the water. We’re open REGULARLY at 8:00 AM Wednesday – Sunday and we’re usually around on Mondays and Tuesdays as well depending on the weather. Look for the seven-day a week shop schedule to start soon and remember we are always OPEN every day for lodging and guide trips. We will likely open more lodging up next week as we’ve had to turn people away on a fairly regular basis. We won’t open the motel units until April but we should have a couple more cabins ready to go very soon.

Stay tuned for updates!

 

Weekend Report

Sunny and breezy in Wolf Creek this morning. Wind will definitely be a factor today if you’re planning to get out there with sustained west winds of 25-28 mph gusting to near 40. Maybe not the most pleasant conditions but kind of part of the deal this time of year.

What would definitely help make it more tolerable would be a Kast Hell Razor jacket. We’ve got plenty in stock and they are priced to move so we can make room for spring arrivals. 40% off now until they’re gone. Don’t miss this opportunity for huge savings on an awesome jacket that stands out from the rest.

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Incredibly lightweight & extremely warm

The Hell Razor is the ultimate in performance and comfort, and the perfect insulating layer or outerweark in colder climates. Utilizing Primaloft 60g ONE insulation allows us to build a jacket that is incredibly lightweight yet extremely warm. There is no other way to describe the Primaloft technology other than magic. Windproof, water resistant, yet highly breathable and thermally efficient, the Hell Razor is our personal favorite and go to jacket for wrestling with big fish or the occasional trip to town.

Features:

  • Windproof and water resistant
  • 60g Primaloft One insulation
  • Highly breathable and thermally efficient
  • Lightweight and compressable
  • Ample zippered storage
  • YKK zippers
  • Fleece lined oversized pockets
The reports from this past week have been mixed but overall it seems to be heating up.
As is generally the case the nymphing has been the best bet to put fish in the net. Pink Amex, Rainbow Czechs, Firebead Soft Hackle Sows, Rainbow Weight Flies, black zebra midges, tailwater sows, pink lightning bugs, Snack Nasty Sows and a host of other pink or firebead patterns. Don’t be afraid to throw some mayfly nymphs in the mix as well. We’re a ways out yet from BWO’s but the fish don’t care, throw em’.
Per usual the majority of the traffic is between Holter Dam and Craig but there have been plenty of people fishing below Craig as well with just as good of results.
The streamer bite has continued to improve and will only get better as we move towards spring. The water temps have been hanging right around 36 degrees and we’ve definitely seen a marked improvement in the fishing over what it was at 32-34 degrees a couple of weeks ago. Fish are moving into transitional water so keep fishing the slow froggy winter water but start working the medium fast runs as well. I wouldn’t expect much from fast shallow water yet but you never know.
I would still recommend a slow retrieve or a swing on the streamers but as that water warms they will start to move for it. Try to vary your retrieve until you find something that works. I’ve been doing a slow retrieve with plenty of pauses and finding that the pause is more often than not when they hit. Best patterns for us continue to be the Polar Leeches in Olive or Copper, Gold or Brown and Yellow Kreelex, ZK’s Ragnar in Black, Olive Skiddish Smolt, various Clouser type patterns (we like Wiese’s Swimming Minnow), Sparkle Minnows and we’ve also heard the JJ Special has been getting some attention.
Tomorrow looks like it’s going to be nice with highs near 50 and a little less wind at 9-13 mph out of the Southwest.  We’ve got a few folks around for the week ahead but plenty of lodging left for just $99/night.
By |2016-10-25T16:15:38-06:00February 20th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Time to book those spring and summer guide trips

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

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

Prime dates are rapidly disappearing. Don’t put it off any longer, book your 2016 Missouri River Fly Fishing trip of a lifetime today.

Lodging is nearing capacity for the months of June and July and it looks like we’re going to have a busy spring as well based on the amount of April and May bookings.

We’ve got a bunch of guide trips already booked for June and early July but don’t despair, it’s not too late. We’ve still got plenty of guides and dates available.

Looking for something a little different? Why not add a little variety to your trip and plan to do a day on the nearby Blackfoot or Dearborn Rivers in addition to the Missouri?

The Dearborn season is early and short, usually just a couple of weeks depending on water levels, but if you can do a late May/early June trip chances are good we can get you on the Dearborn for a day.The Blackfoot offers the same wilderness, freestone experience but with a much wider window of opportunity.

With legendary dry-fly fishing as well as nymphing and streamer fishing, an insane abundance of trout, ease of access and year-round opportunities, the Missouri will keep you coming back time and again but you owe it to yourself to try the quintessential Montana Wilderness fly fishing experience offered by these other rivers. You will likely catch more and bigger fish on the Missouri but you’ll never regret devoting a day to experiencing something so different from the Missouri.

With the Missouri just minutes away and miles of other phenomenal trout waters within easy reach, Wolf Creek Angler is your base camp not just for the Missouri but for Montana fly fishing period.

Many of our guests stay for a week or more at a time and fish the Missouri hard but also venture off to explore the surrounding waters. We encourage you to arm yourself with a can of bear spray and a gazetteer and spend a day or two exploring the blue lines.

The shop of course caters to the Missouri River fly-fisher but we can also get you set up for fishing the smaller waters. We’ve got the rods and reels and lines, the wading staffs and hand nets; the maps and the knowledge and of course the bins full of foam and the BIG DRY FLIES which are a staple of freestone fly fishing and we’re happy to get you pointed in the right direction.

No matter your water preference, we would love to have you as our guest at Wolf Creek Angler this season. Give us a call today and let us help you plan your Montana fly fishing dream vacation on the Missouri River and beyond.

Stop dreaming and start planning. Call the dream vacation HOTLINE at 800-800-4350 and book today.

Mid February on the Missouri

Valentine Sky at Holter Dam - photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Valentine Sky at Holter Dam – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

We’re looking at continued unseasonably warm temperatures, likely for the remainder of the month. Let’s hope for at least one more winter blast in March. In the meantime why not brave the winds and come out and do some February fishing on the Missouri.

We’ve opened additional lodging to accommodate the increase in traffic and we would love to have you as our guest. $99 (plus tax) gets you a cozy cabin or bungalow complete with full kitchen facilities. Stock up on groceries and set up camp in Wolf Creek.

The Oasis Bar is open every day if it’s a taste of Wolf Creek night life you seek but if you’re hoping for dining out options be sure to book your trip Thursday – Monday as these are the days they are serving breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Oasis from 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM. Once again, with lodging equipped with full kitchens and barbecue grills you don’t need to worry about dining out during your stay with us.

Need a boat? No problem. Wolf Creek Angler features RO Drift Boats for rent including the Tailwater Skiff and Deville. Better yet, leave the rowing to us and book a winter guide trip for just $400.

We’ve had a few trips out and a bunch of people staying with us the past couple of weeks making it feel like the 2016 season is getting underway. Sure there are still some quiet days in the shop but we’ve had plenty of busy mornings and we keep busy throughout the day running shuttles, cleaning rooms, adding inventory for spring and booking guide trips and lodging.

We invite you to swing by and check out our new selection of rods and reels from LOOP Tackle as well as a bunch of great gear from KAST Extreme Fishing. Why not treat yourself to a pair of Kast Steelhead gloves and a Kast Hell Razor jacket? It’s awesome gear and definitely stands out from the rest. Deals to be had at Wolf Creek Angler as we make the transition to spring gear.

The shop is open REGULARLY Wednesday – Sunday at 8:00 AM and we’re usually around on Mondays and Tuesdays as well if the weather is fishy. Call ahead if you have any doubts but you’ll see the OPEN sign ON from the northbound Interstate as you approach the Wolf Creek Exit. If you don’t see the sign on we encourage you to continue to Craig and visit our friends at The Trout Shop or Headhunters. It all depends on the weather but we will likely go to a 7 day schedule starting sometime in March.

Keep in mind we are open EVERY DAY for lodging and guide trips, it’s only the shop that is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

We hope to see you in the shop this week. We’ve got you covered with shuttles, bugs, cold weather gear, the biggest and best streamer selection ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana and much more.

Valentine’s Weekend Outlook

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The spring weather continues and the migration to the Missouri will be in full effect this weekend as people from all around the state take advantage of the opportunity to leave winter behind and get an early start on spring fishing. The Missouri River is without a doubt the hottest fishing destination in Montana right now.

It’s been our busiest lodging week of the season so far and the shop has been abuzz daily with folks getting shuttles and stocking up on flies and other Missouri River essentials.

We’ve got one cabin left for the weekend and we expect it will be gone by lunchtime. It’s not exactly the Honeymoon Suite but it would still make a great place to spend your Valentines Day weekend with your significant other. Throw in a $400 Missouri River Guide Trip or do it yourself with a RO Drift Boat rental and watch the romance bloom!

Wolf Creek Angler Lodging Options

Nothing says Love like a new fly rod, particularly a new LOOP Cross S1 or Opti Stream fly rod and reel to match. If you are in the market for a new rod be sure to stop in and check out our new expanded selection from LOOP, ECHO, ST CROIX and REDINGTON along with reels from ROSS, LOOP, NAUTILUS and more including the acclaimed BEHEMOTH reel from Redington, an awesome value at $110.

Valentine Deals to be had store-wide.

Wolf Creek is the nexus of Missouri River winter fly fishing with the only OPEN restaurant and the only gas station/convenience store between Helena and Cascade. Pair that with an up and coming Missouri River fly shop and guide service offering clean and comfortable rooms complete with full kitchens all minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge and you’ve got yourself a Montana winter fly fishing destination like no other.

Expect a fair amount of traffic at the dam this weekend and don’t be afraid to spread out as we’ve been hearing decent reports from the dam down to Mid. I wouldn’t hesitate to go even lower, the fishing should be fine, we just haven’t heard much from the lower stretches as of yet.

Stop in for up-to-date info on the what to use when and where.

Missouri River Mid Week Fishing Report

Hungry Browns are on the Move. photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Hungry Browns are on the move. photo by Wolf Creek Angler

It’s not just the weather that’s been heating up this week. With temps in the 60’s and the water temp on the move upwards of 36 degrees the fishing, specifically streamer fishing, has really started to come on.

Nymphing has been good with fish starting to move into the more transitional water which is just a little bit faster and perhaps a little bit shallower than what we’ve been concentrating on for the past couple of months. Pink continues to rule, typically paired with some kind of firebead but tailwater sows and soft hackle sows are definitely coming into their own with zebra midges also getting some love.

Don’t switch things up too much – it’s still basically winter water you want to target using winter nymphs but it’s also time to start throwing some different bugs into the mix. Mayfly nymphs and the aforementioned sow bugs and zebra midges should definitely be part of your arsenal as the water warms up a touch and the fish start to move.

The streamer fishing has definitely been getting better and while we haven’t had any days where it was absolutely lights out, we’re definitely getting enough action to continue to devote some time to the swing/strip. I spent a couple of hours on Monday throwing the Olive/Copper Polar Leech and boated a nice brown just a few casts in followed by a few tugs and a few chases over the next couple of miles. Again, certainly not lights out – but definitely enough action to keep me interested.

Polar Leech in Brown or Olive/Copper, Kreelex in various flavors, assorted Clouser style bugs and black leech patterns have all been getting noticed. Don’t be afraid to experiment, maybe even try two bugs at a time. A slow but steady strip was getting it done for me but many have been getting them on the swing as well.

We’ve been targeting that same transitional water with the streamers but also working the super slow stuff and moving some fish. I’ve also heard of a few  people picking them up in some faster water but you still want to work those bugs slowly. River flows are holding right around 3700 and the water temp will hit 36 today and may gain another degree or two this week with highs near 60 and lows in the 40’s for the next several days.

The word is definitely out and there has been an increase in traffic this week though there is still plenty of solitude to be had. We opened some additional lodging today to keep up with the demand so if you’re thinking of coming out we should be able to accommodate you. $99 gets you a comfy room with a full kitchen which is critical if you happen to be here on Tuesday or Wednesday when the kitchen at The Oasis is closed. They are serving breakfast, lunch and dinner Thursday – Monday but the other two days you’re on your own. Bring food and put that kitchen to good use and feel free to use our barbecue grills as well if you so desire.

How about a $400 Missouri River Guide Trip? There are a bunch of unemployed guides wandering around right now who would like nothing better than to spend the day showing you what an awesome winter fishery the Missouri River can be. Whether you want to fish dries or streamers or nymphs, there’s a little something for everyone right now.

Make Wolf Creek Angler your first stop on your way to the river for bugs, boats, shuttles and much more. We are your Missouri River Winter Fly Fishing Headquarters.

 

Springtime on the MIssouri?

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Crazy mild weather on tap for this week making it feel more like April than February. It’s going to be on the breezy side with sustained South Southwest winds in the 15-20 mph range for the next few days but with air temps in the 50’s it will definitely be tolerable.

Expect some traffic out there as this kind of weather usually brings folks out to scratch that itch en masse.

Bring your streamer rods and your nymph rigs and your dry-fly rigs, you’ve got all sorts of options. We’ve got streamers on the brain and will likely get out and do some of that this week but the nymphing has been good and should continue to improve and if you can find some shelter from the wind you’ve got a reasonably good chance of finding some fish on midges.

We’ve got lodging available tonight and tomorrow, we’re full Wednesday and Thursday and things open up again on Friday.

Give us a call today and book your $99 room and don’t forget $400 full day guide trips all winter long.

 

By |2016-10-25T16:15:39-06:00February 8th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Weekend Report

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Thanks to everyone who came out last night for the Fly Fishing Film tour in Helena. Great films, great company and a great time as always. It’s not a coincidence that the film tour comes around in the dead of winter when folks are looking for a fly fishing fix and the films never fail to get us primed for the season ahead.

The good news is you don’t have to wait until spring to fish. We fish all year on the Missouri – you should too! The bad news is we’re under a high wind warning today. It’s not horrible now but expect some serious winds if you’re coming out.

From the National Weather Service….

…HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM MST THIS
AFTERNOON…

* TIMING…SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS WILL INCREASE LATE EARLY THIS
MORNING AND REMAIN STRONG THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. STRONGEST
WINDS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR THIS MORNING THROUGH MID-DAY.

* WINDS…SOUTHWEST TO WEST WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 70
MPH.

* IMPACTS…STRONG WINDS MAY CAUSE DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS
FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED
OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ENDANGER TRANSPORTATION AND COULD
CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Maybe not the best day to come out and fish but the week ahead looks awesome starting with sunny skies and a high of 44 tomorrow with much less wind and into the 50’s all week long.

Give us a call today and book your lodging for this week. We already have a few people booked and chances are good we will be full much of the week.

It would be a good week to book yourself a $400 Missouri River Guide Trip as well. Guide trips make Great Valentine’s Day presents.

 

 

 

Weekend Outlook

Photo by Jim Murray

Photo by Jim Murray

We’ve definitely got a fishable weekend ahead with temps in the 40’s and mostly sunny skies. The wind will be an issue (as it seems to be more often than not) out of the SW at around 20 mph tomorrow and around 30 on Saturday with gusts approaching 40 mph.

This morning looks like the best day of the bunch with cloudy skies and relatively calm winds, it could turn out to be a perfect streamer day.

Next week looks like the time to be here with highs in the 50’s on Monday. We may see 60 on Tuesday. I have a feeling our lodging will be full so if you’re having any thoughts about coming out for a couple of days next week I suggest you book it now.

F3T

 

 

It’s going to be a busy weekend off the water for us with the Fly Fishing Film Tour at the Grandstreet in Helena tomorrow night and the Super Bowl on Sunday but we’ll be around the shop all weekend for all of your Missouri River Fly Fishing needs.

We’ve got half a dozen tickets left for the F3T – they will be gone by the end of the day. The show always sells out and is always a great way to spend a winter evening. It’s hard to go wrong with beer and fly fishing films and the chance to win F3T gear and swag from your favorite fly shops, including your 2016 Headline Sponsor – Wolf Creek Angler. We hope to see you there.

 

 

Most of the recent fishing traffic has been on Holter Lake

Most of the recent fishing traffic has been on Holter Lake

How’s the fishing you ask. We haven’t been out this week and really haven’t seen much traffic aside from the steady stream of traffic headed to Holter Lake. There are literally buckets of perch being caught and the ice is still in decent shape from what we’ve heard but that could definitely change over the next several days with the warming trend so please use caution if you’re heading out there. There is currently around 6″ of ice on the lake.

The few river reports we’ve heard have been less than stellar but it’s always worth your time. You never know when it’s going to turn on. Flows are currently holding right around 3800 and the water temp has bumped up to 35 degrees. Still on the cold side for sure but sometimes all it takes is a warm up of a degree or two to get those fish feeding. You won’t know if you don’t go.

 

 

We’ve got Streamers on the brain and we think it’s definitely worth your time to dedicate a couple of hours to throwing them but nypmhing is still going to be your best bet for catching fish. No real changes on that front. Pink stuff, Firebeads, soft hackle sows, Tailwater Sows, Zebra Midges….you know the routine. We would also suggest running some mayfly nymphs. Try a Little Green Machine, a Peep Show or an S & M and see what happens. Continue to focus on the slower, deeper water but don’t overlook the transitional water (a little faster, not quite as deep). The uptick in water temp will often times get the fish moving.

Expect an increase in dry-fly opportunities from here on out as the midges fire up. Check those side channels for rising fish and have your midge cluster of choice rigged and ready.

If you’re going to throw streamers we would suggest smaller/slender patterns. Kreelex, Clousers, Polar Leeches etc. but it never hurts to think outside the box and show them something they haven’t seen.

The shop is open at 8:00 am for all of your Missouri River winter Fly Fishing needs.

 

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