Need a new search?

If you didn't find what you were looking for, try a new search!

Welcome February

Screenshot (27)

 

 

It’s feeling a little more like winter right now with a current temperature of 24 but we’re headed back into spring-like weather later this week with temps in the 40’s and near 50 on Saturday.

The groundhog has predicted an early spring, let’s hope it’s not too early.

Despite the unseasonably warm temps here on the Missouri our snowpack isn’t looking too bad, currently at 90 percent of average. We would definitely like to see that continue to increase. It’s really an ideal situation to have the cold and snow in the high country building our spring flows while we experience above average temps here making winter fishing on the Missouri a fairly constant option.

We’ve got lodging available throughout the week, though the weekend is almost full so don’t wait too long to book that room. We’ve been staying busy with lodging all winter long between the hard water anglers and those coming out to fish the Missouri. We’ll keep an eye on the long-term forecast and will likely open up a few more units sooner rather than later as the weather and the demand dictate.

Don’t forget $400 guide trips all winter long. Book it now, if you don’t like what the weather brings on the day of your trip you are free to cancel with no penalty for doing so. Guides are starting to get restless and are ready to get back at it. Give us a call and put them to work today.

Be sure to stop in on your way to the river for shuttles and bugs and anything else you might need for your day on the water.

 

 

Get Those Guide Days Booked Soon

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 Guide Trip today.

The last couple of weeks have been extremely busy reservation weeks with folks booking lodging and guide trips for the coming season.

There’s still time to make your plans but the prime dates are rapidly disappearing both for lodging and guide trips. Not to despair! We’ve got a  deep roster of guides who work for us so you should be able to get the dates you want but the opportunity to pick who you want on the days you want is definitely coming to an end. Where lodging is concerned, we still have openings but things have filled rapidly these last few weeks and it feels like it’s definitely going to be a busy season at WCA.

We have made a few changes to our guide roster, adding a few and losing a few but what we haven’t changed is our commitment to providing you with top-notch, professional guides who share our passion for the sport, for the fishery and most importantly for providing you with an unforgettable experience.

The Missouri River below Holter Dam will always be our specialty and we pride ourselves on having guides who know the entire river and who can show you what a diverse fishery we have between the dam and Cascade but we also offer trips on the nearby Dearborn and Blackfoot Rivers as well as the Missouri River below Hauser Dam, known as the Land of the Giants. We have extensive contacts throughout Montana and the rest of the Mountain West and we would be happy to help you with your Montana fishing plans, wherever they may take you.

Give us a call today and book your Missouri River Fly Fishing trip of a lifetime.

Don and Leda doubled up on the MO - photo by Jim Murray

Don and Leda doubled up on the MO – photo by Jim Murray

IMG_4629

Eloise

 

Missouri River Weekend Report

busy

Wolf Creek Angler is your Missouri River Winter Fly Fishing Destination

They’re calling for big winds today, with gusts near 30 mph. We haven’t seen it yet. It’s a beautiful morning on the Missouri with sunny skies and temps closing in on 40.

The flows are up a bit at 3840 with the water temp just shy of 35. The wind will likely pick up this afternoon but if you’re contemplating coming out to fish this morning I would definitely encourage you to do so.

It’s a stark contrast to last Saturday when we saw the busiest day on the water so far of 2016. I did the loop to Craig and back and saw one rig at Craig – aside from that not a soul between Wolf Creek and Craig but it is early yet.

More seasonable weather on the way with 30’s and a chance for snow right through next week. Definitely fishable weather but not the spring-like temps we’ve been getting accustomed to again. Let’s hope for more winter….we need it!

We’ve got limited lodging available tonight and we’re wide open for next week as it stands now. Why not pick a day or two and come out and treat yourself to a day of winter fishing on the Missouri. You deserve it! $99 lodging and $400 guide trips all winter long. It’s the best value on the river.

If you’re wondering about dining options during these winter months The Oasis Bar and Grill is serving breakfast, lunch and dinner from 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM Thursday-Monday. You can also bring your own provisions and do it yourself. All of our available units offer fully furnished kitchens and we’ve got barbeque grills available for your use.

With the only open restaurant and the only gas station/convenience store between Helena and Cascade, Wolf Creek is definitely the hub of activity in the canyon during the winter months. Throw in our comfortable and affordable lodging and an up and coming, extremely well-provisioned Missouri River Fly Shop located closer to Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge than any other shop and you’ve got your Missouri River Winter Fly Fishing destination.

We’ve got new gear arriving daily, including some awesome rods and reels from LOOP you just have to try. We’re also featuring the new Behemoth Reels from Redington, an incredible value at $110. The Behemoth combines the most powerful drag in its class with stunning aesthetics that push the limits of fly reel design.

Shuttles, cold-weather gear from KAST, RO Drift Boat Rentals and of course, the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana. Come check us out. Our normal winter schedule in the shop is 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Wednesday-Sunday but when fishing conditions are prime on Mondays and Tuesdays you will likely find us here on those days too. Open every day for lodging and guide trips.

Make Wolf Creek Angler your Missouri River Winter Fly Fishing Destination.

Thursday Missouri River Fishing Report

IMG_5666

Chewy with a fine Missouri River winter specimen

The river has been quiet this week despite spring-like temps in the high 40’s and low 50’s . There’s been a bit of wind to contend with but overall the weather has been very conducive to winter fishing.

Those who have been out have been reporting varying degrees of success on nymphs, streamers and even a bit of dry-fly action with the midges starting to get going. If winter dry-fly fishing is your game you can expect those opportunities to present themselves with more frequency and more consistency from here on out.

The flows are up to almost 3800 today which we’re definitely happy to see and with the water temperature having bumped to just shy of 35 degrees you might expect an uptick in the action as sometimes all it takes is a degree or two to flip the switch and get those fish eating.

If you follow the various Missouri River blogs year-round you know that there is a fair amount of space devoted to  fluctuations in flows and water temps as well as current weather and what’s in the forecast during the winter months. With the exception of midge activity there’s not much to say about bug life and while the nymph report may seem like a cut and paste job it really is a status quo fishery during the winter months so that list of effective flies simply doesn’t change a whole lot.

The streamer report can provide some variation but even the streamer guys tend to stick to a pattern for a long while once they find something that is working. I fished a brown polar leech for a month straight last winter and it worked most days. The winter fishing reports may be lacking in excitement but the winter fishing is not!

We love fishing this time of year, partly because of the solitude it affords, partly because it’s status quo nymphing but mostly because it can be really good on any given day. That being said, it can also be really slow but when it’s 45 degrees and sunny in January what else would you possibly want to be doing? You don’t have to spend a lot of time trying to figure out what it is they are eating, you just need to figure out where they’re at and hope they are hungry. Once you find fish willing to eat you can often times do very well working that same run over and over again. Mind you, I’m not talking about 40 fish days. I’m sure people have  them but we’re generally happy with a couple of hookups and if we boat a dozen or better it’s been an awesome day.

So…with that long-winded defense of regurgitative  winter blogging the winter nymphs you should STILL be using are Pink Amex, Rainbow Czechs, Casne’s Pinkalicious, Pink Lightning Bugs, any kind of firebeads  (particularly of the soft hackle sow variety) and if you’re feeling adventurous a tailwater sow, a rainbow warrior or the good old black zebra midge will all catch fish right now. With all that pink you can expect to catch your share of whitefish but there’s no shame in that. Full Disclosure – I do include whiteys in my fish counts, why wouldn’t you? I happened to put on a whitey clinic on Monday. It’s winter fishing on the Missouri!

The water you should STILL be fishing is the slow to semi-slow medium depth winter water. The last few times out the fish have been in a little bit faster water than what they had been but this changes from day to day. They are somewhere in those winter runs, work them until you find them.

Hot streamers have been the gold and silver Kreelex, Olive and Copper or Brown Polar leeches, and all kinds of Clouser variations. Fish the slender bugs SLOW and you should find some willing players. Don’t be afraid to try other streamers either. The ones we list are the ones we’ve been selling a bunch of and that we’ve heard have been effective but there are all kinds of streamers that will work. Fish the bugs you like, fish them with confidence and sooner or later you will be rewarded.

Buzzballs, Griffiths Gnats and Quigley’s Peacock Clusters are all good midge imitations. I like to rig any of them in tandem with a parachute Adams and have that rig at the ready just in case.

We’re going to close out the week with another 50+ degree day today, 40’s tomorrow and into the weekend and a return to somewhat more seasonable temps early next week in the low 30’s.

We’ve still got lodging available for the weekend but it will more than likely fill by tomorrow. Give us a call today and book your $99 room and $400 guide trip.

 

 

 

Your Monday Morning Missouri River Fishing Report

Coming Soon.....midge fishing on the MO

Coming Soon…..midge fishing on the MO

Saturday was the busiest day we’ve seen on the MO this year….by far. Mild temps and reports of fair fishing are beckoning and there are plenty of people heeding the call.

We saw a bunch of our regulars from Helena and Great Falls in the shop this weekend but the Bozeman, Flathead and Missoula folks were also out in force, a trend we will continue to see as long as things stay mild. Cabin Fever has taken hold in many parts of the state and there’s no cure like a day on the Missouri.

Solid reports from Friday from both the nymphing and the streamer set, not quite as spectacular on Saturday but still worth the while. Less traffic yesterday but still busy for January.

The traffic was definitely concentrated between the dam and Craig on Saturday. The parking lot at the Craig ramp was as full as it’s been since fall. We spent a good part of our day running shuttles and at one point counted 17 rigs in the Craig parking lot. Lots of drift boats and many a wade angler out there….you could almost call it crowded, at least by winter standards.

It was nice to see so many people around and it’s a great shot in the arm for us during these LEAN days of winter. The forecast is calling for continued mild temps and little or no precipitation this week so we expect there will be some folks around. We’ve got lodging available for $99/night and $400 guide trips all winter long and we’d love to see you out here. We’re definitely hoping for another shot or two of winter but you may as well come take advantage of our January spring while it lasts.

 

Weekend Outlook

DSC_0040

The mild weather continues this weekend with highs near 50 expected today and temps in the 40’s on Saturday and Sunday with a favorable wind forecast and a chance of rain and or snow each day.

The fishing has been good throughout the week by winter standards and there’s no reason it shouldn’t continue to be. Nymphing has been the best bet but we’re hearing some solid streamer reports as well, particularly in the Wolf Creek Bridge to Craig stretch.

A super slow retrieve is often the key this time of year as the fish are on the lethargic side with those water temps hanging in the low 30’s. For the most part they aren’t going to give chase but if you present them with the opportunity for a high calorie target moving slowly enough they will eat it. A slow strip or a swing is always the best bet under these conditions which is going to mean you’re going to want to use an intermediate line or a slow sinking VersiLeader from Rio. I always tend toward the heavier/faster sinking streamer lines just out of personal preference but a fast-sinking line presents challenges when you are looking for a slow retrieve. Not that you can’t effectively fish these lines but there’s definitely a skill set involved in figuring out how to fish them in cold water.

The best action has been on the slender side with the Kreelex, various clouser-type bugs, polar leeches and ZK’s Iced Out Grill all getting some attention. The streamer bins are loaded up at Wolf Creek Angler and Chewy has been feverishly tying to keep up with demand. Check out the go-to patterns in all sorts of flavors as well as a bunch of custom creations you won’t find in any other shop. We love the streamer game and we appreciate and understand your addiction. The Missouri is not a streamer river in the classic sense, with a bunch of structure to throw to but it can be nothing short of phenomenal on the right day. It’s a little different game than what you may be used to but always worth your time. Interested in streamer fishing the MO?  Make Wolf Creek Angler your first stop.

We’ll get you rigged with the right line and the right bugs and we’ll talk you through technique and tell you where to go to optimize your experience. If you’re thinking you need a new streamer stick we’ve got awesome deals happening right now on the St Croix Bank Robber designed by Kelly Galloup and we’d love to get you rigged with everything you need.

If you’re sticking to the nymphing game it’s status quo. Pink Amex, Rainbow Czech or Casne’s Pinkalicious trailed with firebead softhackle sows, pink lightning bugs, firebead rays, black zebra midges, etc. Slow and deep to medium deep water, adjusting depth and weight as necessary.

If you’re waiting for dry-fly action it’s getting to be that time where you should have your midge rig at the ready. We’ve seen a few bugs around each day and a few sporadic rises but I wouldn’t plan to make a day out of it just yet.

We’ve seen more traffic out there today than we’ve seen in a while. Expect company and be on your best behavior. It’s been a while since we’ve had to do much sharing of the water and this is definitely sharing by winter standards. Still plenty of solitude to be had.

We’ve got a full house this weekend but it looks like the mild weather will continue into next week. $99 Lodging available starting Sunday night and $400 guide trips available all winter long.

See you in the shop and on the water.

 

This week on the MO

Winter fishing has been heating up on the Missouri - photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Winter fishing has been heating up on the Missouri – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

The spring-like weather continues with high 30’s and low 40’s expected all week. We’re hoping we haven’t seen the last of winter but if you’re getting the itch this would be a great week to come out and fish the Missouri.

The shelf ice is becoming less of an issue and most of the ramps are clear. Even so, please use extreme caution if you’re going to float. Icy ramps can make for real problems. Give us a call at the shop for up-to-the minute river and ramp conditions.

The dam will be shedding ice like crazy this week so if you’re wading be aware of what’s headed your way. Keep an eye out for those chunks of ice heading downstream. Some of them are large enough to take you out!

Flows are holding nicely at or around 3400 – 3500 cfs and the water temp has crept back up to 34. Perfect winter nymphing conditions.

$99 lodging and $400 guide trips all winter long. Give us a call and book yours today.

By |2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 18th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Weekend Report

Winter Fare at Wolf Creek Angler

Winter Fare at Wolf Creek Angler

We’ve got a nice weekend on tap here on the Missouri River, especially by mid-January standards with temperatures in the high 20’s and to low 30’s, relatively calm winds and a chance for snow showers each day. We are under a winter weather advisory beginning this afternoon at 2 pm and ending tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM. We could see 2-4 inches of new snow tonight.

The fishing could potentially be pretty good on the river and there was a fair amount of traffic headed up the lake again this morning. We’ve got a full house tonight but things open up on Sunday. If you’ve got Monday off for MLK day it wouldn’t be a bad call to book yourself a bungalow for Sunday night and a $400 full day guide trip on Monday. We’re supposed to see temperatures in the 40’s Monday.

Good reports from the past couple of days both from the nymphing set and the streamer guys. The go-to flies have been Pink Sows, Pink Scuds, Pink Lightning Bugs, Pink Amex…..notice a pattern? We’ve also done well with a few firebead patterns. Rainbow Weight Flies, Firebead Sows, Firebead Rays….. there are plenty of bugs that are working well these days, you just have to put them in the right place. With water temperatures in the 33-34 range those fish simply aren’t going to move much so you need to make sure you are putting it right in front of them. Generally you’ll find that where you pick one up you will pick more up as they are congregating in those spots right now.

Hot Head Kreelex, Hot Head Buggers, Polar Leeches in Brown and also Olive/Copper, Sparkle Minnows and Skiddish Smolts are all getting some action on the streamer side. We’ve got all of these and many more including a bunch of new patterns just begging to be fished. Stop by and check out the undisputed best streamer selection in Wolf Creek Montana.

There will definitely be some traffic out there this weekend with the weather being what it is. It’s a great weekend to fish! It’s also a pretty good weekend to watch playoff football with the Chiefs and Pats playing this afternoon and the Packers and  Cardinals tonight. Seahawks and Panthers tomorrow morning followed by Steelers and Broncos tomorrow afternoon. They should all be great games.

Be sure and stop at Wolf Creek Angler if you are coming out to fish. We’re your one stop for everything you need for winter fly fishing on the Missouri. Shuttles, cozy lodging, cold weather gear, closeout deals on St Croix and Echo fly rods, RO Drift Boat Rentals, all the best winter bugs, Kast Steelhead Gloves, great coffee and much more.

The Oasis is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Thursday-Monday so you’ll definitely have a place to eat as well as have a cocktail or two while you watch the football games this weekend.

Fishing the Thaw

IMG_5540

Bins Overflowing with new bugs at Wolf Creek Angler

Busiest day of the year by far this mid-January Wednesday at Wolf Creek Angler. Full house on the lodging side last night and more bugs out the door today than we’ve seen since November.

There’s plenty more where those came from so make sure you swing by on your way to the river and check out the largest selection of winter-specific Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

We’ve also done more shuttles in the past two days than we’ve done in the past three weeks combined. It’s not too surprising though considering we’re pushing the 50 degree mark today with partly cloudy skies and some isolated rain showers in the mix. Ridiculously nice weather for winter fishing on the Missouri.

Most are opting for nymphing these days though there are plenty throwing streamers as well. Speaking of streamers, our streamer bin is overflowing with tons of new patterns, some of which have been consistently producing both on the swing and the strip. Stop by on your next trip through and check out our ever-expanding streamer selection.

New to the streamer game? Grab one of our St Croix Bank Robber demo rods and a handful of streamers and give it a go. If you find you like it we can get you set up with a complete package (rod/reel/line) tailored to suit your needs for a great transition season rate. We’re clearing our St Croix inventory to make room for something new and exciting…more on this soon.

I did make it out for a couple of hours yesterday and have a full report as promised.

#10 Casne’s Pinkalicious trailed with a #18 firebead pink soft hackle sow. 6′ give or take from point fly and occasionally from single bb. Slow deep winter water. A couple  whiteys and a couple  trout. The whiteys love the Pinkalicious. Same old story but a solid couple of hours for sure. Some spots which produced very well last season for me have yet to turn on while others which I overlooked in the past seem to be holding plenty of fish. The warm air feels good. The wind keeps things on the chilly side so dress appropriately. The water is cold (33-34) so layer up and have at it. Leaky waders may cut your outing short – they did mine!

Things are melting rapidly but there is plenty of shelf ice around yet so please use caution out there. Boat traffic is increasing so the ramps are definitely getting used but some pre-drift recon or a quick call to the shop to check ramp conditions is always advisable and if you don’t have four-wheel drive maybe leave the boat home for another time.

Continued above average temps tomorrow with a high near 40 and a 50% chance of snow showers. Sounds like a streamer day to me. Colder as we head into the weekend with temps closer to average in the high 20’s and low 30’s. Monday looks nice with temps back near 40. Three-day weekend for some with MLK Day on Monday. Why not spend it fishing the Missouri. $99 lodging and $400 guide trips all winter long. Give us a call and book yours today.

 

 

Blast from the Past

FullSizeRender (9)

I came across this pictures today while cleaning out file cabinets. I’m not sure what is going on with the helicopter out in front of the shop but for the record, it’s fine with us if you choose to travel here by helicopter, we’ve even got adequate parking for your rig!

Things definitely look a little different around here these days.

The One and Only Wolf Creek Angler - located at 515 Recreation Road in Wolf Creek

The One and Only Wolf Creek Angler – located at 515 Recreation Road in Wolf Creek

The second picture is of the arrival of the bungalows and the construction involved in making them what they are today.

IMG_5532

FullSizeRender (8)

Enjoying some spring-like weather this week with temps in the low 40’s. A full house tonight as you might expect.

Lodging available for the rest of the week and guide trips available any and every day.

Full fishing report tomorrow – right now we’re MO bound.

See you on the water.

By |2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 12th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , , |0 Comments

Go to Top