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Spring Fishing this week on the Missouri

Spring is on the way - photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Spring is on the way – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Looking at the 10-Day forecast it looks like daytime highs in the 60s all this week and right on through next weekend. Is winter over? It’s hard to say. Do we have enough snowpack? Time and weather conditions over the next couple of months will tell.
What we do know is that the sun is shining, the water is warming and there is no place we’d rather be than floating the Missouri on days like this.
The fish have been up on midges, mostly in the early afternoon, in most of the spots you would expect and we’re hearing some solid streamer reports from down stream way. Nymphing is producing the numbers and should continue to improve as we move towards spring. Firebead soft hackle sows in pink,pink Lightning Bugs, Pinkalicious (notice a trend here?) and black zebra midges have all been effective.

A couple of ticks up on that water temp and the streamer fishing could blow up so there is definitely something for everyone right now.
Lodging available this week though the weekend is starting to fill. Things get serious next week with lodging coinciding with the start of our $300 Spring Special Guide Trips on March 20th. We will be opening up more lodging this week to accommodate.
Take advantage of the nice weather and the off-season lodging rates and come out and enjoy the river before the crowds arrive. We love this time of year due in large part to the relative solitude, especially during the week. Crowds are not an issue and the fishing just keeps getting better from here on out.
Book your cheap guide trips and rooms now. Both the spring special and the winter lodging rates run through the end of April.

Weekend Report 3/8/15

Missouri River Necessities always available at Wolf Creek Angler

Missouri River Necessities always available at Wolf Creek Angler

As you would expect it’s a busy weekend on the Missouri, at least by early March standards. Our lodging is full and we had all of our rental boats on the water yesterday. A lot of guys in from Bozeman and Missoula and Kalispell gearing up on their way through. We sold more flies yesterday than we have in a while with winter nymphs still leading the charge. The cloudy conditions had a lot of people thinking streamers as well and we moved a fair amount of Polar Leeches, Kreelex and Sparkle Minnows. That’s an itch I’ve been needing to scratch lately and it looks like I’ll be able to get a fix on Tuesday – full report to come.
The reports I heard from the last few days were a bit of a mixed bag but it sounds like continued success on Pink and firebead stuff and some strong midge action depending on the day. What I’ve heard on the streamer side is that it’s been a little slow but we wouldn’t really expect much with the water being as cold as it is. We should start to see that water warm up a bit with the change in the weather and sometimes it doesn’t take much to flip the switch on the streamer bite so keep at it! I’m psycyhed to get out and give it a try.
The weather looks incredible for the coming week – into the 60’s every day. We are anticipating a busy week at the shop and I expect the lodging will fill quickly for next weekend so don’t wait too long to make your plans…we had to turn away severl people this weekend. We will look to open more lodging this week so hopefully we will have a few more units available by the weekend.
The shop is open daily for all of your Missouri River Fly Fishing needs. Shuttles, bugs, boats, bobbers, lodging, licenses, WCA logo gear and much, much more. Make Wolf Creek Angler your one stop on your way to the MO.

Crazy Spring Weather on the way

Crazy Spring Weather on the way

WCA Spring Special Starts March 20th

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WCA Client Lynn Perkins at it again with guide Eric Mondragon

WCA Client Lynn Perkins at it again with guide Eric Mondragon

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March 20th marks the Vernal Equinox, the day when the sun crosses directly over the Earths’ equator ( at precisely 6:45 pm EDT) resulting in day and night being about equal in length all over the world. This happens just twice a year, the other date being September 22nd or 23rd which in our hemisphere is the autumnal equinox. These moments owe their significance to the 23.4 degree tilt of the Earth’s axis. If the Earth rotated on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the Earth’s orbit around the sun there would be no variation in day lengths or temperatures throughout the year, and we would have no seasons.
In other words, March 20th is the first day of spring and more importantly it’s the first day of Wolf Creek Angler’s 2015 $300 Spring Guide Special which runs through the end of April. $300 gets you a full day guided trip on the Missouri for two with one of our expert guides and includes lunch, refreshments, all the flies you need, any equipment you may need and transportation to and from the river. It’s too good of a deal to pass up at a fraction of the price of our regular season rates.
Sound too good to be true? Wait – it get’s better! Winter lodging rates at Wolf Creek Angler also run through the end of April so you can get a guide trip for $300 and a cabin or bungalow for just $99/night + tax. Each room is equipped with a full kitchen and bath and sleeps three comfortably and can accommodate up to four.
Call to book your trip and lodging today. (406)235-4350 or Toll Free 1-800-800-4350. Don’t miss this opportunity!

Missouri River Fishing Report 3/4/15

The Icy Solitude will soon be gone as spring weather arrives - photo Wolf Creek Angler

The Icy Solitude will soon be gone as spring weather arrives – photo Wolf Creek Angler

Fishing traffic has been essentially non existent for the past week but all that’s about to change with spring-like weather in the forecast for the weekend. Not that the fishing hasn’t been good – I’ve seen plenty of fish up each day I’ve gone out to scout the river but there is no amount of Stanley’s Ice Off Paste that can overcome the almost immedieate freeze-up that happens with temperatures in the teens and low 20’s where they’ve been camped for the last little while. Not to mention the ever-present flirtation with frostbite that occurs when fishing in these conditions. A sunny day with little wind certainly makes things tolerable (for a while) but we are anxious to leave the handwarmers and balaclavas behind and get back to some serious fishing rather than the two cast-pop ice out of guides-warm hands repeat routine we’ve been doing.
Looks like partly sunny skies with a high of 50 tomorrow, cloudy and 52 on Saturday and sunny and 55 on Sunday. It looks like we may see 60 on Monday and Tuesday! We’ve still got one vacancy for Friday and Saturday night and a couple for tonight. We will be full this weekend so don’t hesitate, make the call right now and claim your spot at Wolf Creek Angler. We will definitely be opening more lodging soon weather permitting.
The fishing should be good out there as the water warms back up a tick or two. It dropped back below 34 yesterday with the subzero nighttime temps. Flows remain steady at right around 4900. My go-to nymphing rig remains the Pinkalicious trailed by either a soft hackle FB sow, a pink or purple lighting bug, a black zebra midge, a tailwater sowbug, a Rainbow Keller’s Payczech or any number of similar options. Other good options for a point fly if the Pinkalicious for some reason isn’t working would be a Tungsten Tailwater Sow, A Rainbow or Purple Weight Fly or a Hotbead Wire Worm. I simply don’t change my bugs much this time of year, especially if it’s below freezing. Any and all of the above usually work if you find the right depth though I have seen a few patterns really heat up and really shut down depending on the day.
My recommendation would be to have your dry fly rod rigged up and ready with a buzzball or griffiths gnat or midge cluster etc. and be on the lookout for rising fish. It’s also never a bad idea in my opinion to throw a streamer and while you may not want to commit your entire day to it just yet, you never know when the streamer bite is going to turn on.
We’re anticipating a busy weekend at the shop. Call ahead for lodging and guide trips. Stop in for shuttles, drift boat rentals, hats and gloves, leaders and tippet, hot coffee, great buys on clearance items and of course, the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

Spring is on the way! 3/1/2015

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This first day of March finds winter hanging on but it won’t be long before we’re on the river enjoying the warm spring sun and watching the Missouri come alive. In fact it may just be sooner than you think. We’re looking at 30’s today and tomorrow and a cold blast on Tuesday with a high around 11 but as we get towards the end of next week it’s back to 50’s and possibly even 60’s by the weekend.

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Should that trend stabilize we will definitely be opening up more lodging at WCA. We are already nearly full for next weekend so don’t wait any longer to make your plans – give us a call today and snatch up those remaining spots – they won’t last long. $99 + tax gets you a bungalow or cabin with full kitchen and bath through the end of April. Each unit sleeps three very comfortably and can accommodate up to four. We are dog friendly so don’t leave your pet behind.
March 20th marks the spring equinox and the start of our $300 Spring Special Missouri River Guide Trips. $300 gets you a full day on the MO with all the trimmings through the end of April. Don’t miss out on this amazing deal.
The shop will be closed today and likely Monday and Tuesday but we will be here Wednesday preparing for the warm weather and the crowds that will come with it. Expect us here every day once the weather turns. 40 degrees and above means the doors will be open at WCA.
We are stocked up with the flies you will need as well as the ones you won’t need but should have anyways and we’re always happy to help you out with fly selection, rigging, location or any other questions you may have. Remember there are no stupid questions. We may occasionally give you a stupid answer but we will always do our best to help you in any way we can.
Make Wolf Creek Angler your one stop shop on the way to the river. We’ve got you covered with guides, shuttles, bugs, bobbers, licenses, cold-weather gear, drift boat rentals, lodging and everything you need for fly fishing the Missouri and we are closer to Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge than ANYONE.

Wolf Creek Angler Spring Calendar

Looking forward to another great season on the Missouri - photo Wolf Creek Angler

Looking forward to another great season on the Missouri – photo Wolf Creek Angler

 

Things are starting to get busy as the season draws closer. Take a look at what’s happening over the next couple of months.

March 14th – FOAM Annual Membership Meeting, Magnusson Grand City Center Hotel – Bozeman

March 14th – Missouri River Flyfishers IF4 Event, Hilton Garden Inn, Great Falls at 7:30 PM.

March 20th – Hank Patterson’s Reel Montana Adventure – hosted by Hank Patterson himself. 8:00 PM at the Grandstreet Theatre in Helena. Brought to you by Pat Barnes Missouri River Trout Unlimited. Pre-party at 5:00 PM at Crosscurrents Fly Shop. Tickets available at Wolf Creek Angler. Details here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hank-pattersons-reel-montana-adventure-helena-mt-tickets-15736965688

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March 20th – Vernal Equinox and start of WCA’s Spring Special Guide Trips running through the end of April. Full day guide trips $300. Discounted lodging also runs through the end of April with cabins and bungalows for $99/night.

March 23rd – Community Pint Night at the Blackfoot River Brewing Company in Helena benefitting Pat Barnes Missouri River Trout Unlimited.

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April 1st – Izaak’s in Craig open for business.

April 25th – Pat Barnes Missouri River Trout Unlimited Annual Banquet – Gateway Center in Helena.

May 16th – 9th Annual Craig Caddis Festival – Craig MT. Wolf Creek Angler will again be participating in the BBQ Cook-Off. Come out and support your favorite Missouri River Fly Shop and help raise money for the Craig Volunteer Fire Department.

May 16th – Opening Day of the 2015 Montana General Fishing Season.

Wolf Creek Angler – Missouri River Soiree– Date to be determined. Food, Live Music and Fun at Wolf Creek Angler. Join us in celebrating the start of another great season on the MO.

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Missouri River Fishing Report 2/27/15

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Cold and lonely on the Missouri right now. Not near as cold as some other parts of the country but cold enough to shut down the fishing for a while. We’re seeing highs in the 20’s and lows in the single digits for the forseeable future – no surprise for late February/early March in Montana but since we had grown accustomed to temps in the 40’s and 50’s and even into the 60’s over the past month it’s a little bit of a shock to the system.
It’s good for the long- term but we were sure enjoying the fishing and enjoying the business we were doing in the shop. Fishy weather will return soon enough – in the meantime enjoy the Montana winter!
We plan to be open our regular winter hours for the next couple of weeks (Wednesday-Saturday 8:00 am – 4:00 pm) but may opt out depending on what the weather is doing. If you are hardcore enough to fish in below freezing temps and you’re planning on a stop at Wolf Creek Angler give us a call first just to make sure we are around. Whether we’re in the shop or not we are ALWAYS open for lodging and guide trips. If you are planning to fish this weekend remember Saturday is the last day your 2014 fishing license is valid. 2015 licenses available at Wolf Creek Angler.

Speaking of licenses – don’t forget deer and elk permit applications are due on March 16th. Everything you need to know is right here;

http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licenses/buyApply/newDeadline/

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Winter Returns

The recent return of winter weather means a little less time in the shop and on the river and a little more time enjoying the trails around Helena. - photo by Wolf Creek Angler

The recent return of winter weather means a little less time in the shop and on the river and a little more time enjoying the trails around Helena. – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Following three weeks or more of unseasonably warm temperatures late February has brought with it colder temps and snow putting the brakes on our early spring at least for the moment. We may see 47 today but it looks like we’ll be closing out the month with high temps in the 20’s and 30’s and lows in the single digits with  a chance of snow every day through the weekend. As of right now it looks like more of the same for the early part of next week.

A week and a half ago I was begging RO Drift Boats to get us our new rental boats as we had all of our boats out for the day. Now it’s looking like it may be time to tuck them back into the garage for a while. Our available lodging had been full the past couple of weekends so after having had to turn people away we were ready to open up more lodging which we will likely still be doing soon but the sense of urgency is gone for the time being.

The traffic on the river was sparse for the past week, even with some great weather and consistently good fishing (for February) so we are expecting a slow week or two in the shop with the winter weather. That being said, we’ve been busy on the phones booking trips and lodging and it looks like 2015 is shaping up to be another great season. We’re thrilled with the attention our new web site is getting and we’re excited about the WCA Buzz.

Lots of new products arriving at Wolf Creek Angler this spring. We are confident you will be pleased. We are expanding our already impressive fly selection with a bunch of new patterns and we’ve stocked up on the hot bugs which tend to disappear from the area by the middle of the season. We don’t think we’ll run out…we will LOVE it if we do! New reels from Nautilus and Ross, a bunch of new accessories and Nomad nets from Fishpond, new logo gear from Simms, cool packs from Umpqua just to name a few and a couple of  major product partnership announcements soon to come!

Open today for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs. Shuttles, bugs, bobbers, boats, lodging, guide trips and more. Playing it by ear for the rest of the week, keeping an eye on the weather. Always open for guide trips and lodging.

 

Weekend Report 2/21/15

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More traffic this morning than I’ve ever seen on Recreation Road, unfortunately the result of an accident on I-15 in the canyon rather than hordes of anglers heading out to fish the Missouri and making WCA their first stop of the day.
A little bit of winter back for this weekend with temps hanging in the mid 20’s today and tomorrow before we return to 40’s on Monday. I wouldn’t expect much traffic on the river today based on what we’ve seen over the past week but we will be in the shop this morning for those willing to brave the cold. The roads from Helena aren’t great so please use caution if you are coming out.
Nymphing remained on the slow side yesterday, at least in the Wolf Creek to Craig stretch. We’ve seen an uptick in streamer sales over the past week and the streamer action, though often hit or miss, has been pretty decent throughout the winter. Streamer fishing should only get better from here on out as the water begins to warm a bit. I plan to devote a day to it this week and will give a full report at that time. We’ve sold piles of polar leeches over the past couple of months and the copper/olive version has been our go-to all winter. Stop in and pick a couple up and fish them – they will make you a believer! Other good sellers have been Kreelex in brown/gold, Clousers and Squirrel Leeches in Olive and Black.
At this point Monday and Tuesday look like your best bets weather-wise but it will be tolerable all week. Lodging available anytime for $99/night. Just a reminder – you’ve got one week left on your 2014 Montana fishing license. New licenses available at Wolf Creek Angler! The new license year means spring is coming soon – we will be opening up more lodging by mid March – including the much sought after Cabin #3 for $69/night through the end of April. $300 Full Day Spring Special Guide Trips beginning in March. We’re anticipating a busy spring at Wolf Creek Angler and we’re excited about a bunch of new stuff we’re going to be carrying in the shop this season. Stop in and see what’s new!

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Friday Fishing Report 2/20/15

Solitude on the Missouri - photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Solitude on the Missouri – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

All is quiet on the Missouri today, we’re not sure why. It’s currently 43 degrees with some rain/snow looming and little to no wind. One boat in at Wolf Creek and a couple more at the dam means a lot of available water and a lot of available fish. From where I sit typing away and doing other shop stuff I can only imagine that the water is blanketed with midges and that there are pods everywhere, casually sipping away – unmolested by anglers.
Good reports from those fishing downstream in the canyon yesterday with a decent streamer bite and good nymphing action and a few fish up. I walked in below WC Bridge last night and picked up a few though it was definitely slower for me than it’s been the past few times out. My go-to firebead soft hackle sow was all but ignored with the few cooperative fish opting to eat the #10 Pinkalicious instead.
We’ve got a little dose of winter on the way for the weekend with snow showers and highs in the 20’s tomorrow along with the dreaded NNE wind gusting to 24. Calm, sunny and cold on Sunday with a high of 25 and back to 30’s and 40’s next week.
Just eight days left to take advantage of our February special – book a full day guide trip for $395 and get a night’s lodging in one of our bungalows for $59. Not really expecting a barrage of calls for trips this weekend but weather permitting we expect trips out and rooms full throughout next week.
Spring will be here before you know it and with it ever improving fishing opportunities. Book a trip with us today and find out what a magical place the Missouri can be any time of year.

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