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October on the MO

Perfect Autumn morning at Wolf Creek Bridge. Photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Fall colors are in full swing on the Missouri River. Photo by Neale Streeks

Fishing has been improving steadily over the past few weeks as we make the full transition to fall. We’ve had summer-like weather for the most part save for one day of snow showers early in the month and while it’s made for some beautiful days on the water we would prefer some cooler, cloudier weather to get the bugs going. Tomorrow could be the day with a chance of rain and snow showers and highs in the low 50’s. Sunny skies return on Monday and Tuesday but with temps dipping into the high 30’s at night hopefully we will see a drop in the water temp which should usher in the big bugs everybody is waiting for.

The fishing has been pretty solid depending on the day throughout the system with the possible exception of the Holter Dam to Wolf Creek Bridge stretch which, after giving it up consistently for many weeks, has gotten relatively quiet. The usual suspects (zebras, sow bugs, pt’s, green machines etc.) will still pick up a few fish on any given day up there but we haven’t seen the consistent action like we were seeing a few weeks ago. The cray fish has also gone quiet after a spectacular run, though I wouldn’t hesitate to try one if nothing else is working.

Below Wolf Creek Bridge it’s a different story with dries, nymphs and streamers all getting it done. The browns are on the prowl and will hammer a streamer right now. Good patterns for us have been Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow in Sculpin, polar leeches in black, copper and olive/copper, olive smolts and the gold/silver Kreelex. Change your bugs, change up your strip and be patient. The Streamer game is not a numbers thing and you may go a long time between chases and may go all day without a hook up but the anticipation and the occasional hog on the chase will keep things interesting, at least for those of us who are into that sort of thing. We are stocked up in the shop with a great selection of streamers that work and we are always happy to share our secrets with you.

Big Autumn Browns colored up and on the chase on the Missouri photo by Wolf Creek Angler LLC

The nymphing game below the bridge has been good with the Little Green Machine leading the charge most days. Other hot bugs have been WD 40’s, Rainbow Warriors, Chezch nymphs, sow bugs, PT’s, Dark Peep Shows and all kinds of baetis stuff including Angel Case Emergers, Bubbleback Emergers, Magic Flies and juju’s. Some days it’s a short rig – other days not so much. Air-Lock Strike Indicators continue to fly off the shelves due to the ease with which you can change depths in no time by simply loosening the nut and sliding the indicator to the desired depth. Long known for our skepticism of gimmicky products – the WCA guide crew has fully embraced this technology and we are proud to endorse Air Lock Strike Indicators as our official indicator of choice on the MO.

Air-Lock Strike Indicators always available at Wolf Creek Angler

Plenty of fish up on any given day as well and many willing to play. We’ve been liking a Parachute Adams or a Purple Haze with an RS2, CDC Caddis emerger, zebra midge or Juju trailer but a #14 Sloan’s Outrigger Caddis coupled with a #22 pseudo isn’t a bad call either. Plenty of options as we await the BWO’s. Stop by the shop for all of these bugs and more along with as much or as little instruction as you would like on the where’s, when’s and hows.

Lodging is busy right now but we’ve got a few vacancies here and there so give us a call. We are the only full service fly shop in Wolf Creek with lodging, guides, shuttles, RO drift boat rentals and a shop filled with everything you need for Missouri River fly fishing success including the greatest selection of bugs ever to be assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana. Stop in and see us and find out for yourself if all the things you’ve heard are true. You’ll be glad you did.

See you in the shop and on the water. ~ Jason O.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:06-06:00October 11th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: Air-Lock Strike Indicators, brown trout, fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, Missouri River, RO Drift Boats, running line, Sloan's Outrigger Caddis, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Our favorite time of year. Cool fall mornings at Holter Dam on the Missouri River photo by Wolf Creek Angler LLC

Autumn is starting to take hold on the Little Prickly Pear – photo Wolf Creek Angler LLC

Fall day at Wolf Creek Bridge photo Wolf Creek Angler

Join us all this weekend as we bid farewell to our first summer with huge savings on everything in the shop where we are clearing space to make room for new fall merchandise arriving daily. Twenty percent off everything storewide. Flies, rods, reels, waders, hydroflasks, Simms logo wear, fly lines, leaders, tippet – everything is on sale!

It’s been a great inaugural summer for Wolf Creek Angler. We’ve met so many great people over the past 5 months in the shop and on the water and out and about at various community and industry events. We’ve learned a lot since April about what works and what doesn’t and we’re making changes as we go. Look for constant growth and constant improvement and a constant committment to customer service from Wolf Creek Angler.

The cool weather and the rain last weekend flipped the switch on the MO and the fishing has been crazy good – downright ridiculous at times. The crayfish craze has been in effect for a couple of weeks now and we’ve done extremely well dead drifting various crayfish patterns in tandem with zebra midges at the dam and a whole host of bugs below the Wolf Creek bridge. Peep Shows, Little Green Machines, Micro Mays, Soft Hackle Sows, Shop Vacs and flashback PT’s have all had some strong showings over the past few days. The fish are where you would expect to find them and also where you might not expect them to be. Hit the water you like and the water you don’t – it’s all good right now.

There are still plenty of tricos around and there have been a few heads up here and there for the DFO’s to target. We’ve also had moderate success on hoppers, especially below Craig. We like to trail with an ant or drop a weight fly to bump the odds.

Fall lodging and guide trips are booking up quickly – especially for October so don’t wait too long. We are a little sad to see summer go but we’re ready for fall in Wolf Creek. Awesome days of fishing the MO followed by dinner and libations at the Oasis and/or the Frenchman followed by a good night’s rest at Wolf Creek Angler – does it get any better?

Rooms, boats, bugs, shuttles and all the terminal tackle you need along with rain gear, wading gear, layering gear and more all at Wolf Creek Angler – minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge. Nobody is closer!

Axel with one of the prettiest Missouri River rainbows I’ve seen

Brad Turner aka The PM Angler from Baldwin Michigan got a good taste of what the Missouri River has to offer

Father and Son Dan and Paul had a great day on the Missouri River with Wolf Creek Angler guide Jim Murray

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:06-06:00August 30th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, Missouri River, nymphs, rainbow trout, running line, tricos, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Dry Fly brown

I’ve been finding myself telling folks calling asking for a river report that “this is my favorite time of the year”. It’s kind of become a cliche, as I have a couple of other “favorite times of the year”, just like the PMD hatch is my “favorite hatch”. It is my favorite, but so is the BWO, caddis, and trico hatch. Clear as mud?

Late June brings PMD’s, it also brings warmer weather and some rainy days. These are the days we long for in the depths of Winter. These are the “shoulda been here yesterday” days. You never know when it’s going to happen, but you really should be here when those big size 14 PMD’s pop and the trout get absolutley dumb on them.

June is a dynamic time to be here. It’s a transitional stage where the river is starting to get into its summer shape. For the most part the river fishes well all month long. Of course early in June the best tactic is nymphing…not for everyone, but lots of fun to be had. Towards mid-June (depending on water levels) you can expect scattered days of excellent dry fly fishing. As we roll into July, the dry fly bite becomes stronger and more reliable. And of course July is July–there’s a reason why lodging and guides are booked a year in advance.

Flies fish are eating…

Dries
#14-16 PMD Dun…take your chance on the dun, I don’t have faith in them but others do.
#16 Helen Keller…great name, great fly. Cripple pattern that produces.
#14-16 Rusty Spinner…classic proven pattern.
#14-16 Flash Cripple…another killer cripple pattern.
#16 Hackle Stacker…Quigley pattern, need I say more?

Side note: Not a lot of caddis around, but they’ll eat caddis patterns. A few yellow sallies around, they’ll eat those too, riffles and slackwater.

Nymphs
#18-20 Little Green Machine (pt or grey)…that bug that keeps on getting them.
Pick your favorite size Worm…STILL!
#14 Tung Dart…Caddis pupae, buggy, riffles and grass flats.
#14-16 Weight Fly (Gold)…another caddis pupae, hmmm some kind of pattern is forming.
#18-20 Red Headed Step Children…trout eat them becasue they like shop guys to tell customers that fish are eating red headed step children.
#16-18 Trina’s bubbleback emerger…trout are moving into faster zones eating pmd nymphs.

Streamers
There’s a barbourous group of anglers roaming the Missouri throwing meat into pods. It’s working. They’re also throwing them at banks and stripping hard back to the boat. My advice for streamer selection…go small, clouser style with dark colors. I’m thinking floating line with 5 feet of 12lb tippet should get it done. Shallow, fast, choppy water.—Matt

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:07-06:00June 26th, 2014|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, pmd|1 Comment

Summer is back in Wolf Creek

What a difference a week makes. Last week at this time we had people cancelling weekend reservations because of high flows. By the end of the week we were under 6,000 and from what we are hearing we will be under 4,000 by the end of the day. The doom and gloom predictions of a repeat of the high water of 2011 were wrong. Hopefully the predictions of average flows in the 5,000 range for the remainder of the year will prove to be true.

The fishing has been good with nymphing still leading the charge but dry fly fishing is definitely ON with a fair amount of caddis around and some downright prolific baetis hatches over the past few days. The lower flows have the fish looking up consistently and you can definitely make a day out of dry fly fishing between targeting rising fish and blind casting a large dry with a trailing emerger.

Nymphing has been good to great with a couple of tougher days during the big volume drop. Wire worms continue to produce followed closely by sow bugs. Soft hackle and tailwater sows have been getting it done as have Little Green Machines, Purple Wild Things, Weight flies in gold and purple and Juju baetis is purple. Lots of different bugs getting eats but we’ve heard more consistency with the sows than anything else but that could change at any time.

We’ve been busy with trips and lodging and people are starting to take notice of Wolf Creek’s best fly shop. We’ve got plenty of great bugs in the bins, including Green Machines, and there are new additions arriving almost daily. Plenty of WCA Logo gear in stock and everything you would expect to find in a first rate Missouri River Fly Shop, including friendly faces and a committment to great customer service. Follow our new signs off the Interstate and find out what the buzz is about!

Eloise Peter rachele colman

New signs bring you right to our door

Wolf Creek MT’s fly fishing destination

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00June 12th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: fly fishing, green machine, juju baetis, Missouri River, Montana, nymphs, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Wolf Creek Sunrise

We opened the doors a month ago and the response has been overwhelmingly positive as the sun rises on our inaugural season. We couldn’t be more pleased with the way things have gone thus far and we are anticipating a busy season ahead at Wolf Creek Angler.

We are fully operational now with all of our lodging units open, a fleet of RO drift boats for rent and a fully stocked shop with everything you need for fly fishing success on the Missouri. With the secret out about our great guide lodging rates we’ve had plenty of guide traffic as the Missoula, Bozeman and Kalispell crews seek fishable water. We are anticipating much more of this as the weather warms and waters around the state continue to rise. Give us a call to book rooms for your clients and your guides. We are truly one-stop shopping with affordable on-site lodging, a great selection of bugs and gear, shuttle service and much more. With the Oasis, the Frenchman and the Canyon Store just down the road you’ve got everything you need right here in Wolf Creek Montana where you are just minutes from the dam and Wolf Creek Bridge launches.

A moderately busy April has given us a chance to ease into this business of running a fly shop, guide service and lodging operation. Now it’s game time. The crowds will soon descend upon the Missouri in search of insane fishing opportunities and we will be here to do whatever we can to make your trip a success and an experience you won’t soon forget.

The hot topic has of course been the water level and at what flow and for how long it will peak. Flows were increased a couple of weeks ago to around 8500 and have held relatively stable since then with minor fluctuations daily. There have been a couple of tough days out there during this time but there have been more than a couple of off-the-charts days as well so we will take it.

The question remains – where will the flows peak and the answer remains we simply don’t know. There have been plenty of reports out there discussing the topic in detail and these reports are very informative but the bottom line is that we just can’t say. There are simply too many variables, the main one being rainfall amounts. The official word though is that things will max out somewhere between 8500 and 12500. We shall see. From our perspective the river is best fished from a boat right now but that being said, we’ve had plenty of walk/wade traffic as well and it seems that people are getting it figured out. Either way, we’ve got you covered with rental boats, wading gear, shuttles, bugs and anything you might need for your day on the Missouri.

Holter Dam – March 1918

2014 – 8500 CFS. So Far So Good

What we do know is that the Dearborn and the Little Prickly Pear jumped to 875 and 344 respectively overnight following a couple of warm sunny days bringing the Missouri up to the 10000 cfs vicinity down low. What we also know is that it’s fishing just fine, at least from the reports we heard this morning from the pack of guides and guests currently calling Wolf Creek Angler and the Missouri River home.

The dreary skies today had some thinking streamers. Sparkle Minnows, Circus Peanuts, Hibernators and Autumn Offenders all left the bins today destined for big eats from big browns. And speaking of big browns, we heard talk earlier this week from a very credible source about some good numbers of above average size (some Extremely above average)browns in some water you LOVE to fish. Stop by the shop if you are interested in hearing more.

The nymph game has continued to revolve around firebeads and pink stuff for us but we’ve also had varying degrees of success with worms and baetis emergers, specifically Trina’s Bubbleback and Angelcase emergers in #18. Poxyback Baetis, Tungsten Warriors, purple Flux Capacitors, Green Machines, Red Zebras and both Rainbow and Olive Payczechs have also brought respectable numbers to the net over the past week. We’ve still been fishing longer rigs with a couple of bb’s in the deeper water but as the water warms look to the moderately fast water for success. The surface action remains sub-par. There are plenty of midges and BWO’s around but rises are sporadic at best. Stay late for success as most of the consistent activity we’ve seen has been post 8.

We are a month in and fully engaged and ready for a great season. The support we’ve received not only from our customers but from the community in general has been tremendous and we are thrilled to be a part of this Missouri River Thing. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and would like to give a special thanks to The Trout Shop, Headhunters, Crosscurrents and Trout Montana, all of whom have been nothing but helpful to and supportive of Wolf Creek Angler. We look forward to working with all of you.

See you in the shop and on the water….

~Jason O.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00May 3rd, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: Crosscurrents, Flux Capacitor, fly fishing, green machine, Headhunters, Holter Dam, Keeney's Hibernator, Missouri River, nymphs, RO Drift Boats, streamers, The Trout Shop, Trout Montana, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Any day now…

Winter returned on Saturday with snow showers and wind and fairly unpleasant fishing conditions overall, at least for this time of year. Consequently we had a lot of traffic in the shop, some curious about the new kid in town, many seeking a respite from the weather which we are always more than happy to provide. The response to the shop has been overwhelmingly positive and we love seeing all of the familiar faces as well as a lot of new ones. Run off is bringing a lot of folks from around the state to our door and we are thrilled to have you here. Lodging has been pretty well booked all week and while it’s a quiet Sunday in Wolf Creek MT we anticipate filling up again this week as we return to more normal spring temperatures and conditions. Our spring special rates on lodging and guided trips will remain in effect through the end of April with lodging starting at $59/night + tax and full day Missouri River guide trips for only $300.

We’ve been getting a lot of calls concerning the river flows and though we are in no position to predict what will be happening with flows come May and June, it seems that those in the know are satisfied with the water management at Canyon Ferry and the general consensus is that it’s going to be a great water year with things running much closer to normal. Last season’s low flows made for some great wade fishing opportunities but also led to some stressed fish, some weedy conditions and some lackluster bug activity. We are excited to see water in the side channels again and the higher flows should mean better bugs, happier and healthier fish and hopefully some delay in the weed development.

Our guides all reported good to great fishing throughout the week. Nymphing has been solid everywhere and the streamer action has been decent in the canyon and below. Dry fly action is fairly limited right now with a few fish being picked up on Skwalas down low. Tons of midges on the water with most of the feeding coming during the last light of the day. This could be the week for BWO’s – stay tuned and if you’re going out have a dry fly rig at the ready. Firebeads and pink stuff remain the go-to where the nymphing is concerned but the transition is certainly underway and we are seeing a lot more baetis nymphs leave the bins over the past few days. Juju Baetis, Juan’s Flux Capacitors, Little Green Machines and purple and pink lightning bugs have all been in high demand and we are happy to report that we’ve got you covered with these patterns and many more. Skiddish Smolts, Sparkle Minnows and Pollar Minnows have all had their days as of late for those willing to commit to the streamer. Keep your nymphing rig on the long side, 7-8 feet from the indicator to the first fly and make sure you are getting the bugs down to the fish with a couple of bb’s. The softer water continues to produce well but don’t be afraid to fish the moderately fast stuff as well as the water temps bump upwards.

New product continues to arrive at the shop daily. We’ve got a bunch of new bugs from MFC and Umpqua, plenty of rods from St Croix and Echo including The Bank Robber and the High Stick Drifter, all the wading and cold-weather gear you could want from Redington, bunches of Wolf Creek Angler logo gear, Hydro Flasks, Ross Reels, everything RIO and much much more. We’ve also got you covered with shuttles and RO drift boat rentals and plenty of gear and gadgets we hope you can’t live without.

It’s going to be a great season at Wolf Creek Angler!

See you in the shop and on the water…. ~Jason O.

Baetis Nymphs are starting to leave the bins

New bugs at Wolf Creek Angler

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00April 13th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, Echo, fly fishing, green machine, Hydro Flask, Missouri River, Montana, Montana Fly Company, Redington, RIO, RO Drift Boats, St Croix, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

Before

After. The new fly cave at Wolf Creek Angler is filled with the patterns you need for success on the Missouri River

What was….

What is. We are fully stocked with new gear from Redington, Rio, St Croix, Echo, Fishpond, Ross and much, much more.

Yesterday was the official opening day of Wolf Creek Angler. It’s been a busy couple of weeks trying to get everything done and ready for the big opening day and while it’s still definitely a work in progress, the doors are open and we are ready to do whatever we can to earn your business and to hopefully become your Missouri River fly fishing destination

Most of our lodging units are open for the season and are available at discounted spring rates of $99/night for a cabin or bungalow and $59 for Cabin #3 which is the only one of the open units which does not have a full kitchen. We are keeping a close eye on the weather but with 60’s in the forecast for next week it won’t be long until our Motel units are up and running and ready to rent.

We are pleased to announce that Wolf Creek Angler will feature a brand new fleet of Montana made RO Drift Boats

We are proud to announce a brand new fleet of RO drift boats which will be available for rent at a rate of $150/day. The first of our three new boats is scheduled to arrive tomorrow with the other two to follow by May 1st. In the meantime whether it’s a drift boat or a raft or a kayak you are looking for we can help!

Last but certainly not least, the shop is open and we are anxious to serve you. Flies, shuttles, terminal tackle, waders, boots, cold weather and rain gear, rods, reels, accessories and plenty of Wolf Creek Angler logo gear and much, much more. We’ve worked hard all winter long assembling our inventory and creating the space in which to present it and we think you’re going to like what we’ve done.

Oh…and by the way, the fishing has been just fine. It’s been a while since we’ve seen the water ourselves, but we’ve had boats out the last couple of days working on an episode of Big Sky Outdoors which will be airing in June. We will keep you posted on this. All reports have been positive where the fishing is concerned, though we are still waiting on the warm sunny days that get the baetis going but it looks like they will be here soon. Pink anything, sow bugs, Rainbow Czechs….you know the routine. It’s all working and it’s just a matter of finding the right depth/weight combination and the right water which continues to be the slower winter fare. Streamers have been producing as well worked slow and deep. Try a swing through the deeper water rather than a strip. Darker colors are working well and you can’t go wrong with the Sparkle Minnow!

Having trouble figuring it out? Book a Wolf Creek Angler guide trip today at the ridiculously affordable rate of $300 for a FULL day through the end of the month.

See you in the shop and on the water! ~ Jason O.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00April 2nd, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, Fishpond, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, montana fly shops, Redington, RIO, RO Drift Boats, Ross, St Croix, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

Spring Time on the MO

A fat and happy Missouri River Spring Bow

Winter continues to come and go here in Wolf Creek Montana, but the time has come to get out and fish our world class Missouri River and we’ve got some ridiculously affordable spring deals on lodging and fishing you can’t afford to pass up. $300 full day guide trips and lodging starting at $59/night – it’s almost too good to be true.

The river is currently flowing at 6570 CFS and is holding at around 36 degrees – perfect conditions for nymphing and streamer fishing and there are plenty of midges on the water every day if you just can’t wait to throw a dry-fly. More dry-fly opportunities coming very soon! The weather is pleasant for this time of year with temps in the high 30’s and low 40’s and it looks like we’ll be back towards 50 early next week. Traffic is very light during the week though the weekends have been bringing out a fair amount of anglers especially from the dam to Craig. Fishing has been good in that section for sure but don’t be afraid to try your luck further down river if you want to avoid the crowds, there are plenty of hungry fish throughout the system.

The shop is getting close to being ready and will be open for business on April 1st. We are open now for guided fishing and lodging. Give us a call today and book your $300 full day guide trip and while you’re at it, book a cabin. We’ve got cabin #3 available for $59/night + tax and if you need a little more space and a kitchen we’ve got cabins 2 and 4 available for $100/night + tax.

This is an awesome opportunity to experience spring time on the Missouri at a fraction of the cost of normal rates. A full day of guided fishing on the MO and a night of lodging for as low as $359? The same thing will cost you just shy of $600 during the season! Worried about the weather? Don’t be! We are well aware of the ever-changing weather conditions and we don’t expect you to fish in the cold and snow (unless you want to).

See you on the water!

Jason O.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00March 19th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, Craig MT, fly fishing, midge, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

State of the Missouri River – BIG FISH and lots of them

The annual State of the Missouri River presentation was delivered at Montana Wild in Helena Wednesday night by FWP Biologist Grant Grisak. The bottom line? There are a few less fish around (though not by much) but there are an abundance of 17 and 18 inch fish and very few under 15 inches. This should make for an outstanding season with 17″ Rainbows being the norm. Last year’s average size was in that 15 – 16 inch range so those fish have grown up and are ready to do battle. With 5,194 rainbows and 745 browns per mile we are still looking at roughly 6,000 trout per mile in the Craig section. Sounds amazingly FISHY to us and we’d like nothing better than to hook you up with as many of those fish as possible this season. Call today for guide and lodging dates. Peak dates are going quickly but you needn’t worry as anytime is a good time to fish the MO! Dont forget our spring special $300 full day trips running through April.

Grant also spent some time discussing the low flows of 2013 which stacked up in the 7th percentile of peak annual flows between 1946-2013. 2013 saw a maximum flow of just under 5,000 cfs versus the average peak flow during that time frame is 14,900 cfs. The chatter regarding what to expect this season has intensified as of late and we just aren’t sure what to say at this point other than we are cautiously optimistic about flows for the coming season. The snow pack is where it needs to be at 127% of average and early indications seem to be pointing to a decent season where river flows are concerned but we can’t predict the future and we can’t control the weather so we will continue to keep a close eye on conditions and will continue to hope and pray for perfect flows and perfect bugs and perfect fish!

Program Summary from FWP Biologist Grant Grisak

In 2013, the population estimate for rainbow trout 10 inches long and greater in the Craig section was 5,194 per mile. The long term average, including this year is 3,237. Over the past three years the rainbow trout in this section have been at all time high levels (2011=6034, 2012 = 7312). The population this year demonstrated increased size and slightly lower abundance over the past two years, which is typical of the current population reaching maximum size. This year 87% of the rainbow trout in the Craig section were 15 inches long or greater and 35% of the population was 18 inches long or greater. We sampled 5,556 rainbow trout during the estimate, which is the third highest sample on record. Biologists predict the population will return to normal levels next year unless an unusually high water event occurs in the spawning tributaries in the spring of 2014.

There were 47 walleye and 131 burbot sampled this fall. The long term average for these species is 26 and 72 respectively. In the spring, brown trout 10 inches long and greater were estimated at 745 per mile. The long term average including this year is 576.

In the Cascade section, the estimate for rainbow trout 10 inches long and greater was 2,260 per mile. The long term average including this year is 1,575 per mile. This year 66% of the rainbow trout population was 15 inches long or greater. There were 2,350 rainbow trout sampled during the estimate which is consistent with the long term average. There were 34 walleye and 23 burbot sampled this fall. The long term average for these fish is 21 and 41 respectively. In the spring, brown trout 10 inches long and greater were estimated at 447 per mile. The long term average is 387.

By Jason Orzechowski|2014-03-01T22:47:29-07:00March 1st, 2014|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Two months to go…

As we finally get an actual dose of winter weather here in Wolf Creek, the countdown to opening day has begun and April 1st looms large on the horizon.

We’re making steady progress with the launch of Wolf Creek Angler and while we have much to do in eight weeks, we can’t wait to open the doors on that first day of April and show off what we hope will soon become your favorite Missouri River fly shop.

For the time being our dining room table has been transformed into the home version of Wolf Creek Angler. Days are spent ordering merchandise, working on the web site, putting systems in place, drinking coffee and most importantly, corresponding with you. We have been busy booking rooms and guide trips and chatting about our plans for Wolf Creek Angler.

Wolf Creek Angler the home version. The dining room table makes a great fly shop!

Meanwhile….back in Michigan Fred has been busy shoveling snow, plowing snow, shoveling more snow and also finding time to build fly bins as he prepares for his journey west. Fred has also been busy spreading the word about Wolf Creek Angler and it sounds like we are going to have a lot of visitors from Michigan in the seasons to come.

Fred is hard at work building the fly bins.

Many are inquiring about the snowpack and wondering what the conditions will be like on the Missouri when they arrive this spring and summer. I wish I knew! Eight weeks is a lot of winter weather to go, but at this point things seem to be looking good. The snowpack for the Missouri is at over 100 % and the fish numbers look great – beyond that, it’s anybody’s guess what the conditions will be come spring.

MONTANA SNOTEL Year-to-Date Precipitation Update Graph

As of MONDAY: FEBRUARY 3 , 2014

Basin	Year-to-Date Precipitation Percent of Average
KOOTENAI RIVER BASIN	71%
FLATHEAD RIVER BASIN	88%
UPPER CLARK FORK RIVER BASIN	85%
BITTERROOT RIVER BASIN	85%
LOWER CLARK FORK RIVER BASIN	70%
JEFFERSON RIVER BASIN	88%
MADISON RIVER BASIN	90%
GALLATIN RIVER BASIN	105%
MISSOURI HEADWATERS	91%
HEADWATERS MISSOURI MAINSTEM	101%
SMITH, JUDITH, AND MUSSELSHELL RIVER BASINS	116%
SUN, TETON AND MARIAS RIVER BASINS	84%
MISSOURI MAINSTEM RIVER BASIN	99%
ST MARY AND MILK RIVER BASINS	84%
UPPER YELLOWSTONE RIVER BASIN	106%
WIND RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	91%
SHOSHONE RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	109%
BIGHORN RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	112%
TONGUE RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	111%
POWDER RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	128%
LOWER YELLOWSTONE RIVER BASIN	106%

Legend:

<70%

70-90%

91-110%

111-130%

>130%

* = Data are not available or data may not provide a valid measure of conditions for over half of the sites within the basin.

The river will likely be a lonely place this week as arctic air takes hold. Currently 9 degrees in Wolf Creek and getting colder as the week goes on. High of -2 on Wednesday with a low of -14. It looks like things will start to warm up early next week. Until then…tie some flies, clean your lines, daydream about battling fish after fish as you float down the MO on a warm summer day and call us – we can help make that daydream a reality. Lodging for June and July is rapidly disappearing and the guide calendar is filling fast. If you are thinking about making the trip this season we strongly recommend that you book your dates soon.

We will be back on the water next week as soon as things warm up. If a winter guide trip on the Missouri sounds appealing we can do that as well. We can do winter trips on extremely short notice at an extremely reasonable rate. Call us anytime if you are interested.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:09-06:00February 3rd, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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