Holter Dam Archives - Page 3 of 8

Spring has FINALLY Arrived

We’re seeing an abundance of blue sky and sunshine with temperatures warming into the 70’s and near 80 by Friday. Flip Flop weather is nearly upon us.

Sure the fishing may have slowed down just a bit and BWO’s prefer grey skies and rain to blue bird days but that being said, it sure feels good out there right now.

After a couple of weeks of cold, cloudy, snowy, rainy dreary days I for one am happy to see the sun again.

The grass is finally greening (and growing) and the buds are popping and the birds are singing. NOW it feels like springtime on the Missouri!

And it’s not as though the fishing is terrible. It’s been a little tougher than it was two weeks ago but we’re still nymphing them up pretty good most days and dry fly opportunities (both midges and BWO’s) are a very real possibility each and every day. Expect to find fish eating midges any day and if you’re looking for good BWO action keep an eye on the forecast for cloud cover.

Streamer fishing has been hit or miss but has generally been pretty good on the cloudier days. Olive and white have been consistently good but we’ve also had luck on greys and tans. Sparkle Minnow for the win as always but Clousers, Skiddish Smolt, MoJo Minows, ZK’s Gladio and MK Ultralight all getting some eats as well.

Strip off the banks and also in the buckets varying your retrieve speed with short strips and long strips and plenty of pauses in between. They seem to be grabbing on the pause more often than not. Most importantly…keep at it. Persistence pays off (sometimes). Once again, clouds are better but they’ll eat under the blazing sun as well. You just need to find the right fish and the only way you’re going to do that is to stick with it. If 45 minutes without a grab or a flash bums you out then maybe stick to the bobbers.

Tailwater Sows with or without the bead, Pederson’s Sow, Pill Poppers, Czechs, Bubble Yums and Soft Hackle Sows still leading the charge but there are plenty of baetis nymphs bouncing around in the system so LGM’s, Psycho Mays, Redemptions, BWO Magic Fly, Olive Lightning Bugs etc are all good calls and you can never go wrong with a black Zebra. Medium depth (3-4’) medium fast to fast water should be your nymphing target water and they’ve been eating the streamer in that water as well.

Traffic has been moderate with the majority generally in the Holter Dam to Craig zone but don’t be afraid to spread out. If you call ahead we’re happy to tell you where the traffic is concentrated so you can plan your day accordingly. Sometimes it happens that everyone figures the dam zone will be busy so they all end up going down river which seemed to be the case on Saturday with a ton of traffic in the canyon and barely anyone fishing the dam to Craig.

We are your eyes and ears on the river and not just where fly selection is concerned. We know where the traffic is and where the fish are. Don’t be afraid to ask us. It’s what we’re here for.

Spring inventory keeps trickling in. We’ve got plenty of bugs, leaders, lines, tippet and such but we’re all struggling to keep rods and reels and waders and boots and the like in adequate supply. Call ahead if there is something specific you’re looking for and we’d be happy to let you know if we have it or where else you might be able to find it if we don’t.

Lodging is moderately busy but we’ve got plenty of rooms available for the next couple of weeks. We’re getting a good number of last minute guide trips being scheduled and this is a good time of year to do it that way. A few weeks from now a last minute guide will be hard to come by but for the time being if you’re thinking about booking a trip we’d appreciate the call and we’d be thrilled to have your business.

Enjoy the warm weather and the sunshine this week and don’t let the wind forecast get you down. It’s not terrible with sustained south southwest winds in the 6-15 mph range the next couple of days, increasing to 15-20 mph on Friday afternoon with some bigger gusts but windy warm days are so much for tolerable than windy and cold days so get out there.
Sunday looks like it could be the next good baetis day with a chance for showers and thunderstorms and a high of 58.

Hope to see you in the shop and on the water soon.

By Jason Orzechowski|2021-04-28T11:10:08-06:00April 28th, 2021|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: bubble yum, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Holter Dam, midge, Missouri River, pill popper, Psycho May, Redemption, running line, Streamer Fishing, streamers, Tailwater Sow, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, ZK's Gladio|1 Comment

Wolf Creek Angler is honored to be your Fly Shop

Since adding our online web store in December we’ve been pleasantly surprised not only by the volume of online sales we’ve been doing but also by the wide range of locations from which we’ve been receiving orders.

It’s not a big surprise when a deeply discounted item like a rod or reel gets ordered by someone on the other side of the country but getting an order for a Wolf Creek Angler Trucker Hat or T shirt from Nowhereseville MN, WI, PA, GA, SC etc. sure puts a smile on my face.

It’s got me thinking a little differently about retail.

When we decided to build an online store we had originally intended on limiting it to WCA Logo gear as that is what we get the most calls about, but as we’ve worked to add additional items we’ve been overwhelmed by the response. I never expected anyone would go to www.wolfcreekangler.com to buy a spool of 4X tippet or a dozen Rainbow Czechs but people actually do and we couldn’t be more pleased.

So while my focus has always been on in-store sales I’m seeing now that having such a limited focus has hurt us, or at least prevented us from reaching our retail sales potential.

We’ve always had the perfect set up during the season with a captive clientele made up of all the folks staying with us. It’s what separates us from the rest. We are truly a one stop shop with lodging, guides, shuttles, drift boat rentals and a quality fly shop all in one place and closer to Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge than any other shop.
That’s a dream during the season but truth be told, there aren’t a lot of folks traveling to Wolf Creek or Craig to go to a fly shop this time of year, despite what you may have read elsewhere.

Sure, we get the occasional visit from folks passing by on the Interstate who swing in simply out of curiosity and we do of course have people staying with us most of the winter, at least on the weekends but generally speaking our retail volume is drastically reduced during the winter months.

There are plenty of days during the heart of winter where we don’t see anyone darken our door which has always had me contemplating the merits of closing for a month or two. But there’s a lot more to WCA than retail alone and much of that happens in the winter with people booking for the coming season. It’s office work which could obviously be done elsewhere but truth be told, I don’t work well from home so that is why we’re open all year.

But the question has always been…how can we increase retail during the off season?

Enter the web store.

Now we have a way to truly be your fly shop 24/7 365 wherever you are, and I’ll be honest, I never really thought about retail that way. I’ve always figured we’re here for you when you’re here with a shop full of everything you need during your visit. But why not be here for you anywhere you are, anytime with everything fly fishing you need period?

Like each of our competitors we have a loyal following, a cadre of fans who would rather purchase from us than anyone. It’s for this reason that we’ve battled from the start to expand our product offerings to meet the needs of our customers because while it may be the case that they’d RATHER buy from us, if we don’t have what they need we’re forcing them to go elsewhere.

We’ve more than tripled our product offerings from the time we opened in 2014, stepping up our game along the way with the addition of A List brands like Simms, Rio, Echo, Smith, Airflo, Lamson, Korkers and more. We’ve steadily built our fly selection with top quality flies from the likes of Montana Fly Company and Umpqua to the point where we boast a selection that rivals that of any of our competitors. We’ve brought in niche products, some of which have done well, some of which haven’t. The point is, our focus is and always will be on providing you, our customer, with the very best products offered by the top brands in the industry. As Industry Ambassadors we personally use the products we sell and we believe in and stand behind all of the brands we carry.

And while we’ve come a LONG way, it’s still an uphill battle trying to assemble all of the brands we’d like to offer you. The politics of proximity are complicated and are a huge hurdle but we’re not backing down until we have all of the things you’re asking to purchase from us.

In the meantime, we are honored and humbled to be not only your Missouri River Fly Shop but your Fly Shop in general…wherever you are.

We’ll continue to add products to our online store and we encourage you to contact us if you don’t see what you’re looking for because we’ve obviously got a lot of products not yet listed in the web store. And when it comes to products from any of the brands we carry, if we don’t stock the particular item you are looking for we are always more than happy to get it for you and have it drop shipped to your door.

Thank you for making us your fly shop and for trusting us to provide you with the products, the services and most importantly the customer service that sold you on us in the first place. We rely solely on you to be able to what we do and you can rest assured that we are committed to doing everything we can to exceed your expectations. Whether it’s upgrades to our lodging, expanded services or the aforementioned addition of the brands and products you demand, you are our number one priority.

By Jason Orzechowski|2021-02-18T12:00:46-07:00February 18th, 2021|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: Airflo, Echo, fly fishing, Holter Dam, Korkers, Lamson, Missouri River, Montana, Montana Fly Company, Rio Products, running line, simms, Smith, Umpqua, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Go To Winter Nymphs on the MO

Colder weather on tap this week and through the weekend, though definitely not January in Montana COLD.

Conditions remain prime to get out and enjoy some winter solitude while getting your trout fix.

Highs in the high 20’s and low 30’s are expected through the weekend with a slight chance for snow Thursday night and Friday. Expect cloudy skies and calm to moderate winds on Thursday and Friday with an abundance of sunshine expected on Saturday and Sunday.

Water conditions remain stable with flows currently holding at 4070 CFS and water temp slowly dropping, currently just shy of 34.5 degrees.

You really couldn’t ask for better conditions as we move towards late January. Classic winter water minus the snow and ice on the ramps. Enjoy it while it lasts. Winter is coming sooner or later (we hope).

Holter Dam to Craig is where you’ll want to concentrate your efforts, especially as the water temperatures drop. Dam to Wolf Creek makes a nice half day float if you want to get a later start while Wolf Creek Bridge to Craig is a good full day float. We’ve emerged from the afternoon darkness so you’ve got some extra light on the back end of the day but even so, Dam to Craig is maybe still a bit much unless you plan to just blow through it.

We are definitely in winter nymphing mode with all of the standards in play. Pink Amex, Bubble Yum Scud, Rainbow Czech, Pill Popper, Hot Bead Rainbow or Pink Weight Fly and the like paired with Tailwater Sows, Soft Hackle Sows, Caviar Scuds, Pederson’s Sow, Pink Lighting Bug, UV Yum Yums and zebra midges.

Swing Season also remains in full effect and the streamer set is taking advantage of the mild weather and extended light to stretch out those floats and cover as much water as possible.

The wind has been a factor as always but as we get into February and beyond look for dry fly opportunities to increase with midge activity increasing.

Remember WCA has the best winter lodging deal in the area at $99/night (plus tax) for a cozy bungalow complete with full kitchen and private bath. And just FYI we have gotten word from the 7R Guest Ranch that they are now serving dinner on the weekends so if not having a restaurant to go to has been keeping you away…problem solved.

And speaking of deals – we invite you to join us for our $550 guide trip and lodging winter special. A full day guide trip for one or two anglers with the best guides on the MO and TWO nights of lodging for the impossibly low rate of $550. Space is limited so book now. Offer runs through the end of March.

Winter Shop Hours remain 8 AM – 2 PM Tuesday through Saturday. Open EVERY DAY for lodging and guide trips. Stop by for bugs, cold weather gear, Adipose Drift Boat rentals and much more.

While you ponder your winter plans make it a point to call this week to book your spring and summer dates. Prime Time is filling quickly and it looks like it’s going to be a busy year on the MO.

By Jason Orzechowski|2021-01-19T12:50:15-07:00January 19th, 2021|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: 7R Guest Ranch, Craig MT, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Holter Dam, midge, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Mid December on the MO’

All remains quiet on the Missouri as we close out these last two weeks of 2020 and look with eager anticipation towards the promise and potential of a new year.

Conditions remain favorable by December standards with more of the same on tap as far as weather is concerned and water conditions holding steady with flows at a low but constant 3690 CFS and water temps hanging right around 37 degrees, give or take.

We’ll see partly sunny skies with temps in the low to mid 40’s all week long though it looks to be breezy this weekend with a high wind watch in effect for Friday night.

Nymphing will be the method of choice over these next couple of months as the fish are settling in to their winter habitat though swinging or stripping streamers will continue to keep many of us occupied all winter long. Dry fly fishing? Not much happening on that front at the moment though midges are a winter staple and will provide some dry fly action throughout the winter months.

Dredging nymphs under a bobber is your best bet for success right now so break out your winter boxes and pick apart that frog water. Pink is in play and will be a staple from here on out. An ideal rig would be #12 pink or rainbow weight fly, pink AmEx, Pinkalicious, Rainbow Czech, Pill Popper, Bubble Yum etc., trailed with a #16 or #18 soft hackle sow, Tailwater Sow, Caviar Scud, Zebra Midge, poxyback sow, Ray Charles, Rainbow Warrior, pink lighting bug, cotton candy etc. If it’s pink and has a pink or hot bead you can’t go wrong. You just need to find the depth and the lane and you’ll be in business. We’re fully stocked with all of the above as well as countless other options.

Keep the streamers on the small side (or not). Buggers, Pine Squirrel Leeches, Fruit Rollups, Polar Leeches, Kreelex etc. have all been effective though the bigger stuff will work as well. Whichever route you decide to go you’ll want to achieve substantial depth and keep your retrieve SLOW with plenty of pauses in between strips. Try the occasional swing or jig action as well. Winter is obviously becoming swing season on the Missouri with the two handers seemingly taking over but don’t feel like you can’t fish single handed utilizing old school streamer methods. I’m here to tell you, it still works!

And the beauty of it this time of year is that whatever methods you prefer, there is no shortage of water on which to ply your trade.

As has been the case for most of the fall, traffic is not an issue. There are always a few wader anglers around and maybe a boat or two depending on the weather and the day of the week but there is a daily abundance of solitude to be found which will likely be the case for at least the next few weeks until cabin fever starts to drive some traffic our way.

Our lodging continues to be on hold until things settle down with Covid cases which it seems might be happening now, at least by the daily state wide numbers which have been trending downwards for the last couple of weeks. If these trends continue we’ll likely make lodging available again in January, just in time for the aforementioned cabin fever traffic.

We’ve gotten a few calls inquiring about the ice on Holter….there is none! We’ll keep you posted.

As we approach Christmas which is ONE WEEK FROM FRIDAY, and as we gather to celebrate the holidays, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all again for your patronage over the years and especially during this crazy Covid year. I don’t know that we’re quite out of the woods just yet but I’m confident 2021 is going to be a year of leaps and bounds towards normalcy and I for one can’t wait.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-12-16T10:33:45-07:00December 16th, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Fall fishing at its finest. Mom with the assist, netting this Missouri River beast hooked and fought solo by Emma Lawrance. Way to go! Photo by Matthew Lawrance

A couple of weeks into autumn and we’re still waiting for some hint of fall weather.

We’ve had an abundance of sunny, cloudless days with temps holding in the 70’s which is not exactly what you would expect for the first week of October. It definitely feels like fall in the mornings but we’ve yet to have a day where you need a jacket past 10 am.

Water temps are dropping slowly but still hanging in that 58 – 59 degree range and flows are as low as I’ve seen them, currently just shy of 3300 CFS, well below what we normally see this time of year which is somewhere in the 4000 CFS range. Last year at this time we were seeing flows of 4500 CFS with water temps at 54 degrees and dropping. It’s definitely a different year in more ways than one, not the least of which is low water on the MO.

Not to despair though as fishing should do nothing but improve from here on out.

We’ll see a cool down starting Sunday with highs only in the low 50’s and overnight lows dipping into the high 30’s. There’s a chance for some rain and snow showers as well so keep your fingers crossed, we could see BWO’s next week. In the meantime keep those nymphing rigs at the ready or suck it up and commit to throwing the big stuff, weeds be damned.

As stated, nymphing has been the go-to for numbers with most of the traffic concentrated between Holter Dam and Craig. Best bugs have been black or purple Zebra midges, Red 2 Bit Hookers, Brown S & M’s, Little Green Machines, BWO Redemption, Jujus, Tailwater Sows, Frenchies, Pill Poppers and Rainbow Czechs. The crayfish bite seems to have come to an end though I wouldn’t necessarily rule it out completely. Always worth at least a try.

We’ve had a lot of inquiries about dry fly fishing the last week or so and even had a few trips out who were pretty intent on hunting heads. Unfortunately that’s really not a thing right now. That’s not to say there aren’t some opportunities out there if you really work at it and put your time and your miles in but we are definitely languishing in the in between as we await the more fall-like weather and hopefully the bugs that accompany it.

The warm temps and lack of a freeze mean there are still plenty of hoppers around so we are still encouraging folks to blind fish hoppers and ants and October Caddis are a good call as well. Drop a nymph, trail a smaller terrestrial or fish it solo. It’s certainly not as productive as straight up bobber fishing but it’s hard to beat that take on a big dry.

The streamer bins have been getting a lot of attention this past week and it sounds like things are improving daily out there. Like I said, if you’re going to fish streamers you ought to commit to doing it all day long. Like the dry/dropper, it’s a low-percentage method but the return is well worth the investment. The weeds are frustrating to be sure but once you work though all of that and find the right water and the right bugs it’s game on! A few chases, a few takes and you’ll be hooked. Or maybe not, but most of the streamer crowd with whom we run are fully committed (or in some cases should be committed) and passionately addicted and live for fall streamer fishing. I don’t think I know anyone who merely dabbles in the streamer game. You’re either all in or you’re out.

Stop in and check out our streamer selection. Some have proclaimed it to be the best on the MO’. And while you’re at it, if you are in the market for a new streamer stick we’re wheeling and dealing during our annual fall rod and reel sale with 25% off all rods and reel…now until they’re gone.

New shop hours are in effect this week. 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM Monday – Saturday and 7:30 – 4:00 PM Sundays. We are your one stop destination shop on the Missouri River. The hardest working, most professional guides on the river, clean and affordable lodging, Adipose drift boat rentals, shuttles, bugs, Simms boots, waders and accessories and much much more.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-10-07T22:01:56-06:00October 7th, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, juju baetis, Missouri River, Montana, running line, simms, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

A Different June for sure but regardless, PMD’s have emerged on the MO’ – photo courtesy of montana-riverboats.com

We’re three days into June and while in some respects things seem to be approaching normal, in many others the sense of Covid weirdness still pervades.

The biggest stride towards normalcy we’ve seen in months happened on Monday as Montana entered Phase II of reopening which included the lifting of the mandatory 14 day quarantine for those coming from out of state. We did have some spur of the moment lodging and guide trip bookings from out of state residents on Monday and Tuesday but for the most part Phase II feels about like Phase One did with light traffic on the river and an eerily quiet atmosphere in Wolf Creek and Craig.

Weekends have been a different story, feeling much more like the heart of the season with overflowing parking lots and flotillas of drift boats, rafts and all manner of floating apparatuses. Montanans were out in force over the weekend taking advantage of the clean, controlled flows of the MO and also re-discovering the Dearborn River in droves.

We’ve always advised against scheduling your guide trips on weekends, particularly on Saturdays. It’s no different this season. There has been a well-documented shift towards outdoor activities since things began to open up and we’re expecting that this trend will keep things busy here on the weekends as Montana residents stay close to home.

Obviously, our hope is that things get steadily busier during the week as we transition into Phase II but at this point our loss of out-of-state business is your gain as this could be the least fishing pressure the Missouri River has seen in decades. Between the continued Covid restrictions around the country and the travel complications caused by a reduction in air traffic the MO will likely see a relatively quiet June so if you have avoided the Missouri in the past due to the crowds and you are within a day’s drive we would love to be your June destination on the Missouri.

Conditions couldn’t be better. The weather has been nice and the water is in great shape. Flows are currently at 5100 but will bump over the next two days, nearing 7,000 cfs on Friday. Water temps are ideal at around 57 degrees and the Dearborn and Little Prickly Pear are dropping rapidly and should not be a factor going forward unless we get a bunch of precipitation.
Snowpack is dwindling but we’re in good shape for a good water year.

Oh, and the fishing? The fishing has been consistently solid and is about to get super fun as PMD’s emerge on the scene. We’ve had some sporadic bugs but it’s just getting started so if you’ve ever wanted to fish the PMD hatches on the MO’ now is the time. We’re also seeing plenty of caddis around though the fish have yet to settle into surface feeding mode. Rising fish have been few and far between but fear not, it’ll happen soon. Make sure you’re out there when it does.

In the meantime, nymphing has continued to be the go-to with, you guessed it, tailwater sow bugs continuing to be the nymph of choice. Split Case and Crack Back PMD’s, PMD Magic Fly, PMD Redemption, Psycho Mays, Peep Shows, S & M’s, Frenchies all on the menu right now. Gold or Purple Weight Flies, Tung Darts and other Caddis pupae patterns are all good choices for a point fly and we’ve heard a few rumors of the Zirdle getting eaten as well. Medium depth, fast (ish) water with or without lead, depending on the day. Target those nymph runs while keeping an eye on those PMD flats for bugs and rising fish. Rusty Spinners, Buzzballs, PMD Sprouts, HI Vis PMD’s, Film Critics, Flash Cripples, Doc’s PMD all good PMD Go To’s. All these and more currently filling the bins at WCA.

Restock that caddis box as well with Outrigger Caddis, Cornfed Caddis, Bloom’s Hi Vis Caddis, Stockingfoot Caddis and the ALMOST ALWAYS EFFECTIVE CDC Caddis Emerger. The time is drawing near!

We haven’t heard much on the streamer front this week but with the bump in flows coming and hopefully at least a couple of weeks left before the weeds arrive you could do worse than bombing the banks with big bugs as you hunt for rising fish.

The bottom line is the fish are here, the bugs are here….the people really aren’t. It’s a rare and golden opportunity to enjoy some summer solitude on the Missouri.

The shop is open at 7:30 daily and while we may be a little skinny on T shirts and trinkets this season we’re fully stocked on the stuff that matters. Bugs, Bugs and more bugs. Lines, leaders and tippet a plenty.

We’ve got good availability on lodging and guide trips through around the third week of June and limited availability of both right on through prime time. Shuttles, sun protection, Air Lock Indicators, Simms wading gear and sportswear, Adipose drift boat rentals, essential tools and accessories and a sensible inventory of rods and reels from Loop, Echo, Redington, Ross and Lamson.

We are the preferred fly fishing destination operation on the Missouri, close enough to the action but far removed from the chaos. We are closer to Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge than any other shop and it won’t take but a few minutes spent on the porch at cocktail hour, scanning the hillsides for roaming critters, to realize that what the town of Wolf Creek lacks in publicity it more than makes up for in genuine Montana Ambiance.

Shotgun Annie’s is open daily from 11 AM to 8 PM and serving breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays from 7:30 am – 11:00 am and our friends at Izaak’s just down the road in Craig is open Wednesday – Sunday from 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM. We urge you to support them both.

We’re also loving the breakfast and dinner delivery right to your door from MO’ River Eats. Call your order in the night before and have an amazing breakfast delivered to your door. Order the morning of and Kelli will return in the evening with absolutely delicious dinner once again delivered right to your door.

Are things weird this season in Wolf Creek and Craig? Of course they are, but we can’t stress enough the opportunity this is presenting to those in close proximity to enjoy relative solitude on one of, if not THE BEST fishery in the lower 48.

Book it!

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-06-03T19:25:44-06:00June 3rd, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, Echo, fly fishing, Holter Dam, Loop, Missouri River, Montana, pmd's, running line, simms, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Phasing Out Phase One this week on the MO’

As we close out the month of May this week I dare say things around here are actually starting to feel something close to normal.

There’s no doubt, the seemingly parallel universe of life under Covid19 has thrown all of us off. It seems like yesterday we were doing our late winter plotting and strategizing in anticipation of the coming season and then, just like that, time stopped but at the same time accelerated to the point where we’re now looking back at spring and wondering where it went as we begin to approach prime time on the Missouri River.

We got a taste these past couple of days of what’s hopefully to come with holiday traffic streaming into Wolf Creek and Craig. Nice weather, good fishing and the unofficial start of summer brought the crowds to the river this weekend.

A perfect way to end the week which brought us the best news we’ve heard in a long time as Governor Bullock announced that Phase II of Montana’s reopening would begin on June 1st. Included as part of phase II is the lifting of the mandatory 14 day quarantine for out of state travelers which was cause for celebration amongst not only fly shops, fishing guides and outfitters but also amongst the collective outdoor tourism industry in Montana. We spent last week passing the good news on to our out of state clients who’ve been anxiously awaiting a verdict on their summer travel plans.

Mind you we’re not abandoning safe practices and social distancing measures but the continued downward trends in the numbers along with news from the CDC late last week that the virus does not spread easily on contaminated surfaces as had previously been thought, is cause for optimism and yet another step closer to normalcy.

In keeping with the good news, it looks like it’s going to be an absolutely beautiful week on the MO’ and with the Dearborn and Little Prickly Pear on the drop we’ll look forward to spreading out again and seeing what’s happening in the canyon once the mud clears.

The Holter Dam to Craig beat was busy over the weekend but traffic has been light during the week. Make it a point to get out there this week and enjoy the Montana solitude before the out of state traffic returns next week.

Mid 70’s to mid 80’s on tap all week long with plenty of sunshine and highs near 90 on Saturday. I expect we’ll see a busy river again this weekend.

BWO’s and March Browns in the rear view but there have been caddis around and PMD’s won’t be long.

Nymphing has been good to great most days with the best action in the faster water, medium to shallow in depth. The Tailwater Sow Bug continues to rule the day but we’ve also had good action on worms, Rainbow Czechs, Pill Poppers and Little Green Machines. I’ve been cycling in some PMD standards like the Magic Fly and Crack Back PMD but we’re not quite there yet. Keep them in the mix but don’t spend too much time on them it they’re not producing.

Streamer fishing has continued to be inconsistent but could be good this week as things start to clear. Water temps are in the low 50’s and will be on the rise this week so don’t be afraid to move those bugs. Mix it up with short, fast strips with plenty of pauses and a few long strips thrown in for good measure. Switch up your bugs, your colors and your retrieve until you find what works (or until you hit the takeout, whichever comes first)! We’ve got a few weeks left before the aquatic vegetation becomes an issue. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Per the Covid retail protocol we’ve been trying to run as lean as possible but we’re stocked up on essentials with our focus on flies and terminal tackle this season. Plenty of Simms waders, boots and sportswear on the shelves and a workhorse lineup of rods and reels from Loop, Echo, Redington, Ross and Lamson. We’re also stocked up on sun protection from Blackstrap, Buff and Simms (which double nicely as masks) and we’ve got enough packs, tools and accessories to meet most, if not all of your needs. Anything we don’t have we’re more than happy to order for you.

We’ve got plenty of lodging available these next couple of weeks and guides are standing by. We’re happy to be resuming our out of state bookings next week but we have had substantial cancellations and we’d like nothing better than make up some of that ground and get some folks back in our guide boats and cabins. Give us a call if you’re interested in booking lodging, guides or drift boat rentals for PMD season…I think it’s going to be a good one!

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-05-26T19:36:31-06:00May 26th, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, Craig MT, Echo, fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Montana, pmd's, Redington, running line, simms, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Spring is streamer time on the Missouri

As we emerge from the Covid-19 lockdown the timing couldn’t be better as spring fishing is just starting to hit its stride.

Bumps and drops in flows along with plenty of color coming from the Little Prickly Pear and Dearborn have made things somewhat inconsistent for the past week or so but with the creeks on the drop for the moment and the anticipation of stable flows and water temps for the next while we should be in good shape for the weeks to come.

Per the norm for this time of year the numbers (both fish and boats) have been at Holter Dam. The dam to Wolf Creek run has been the most consistent. Wolf Creek to Craig has had its moments but has been hit or miss for sure. Traffic below Craig is sparse and almost non-existent below the Dearborn save a few of those streamer guys plying the mud for prowling giants.

Nymphing is without a doubt your best bet for numbers right now with all of the usual suspects in play. Point flies of choice in my boat have been Ninch’s Pill Popper, Caviar Scud, Pink Amex, Tan UV Czech, Firebead Steelie Worm and Rainbow Weight Fly. Trail with #16 Tailwater Sow, #18 PT Green Machine, #16 UV Yum Yum Scud Pink, #18 Olive Lightning Bug, #18 Olive S & M, #18 Black Zebra, Soft Hackle Sows, #16 Pink Ray, #18 Magic Fly BWO etc.

The fish are on the move and we’re typically finding them in medium depth, fast (ish) water. Start around 5’ bobber to bb and adjust accordingly. Most of the known hot spots are producing, at least in that dam zone. Follow the traffic flow, observe adequate social distance between boats (much much more than 6’ please) and please don’t anchor up in the middle of the run. If you’re not getting into fish take a look around you and see what’s going on. If others are hooking up and you aren’t watch what they’re doing, where they’re going etc and follow their lead. And those boats with the red and white stickers – those guys generally have a pretty good idea of what’s happening and the vast majority of them are happy to help. Whether you’re having trouble cracking the code or encountering more serious (non-fishing) issues, don’t be afraid to seek help from those with the red and white tags.

Dry fly opportunities are not abundant at this point though there have been BWO’s around. It’s a right time, right place situation so keep that dry fly rod rigged and ready for action. We’ve been doing well with Sprout Baetis, Olive Para Adams or Para BWO’s trailed with your emerger or cripple or choice. Midges are abundant though finding fish eating them has been a challenge. If you find a sipper or two try feeding them a Bucky’s midge cluster or Griffiths gnat. We’ve also had good luck with Black Midges and Black Sippers….all available now at Wolf Creek Angler.

The streamer game should be good right now. It isn’t great. We’ve put a lot of time and effort into it these past two weeks and have come away disappointed more often than not. A few flashes here and there and the occasional hook up but overall not what you’d expect. We did find some success yesterday with a couple of shallow water explosions right on the bank which makes it all worthwhile but it’s important to keep your expectations in check.

I’m not saying you can’t mix streamer fishing with nymphing or dry fly fishing but you can’t crack the streamer code when you’re chasing bobbers or head hunting. Get serious. Grab your streamer boxes and leave the rest behind. Change size, color, retrieve, target water and any combo of these variables often until you crack the code and keep your expectations in check.

The fishing forecast for this week looks good. We’ll see a storm system move through the area tomorrow afternoon into Wednesday bringing cooler temps and some precipitation in the form of rain and a rain/snow mix Wednesday.The weekend looks good with partly sunny conditions and temps in the low 60’s with a slight chance of rain each day.

We’ve got plenty of lodging available and we’re also continuing our spring guide trip special as well as our lodging and guide trip special. $400 Full day guide trips through the end of the month and get a second night of lodging on us when you book two days of guided fishing and a night’s lodging. Please note, due to the 14 day mandatory quarantine for out of state visitors at this time we can only offer our services to Montana residents and those who have met the 14 day quarantine requirements if traveling here from out of state or returning to Montana from out of state travels.

While we’re definitely happy to be back at it this new normal will definitely take some getting used to for all of us. We’re wearing masks in the shop and on the boat and we are encouraging our clients to do the same.We are frequently cleaning and disinfecting in the shop and if you’re fishing with us you can expect your guide’s boat and vehicle to be clean and disinfected prior to and following your trip. We are health screening all guides and employees daily and will not allow anyone to work if they are showing any symptoms of being sick. We’re also health screening clients and we ask that you please not come if you are showing any symptoms of being sick. This goes for lodging guests, fishing clients and everyone shopping with us.

We’re doing our best to adjust and to make the best of these bizarre times in which we’re living. We encourage you to do the same and remind you that there’s no better way to escape the madness, if only for a few hours, than being on moving water with a fly rod in hand.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-05-05T18:10:49-06:00May 5th, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, midge, Missouri River, Montana, running line, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|3 Comments

The Shape of Water 2020

It’s that time of year again when we take a closer look at current snowpack, long-term weather and precipitation forecasts, current flow conditions and current reservoir data at Canyon Ferry to come up with some kind of prediction of what you might expect to see for water conditions on the Missouri this spring and summer.

Five days into April we’re still looking at snow on the ground in Wolf Creek, left over from last week’s spring snow storm but heading into this week it looks like we’ll be seeing some more spring-like weather with temps in the 50’s through the middle of the week and possibly climbing into the mid 60’s on Thursday before another cold front moves through next weekend. I would bet we haven’t seen the last snowfall of the year but hopefully we’re on our way to those warm, sunny spring days on the MO.

The snow water equivalent is looking good with everything in the region in the 100 to 140 percent of normal range and the majority or locations at right around 120 percent of normal. This is right where we like to see things at this point in the season though snowpack fails to tell the whole story. It looks good now but a sudden warm up could rapidly deplete that snowpack and leave us well below average and similarly we could still see plenty of high country precipitation accumulating and setting us up for the possibility of higher flows depending on what we see in the way of spring rains.

Missouri River flows below Holter Dam are currently at 5180 CFS and have remained relatively steady all winter in the 4500 CFS – 5000 CFS range. I would expect to see that pattern remain over these next couple of weeks and then tick up in late April as the spring flows begin to take shape.

Canyon Ferry is currently 73% full with inflows at 3395 CFS and outflows of 5283 CFS. March weather resulted in near normal precipitation, while cooler temperatures occurred throughout the Missouri River Headwaters.
The one-month outlook forecast, dated March 31st, is an equal chance for normal, above, or below normal precipitation and a 50 percent chance that below normal temperatures will occur during April in the Missouri Headwaters.

Based on these factors the current model for April is predicting most probable flows holding right about where they’re currently at with the minimum probable at around 4500 CFS and the max probable at right around 6K. Not a lot of variation in April which will make for ideal fishing conditions.

The show starts in May as run-off begins and while we’re always hoping for at least a few days of flushing flows (over 15K) it looks like the most probable model has us bumping up to just 8000 CFS with the minimum being right around 4,000 and the maximum at just over 10,000 CFS which we would gladly take.

Looking beyond May this far out isn’t all that practical but at this point the best guess is for most probable flows holding at that same 8K before leveling out in the 5,000 cfs range while the max probable peaks around 14K and the minimum probable holds steady at around 4,000 CFS. At this point it’s really anyone’s guess so we try to steer clear of making any bold predictions about June this far out.

It’s all dependent on spring precipitation which we’re assuming at this point will be at or slightly below normal but again, it’s a bit like trying to predict what will happen with the Coronavirus, the models are only as good as the data that goes into them. The more data, the more accurate the model so we’re content to just sit and wait and see and hold off on any prime-time predictions until we have more data. (For both the Coronavirus and the water conditions).

All that being said, I will make the same bold prediction I make every year. There will be water (how much or how little we don’t know) and there will be fish (plenty) and we will be fishing.

Stay tuned for up to date reports and conditions from Wolf Creek Angler.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-04-05T19:47:55-06:00April 6th, 2020|Categories: Local Buzz, Uncategorized|Tags: Holter Dam, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Welcome to March on the Missouri

As I drove in this morning it sure felt to me like spring was in the air. 40 degrees with a mix of clouds and sun and a light rain…quintessential early spring conditions. If it wasn’t for the howling wind it might be the perfect day to be on the water.

Fast forward two hours and I’m staring out the shop window at sheets of snow blowing across the horizon. And then, just like that, there’s the sun again. Yes, this is spring time in the Rocky Mountains.

If it wasn’t for the high wind warning I suspect there would be some traffic today. This is the kind of weather that gets people thinking about spring fishing and the forecast going forward this week is likely going to bring them out in droves. After all, with temps expected to be in the low 60’s on Friday, who can resist?Sure it’ll likely be breezy but once you get into the 60’s the wind is much easier to tolerate.

Lodging is starting to book up for the weekend, we’ll have more available possibly by this weekend but for sure by next week so give us a call if you’re thinking of coming out. And don’t forget our spring guide special is in full effect. $400 Full Day guide trips for one or two anglers. Book two trips and a night of lodging and we’ll throw in the second night of lodging for FREE. That’s right – FREE LODGING at Wolf Creek Angler.

If you’re inclined to DIY – we’ve got two fancy new Adipose drift boats for rent (a Runoff and a Flow) and the Mending Waters Montana boats are once again available for rent via mendingwatersmontana.org FREE to all vets and active duty military personnel.

The water is in great shape with flows currently at 4480 cfs and water temp bumping up against 36 degrees. It’ll get there soon. Flows will bump over the next two days, back up to around 4900 cfs by Friday.

Nymphing and streamer fishing will be your methods of choice but don’t count out dry fly fishing. Breezy conditions typically take this option off the table but you never know. Sometimes you come upon that perfect spot, shielded from the wind where the midge feast is occurring. If I were wade fishing I probably wouldn’t go through the trouble of bringing the extra rig unless conditions were just right, but you’d be a fool not to have a dry fly rod at the ready in your boat from here on out as spring fishing commences.It’s on the early side but if you’re fishing from a drift boat I wouldn’t hesitate to spend some time prospecting with a Skwalla or chubby. You just might get surprised.

Likewise, nymphing is still in the winter zone but it’s about to undergo a transformation as the water warms and the fish start to move and the spring bugs begin to emerge. I’ve been sticking with the Bubble Yum/Rainbow Czech/Amex/Pederson’s Sow/Pill Popper/Caviar Scud point fly trailed with a tailwater sow/soft hackle sow/zebra midge/Yum Yum/Ray Charles etc but there’s no reason you shouldn’t start to work some baetis nymphs into the mix. Jujus’, Radiation Baetis, BWO Wondernymphs, Olive S & M’s, Split Case BWO’s, Magic Flies, LGM’s, Olive Lightning Bugs etc. would all be good options going forward but if you’re happy with your winter rig’s performance then by no means should you change it up. You do you!

There’s been plenty of talk about the streamer action as of late and the talk has been that if streamer fishing is your thing and you’re not out there, then you’re missing out right now. It’s been primarily a swing game but don’t let anyone tell you you can’t strip. I wouldn’t get overly aggressive with your strip just yet but a nice slow strip with plenty of pauses in between has been very effective. Polar leeches, Mojo minnows, Kreelex, Clouser-type minnows and buggers have been steady movers out of the bins these last few weeks and will continue to be good options. Don’t be afraid to go bigger, bulkier and flashier though. The big browns seem to be on the hunt and on the right day don’t seem to be overly selective. Fish what you like. Again…you do you!

Reports have been good for most sections though I haven’t heard much from Pelican down. It’s likely on the cold side down there. Wolf Creek to Craig is a great go-to and Craig to Dearborn has been my preference as of late. I’ve heard decent reports from the canyon and Holter Dam will likely be a busy place very soon so go where you like and do what you like to do…it’s time for spring fishing on the MO’.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-03-04T18:39:33-07:00March 4th, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Free Lodging, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|4 Comments

Previous 234 Next