Holter Dam Archives - Page 8 of 8

Mid Week Missouri River Fishing Report 1/28/15

Wolf Creek Angler guide Luke Koerten with a bright and feisy 5 O'Clock bow. - photo Wolf Creek Angler, LLC

It was another awesome spring-like day in Wolf Creek yesterday so I decided to tag along with WCA guide Luke Koerten, his girlfriend Betsy and their dogs. We floated Holter Dam to Craig with high expectations, excited about some January streamer action after having heard about some great streamer action over the weekend.
We figured we would start out chasing the bobber and get a few fish to hand before settling in to the streamer quest. Good plan but didn’t really pan out as we had anticipated. We ended up spending a lot of time changing bugs trying to find the HOT fly and never really did find anything that was working consistently. We had a tough run from the dam to Wolf Creek Bridge but started to piece a decent day together from there to Craig. The bite seemed a little off, maybe a result of the surge from LIttle Prickly Pear the last couple of days but the water was in great shape and I expect things will normalize over the next day or two.
We did ok with Firebead Soft Hackle Sows, Pink Lightning Bugs, Rainbow Warriors, Wire Worms, Soft Hackle Rays and the almost-famous WCA Casne’s Pinkalicious, which started to turn on at the end of the day.
Everything came from the slow deep winter runs but we rarely picked up more than two fish out of a run. Our lack of success delayed the streamer quest though we did spend an hour or two stripping SLOW and managed to connect a couple of times with the Polar Leech which has been our go-to at WCA since October. Weise’s Swimming Minnow got a few looks and Luke had some custom ties which moved a few fish but as was the case with the nymphing, there didn’t seem to be any one thing in particular they were looking for.
The late afternoon/early evening proved to be the best time slot, which reportedly has been the case for the last couple of days. All in all a decent day, in fact a damn good day by January standards. This weather pattern looks like it is going to hold through the weekend so get out there and enjoy it before winter returns, which it inevitably will. We currently have lodging available for the weekend and expect it will fill so book your room today and while you’re at it why not take advantage of our ridiculously reasonable winter trip rates of $395 for a full day on the MO.
See you in the shop and on the water.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:02-06:00January 28th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: brown trout, Craig MT, Fish, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, nymphs, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Little Prickly Pear is churned up and dumping mud into the MO. – photo by Wolf Creek Angler LLC

Mixed reports from yesterday but it sounds like things were a little tougher overall. It was the busiest day of 2015 on the Missouri by far. Lots of boats and scads of wade anglers between the dam and Craig and some traffic below as well. Temps hovered around 60 most of the day making it not only the busiest, but also the warmest day of 2015.

We were busy at Wolf Creek Angler selling bugs, running shuttles and cleaning rooms for Sunday arrivals. It’s feeling like April with all of this activity and it looks like the weather is going to remain nice so we’re expecting another busy week here in Wolf Creek, at least by late January standards.

Little Prickly Pear is running high and dumping a fair amount of mud, adding to the challenge but it just might be perfect conditions for the WORM. A firebead steelie worm trailing a black zebra could be a lethal rig for the next couple of days. It sounds like the fish were taking a break from the pink stuff yesterday but they will likely be back on it soon. Tungsten tailwater sows and firebead soft hackle sows were reportedly getting it done as well. Streamers seem like they might be a good option with the colored up water but some anglers we heard from who hit it hard in the canyon yesterday didn’t do particularly well. Keep your options open, bring it all and see what works.

Stop in on your way to the river for shuttles, bugs, boat rentals, lodging and much much more.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:02-06:00January 26th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Launches are snowy and icy, use extreme caution.

Daytime temps have been back in the fishable range for the last few days and it looks like this trend is going to hold at least through the first part of next week. There’s been a little traffic around but even so, if you are going to come out and fish you will likely have things pretty much to yourself.
The launches at the dam, Wolf Creek and Craig are not in the best shape so please use caution if you plan to float.
Not much has changed on the bug front. Pink stuff, firebeads, pt’s, rainbow czechs’s etc. fished deep and slow. You can certainly spend some time experimenting to see what’s working best but part of what we like about winter fishing is leaving the rigs alone. The fish are there in that slow deep water and generally aren’t overly selective. The challenge is to put the bugs right in front of them because with water temps holding in the 34 – 36 range, they aren’t going to spend much energy moving for the food train.
Things have been pretty quiet in the canyon as you might expect but a little sunshine and a few ticks up on the thermometer make a world of difference and we expect a few folks will be out and about on the MO this week keeping that dreaded cabin fever at bay. We’ve still got lodging available for the weekend but I expect that will change by tomorrow so don’t wait too long if you want a room in Wolf Creek. The shop is open Wednesday through Saturday from 8 am – 4 pm (or thereabouts) and we’re always open for lodging and guide trips. If you are planning on coming out to fish the MO at Holter Dam or Wolf Creek Bridge remember there is nobody closer. We’ve got everything you need for your day on the water from shuttles to drift boat rentals to cold weather gear to the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:02-06:00January 14th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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

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

Higher flows on the MO are perfect conditions for the worm!

On March 29th I fished the Missouri from Wolf Creek to Craig with a friend. With flows over 6,000 CFS I wanted to get out and do some recon to see where the fish are holding and what they are interested in eating. Well, they were where I thought they would be and with a little adjustment of leaders, indicator and weight, we were busy hooking up most of the day.

I’d be lying if I said the hatch was pretty precise. I spent about a half hour with a silver skittish smolt on the line and moved about six fish. They were hitting that streamer, but I was more focused on nymphs because I have some guide trips scheduled in the near future and I want to be prepared for clients. The fish hit on anything with a hot bead and the infamous extended red-bodied nymph (a.k.a red San Juan worm). We didn’t really try any other nymphs.

We noticed a midge hatch around noon in some of the quiet water back eddies. However, we only saw a few fish up so the midge are nothing to get excited over yet. Water temperature is in the high thirties, but I think when we hit the low forties, we will see more midge and blue winged olive hatches. Then the fish will rise.

I am really excited about what I think will be a nice water year, or maybe a normal water year. There has been a lot of talk about what is the ideal water flow number. I don’t necessarily think there is an ideal. It is sort of like discussing fish counts. In reality, fish need to eat to live. As a guide, it is my job to find out what they are interested in on any given day. The conditions and flows are largely out of my control anyway. When I am out there I am not thinking about flows or counts. I am just concerned about the fish on the end of my fly line.

More recently, I fished with the boys from Montana Fly Company. They were shooting footage for a new short film. The working title is “The Purist” and it is projected to be released in a year or two. A camera operator shot footage from my boat. Another camera operator filmed from a second boat manned by Rob Weiker, a guide from Whitefish, Montana. Montana Fly Company sales representative Stirling Ross Tyler fished from Rob’s boat during filming.

I got to throw a line in the water during breaks. It was cold all day, but fishing was good. We started with green machines and juju baetis nymphs along with some hot beads and black zebra midge and floated the stretch from Holter dam to Craig. It was a busy day chasing indicators. We had so much fun and didn’t even break out the streamer box. We caught quite a few rainbows and a few brown trout and they looked really good and healthy. The MFC film crew were cool cats and I hope to fish with them again.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:08-06:00April 5th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, indicator, juju baetis, Missouri River, Montana, Montana Fly Company, montana fly shops, spring fishing|2 Comments

Spring is in the air. A gorgeous Missouri River Rainbow

The clouds retreat over the Missouri River at Holter Dam.

Spring-like weather arrived in Wolf Creek this week and with it some much needed time on the water and some damn good fishing.

I made my weekly run to the post office in Wolf Creek on Tuesday and threw the rod in the rig just in case. Driving out of Helena I ran into wintry weather all the way to Wolf Creek but about the time I got there the snow stopped and the clouds began to move out. intrigued by the moody skies hanging over the mountains I decided to take a drive to the dam to see if I could get some good pictures. When I got to the dam the clouds were in full retreat, the sun was shining and the 40 degree temps felt like 70’s after more than a week of sub-zero temps and wind chills.

I snapped a few pictures and geared up and talked myself into two hours max as there is no shortage of Wolf Creek Angler business to attend to. That being said, fishing is the business of Wolf Creek Angler and this is why I came here in the first place so office work be damned (at least for a couple of hours). I took a stroll into a frog water winter haunt and hooked whitey on the second cast…not what I had hoped for but better than many other things I could be doing. I spent the next little while searching for the sweet spot and once I found it it was lights out. Half a dozen fish in 30 minutes – I’ll take that ANY day. Firebeads and pink and no reason to try anything else on this particular outing. Crazy midge activity but very few fish keyed into them at this point. I saw one or two rises but would personally rather rope them in on nymphs all day than play that game.

Midges aplenty on the Missouri River

What a great way to spend a couple of hours on a warm February day. I pretty much had the water to myself save for a boat full of comrades from downstream out enjoying the thaw and I did run into Wolf Creek Angler guide and shop veteran Matt Hargrave who was out doing R & D with some sexy new bugs he has created.

I followed that up with a visit to Hauser on Wednesday which resulted in various minor contusions and my typical fishing luck on that water which is not very good. FYI – though the thaw is certainly underway much of the ground is still frozen solid and very slippery. Not a good combination on a steep slope when one is hiking in wading boots. Ouch!

Spring Like conditions on the Missouri River at Hauser Dam

Back to work today. Lots of product ordered and starting to come in as we prepare for our April 1st opening. We will have all kinds of Wolf Creek Angler logo wear available when we open the doors as well as a HUGE selection of flies and plenty of surprises to keep you coming back.

Expect a fair amount of traffic on the water this weekend as the weather looks like it’s going to be awesome with temps in the mid to high 40’s and plenty of sunshine before things cool down again the middle part of next week.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:09-06:00February 13th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: fly fishing, Hauser Dam, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Montana, montana fly shops, nymphs, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Welcome to Wolf Creek Angler

It’s Official! The ink is barely dry but we are proud to announce that Wolf Creek Angler, LLC is your newest Missouri River full service fly shop, guide service and lodging operation!

It is with great pleasure and much excitement that we announce that we have purchased Craig Madsen’s Montana River Outfitters fly shop and lodging operation located in historic Wolf Creek Montana. My business partner Fred Davison and I look forward to continuing to bring you the friendly service you have come to expect from Montana River Outfitters and we are excited to bring some BIG changes under the new name of Wolf Creek Angler.

The fly shop and cabins will be open for business on April 1st 2014, with the remainder of the lodging opening by mid to late April. Please give us a call at (406) 235-4350 or toll-free at 800-800-4350 or email us at info@wolfcreekangler.com to book lodging, guide trips, drift boat rentals or simply to get up to date fishing reports or just to bs about fishing and hear about our plans for Wolf Creek Angler.

Wolf Creek Angler is definitely a work in progress at this point, and we hope to keep it that way, growing and changing to meet the needs of our customers while keeping up with industry trends.

We want to be your Missouri River fly shop and we plan to do everything we can to earn your business. Please keep an eye on the blog for reports on our progress and don’t be afraid to comment and let us know what changes you would like to see at Wolf Creek Angler.

Remember there is no shop closer to the Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge access sights. We offer guided fishing, shuttles, lodging, boat rentals, a great selection of flies and gear and a friendly laid back atmosphere that we hope will keep you coming back. No need to go anywhere else – we’ve got you covered, which means we can get you on the water that much faster.

We would also like to take this opportunity to clarify that Montana River Outfitters isn’t going anywhere. We have only purchased the Wolf Creek operation – the Great Falls store will remain and MRO will continue to provide guided scenic trips on the Missouri as well as guided fishing trips on other regional waters and exotic destination fishing trips.

We look forward to seeing you in the shop and on the water.

Jason Orzechowski and Fred Davison

jfblog

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:10-06:00December 28th, 2013|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: Fish, fly fishing, Fred Davison, Holter Dam, Jason Orechowski, Missouri River, Montana, Montana River Outfitters, Outdoors, Recreation, United States, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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