Missouri River Winter Fishing Archives - Page 13 of 17

This week on the MO

Missouri River Winter Fare Top to Bottom – Casne’s Pinkalicious, Firebead Soft Hackle Sow, Firebead Rainbow Czech, Pink Lightning Bug

It was a relatively busy weekend at Wolf Creek Angler with the warm weather bringing out quite a few people. It was nice to get back in the groove of shuttles and bugs after the quiet of the cold snap.

We’re looking at continued above average temps for this week though we are under a high wind warning starting at noon today and running through early Wednesday morning. It may not be the best conditions for floating but wade fishing can be pretty good even on the windy days as you can generally find some relatively sheltered spots out of the wind.

Judging by the flies leaving the bins over the weekend the word is out. As we reported here last week the MO has definitely gone pink. We saw a big run on Casne’s Pinkalicious as well as Pink Amex, Pink Lightning Bugs, Pink Sow Bugs and Rainbow Czechs followed closely by anything with a firebead. We’re fully stocked on all of these and many more.

A few guys throwing streamers with varying levels of success though nymphing is definitely going to be your best bet from here on out through the winter months.

The phones have started to get busy again with folks making their plans for 2016 which promises to be a great season for us based on our current bookings. We are going to be looking at rate increases effective January 1st but if you book by the end of the year we will lock you in at 2015 pricing.

For those following our Christmas Gift suggestions today we are featuring the highly coveted Steelhead Glove from KAST Extreme Fishing. In our opinion these are the best fishing gloves on the market….hands down and you would be hard pressed to find an angler anywhere who wouldn’t be thrilled to find a pair of these under the tree this year. We are fully stocked with all sizes so stop in and pick a pair up or give us a call if you don’t plan to be in Wolf Creek anytime soon, we’re happy to ship anywhere.

There are not too many things that’ll cut a day of cold-weather fishing short quicker than losing the feeling in your digits. Keeping your hands in your pockets doesn’t lend itself to being ready for that explosive take. And gloves always seem to solve only one part of the warmth/waterproof/dexterity equation. Until now.

Our Steelhead Gloves are designed to keep your hands bone-dry, give you maximum dexterity, and provide a layer of warmth when fishing in cold environments. Patented OutDry technology makes our gloves 100% waterproof/submersible, windproof, and breathable. Plus the warm fleece lining, and durable stretch shell give you the snug fit and uncompromising feel that you need in the fingertips, and an extended cuff for valuable additional coverage at the wrist. Go ahead, chase chrome in a snow squall, or tail a trophy king in frigid water, you can trust your hands will stay warm and dry.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:42-06:00December 7th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Christmas, Kast Gear, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Weekend Report

Gorgeous Missouri River Winter Bow – photo Eric Mondragon

Last week’s snow has all but disappeared with temps close to 50 yesterday and more of the same for this weekend and the week ahead. We may see 60 by mid-week. Given a choice we would prefer snow and cold but we’ll take it either way.

The traffic has been very light even with the warm temps. The winds are keeping some away but those who have been out there have been enjoying some good to great days both nymphing and swinging/stripping. Water temps have been hanging right around 38 for the past couple of days with flows stable at around 3030 cfs. The colder temps have caused the fish to move to the slow, deep winter water which can make things easy if you know where they are. A #12 Casne’s Pinkalicious or Pink Amex trailed with a firebead softhackle sow or a tailwater sow or a pink lightning bug or something of the sort will get you into the action and keep you there. We’ll often run the same rigs for days, even weeks at a time during the winter months with or without split shot. I prefer no split shot opting instead to use a heavy tungsten bug as my weight but it’s all a matter of preference. We typically aren’t doing much with depth adjustment either as the fish are generally concentrated at the same depth in each of these winter runs.

While nymphing is our go-to this time of year it’s also never a bad call to swing or slowly strip a streamer. Our bins are overflowing with all kinds of new streamer patterns. The Hot Head Kreelex, Skiddish Smolt, Sparkle Minnow and various Polar Leeches have all been getting some attention. Stop in and check out our selection, you won’t be disappointed.

Lodging has filled for this weekend and there will be a little more traffic out there than there has been but you will still have plenty of options for solitude on the water. Stop by the shop on your way to the river for shuttles, winter bugs and everything you might need for your day on the water and then some. While you’re here take the opportunity to get your Christmas Shopping done. We’ve got something for all the fly fishers on your list and if you can’t decide what to get them we’ve got WCA gift cards good for everything we sell.

Today we’re highlighting rods and reels. We’ve got some great deals going on Echo and St Croix rods and select Nautilus and Ross reels as we clear the way for some redesigned Echo rods and the launch of a soon-to-be announced new product line in the rod/reel department that we’re super excited about .

St Croix Bank Robber – The Ultimate Streamer Stick

If Anyone Starts Talking About Getting Sensitive Around Here,
They Better Just Be Talking About Light Tippets.

There’s stepping up to the plate, and then there’s stepping up to the fly rod and casting like a big boy. If you want to know more about it, just spend a day with Kelly Galloup. If you plan on chasing trophies with huge streamers, here’s a little tip – bring a big boy rod. Something like the Bank Robber.™ Simply put, they are the ultimate streamer rods. Forged from high-modulus / high-strain SC^V graphite blanks with SC^VI graphite in the lower sections for added power with reduced weight and St. Croix’s proprietary ART^™ and IPC^® technology, it’s something Kelly would approve of. Especially since he helped design them.

Can a fly rod really change your life?
Depends on how much of a life you have outside of fishing.

When it comes to understanding the latest sub-surface fishing techniques, few people know more than Kelly Galloup – which is why we asked him to help us develop the High Stick Drifter. Designed specifically for today’s advanced nymph fishing methods, they feature a unique lightweight tip that reduces angler fatigue when the rod is held high for long periods of time, while emphasizing sensitivity for better strike detection. High Stick Drifter rods also feature SC^VI graphite in lower sections for added power with reduced weight and St. Croix’s proprietary ART^™ and IPC^® technology. And the balance? Incredible. Can these rods change your life? Yea. We think so.

Pick up a Bank Robber or High Stick Drifter today for 20% off the regular price. We’ll also match either one up with the appropriate reel and line for additional cost savings.

Echo Carbon Rods

When Tim Rajeff set out to create the next generation of affordable trout rods he had no idea they were going to turn out so darn good-looking. Getting the action and power correct was his main goal. Tim dedicated a full year of product development to make sure every model in the ECHO Carbon family has a smooth action and is easy to cast. All but a few of these rods have smooth Medium Fast actions and possess power that would be considered close to “average or normal” for each line rating. So you get no surprises when choosing an ECHO CARBON rod. “Not too stiff, not too soft, juuuuuuuust right!!!” With a matte brown finish and a custom Rajeff Sports / ECHO man reel seat the ECHO CARBON rods stand out as the best looking rod under $200 that has ever been made.

Echo has redesigned the Carbon for next season so we’re clearing this year’s models out at 30 % off the regular price. Let us match your new Carbon with the appropriate reel and line for an additional cost savings.

Nautilus Feather Weight Xtreme

The Nautilus FWX (Feather Weight Xtreme) series is the most technologically advanced and the lightest machined aluminum disc drag trout fly reel on the market.

The award-winning FWX reels feature our Sealed Carbon Fiber (SCFTM) drag system with the proprietary TORQ-XTM clutch drive and TPX bushings. This completely sealed, maintenance-free draw bar type carbon fiber disc brake delivers the smoothest drag on the market in a light fly reel. No sand, gravel, water or snow will affect the flawless performance of this amazing disc drag.

Come check out these rods and reels and many more today. We’ve also got some great starter kits from Redington which include everything you need to get started fly fishing. Rod, reel and line and a lifetime warranty on the rod for under $200.

A moderate-fast action rod great for beginner casters or those who have a more relaxed casting stroke. 2-piece and 4-piece models offer flexibility for the traveling angler.

All water, moderate-fast action rod
Durable anodized aluminum reel seat, ideal for all fresh and saltwater applications
Alignment dots for easy rod setup
Rods come with black cloth rod tube
Combo includes: Path rod, Path reel pre-spooled with RIO Mainstream® WF fly line, and zippered carrying case
8 and 9 weight, saltwater application, available with RIO Saltwater® Floating Line
Lifetime warranty *Rod only

Not sure what kind of rod to get them? We’ll walk you through all of your options and explain the differences and get you set up with exactly what you need.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:42-06:00December 5th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report, Product Review|Tags: Echo, fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, St Croix, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

2016 Water Forecast

With the recent snows we’ve had we are off to a good start for the 2016 water year here on the Missouri.

Snowpack is currently around 80 percent of average for the Missouri Headwaters and while they are calling for another mild winter due to El Nino with above average temperatures and below average precipitation the outlook from the Bureau of Reclamation is for flows to continue at or slightly below 3500 CFS for the winter months. We will likely see a slight increase in April and May to around 4000, maxing out at around 5500 in June and holding in that 4000 range for the summer and fall. The maximum probable prediction is for a peak of around 13000 CFS in June with summer flows at or slightly above 5000 CFS. We would love to see the maximum probable! Minimum probable sees things holding right around where they currently are for the entire year. Canyon Ferry inflows for November were 87% of the 30 year average with the reservoir at 78% full which is 93% of average for this time of year.

Pray for snow. We are.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. What some consider perfect flows others consider too high or too low. There are certainly ideal flows as far as maintaining the fishery is concerned and those flows would definitely be more on the high side – higher than the maximum probable prediction. From a wading/fishing standpoint however 2016 looks like it’s going to be similar to what we saw this year. That being the case, it should be another good year on the Missouri.

Why not take this opportunity to book your guide trips and lodging for next season. We’re looking at rate increases for 2016 but if you book by the end of the year we will hold 2015 pricing.

June and July lodging is already getting tough and guide dates are filling quickly, especially for those prime dates so don’t wait too long. We’re looking forward to another great year at Wolf Creek Angler and judging by our current bookings we’re definitely on track to have our best season yet.

We’ve got the same great guides in place for 2016 and will be adding a couple more as well to keep up with the demand. If you’ve fished with us in the past you already know that all of our guides are committed to making your day with them an experience you’ll not soon forget. We don’t measure success simply by the number of fish you catch, we measure success by the overall experience. We not only want you to catch fish, we want to teach you things that will make you a better angler and also teach you things that will help you to appreciate and understand the resource. We are so blessed to be able to live and work here and there’s nothing we enjoy more than introducing our guests to the amazing Missouri River and other surrounding waters.

Our guides are among the best on the Missouri. You won’t find a harder working crew of dedicated professionals committed to making your day on the water the trip of a lifetime. No matter what your skill level or your expectations, we’ve got the perfect guide for you. We are outfitter owned and operated and dedicated to making your Missouri River experience exceed your expectations. Whether you are staying with us, fishing with us, shopping with us or any combination of these, you are our number one priority and we will always do whatever we can to help you to get the most out of your Missouri River fly fishing experience.

The break in the action has been nice but we can’t wait to get back at it.

Don’t think you have to wait until spring to book a guide trip. The seasons make no difference to us, fishing is what we do….year round. $400 guide trips and $99 lodging all winter long with no cancellation fees. Keep your eye on the weather – if you see a day that looks good give us a call and book a room and a guide. If the day arrives and the weather goes south or you just change your mind no worries. It’s winter in Montana. We get it.

Guide trips make great Christmas gifts as well!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:44-06:00December 3rd, 2015|Categories: Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: Christmas, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Monday Morning….All is Quiet

The long Thanksgiving weekend has come and gone. The river continues to be shrouded in freezing fog but the sun is burning through and the cold will loosen its grip over the next few days as we leave behind the frosty single digits for the time being and move back into very comfortable 40’s by mid- week. It looks like the mild weather will hang around for at least the next ten days or so.

Will the break in the weather bring some traffic back to the river? We’ll likely see a slight uptick in traffic once those temps creep back into the 40’s, however things will remain fairly quiet through the end of the year. The holidays are upon us and the next month will fly by for most with plenty of things going on to keep everyone busy.

Should you get a chance to sneak away for a day and wet a line however, we would love to see you. It’s the perfect time to take advantage of our off-season lodging and guide rates. $99 rooms and $400 Missouri River winter guide trips for the rest of the year and through the winter months.

Our winter hours are Wednesday – Saturday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM and Sunday 8:00 AM – 12 Noon (ish). We will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays for the winter months except when the weather is super fishy. We’re open for lodging and guide trips EVERY day and we’ll answer your calls whether we’re here or not. If you happen to come around on a day we aren’t at the shop please stop and see our friends at The Trout Shop or Headhunters in Craig or Trout Montana if you are Cascade bound and tell em’ we sent you!

Thanks to everyone who came out for our Black Friday and Small Business Saturday sales. We definitely appreciate your support and we always look forward to seeing you in the shop and on the water. Remember to pick up Wolf Creek Angler gift cards for all of the fly fishers on your list, available in any amount and good for anything we sell.

Reports from the river have been a bit hard to come by over the past few days but those who have been out have been enjoying some good days with very little competition. Think pink, think firebeads and think slow and deep winter water. We’ve got bins full of winter favorites and we’ll tell you exactly where to go and what to use when for your best shot at winter action on the MO.

We’ve also got the streamer bins fully stocked with a bunch of cool new patterns for your swinging and/or stripping fix.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:44-06:00November 30th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Thanksgiving Week on the MO

Winter Storm Warning in Wolf Creek today and tomorrow. Stay Safe!

Getting things done in the shop this week. We don’t much like the quiet days but they are to be expected and it does give us a chance to get all of our end of season chores completed. Counting flies, completing reports, cleaning, budgeting, reflecting, cleaning some more, finishing pre-season orders, booking rooms and trips for next season, daydreaming, catching up on fishing blogs….on and on it goes. Never a dull moment. And every once in a while someone actually does stop in.

A quiet time to be sure but we are under a winter storm warning and people are getting ready for Thanksgiving so we don’t really expect to see many folks in the shop today or tomorrow.
That being said our lodging is full for Wednesday and Thursday. Who knew Wolf Creek would become such a holiday destination? We’ll take it!

Snow is falling and the wind is starting to howl. Traffic should be nearly non-existent on the water for the next couple of days though the storm will be past and we will be back in the 30’s for the weekend so we’ll be expecting you. Stop in for great deals on Black Friday and Small Business Saturday. We are so thankful for all of our customers who have made Wolf Creek Angler a success and we couldn’t be happier with the way the 2015 season went. We’re working hard to bring more of what you want into the shop and we’re super excited about some things we’re working on for 2016. We trust you will share in our excitement. More on this later.

We hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday and we hope to see you in the shop weather permitting. Why not take some time and make your plans for fishing the Missouri in 2016. Book your lodging and guide trips now to lock in 2015 rates. June and July lodging vacancies are rapidly disappearing and prime guide dates are filling quickly so don’t wait – give us a call today and book your Missouri River dream vacation with Wolf Creek Angler.

Can’t wait until spring? Keep your eye on the weather and book yourself a Missouri River winter getaway. Rooms for $99 and $400 guide trips. Winter fishing on the Missouri can be downright spectacular on any given day and you’ve got nothing to lose. If the weather turns, even on the morning of your scheduled trip, or if you simply change your mind about winter fishing, no worries, there are no cancellation fees. It’s winter in Montana….we get it!

Our winter hours will go into effect this Sunday, November 29th. Open Wednesday-Saturday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM (or later) and Sunday 8:00 AM – noon (or later). We’re a little loose with the shop schedule in the winter but suffice it to say that if the weather is really fishy you can expect to find us here whatever the day and if it’s 20 degrees or colder and/or blizzard conditions we likely won’t be open. If the weather is questionable please call ahead. And remember we’re open EVERY DAY for lodging and guide trips.

See you in the shop and maybe even on the water.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:44-06:00November 24th, 2015|Categories: Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Weekend Outlook

The Missouri River is a year-round fishery – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

It’s a beautiful morning in Wolf Creek with light snow falling and calm winds. Could be a nice day to fish the Missouri though it is a bit on the chilly side at 21 degrees and it’s not supposed to get much warmer today.

The weekend looks good with plenty of sunshine and temps near 40 on Saturday and near 50 on Sunday and Monday. Expect possibly a bit more traffic out there this weekend as it looks like we’re going to get our first deep freeze starting on Wednesday when we will see highs in the teens and lows in the single digits through the latter part of the week.

We’re hearing very good nymphing reports this week with folks still doing well with the short leash rigs in the shallows as well as with the deeper rigs in the more winterish slow deep runs.

Sows bugs are it for the time being and have been for the last while. Tailwater sows, Firebead Sows, Soft Hackle Sows, Snack Nasty Sows, Soft Hackle Rays….etc are all working well. We’ve been running the sows in tandem with a Tungsten Rainbow Czech or Pink Amex and getting the occasional eats on those as well. Don’t abandon the black zebra midge yet either. A Tungsten Tailwater sow in tandem with a black zebra can be very effective. Most are running with no weight right now, opting instead to run something large and tungsten.

The transition to winter fare is upon us so think pink and think firebeads! The aforementioned Rainbow Czechs and Pink Amexes are a good call and you could also go with something like a Firebead Rainbow Weight Fly or my favorite, a #10 Casne’s Pinkalicious.

We haven’t quite gotten there yet but as the water temps continue to drop and those fish move into the depths of their winter homes the nymphing routine becomes much easier. Not that the fishing is always good, it’s not, but if there is any time of year you can run one rig with confidence and not be constantly second guessing your depth and bug selection, this is it.

Some would disagree I’m sure and they probably catch way more fish than I do but I’ve found that once the fish hit the winter water they’re either hungry or they’re not. If they are they will probably eat that pink/firebead/sow etc. offering at that same depth you had them eating it at the day before. It’s not that I never change things up in the winter, I do, but it’s generally a matter of changing the trailing fly and leaving the bobber and the Pinkalicious untouched for weeks at a time.
Winter fishing certainly has it’s own set of challenges, namely keeping warm. The last thing you want to do is spend your day changing flies and getting cold hands. Keep it simple!

There are fish rising daily. A few BWO’s and pseudos around but we’ve pretty much written the fall of 2015 off as far as BWO’s are concerned. Try a Parachute Adams, Purple Haze or Quiqley’s Peacock Cluster trailed with a the CDC Emerger of your choice. Speaking of CDC, while the snow and cold may not make for great fishing the duck hunting should be off the charts next week! The rising fish have not been easy but if you’re fishing dry flies in snow and sub-freezing temps you probably aren’t looking for easy anyway so have at it.

Streamers? Absolutely. Throw them all day long. Unlike the nymph game however I’m a firm believer in changing streamers until you find what they are after. Usually once you find it you’ll be set for the day but you could easily spend the entire day changing bugs and never find one that works. Such is the streamer game. Patience is key. Strip fast, strip slow, swing, speed up the retrieve, slow down the retrieve, upstream, downstream…and on and on. Often the retrieve can be as critical, if not more so, than the bug.

The fish we’ve moved recently on streamers have come on Coffey’s Sparkle Minnows, Polar Leeches, JJ’s, Pop’s Buggers, Olive Smolts and Black or Olive Buggers (among others) and have been on a moderately fast retrieve, most time hitting on the pause. Cloudy days have been better for sure but we’re not afraid to throw streamers on a sunny day, you shouldn’t be either. If you’re contemplating a new streamer rod stop in and pick up one of our St Croix Bank Robber demo rods for the day. We’ve been fishing them all fall and loving them.

Best section right now? We’ve heard good things from most sections but we tend to stay up high from now until spring. The fish are big (and plentiful), the crowds are not an issue and the dam and Wolf Creek Bridge are 5 minutes from the shop. We tend to start a little later this time of year and with it getting dark by 5:30 it works out perfect to limit road time and just float to Craig.

The shop is open at 7:30 AM daily so swing in for bugs, shuttles, free coffee and honest, open and always friendly advice on the where and when and how. Plenty of lodging available for the weekend and guides ready to show you how good winter fishing on the Missouri can be.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:44-06:00November 20th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Extreme Weather Calls for Extreme Gear from KAST

Wolf Creek Angler is your Exclusive Full Line Kast Dealer on the Missouri

With winter weather setting in it might be time to consider upgrading your gear. Things tend to get a little more challenging out there when you factor in the snow and wind and cold temps but with the right gear there’s no reason to stop fishing! We’ve got you covered for all conditions with KAST Extreme Fishing Gear.
Stop by Wolf Creek Angler and check out the full line of gear from Kast. We’ve got plenty of Hell Razor and Velocity jackets and the best fishing glove on the market, the completely waterproof Steelhead Glove.
We’re looking at the first arctic blast of the season arriving mid week next week with highs struggling to break single digits on Thursday and lows dipping below zero. While we wouldn’t necessarily recommend fishing in these conditions we would recommend outfitting yourself with KAST Gear if you’re going to do it.

Wolf Creek Angler is your exclusive Full Line Kast Dealer on the Missouri River.

The Hell Razor Jacket from Kast available at Wolf Creek Angler

Everyone has their favorite jacket. The one that never sees a closet or coat-hook. The one that, unless you’re already sleeping in it, is always close enough to grab—regardless of where you are, what you’re going to be doing, or what the weather is.

For us, the Hell Razor is that jacket: performance and comfort that’s perfect as an insulating layer or solo as outerwear when it’s not pushing single-digits. Designed to be windproof, water resistant, yet highly breathable and thermally efficient, the Hell Razor utalizes Primaloft 60g Gold insulation so you get a jacket that is incredibly lightweight and extremely warm. This jacket is definitely our go-to favorite whether we’re wrestling big fish, wheeling into town—or yes, sleeping in from time to time.

Spend as much time outdoors as we do and you figure out pretty quick what gear works, and what gear you leave home next trip out. And jackets are no exception. Warmth without mobility makes for an uncomfortable day of casting on the water. Mobility over warmth isn’t any better. And if the jacket is too heavy in the first place? No dice.

Our Velocity jacket gives you all three: it’s utralight with stellar warmth and mobility. Velocity’s hybrid design leverages thermal body mapping, keeping your core warm as a stand-alone jacket on colder days, or as a mid-layer in extreme conditions. Plus, you get the enhanced performance and full range of motion from the Polartec® Powerstretch sleeves. Add useful design features like an offset center front zipper, thumb-hole cuffs, tool loops and oversized pockets—the Velocity is ready to run when you are.

There are not too many things that’ll cut a day of cold-weather fishing short quicker than losing the feeling in your digits. Keeping your hands in your pockets doesn’t lend itself to being ready for that explosive take. And gloves always seem to solve only one part of the warmth/waterproof/dexterity equation. Until now.

Our Steelhead Gloves are designed to keep your hands bone-dry, give you maximum dexterity, and provide a layer of warmth when fishing in cold environments. Patented OutDry technology makes our gloves 100% waterproof/submersible, windproof, and breathable. Plus the warm fleece lining, and durable stretch shell give you the snug fit and uncompromising feel that you need in the fingertips, and an extended cuff for valuable additional coverage at the wrist. Go ahead, chase chrome in a snow squall, or tail a trophy king in frigid water, you can trust your hands will stay warm and dry.

Stop in today and check out all of our Extreme Gear from KAST including select summer guide wear on sale for 20 percent off.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:44-06:00November 19th, 2015|Categories: Product Review|Tags: fly fishing, Kast Gear, Kast Hell Razor Jacket, Kast Steelhead Gloves, Kast Velocity Jacket, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Friday Fishing Report

Dan had his best day ever on the Missouri – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

It’s been a windy week on the Missouri with the exception of yesterday morning which turned out to be one of the better days we’ve had recently both weather wise and fishing wise. Calm winds and sunny skies made for an exceptionally nice November day on the water.

My friend Dan is in from Michigan for a few days and we had intended on fishing the Missouri every day. Wednesday’s winds forced a change in plans and we opted to go try our luck throwing streamers on the Blackfoot. I always enjoy wading the Blackfoot but the fishing was extremely slow and extremely challenging with high winds and snow. We covered many miles of water Wednesday between two rivers with only one fish landed and a couple of flashes and tugs to keep it interesting but a tough day overall.

We knew Thursday would be our window of opportunity on the Missouri with less wind in the forecast and it turned out to be even nicer that what we were expecting, at least up until mid-afternoon when the howl returned. We opted for the Dam to Craig run to keep it simple and had the whole thing pretty much to ourselves with just two other boats on the water. I had not been out on the MO recently so we started out with the rig and the water we’ve been hearing have been the go-to but the shallow water/short leash combo proved to be a bust for us. Once we found the right water and the right rig things turned on for the better part of the day up until the time the winds returned. The deeper, slower winter water was good for us running with a deeper rig but still no weight. We had success with black zebras and a pink amex but caught the majority of our fish on a #18 tailwater sow.

We had fully intended on throwing streamers but never got away from the bobber. We also had the dry-fly rig at the ready but unfortunately those opportunities didn’t materialize. That’s kind of been the story for most of the fall. There are BWO’s around but not very many and not with the consistency we would like to see. It’s been a disappointing fall for the die hard dry fly anglers but if you’re willing to chase the bobber it’s been good more often than not.

Traffic on the water is extremely light though there are a few folks around and we’re still booking trips and lodging for those who enjoy the solitude of fall fishing. We’re full for the weekend but have plenty of availability next week. It looks like this weather pattern is going to hold for the time being with breezy, but comfortable days so it certainly wouldn’t be a bad week to come out and fish with us. Colder temps expected by the end of next week.

Give the shop a call for up-to-the-minute reports on the weather and the fishing and stop by on your way to the water for shuttles, bugs, Kast cold weather gear, RO Drift Boat Rentals and great end-of-season deals on rods, reels and more.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:44-06:00November 13th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: fly fishing, Kast Gear, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana|0 Comments

Bidding Farewell to October

The lure of the Yellowstone – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Fall Brown on the Yellowstone – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Finally seeing the fall weather we’ve been hoping for these last few days as we close out October and prepare for what could be a very productive November on the Missouri .

Plenty of cloud cover, cooler temps and some precipitation in the forecast. Definitely BWO weather and the Streamer crowd is mobilized and ready for things to heat up out there.

We ventured to the Yellowstone on Thursday with high hopes of epic streamer action and while we had near perfect weather conditions it was a less-than epic day of streamer fishing. We got a fair amount of chases and did manage to boat several nice browns but nothing in the hog class. Regardless, there’s nothing quite like a fall day on the Stone and it’s always a good time hanging around Livingston for a night.

Meanwhile back on the MO it sounds like we had a couple of solid days out there. The winds have returned today and it’s likely going to be breezy all weekend with WSW winds sustained around 20 and gusting over 30. A chance of rain all weekend and perhaps some snow rolling in on Monday.

If you just can’t resist the thought of some windy, rainy days on the river we’ve got a couple of vacancies tonight and tomorrow. Off-Season rates start on Sunday and we’ve got vacancies a plenty from here on out so when the weather settles and you’re ready to hit the water and have miles of river virtually to yourself give us a call and book a room for $99/night + tax. Hordes of unemployed guides wandering around aimlessly as well so come on out and put them to work. We’re expecting a good November…possibly everything October didn’t turn out to be. There could be some great dry-fly and streamer days ahead and the nymphing will be just fine as we settle into winter fishing mode on the Missouri.

Look no further than Wolf Creek when making your plans for late fall/winter fishing on the Missouri River. A first-rate, full-service fly shop with great lodging accommodations, two bar/restaurants, the only gas station/convenience store between Helena and Cascade and all within minutes of Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge. There’s NOBODY closer! We hope you make Wolf Creek and WCA your off-season Missouri River Fly Fishing destination.

The shop will close at 4 today for the WCA Staff Appreciation Party.

See you bright and early at 7 AM tomorrow morning.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:45-06:00October 30th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, Streamer Fishing, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, Yellowstone River|0 Comments

Updated Fishing Report 2/27/15

Despite the cold temps I couldn’t resist the pull of the river yesterday. It was pretty quiet at Wolf Creek Angler so I dusted off the old Simms Extreme waders, grabbed some hand warmers and donned my Wind Pro Balaclava from Outdoor Research (available at Wolf Creek Angler) and headed out. Surprisingly I was the only one at each of the couple of spots I fished.
Blue skies and sunshine and very little wind made for an awesome afternoon of fishing – even in 17 degrees, and while it was far from EPIC it was a pretty good couple of hours both sub surface and on top. I nymphed a couple up (a couple on the Pinkalicious and one on the soft hackle sow) and noticed a mess of midges on the water and more than a few eats. I decided that three fish was plenty as the big drawback to fishing in these temps is getting your hands wet and I headed off to find some heads.
It took a while but eventually I did find some fish feeding somewhat consistently and I made my way to them but failed to reach them before Jake swam through their feeding lane and put them down. I waited for a while and eventually they started eating again and this time I was ready. My second cast brought me my first fish of 2015 on a dry fly – not a big fish – but a fish on a dry fly in February in 17 degrees…I’ll take it!
Hiking back to the truck my waders were icing up, as was Jake’s coat and my hands had had as much as they could take so we called it a day.
It looks like it could be another slow day at WCA so I may just do it again….

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:00-06:00February 27th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

If Anyone Starts Talking About Getting Sensitive Around Here, They Better Just Be Talking About Light Tippets.

Can a fly rod really change your life? Depends on how much of a life you have outside of fishing.

If Anyone Starts Talking About Getting Sensitive Around Here,
They Better Just Be Talking About Light Tippets.

Can a fly rod really change your life?
Depends on how much of a life you have outside of fishing.