Missouri River Archives - Page 50 of 62

Rainy Days on the MO

We did a lot of Dearborn River shuttles last week as people took advantage of 500 ish flows with the thought that the window to float would be short-lived. As of this morning the Dearborn is pushing at 807 so we may in fact have a Dearborn season after all, especially with rain in the forecast every day this week. Please give us a call today if you are interested in doing a day on the Dearborn. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to fish one of Montana’s hidden gems!

Back to the rain….obviously we were disappointed with the Dub C A Soiree getting rained out over the weekend and the soggy weather also put a bit of a damper on the Craig Caddis Festival the weekend before, though the word is that they did extremely well bringing in their biggest haul to date despite the low turnout.

So while there have been more days on the damp/cool side than not and mowing the grass has become a full-time job, the positives far outweigh the negatives. Things are really greening up everywhere you look, the high water in the creeks is making for some excellent streamer fishing opportunities both on the creeks themselves and on the Missouri and most importantly, Canyon Ferry continues to fill (currently at 88 percent) which will hopefully mean comfortable summer flows at or near the 4000 mark.

Flows in the mid 3000’s are what continue to be the prediction for the summer season and while these flows are not ideal for the overall health of the river a lot of the wade anglers love the fact that they can access so much more water. Consequently, the potential for conflict between wade anglers and boat anglers will be on the rise so please respect one another out there and give as wide a berth as possible to your fellow anglers whether in a boat or on foot. I personally go out of my way to give huge amounts of space to other boats and to wade anglers and I appreciate when others follow suit. There is plenty of water and plenty of room to spread out. If the majority of the traffic is concentrated in the top section why not go down low and explore new options. The fish are everywhere! We all have our comfort zones which we develop over time through our experience on the water but as the crowds roll in why not expand that comfort zone by frequenting some of the less popular stretches? Easier said than done, believe me I know, but it will make you a better angler and certainly a better guide if you get to know the whole river.

Stop by the shop or give us a call for up-to-the-minute reports and conditions. Open at 7:00 am daily for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs including lodging, RO drift boat rentals, fishing licenses, shuttles and of course, the widely publicized largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana as recently reported in major newspapers across the state.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:52-06:00May 26th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, RO Drift Boats, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Missouri River Memorial Day Fishing Report

Guest Blog from WCA Guide Jim Murray

The big boys are out in full force on the Missouri as May turns to June. Reports of large fish being caught from the Dam to Cascade are becoming the norm. The fish are big, fat and happy. The much needed precipitation we’ve gotten over the last week has caused some fluctuation with the flows and a water temp, which has led to some inconsistent fishing depending on the days, but overall reports have been good to great. Pressure on the river is definitely increasing as well, as the season is kicking into high gear, which means you may have to kick your game up a notch or two to continue to get it done out there. Paying close attention to your presentation, whether nymphing or throwing dries, is becoming even more crucial, as fish are starting to see A LOT of flies. Anglers that continue to get good drifts, in the right zone, continue to have success.

The canyon continues to fish well, and I have been spending a lot of time down there, while many of my guide buddies continue to put great days together while fishing between Wolf Creek and Spite Hill. With these water fluctuations and wet weather, the worm has been a consistent producer, along with your mayfly nymph of choice. On Saturday, bugs were EVERYWHERE on the water, and the fish responded. I’ve noticed that I’ve had more success with “bigger” mayfly nymphs (size 16 vs. 18 or 20), as the fish are starting to see PMD nymphs. I’ve had mixed success fishing caddis nymphs, some days the fish seem to really key in on them, others, not so much. It’s only a matter of time (days?) until the caddis becomes a consistent producer out here.

The dry fly bite has been great, with reports of blind casting dries such as an Adams or Caddis producing fish. Finding pods of rising fish is becoming easier and easier, and the fish, while not as gullible as they were maybe a month ago, are still willing to eat a properly presented dry fly. Again, a good presentation is absolutely crucial. Those that practice this catch fish, those that don’t, well, don’t.

All in all, the Missouri is fishing great right now, and the fish are big and fat! The season is kicking into high gear, and we can’t wait. It’s going to be a great summer on the Mo!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:52-06:00May 25th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

The Soiree that was not to be…

Following weeks of preparation and anticipation the Inaugural Wolf Creek Angler Missouri River Soiree had to be cancelled last night due to a downpour of much needed rain and the soggy aftermath.
We held out hope throughout the day as we watched the clouds and the spitting mist come and go and as we monitored the hourly forecast which seemed to change by the minute but which for the most part indicated a clearing in the weather in time for the party.
Shortly before 4 pm we had the scene set with flags and tents and it looked like it was going to happen. Around 4:30 the band arrived along with the pouring rain and wind and we began the discussion of whether or not the Soiree was going to happen.
We continued to check the hourly forecast which still indicated a hopeful scenario for the evening hours but the actuality was a soggy and cold mess which didn’t seem to be changing. Once it was determined that the band would not play we made the collective decision to cancel the event knowing that the turn-out would likely be minimal and that whatever we were able to salvage as far as a party was concerned would probably be miserable given the conditions.
It was a disappointing and depressing decision to have to make. We apologize to any who came out anticipating dinner and fun at WCA and found instead an empty parking lot and a darkened storefront. We will try again! We have yet to come up with any dates but there will definitely be a party some time this summer at Wolf Creek Angler. We will leave the idea of the Soiree behind for now and just plan to do a low key barbecue and band event.
Thanks again to all who came out yesterday throughout the day and a huge thanks to all of our customers and guests and to all of those who follow the blog and follow us on social media. The Soiree was supposed to be our way of saying thank you for making WCA what it is and we will definitely give it another try.
Stay tuned!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:52-06:00May 24th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

The Missouri River Week in Review

Jan and Lynn doubling up with the legendary Dave McKee

It’s been a great week of fishing on the Missouri and it just seems to keep getting better. Get out there!

Ellie from Colorado mastering the nymphing game on the MO

Lynn with a beautiful Missouri River Brown

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:52-06:00May 23rd, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: brown trout, fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Soiree Time at WCA

We are ready for the Inaugural Dub C A Soiree

All kinds of cool logo gear available now at WCA

We’re one day away from the Inaugural Wolf Creek Angler Missouri River Soiree happening tomorrow, May 23rd.

It’s the Grand Opening we never had last season and what we hope will become an annual event held on Memorial Day weekend at WCA to kick off the summer season on the Missouri. If you haven’t been to our shop yet we hope you come by and check it out.

15% off of all merchandise all day in the shop tomorrow. Flies from MFC and Umpqua; Rods from St Croix and Echo; Ross, Echo and Nautilus reels; extreme fishing gear from Kast; wading gear from Redington; logo wear from Simms; Smith sunglasses; Yeti coolers and tumblers;packs from Fishpond and Umpqua; Rio and Airflo fly lines and all kinds of cool gadgets and accessories and much much more.

We’re stocked up on Hydro Flask coffee flasks, water bottles and beer growlers as well and we’re proud to announce that we’re partnering with Blackfoot River Brewing Company in Helena to bring you your first growler fill on us. Purchase a growler and we’ll give you three Blackfoot tokens good for a growler fill at the tap room. 15% off the cost of the growler with a free fill – you can’t afford to pass this deal up.

Looking for a great gift idea? How about a River Series handcrafted wood fly box from A.L. Swanson Craftsman Studios in Helena or choose from a great selection of Montana fly fishing books. We’ve also got gift cards available good for anything we sell.

It’s going to be a great day as we celebrate the unofficial start of the summer season. We invite you to stop in on your way to the river to take advantage of the great deals and return after your day on the water for a free barbecue and music from Helena’s Sleeping Giants starting at 5 pm in our front parking lot. Bring a friend or three and help us kick off the season. We’ve got a couple of rooms left for tomorrow night – make one of them yours today.

See you at the Soiree!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:52-06:00May 22nd, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Blackfoot River Breweing Company, Dub C A Soiree, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Missouri River Fishing Report 5/21/15

Hot fishing on cold rainy days on the MO.

Last weekend’s Montana Monsoon rains which lasted into the early part of the week changed things up a bit bumping Missouri flows up over 4,000 for a couple of days, greening up the countryside and coloring the water up below Little Prickly Pear and the Dearborn.
The streamer guys took advantage of the situation both on the MO and the creeks and the worm ruled for a short time as the mud dumped. We had a couple of outstanding bwo events on those cold rainy days despite the persistent north northeast winds which made things a little on the unpleasant side out there. All in all however, the cold wet weather made for some great fishing all the way around.
Yesterday the sunshine and blue skies returned and the action slowed a bit as the river cleared and the flows returned to sub 4K. Reports were mixed but overall it was on the slow side yesterday from top to bottom.
Tailwater sows were our ticket on Monday and Tuesday on the upper stretch but that all changed yesterday as we worked hard to find something they would eat with some consistnecy. It was one of those days constantly changing bugs and changing depths and failing to really find a consistent rig. There were some reports of the worm continuing to work below the Dearborn but we ran a wire worm of sorts for the better part of the day in the Wolf Creek to Stickney stretch and failed to get an eat. Little Green Machines, Peep Shows and the PMD Magic Fly were our best bugs of the day in slower, moderate depth water, usually working inside out and running the drop-offs.
The streamer bite was fair yesterday despite the bright sun with Coffey’s Sculpin Sparkle Minnow and the Circus Peanut getting some attention. Dry fly activity was spotty yesterday though there were a couple of spots with substantial pod activity between Craig and Stickney and it appeared as though an evening outing would have been quite productive judging by the diminished winds and the fish we saw up as we drove along the river back to Wolf Creek.
We’ve got another blue sky day with a slight chance of rain this afternoon with more of the same for tomorrow. We’ve got limited lodging available for the weekend and guides available anytime. Give us a call at the shop for up-to-the-minute river and weather conditions and stop by on your way to the river for bugs, shuttles, boats and everything you need for your day on the water. Don’t forget the DUB C A Soiree happening all day on Saturday with 15% off everything store wide except shuttles. Free barbeque beginning at 5 pm with music from Helena’s Sleeping Giants weather permitting.
See you at Wolf Creek Angler!

Our first day of outfitting on the Blackfoot with WCA guide Ryan Stultz

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:52-06:00May 21st, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Gear Review – Strike Foundry Lil’ Nugget Indicators

Guest Blog from WCA Guide Jim Murray

“Short leash” nymphing is a really fun way to fish. It usually involves a couple of nymphs, suspended 3-4 feet below a bobber, and little to no additional weight. It allows for a little bit more of a technical cast than lobbing bobbers and BB’s, and it can be damned effective as well.
In the past, the standard Missouri River Short Leash indicator was the foam pinch-on. Let’s just say that these could be less than ideal. I know many guides and anglers swear by them, but I always found them to be a nuisance. They can be hard to remove, leaving a gunky pasty substance on your leaders. They are cumbersome to cast. And they can fall off into the river, leaving unwanted debris floating through your favorite seam. Yes they are inexpensive, but you go through a ton of them in a season. All in all, I don’t really like using them.
As a result, I’ve been looking for a good alternative for a while now, and this Spring, fellow WCA guide Matt Hargrave showed me the light. The Strike Foundry “Lil’ Nugget” ½ “ indicator. Light weight, indestructible and easy to cast, these bobbers do the trick. I tie the butt section of my leader into the bright side of the indicator, then tippet out the grey side. Clients love fishing this set up, as the indicators are easy to see, easy to cast, and easy to mend. One of the concerns with short leash set ups is if the bobber will disturb the fish in the upper third of the water column. I haven’t noticed this to be the case at all. Fish have been happily eating our nymphs using this set up all Spring.
The one downside to this method is that the indicators are not easily moved. You could tie additional tippet if you wanted to fish a little deeper, but converting to a deep nymph rig would require you to remove the set up, and either switch leaders or add additional tippet material to get down deep. Or you could do what I do and have a couple short leash rods rigged up and ready to go, along with my deep nymph rods.
All in all, I love this indicator for my short leash nymphing. It has worked flawlessly for my clients and I, and client feedback has been extremely positive. If you are looking for an alternative to the old foam pinch on indicators, give the Strike Foundry “Lil’ Nugget” a try. They work great.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:53-06:00May 15th, 2015|Categories: Product Review, Uncategorized|Tags: Missouri River, running line, short leash nymphing, Strike Foundry, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Fancy yet Functional River Series Fly Boxes at Wolf Creek Angler

River Series handmade wood fly boxes from A.L. Swanson Craftsman Studio in Helena Montana. Available now at Wolf Creek Angler.

River Series handmade wood fly boxes from A.L. Swanson Craftsman Studios in Helena Montana. Available now at Wolf Creek Angler.

We’ve recently started selling handmade River Series wood fly boxes from A.L. Swanson. They are beautiful boxes made in Helena Montana and constructed from sustainably harvested lumber, inlaid with exotic woods, metals and shell. They feature inlaid shell and earth magnet closures, brass hinges….the whole nine yards.

The River Series features three different size boxes from three classic Montana rivers, each box with it’s own unique characteristics just like their namesakes, the Missouri, the Madison and the Smith Rivers.

Starting at $129 these boxes aren’t cheap but they are a perfect Montana keepsake for the fly anglers in your life and we think they make a perfect Father’s Day gift which could very well be passed on for generations to come…they’re THAT nice.

Swanson, the maker of the boxes, expects them to be used rather than set on display somewhere collecting dust. They are as functional as they are beautiful and while it would certainly be a drag to lose one of these boxes the normal scratches and dings you can’t avoid with wood will only add to the character of the box as it ages.

I’m not sure I would use this box on the water if I had one, I tend to lose things, but I would definitely put it on display and it would definitely hold a prominent place amongst my prized possessions. A box like this can take on a significance you could never predict or expect.

I was given a beautiful hand made wood fly box by a friend many years ago. I never considered actually using it for the purpose for which it was intended, I knew exactly what it would be used for. It would become the permanant home for a black and white Rooster Tail spinner.

I was still just dabbling in fly fishing at the time and had not yet committed. My dad asked me if I would like to fish with him one June evening which I did. I don’t remember if we caught anything but I closed the night out with the Rooster Tail. A few weeks later he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Seven months later he was gone. It was the last time we fished together and while it may seem sacrilege to store a Rooster Tail in a handmade fly box, this was the purpose for which this particular wood fly box was destined.

Stop by the shop and check out these beautiful boxes. We’re positive your dad, grandfather, husband or anyone you know who loves Montana and loves fly fishing would LOVE to have one. Better yet, why not treat yourself to one. After all, you deserver nice things too!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:53-06:00May 14th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: A.L. Swanson Craftsman Studios, fly fishing, Helena, Madison River, Missouri River, running line, Smith River, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Mid Week Missouri River Fishing Report

Guest Blog from WCA Guide Matt Hargrave

Met a buddy and fellow guide at the shop Monday morning. I picked through the fly bin grabbing some usual suspects (#18 pt little green machine and some #18 olive s&m nymphs), and decided to grab some nymphs I never fish. I’ve been doing a lot of experimenting lately. Fishing different water and different patterns. This time I picked up some #12 bh flashback pt’s, some #14 hare’s ears, a downey baetis nymph, a bwo magic fly, and a two bit hooker. I am guilty of sticking to tried and true patterns and water that I know hold fish. I also know to improve as an angler and a guide that I need to expand my arsenal and my knowledge of the Missouri. Sometime’s you gotta take chances.

We floated Mid-Mt. Palace. The day was overcast, 60, but with a cold wind. I picked up a nice brown right away on the lgm. Sometime’s landing a fish that quickly is a bad sign. That was not the case that day. The fish were hungry and ate everything I presented to them.

Later in the day, my buddy Josh started wrecking them fishing blind with a brown para adams. I stuck with the short leash and landed fish everywhere you would think a trout would be.

Towards the evening we anchored on a pod of fish that would not go down. We all touched and caught several fish out of that pod, only leaving it because it was getting too late to fish. Just before the take out, Chad and I doubled up on two dry fly eating fish. Perfect way to end an epic day.

Moral of the story is to get out there and get out of your comfort zone. Start building confidence in different patterns and different water. Growing as an angler is what everyone should be striving for—Matt

Doubled UP

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:53-06:00May 13th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Come see what’s new at Wolf Creek Angler

As we move into the heart of the spring season we’ve got a shop full of gear and more arriving daily. Do yourself a favor and stop by and find out what the buzz is about at Wolf Creek Angler.
We’ve got a case full of new reels from Ross and Nautilus, racks full of awesome gear from KAST and Redington and all kinds of cool Simms WCA logo wear. Plenty of rods from Echo and St Croix including the High Stick Drifter and the Bank Robber – both available to demo. Give a call and reserve one today. If you fish it and you like it and you decide to purchase one we’ll knock the rental fee off of the purchase price.
Fishpond Nomad net restock underway. Smith optics, Yeti coolers, an awesome selection of fly lines from Rio and Airflo, all kinds of indicators including Strike Foundry and Air-Lock, leaders and tippet from Trout Hunter and Rio and all the tools and accessories you need for Missouri River Fly Fishing success along with the largest selection (and growing larger by the day) of flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana. These are high quality bugs from the likes of Montana Fly Company, Umpqua, Yellowstone Fly Goods and Solitude….the real deal, not the knock-offs.
A top notch guide crew, comfortable and affordable dog-friendly lodging, shuttle service, RO drift boat rentals and a humble and helpful staff anxious to be a part of your Montana fly fishing adventure make us a great choice. All just minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge…nobody’s closer!
Open daily at 7 AM for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:53-06:00May 12th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Echo, Missouri River, Montana, Montana Fly Company, RO Drift Boats, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments