Missouri River Archives - Page 55 of 62

WCA Spring Special Starts March 20th

WCA Client Lynn Perkins at it again with guide Eric Mondragon

March 20th marks the Vernal Equinox, the day when the sun crosses directly over the Earths’ equator ( at precisely 6:45 pm EDT) resulting in day and night being about equal in length all over the world. This happens just twice a year, the other date being September 22nd or 23rd which in our hemisphere is the autumnal equinox. These moments owe their significance to the 23.4 degree tilt of the Earth’s axis. If the Earth rotated on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the Earth’s orbit around the sun there would be no variation in day lengths or temperatures throughout the year, and we would have no seasons.
In other words, March 20th is the first day of spring and more importantly it’s the first day of Wolf Creek Angler’s 2015 $300 Spring Guide Special which runs through the end of April. $300 gets you a full day guided trip on the Missouri for two with one of our expert guides and includes lunch, refreshments, all the flies you need, any equipment you may need and transportation to and from the river. It’s too good of a deal to pass up at a fraction of the price of our regular season rates.
Sound too good to be true? Wait – it get’s better! Winter lodging rates at Wolf Creek Angler also run through the end of April so you can get a guide trip for $300 and a cabin or bungalow for just $99/night + tax. Each room is equipped with a full kitchen and bath and sleeps three comfortably and can accommodate up to four.
Call to book your trip and lodging today. (406)235-4350 or Toll Free 1-800-800-4350. Don’t miss this opportunity!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 6th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Missouri River Fishing Report 3/4/15

The Icy Solitude will soon be gone as spring weather arrives – photo Wolf Creek Angler

Fishing traffic has been essentially non existent for the past week but all that’s about to change with spring-like weather in the forecast for the weekend. Not that the fishing hasn’t been good – I’ve seen plenty of fish up each day I’ve gone out to scout the river but there is no amount of Stanley’s Ice Off Paste that can overcome the almost immedieate freeze-up that happens with temperatures in the teens and low 20’s where they’ve been camped for the last little while. Not to mention the ever-present flirtation with frostbite that occurs when fishing in these conditions. A sunny day with little wind certainly makes things tolerable (for a while) but we are anxious to leave the handwarmers and balaclavas behind and get back to some serious fishing rather than the two cast-pop ice out of guides-warm hands repeat routine we’ve been doing.
Looks like partly sunny skies with a high of 50 tomorrow, cloudy and 52 on Saturday and sunny and 55 on Sunday. It looks like we may see 60 on Monday and Tuesday! We’ve still got one vacancy for Friday and Saturday night and a couple for tonight. We will be full this weekend so don’t hesitate, make the call right now and claim your spot at Wolf Creek Angler. We will definitely be opening more lodging soon weather permitting.
The fishing should be good out there as the water warms back up a tick or two. It dropped back below 34 yesterday with the subzero nighttime temps. Flows remain steady at right around 4900. My go-to nymphing rig remains the Pinkalicious trailed by either a soft hackle FB sow, a pink or purple lighting bug, a black zebra midge, a tailwater sowbug, a Rainbow Keller’s Payczech or any number of similar options. Other good options for a point fly if the Pinkalicious for some reason isn’t working would be a Tungsten Tailwater Sow, A Rainbow or Purple Weight Fly or a Hotbead Wire Worm. I simply don’t change my bugs much this time of year, especially if it’s below freezing. Any and all of the above usually work if you find the right depth though I have seen a few patterns really heat up and really shut down depending on the day.
My recommendation would be to have your dry fly rod rigged up and ready with a buzzball or griffiths gnat or midge cluster etc. and be on the lookout for rising fish. It’s also never a bad idea in my opinion to throw a streamer and while you may not want to commit your entire day to it just yet, you never know when the streamer bite is going to turn on.
We’re anticipating a busy weekend at the shop. Call ahead for lodging and guide trips. Stop in for shuttles, drift boat rentals, hats and gloves, leaders and tippet, hot coffee, great buys on clearance items and of course, the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 5th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Missouri River Fishing Forecast for 2015

March seems to be the time of year when people start getting serious about the coming fishing season. We did see plenty of anglers around during late January and early February but it is early March, as winter’s grasp begins to loosen everywhere, that those who have already planned their trip to the Missouri or are in the process of doing so really begin to go to work. It’s the time of year to assemble and evaluate gear and to purchase new gear if need be….we can help you out with that. It’s also the time to inventory your fly boxes and replenish your supply. We can definitely help you out with this as well. This is the time of year when we start to get a lot of calls about what will be hatching when and while we can’t give you specific dates and we can’t guarantee anything – the following will give you some idea of what’s happening when.

Have you booked your guided fishing trip on the Missouri yet? Wolf Creek Angler is Outfitter Owned and Operated and ready to book you and guide you on the trip of a lifetime.

March means midge madness on the MO photo by Wolf Creek Angler

March – It’s the month for midges if you are seeking a late winter dry-fly experience. The past couple of weeks have provided some awesome midge days out there and while it’s sometimes tough to find the fish eating them with any regularity if you know where to look and you are patient you will find that opportunities will present themselves. Griffiths Gnats, Buzzballs and various midge clusters are a good call and if you’re having a tough time seeing the fly try a Hi-vis parachute Adams as your point fly and trail your midge pattern off of it. Nymphing is good and will continue to get better. We’re still sticking with the pink stuff and the FB’s but we’ve heard of success on some small baetis nymphs. Black zebra midges both with and without beads have been effective as well, especially around the dam. March 20th marks the start of our $300 Spring Special Full Day Missouri River Guide Trips which runs through the end of April. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity for a guided day on the Missouri at a fraction of the regular season price.

April – The dry-fly game in April continues to be about midges but BWO’s typically also enter the equation at this time. Nymphing heats up with mayfly nymphs replacing the colorful winter fare. A double zebra rig can also be very effective in the spring. Streamer action also starts to heat up in April. With many of the rainbows in the tribs spawning, the browns are on the move gorging on nymphs and dries and chasing down streamers.

May is BWO time on the MO

May – BWO’s are the May staple with midges still on the menu and larger March Browns (up to #14) and, depending on the location, Caddis also making an appearance. May also tends to be the most popular month for streamer fishing and the nymphing is always strong. It’s an awesome time to fish the Missouri with things greening up and the ability to do it all in one day. Longer days mean longer floats ripping streamers or nymphing – while always on the lookout for bugs on the water and pods of fish eating them.

Mid to late June brings the PMD’s

June – Caddis gaining strength, nymphing strong and by late June PMD’s! Streamer fishing still an option but coming into the true dry-fly season on the Missouri.

July – By far the most popular (and crowded) month on the Missouri. It’s a dry-fly Nirvana with PMD’s, Caddis and Tricos as well as terrestrials like hoppers and ants and beetles all coming into the mix.

August – More of the same but less crowded, a fair amount of weeds to deal with and more emphasis on the hopper fishing. Last season we saw little in the way of crowds in August and had spectacular days of Trico fishing throughout the month with the river to ourselves.

Are you ready for the 2015 season on the Missouri? Much of June and July are already booked solid as you might expect with rooms and guides very difficult to come by. That being said, part of the advantage to being an Outfitter Owned and Operated Shop is that we have a deep guide roster which includes your humble owners. Fred and I try to keep our summer schedules somewhat open to accommodate last-minute requests so if you haven’t yet booked your prime dates and you think it’s too late – give us a call – we may just be able to help you out. (406)235-4350 or Toll-Free 1-800-800-4350.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 4th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, nymphs, rainbow trout, running line, Streamer Fishing, tricos, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

State of the Missouri

The annual State of the Missouri program was presented in Helena on February 10th by FWP Fisheries Biologist Jason Mullen.
It turns out the Missouri River was the number one fishery in Montana last year as measured by user days and if the numbers are to be believed that makes the MO a $50 million fishery based on reported trip related expenses. FWP reported 170,850 user days on the Missouri for 2014, 37,000 angler days greater than the previous high on any water in the state and 47,000 greater than the previous high on the Missouri. The methodology of gathering this data may not yield the most accurate numbers but any way you look at it there were a pile of anglers fishing the MO in 2014 which just so happened to be the inaugural season at Wolf Creek Angler….coincidence? We don’t think so!
Fish numbers were down slightly in 2014 with 4,783 rainbows and 592 browns per mile in the Craig section, still well above the historical average for rainbows of 3,284 and slightly above the 577 average for brown trout. With over 5,000 fish per mile it’s no surprise that the Missouri is such an incredibly popular destination.
Many people who come to fish the Missouri for the first time know about the numbers, that’s why they come here, but it’s the average size of the fish that shocks so many. In 2014 we saw an incredible average size of 17″-18″ for both rainbows and browns and while that size class may be on a slight decline for now it’s all cyclical and they will be back.
Overall the river is in great shape and we intend for it to stay that way. There are so many ways we can all do our part to insure the health of the river and to maintain this awesome fishery. Join one or all of the groups dedicated to taking care of the river. Pat Barnes Missouri River Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Missouri River Flyfishers and the Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance are all dedicated to this mission and they could all use your help and support. At the very least treat the resource with respect. Be courteous and respectful towards the river and to all of those enjoying it and of course to the landowners who grant us so much awesome access. Handle fish responsibly. Pick up and pack out your own trash and any trash you find. These are easy things to do and they go a long way in promoting harmony on the river.

http://www.patbarnestu.org/

http://missouririverflyfishers.com/home/home-page/

http://www.umowa.org/

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:59-06:00March 3rd, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: brown trout, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, State of the Missouri 2015, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Spring is on the way! 3/1/2015

This first day of March finds winter hanging on but it won’t be long before we’re on the river enjoying the warm spring sun and watching the Missouri come alive. In fact it may just be sooner than you think. We’re looking at 30’s today and tomorrow and a cold blast on Tuesday with a high around 11 but as we get towards the end of next week it’s back to 50’s and possibly even 60’s by the weekend.

Should that trend stabilize we will definitely be opening up more lodging at WCA. We are already nearly full for next weekend so don’t wait any longer to make your plans – give us a call today and snatch up those remaining spots – they won’t last long. $99 + tax gets you a bungalow or cabin with full kitchen and bath through the end of April. Each unit sleeps three very comfortably and can accommodate up to four. We are dog friendly so don’t leave your pet behind.
March 20th marks the spring equinox and the start of our $300 Spring Special Missouri River Guide Trips. $300 gets you a full day on the MO with all the trimmings through the end of April. Don’t miss out on this amazing deal.
The shop will be closed today and likely Monday and Tuesday but we will be here Wednesday preparing for the warm weather and the crowds that will come with it. Expect us here every day once the weather turns. 40 degrees and above means the doors will be open at WCA.
We are stocked up with the flies you will need as well as the ones you won’t need but should have anyways and we’re always happy to help you out with fly selection, rigging, location or any other questions you may have. Remember there are no stupid questions. We may occasionally give you a stupid answer but we will always do our best to help you in any way we can.
Make Wolf Creek Angler your one stop shop on the way to the river. We’ve got you covered with guides, shuttles, bugs, bobbers, licenses, cold-weather gear, drift boat rentals, lodging and everything you need for fly fishing the Missouri and we are closer to Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge than ANYONE.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:00-06:00March 1st, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Wolf Creek Angler Spring Calendar

Looking forward to another great season on the Missouri – photo Wolf Creek Angler

Things are starting to get busy as the season draws closer. Take a look at what’s happening over the next couple of months.

March 14th – FOAM Annual Membership Meeting, Magnusson Grand City Center Hotel – Bozeman

March 14th – Missouri River Flyfishers IF4 Event, Hilton Garden Inn, Great Falls at 7:30 PM.

March 20th – Hank Patterson’s Reel Montana Adventure – hosted by Hank Patterson himself. 8:00 PM at the Grandstreet Theatre in Helena. Brought to you by Pat Barnes Missouri River Trout Unlimited. Pre-party at 5:00 PM at Crosscurrents Fly Shop. Tickets available at Wolf Creek Angler. Details here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hank-pattersons-reel-montana-adventure-helena-mt-tickets-15736965688

March 20th – Vernal Equinox and start of WCA’s Spring Special Guide Trips running through the end of April. Full day guide trips $300. Discounted lodging also runs through the end of April with cabins and bungalows for $99/night.

March 23rd – Community Pint Night at the Blackfoot River Brewing Company in Helena benefitting Pat Barnes Missouri River Trout Unlimited.

April 1st – Izaak’s in Craig open for business.

April 25th – Pat Barnes Missouri River Trout Unlimited Annual Banquet – Gateway Center in Helena.

May 16th – 9th Annual Craig Caddis Festival – Craig MT. Wolf Creek Angler will again be participating in the BBQ Cook-Off. Come out and support your favorite Missouri River Fly Shop and help raise money for the Craig Volunteer Fire Department.

May 16th – Opening Day of the 2015 Montana General Fishing Season.

Wolf Creek Angler – Missouri River Soiree– Date to be determined. Food, Live Music and Fun at Wolf Creek Angler. Join us in celebrating the start of another great season on the MO.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:00-06:00February 28th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, Craig MT, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|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

Missouri River Fishing Report 2/27/15

Cold and lonely on the Missouri right now. Not near as cold as some other parts of the country but cold enough to shut down the fishing for a while. We’re seeing highs in the 20’s and lows in the single digits for the forseeable future – no surprise for late February/early March in Montana but since we had grown accustomed to temps in the 40’s and 50’s and even into the 60’s over the past month it’s a little bit of a shock to the system.
It’s good for the long- term but we were sure enjoying the fishing and enjoying the business we were doing in the shop. Fishy weather will return soon enough – in the meantime enjoy the Montana winter!
We plan to be open our regular winter hours for the next couple of weeks (Wednesday-Saturday 8:00 am – 4:00 pm) but may opt out depending on what the weather is doing. If you are hardcore enough to fish in below freezing temps and you’re planning on a stop at Wolf Creek Angler give us a call first just to make sure we are around. Whether we’re in the shop or not we are ALWAYS open for lodging and guide trips. If you are planning to fish this weekend remember Saturday is the last day your 2014 fishing license is valid. 2015 licenses available at Wolf Creek Angler.

Speaking of licenses – don’t forget deer and elk permit applications are due on March 16th. Everything you need to know is right here;

http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licenses/buyApply/newDeadline/

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

Strike Foundry Indicators

We started carrying Strike Foundry In-Line Suspender indicators at Wolf Creek Angler about a month ago and I finally got around to trying them out last week. These indicators showed up on the Missouri last summer when creator Marko Baxter was out here shooting video of his product at work on the MO.
I will admit that what drew us to the product in the first place was the name of the company. Having spent my past life in the metal casting business in an iron foundry I was all over the name STRIKE FOUNDRY and couldn’t wait to hear where the name came from . It turns out Marko’s grandfather was a blacksmith hence the connection. From the Strike Foundry web site “Strike Foundry has been forged from family influences in my beginnings, my recent friendships and their expertise, as well as from my constant drive to unlock the puzzles presented from below ever-changing waters.”

So the name is awesome – how about the product? I fished the standard indi which can be rigged in three different ways, either in-line, looped around or right angle rigged. I opted for the loop around (thingamabobber style) rigging as I was changing depths quite a bit. The indicator reminded me of the Thill bobbers we used to use for steelhead nymphing back in Michigan. Like the Thills they are stealthy,extremely sensitive, easy to cast, easy to read and unlike the Thills, you don’t need a stick or a toothpick or a rubber band or any such nonsense to rig your indicator.
You would run your line through the thill and then either stop it with the small wooden spike which came with it or find a stick on the ground to use once you lost the spike. The method we adopted was to cut a rubber band and run it through the thill after running your line through the thill. The rubber band would lock the indicator where you wanted it and it could be moved up and down the leader to change depths…no sticks required. The Strike Foundry Indi is better yet…absolutely no tools or accessories required.
I love the sensitivity of this indicator, especially this time of year when the takes can be very subtle. I had more than a couple of strikes I don’t think I would have necessarily picked up on with the standard thingamabobber. The techy nymphers will love it for it’s versatility and from what I hear the preferred rigging method amongst said techies is the right angle rigging.

In-Line Rigging

Loop Around Rigging

Right-Angle Rigging

We are selling both the standard 3/4″ indicator and the Lil’ Nugget 1/4″ indicators which I think will be great come summer for short leash applications. Check them out at http://strikefoundry.com/ and then stop by Wolf Creek Angler on your way to the Missouri and pick a couple up.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:00-06:00February 26th, 2015|Categories: Product Review|Tags: indicator, Missouri River, nymphs, running line, Strike Foundry, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Missouri River Water Forecast 2/25/15

As of yesterday things are looking good from a snowpack perspective with the Missouri mainstem at 104%

We field a fair amount of calls every week starting around the end of November regarding the snowpack and the streamflow forecast for the Missouri for the season and while November is a stretch, late February seems like a reasonable time to start thinking about spring flows on the MO.
Our standard response is to reference the latest snotel reports and the latest flow forecasts from the USGS and maybe talk a little bit about the current capacity statistics at Canyon Ferry Reservoir, though this usually comes a little later in the spring.
Personally I generally follow this with what is essentially a disclaimer stating that nobody really knows what we’re going to see for water come spring. Snow Pack is a great indicator and we can only assume that the USGS is basing their flow predictions on some kind of sound science, but when it comes down to it we have no idea how much more precipitation we will get in the form of snow and we have no idea how little or how much rain we will see in the spring.
We are not meteorologists, nor are we hydrologists, in fact we sell fish hooks for a living but that being said we do owe our livelihood to these resources and therefore we tend to pay very close attention to what we see happening and to what we hear the experts predicting is going to happen.
We love to talk about this stuff – and there are some who actually know a thing or two about it, but again, the bottom line is that spring will come and there will be water – how little or how much we can’t say.
So all that aside, despite a very warm and fairly dry February, the Missouri Mainstem is holding at 104% of normal snowpack and much of the state is at or above normal though there are a few areas that could really use some snow in the next few weeks.
The long-term, big picture forecasts are predicting a season of 4,000 ish average flows on the Missouri, well below the historical average but to the liking of many a wade angler.

We are anxiously awaiting the spring season and while we enjoyed the February thaw and the great days on the river that came with it we know we need a little more winter so we’ll gladly take it as we continue to prepare for a busy season.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:00-06:00February 25th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Missouri Mainstem, Missouri River, running line, Snotel, snowpack|0 Comments