Missouri River Archives - Page 62 of 62

Starting to look like a fly shop

Signs are up at Wolf Creek Angler, your newest Missouri River Flyshop

We are starting to see more signs of the coming season daily. A few more boats on the water, a few more cars at the walk-in spots, a little more daylight each day and a slow but steady transformation from what was to what will be at Wolf Creek Angler.

The signs are up on the building and we have started work inside. We can’t wait to show off our new fly shop and we are confident you will be pleased with the changes we are making inside and out. It’s such an exciting time for us as we embrace the evolution, reject the status quo and strike off into uncharted territory with hopes and dreams of becoming your Missouri River fly fishing destination.

We have sought the help of many and will continue to do so as we move towards our “opening day”. Dave Hartman of Strip’n Flywear in Whitefish MT deserves a huge thanks for visualizing our concept and helping us to create an awesome logo and Tim Husted of Surface Expressions in Ludington MI has spent countless hours with Fred working his magic to turn our fly bin concepts into a reality. We are so proud of these fly bins and we know you are going to love the bins themselves almost as much as the great selection of flies that will reside in them.

Fly bins all our own with the bridge we love

Soon to be filled with the best selection of Missouri River flies ever to be seen in Wolf Creek Montana

A big thanks also to Peggy Jablonski of Cutting Edge Image and Design for outfitting our Michigan contingent with awesome Wolf Creek Angler logo gear. We’ve got all sorts of product arriving daily and we continue to search for the perfect mix of inventory which will not only satisfy our current customers but which will also broaden our appeal by offering you more of the products and services you expect from your Missouri River flyshop.

It looks like cold and snow for the weekend and cold right through next week with temperatures below freezing. Perfect conditions for staying inside and building a flyshop!

Stay tuned…

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:09-06:00February 21st, 2014|Categories: Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, montana fly shops, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

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

Two months to go…

As we finally get an actual dose of winter weather here in Wolf Creek, the countdown to opening day has begun and April 1st looms large on the horizon.

We’re making steady progress with the launch of Wolf Creek Angler and while we have much to do in eight weeks, we can’t wait to open the doors on that first day of April and show off what we hope will soon become your favorite Missouri River fly shop.

For the time being our dining room table has been transformed into the home version of Wolf Creek Angler. Days are spent ordering merchandise, working on the web site, putting systems in place, drinking coffee and most importantly, corresponding with you. We have been busy booking rooms and guide trips and chatting about our plans for Wolf Creek Angler.

Wolf Creek Angler the home version. The dining room table makes a great fly shop!

Meanwhile….back in Michigan Fred has been busy shoveling snow, plowing snow, shoveling more snow and also finding time to build fly bins as he prepares for his journey west. Fred has also been busy spreading the word about Wolf Creek Angler and it sounds like we are going to have a lot of visitors from Michigan in the seasons to come.

Fred is hard at work building the fly bins.

Many are inquiring about the snowpack and wondering what the conditions will be like on the Missouri when they arrive this spring and summer. I wish I knew! Eight weeks is a lot of winter weather to go, but at this point things seem to be looking good. The snowpack for the Missouri is at over 100 % and the fish numbers look great – beyond that, it’s anybody’s guess what the conditions will be come spring.

MONTANA SNOTEL Year-to-Date Precipitation Update Graph

As of MONDAY: FEBRUARY 3 , 2014

Basin	Year-to-Date Precipitation Percent of Average
KOOTENAI RIVER BASIN	71%
FLATHEAD RIVER BASIN	88%
UPPER CLARK FORK RIVER BASIN	85%
BITTERROOT RIVER BASIN	85%
LOWER CLARK FORK RIVER BASIN	70%
JEFFERSON RIVER BASIN	88%
MADISON RIVER BASIN	90%
GALLATIN RIVER BASIN	105%
MISSOURI HEADWATERS	91%
HEADWATERS MISSOURI MAINSTEM	101%
SMITH, JUDITH, AND MUSSELSHELL RIVER BASINS	116%
SUN, TETON AND MARIAS RIVER BASINS	84%
MISSOURI MAINSTEM RIVER BASIN	99%
ST MARY AND MILK RIVER BASINS	84%
UPPER YELLOWSTONE RIVER BASIN	106%
WIND RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	91%
SHOSHONE RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	109%
BIGHORN RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	112%
TONGUE RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	111%
POWDER RIVER BASIN (WYOMING)	128%
LOWER YELLOWSTONE RIVER BASIN	106%

Legend:

<70%

70-90%

91-110%

111-130%

>130%

* = Data are not available or data may not provide a valid measure of conditions for over half of the sites within the basin.

The river will likely be a lonely place this week as arctic air takes hold. Currently 9 degrees in Wolf Creek and getting colder as the week goes on. High of -2 on Wednesday with a low of -14. It looks like things will start to warm up early next week. Until then…tie some flies, clean your lines, daydream about battling fish after fish as you float down the MO on a warm summer day and call us – we can help make that daydream a reality. Lodging for June and July is rapidly disappearing and the guide calendar is filling fast. If you are thinking about making the trip this season we strongly recommend that you book your dates soon.

We will be back on the water next week as soon as things warm up. If a winter guide trip on the Missouri sounds appealing we can do that as well. We can do winter trips on extremely short notice at an extremely reasonable rate. Call us anytime if you are interested.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:09-06:00February 3rd, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Winter Returns

We are currently sitting at 3 degrees and will warm up into the 20’s today. More of the same for tomorrow with snow on the way mid-week. That being said, with highs predicted to be near 40 on a snowy Wednesday, it might just be a great day to fish. We’ve been getting kind of used to the 40-50 degree days but it is late January in Montana and I suppose we should expect to have at least a taste of winter. Our thoughts are with those in the midwest who are really getting hammered by winter this year. As I look at the pictures of the snow drifts and the vehicle pileups etc that my friends and family back in Michigan are posting on Facebook, I’m very glad to be enduring such a mild winter here in Montana.

The river is in great shape and is holding steady with flows in the 3100 range and water temp at around 33 – 35 degrees. Perfect conditions for winter fishing. There are a lot of great technique reports out there and you should read them but the bottom line is you need to get out there and find the water and the bugs and the techniques that bring you success. I have to admit that I spend very little time changing bugs this time of year. I have a set up I like and a couple of flies I believe in and for the most part I concentrate my efforts on finding the right water and the right depth as the rig seems to get it done more often than not. Pink anything and an assortment of firebeads are usually what you’ll find me using though I have been doing well with rainbow czechs and zebras and weight flies also.

I have not thrown a streamer for a while but after reading an article in the winter issue of Fly Fusion titled “Winter’s Gold” and harkening back to spending countless winter days on the Pere Marquette River back in Michigan chucking streamers with a fair amount of success, I think I will get back at it next time out. The gist of the article being that the reason people aren’t catching big trout by ripping streamers in 33 degree water is because people aren’t doing it. I’ve found the Missouri River to be a completely different animal than what I was used to back in Michigan, especially when it comes to streamer fishing but that being said, if you put the right pattern in the right place with the right retrieve – he’s going to EAT IT! Stay tuned for streamer updates!

If you’ve driven past the shop lately you may have noticed that we have our new sign up. We are anxious to start our remodel inside and we are continuing to work on developing the web site. We’ve been busy on the phone taking reservations for lodging and booking guide trips and we’ve also been meeting with reps seeking out the perfect product mix for the coming season. Give a call anytime with suggestions as to products you would like to see in our shop, services you would like to see us offer, etc. We can’t wait for April!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:09-06:00January 28th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, montana fly shops, nymphs, running line, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Weekend Report

riverjake

Fished yesterday with limited success where hook-ups are concerned but it was January 17th and 50 degrees and sunny with very little wind and I was floating down the Missouri – just me and the dog – soaking up the sun and stopping every once in a while to wet a line. I don’t know how much more successful the day could have been , though perhaps a few more trout and a few less whiteys would have been nice. There were plenty of midges on the water and a few fish eating but I rarely partake in that game this time of year. I stopped to nymph a few spots and did ok but yesterday was more about unwinding on the river than anything else.

January on the MO?

Though I essentially had the water to myself (relatively speaking) I did talk to a few anglers and got mixed reports. I ran into seasonal fixture Hal Hawkins at one of his “secret” spots and he was tearing them up. The guys I talked to at the take out had had a tough day, only landing a couple but we all agreed that the weather more than made up for the lackluster bite.

No big changes as far as what’s working. The usual suspects – firebeads, pink anything, rainbow Czechs, zebras, etc. Work the slow water and the deeper troughs– they are there, it’s just a matter of whether or not they want to eat. It looks like it’s going to be great fishing weather all week with highs in the high 40’s, light winds and an abundance of sunshine. We are hoping for snow at some point but be that as it may…we are loving winter in Wolf Creek Montana.

Here’s what else is happening – the weather is beautiful and we’ve had a lot of inquiries about lodging. It’s a little early for spring fever but with temps holding steady in the high 40’s and the sun shining why wouldn’t you come fish the Missouri? We aren’t going to be able to do it this winter but we are seriously contemplating keeping several of our cabins and the shop open year-round starting this season. Please share your thoughts on this.

The Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance met last Sunday in Wolf Creek and things are starting to take shape. We are awaiting 501c3 Status and are starting to put together a plan for the future. It looks like you will be able to join for a membership fee of $25 and you will be able to do this at any of the fly shops in the area. If you have questions about the the group or would like to join please check out the Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance on Facebook.

The 2014 Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T) will kick off in Helena MT on Tuesday, January 21st at 6:30 pm with an independent event at the Grandstreet Theatre hosted by the Pat Barnes Missouri River Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Please come out and support the chapter while enjoying some great films and great beer. As if that weren’t enough to get you there – we will be there handing out our highly coveted Wolf Creek Angler stickers which look great on ANY vehicle.

We are busy ordering merchandise, building fly bins, taking reservations for lodging and fishing, working on the web site and getting ready to start doing some work in the shop. April is coming soon and we can’t wait to see all of you at Wolf Creek Angler. We think you will be pleased with what you find come April.

Before

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:09-06:00January 19th, 2014|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T), Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, montana fly shops, nymphs, running line, Upper Missouri Watershed Alliance, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Winter Fishing Tips

Some thoughts on winter fishing from Wolf Creek Angler Guide Eric Mondragon. Call today 800-800-4350 and book a winter guide trip.

Winter fishing can be effective with the right gear and the right techniques.

In my last piece, I discussed a passion for winter fishing. Perhaps it is an obsession. Either way it is my life and I love it. My wife says I’m crazy, but she knows that I know and embrace it. After all, it is better to know you are crazy than to be oblivious when everyone around you knows it.

My obsession to fish the fly twelve months a year taught me a few things about winter fishing. For tackle, I learned that faster action rods didn’t work for me as well as softer medium action rods do. The number one reason is that I often fish lighter tippet (5x-6x, even 7x) on the Mo’. Fishing slower water in winter conditions warrants smaller tippet. The fish have a longer look at the flies because they are not floating toward them very fast. However, a fast action rod seems to break thin tippet on hook-ups. That is why I prefer the softer rod tips – the tippet doesn’t break as much.

Some of my favorite winter rods: Scott G-2, Sage SP, Powell LTT and some of the pre-boron Winstons. These have medium stiff butt sections, but soft tips. I also love a reel with a silky smooth drag. In winter, fish don’t fight as hard as they do in late spring and summer months.

Some of the biggest fish I ever landed were in the winter. Hailing from Colorado, I’ve been on some of the best tail waters. The Taylor, the Frying Pan and the Blue have a reputation for producing fish that are ten pounds or more. I caught some dandies there using small tippet, medium to slow action rods and great reels with smooth drags. I brought that theory here to Montana and have had the same success.

As for apparel, I like to multi-layer in the winter. I like Patagonia R-4 regulator series clothes because they are expedition weight (not bulky). I wear expedition weight capilene next to my body. It is breathable and wicks away moisture. Then, I wear expedition weight fleece pants and jacket to help trap body heat. If I need another layer, goose down is the warmest option I’ve found. Patagonia offers 450-600 fill options. Mountain Hardware and North Face also offer good jackets.

Angling is exercise. I’m telling you, if you sweat while you are out in winter elements, your body core temperature will begin to shoot down and you will get cold. Whatever layers you choose should follow a system that wicks moisture or perspiration away from your body, but not give up your body heat.

Layering applies to your feet as well. I wear a capilene sock with a merino wool expedition weight sock over that. Don’t wear boots that are too tight. You should be able to move your toes easily but your heel should not move much in the boot.

Bring multiple pairs of gloves and switch if necessary to keep your hands as dry and warm as possible. If you prefer a cap with a bill, layer a warm stocking cap or beanie over it. You’d be surprised how much heat escapes from your head.

It is also very important to stay hydrated when you are out in the cold. I’ve learned something about winter fishing and am happy to share my suggestions. Winter fishing is awesome, but you need to be safe while you enjoy it. Bundle up and fish it up. See you out there.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:09-06:00January 13th, 2014|Categories: Montana Fly Fishing, Uncategorized|Tags: Fish, fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, montana fly shops, Powell LTT, running line, Sage SP, Scott G-2, winter, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Frigid on the MO

Well the holidays are FINALLY over. The weekend is coming to a close and tomorrow things begin to get back to normal. Back to school, back to work and back to the business of everything Wolf Creek Angler! I for one am happy to get back to the grind.

The cold weather has put the fishing on hold for most at least for the time being but there is no shortage of things to do. It looks like things are going to start to warm up as soon as tomorrow but in the meantime here are some things I’ve been at least thinking about doing.

1. Organize, Organize, Organize…

When you call a great river like the Missouri home there is very little downtime, especially with the mild weather we’ve been having this winter. This being the case, we tend to just keep throwing our gear wherever it’s convenient rather than taking the time to keep things organized…at least that’s my story. Come January the endless season finds me with fly cups scattered throughout my vehicle/boat/boat bag and in those fly cups are an interesting mix of dry flies, terrestrials and nymphs and maybe even a streamer mixed in here and there. I’ve got baetis mixed with caddis mixed with pmd’s mixed with PT’s and Zebras. It’s utter chaos! A couple of actual winter-like days such as we’ve had are the perfect time to get fly boxes organized and get that pile of gear out of the back of your vehicle and put those things where they belong. Not saying I did this, but I thought about it enough to encourage others to do it and hopefully I will get to at least some of it before I hit the water again.

As long as you are taking the time to sift though flies and gear it’s a good time to clean your fly lines as well. I know many anglers who strip all of their lines off of their reels during the off-season and wrap them around a coffee can or similar item to prevent coiling but since there really is no off-season for many of us a simple cleaning will do wonders.

Just like that the cold snap will come to an end as we reach into the high thirties tomorrow afternoon and on into the 40’s by mid week. Fishing should be fine, especially now that your flies and gear are organized and your line is clean.

Just a reminder – we are doing some work on the shop and lodging and will not be open until April 1st, but we are open for business as far as guide trips go and we’d love for you to put us to work. Give us a call today at 800-800-4350 or email info@wolfcreekangler.com to book a trip at special winter rates.

See you on the water!

Jason O.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:09-06:00January 6th, 2014|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: Missouri River, montana fly shops, nymphs, running line, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Fishing Report

Latest fishing report from Wolf Creek Angler Guide Extraordinaire Eric Mondragon.

Gorgeous Missouri River Winter Bow – photo Eric Mondragon

Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even my spouse. The day promised forty degree weather that I couldn’t resist. I grabbed my chest pack and fly rod of choice and headed toward Wolf Creek to rejoice by catching trout.

The last few weeks have been quite cold. Cold enough that even I didn’t care to fish. I tied up a few bead headed midge and some hot bead flies and hit a few runs that I prefer in Winter. I suggest slow inside bends and drop offs that are anywhere from 3 ½ to 6’ deep. During the cold months, fish move out of the fast and moderate speed currents and move into slower, deeper, warmer water. I seek out the slow current and fish the indicator with nymphs. Orange and pink flies on top. Then I drop various midge patterns off of that.

The key to frequent hook-ups is to study the speed of the indicator. Keep in mind that you are fishing slow, moderately deep water. If the indicator even remotely slows down, set the hook. In Winter, trout will generally take flies very softly. Sometimes they eat and reject your flies and the indicator doesn’t even move. Diehard anglers say “Those who strike most, win.”

If you were lucky this Christmas, go out there and try out that new rod. While you fish it up, remember to watch that shelf ice. I like to wear ice cleats when I wade in the Winter. It is icy along the banks, even when the water is flowing. Big R Supply and Big Bear Sports sell numerous styles of ice cleats. Winter fishing can be fun if you are prepared for it. You don’t have to fish all day. Start late (after 10:00 a.m.) and fish until 2:00 p.m. On nicer days, fish until 4 p.m.

Coming soon. . . layering clothes and tackle suggestions as Winter winds on. I plan to start the new year by fishing. See you on the water.

Winter Bugs. What’s in your fly box? Photo by Eric Mondragon

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:09-06:00December 31st, 2013|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: Christmas, Fish, fly fishing, indicator, midge, Missouri River, nymphs, Outdoors, Recreation, Trout, winter, 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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