Montana Archives - Page 4 of 34

Autumn’s Arrival

With the Autumnal Equinox just a day away, finally it feels like fall.

It’s been a very fall-like week with morning temps in the 40’s and daytime highs topping out in the low 70’s. We’ve seen a nice mix of clouds and sun with breezy conditions more days than not.

Today is the kind of day streamer addicts dream about with highs barely reaching 50 and a persistent soaking rain. What’s typically not included in the dream but more often than not accompanies this weather pattern is the substantial east northeast wind which is likely making things on the uncomfortable side for even the hardiest of anglers.

And it just so happens we have the hardiest of crews on the water today closing out another fantastic week with our friends from Schultz Outfitters in Ypsilanti MI here for their annual fall fishing extravaganza. We’ve been covering many miles of water this week from the MO to the Blackfoot and Clark Fork and as per usual, it’s been a ton of fun with an awesome group of anglers. This trip is always a highlight of our fall fishing season.

It feels like it’s probably time to pack the shorts away for the year and this is the type of day that tests your gear. Should you find you’ re due for an upgrade in the wader/boot/rain gear/hat and glove department we’ve got you covered from head to toe with Simms gear, the choice of professional guides everywhere!

Back to the topic of Streamer Addiction….it’s on! Weeds are still going to bother you but streamer season is in full swing and the browns are on the prowl. If streamers are your game, this is your time and we are your shop with streamer sticks for every budget and all kinds of sinking lines for all techniques and conditions as well as the best streamer selection on the MO.

Nymphing still ruling the day with zebra midges and sow bugs continuing to be consumed with reckless abandon, particularly in the Holter to Wolf Creek run but the whole thing is fishing well right now.

We’ve had some slower days, especially in the afternoons but overall September fishing has been excellent.

Dry fly fishing has taken a back seat as of late with limited top water activity though hoppers and ants will continue to produce as will October Caddis, the occasional callibaetis event and pseudos for those who find pleasure in fishing bugs you can’t see. BWO’s on the horizon.

Water conditions are coming into shape with flows continuing to hold steady in the 5K range (currently 4900 CFS) and temps on the drop at 60 degrees.

With fall darkness taking hold we’ll be modifying our shop hours for October. Beginning October 1st hours will be 7:30 AM – 5 PM daily. We hope you start your Missouri River day at Wolf Creek Angler. We’ve got everything you need for your day on the water. Shuttles, bugs and so much more.

Happy fall!

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-09-22T08:09:41-06:00September 22nd, 2023|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Schultz Outfitters, simms, Streamer Fishing, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Fall on the Mighty Missouri

We’re already a week into September and although we’ve yet to emerge from the late summer lull, the clock is steadily ticking on what’s left of the season.

Things continue to be quiet around these parts though traffic has started to increase, ever so slightly.

A few more rooms filled each week, a few more guide trips out each day and a slow but steady trickle of folks through the shop.

The fall fishing season will ramp up over the next week or two, peaking in early to mid-October but fall busy is not summer busy so don’t despair. It’s a laid back time to fish the MO with moderate traffic, often times gorgeous autumn weather and excellent fishing opportunities as the water temps drop with the abbreviated daylight hours.

Many turn their interests elsewhere this time of year, trading the fly rod for the bow or shotgun. The summer tourist migration has reversed course making fall one of THE BEST TIMES to fly fish the Missouri River and Montana in general.

September is, for the most part, a terrestrial fishery on the MO though there are Pseudos around and we’re still seeing the occasional Trico event as well as the start of October Caddis.

More or Less Hoppers, Donkey Kong Hoppers, Stealth Ants, Water Walkers, Beetles and October Caddis all great dry fly options right now.

Trail your meaty hopper with a snack size ant and see what happens or drop a zebra or Psycho May or Green Machine and ply the banks and mid-river riffles. Common knowledge says fish close to the bank as those terrestrials do in fact heavily inhabit those riparian zones and do in fact fall in the water. That’s a good method but as the season goes on those fish are seeing a billion foamy hoppers off the banks and they may in fact get a little wary and a bit more selective about what they’re going to eat which could result in some slower days if you limit your fishing to the banks.

What also happens frequently is those flying terrestrials catch a gust and get carried out and over the water. They could end up anywhere but as you’ve no doubt experienced when throwing a caddis blind, those trout love to hang out in the shallow riffles and pick off whatever happens to come their way. It’s no different with the terrestrials. They do end up out there and they do get eaten. So by all means beat the banks, but don’t overlook the mid-river stuff. The largest trout I’ve landed on the MO ate a #10 More or Less Hopper presented randomly ahead of the boat in non-descript, non fishy water essentially during casting practice. You never know!

If you want to stick strictly to nymphing the dam is the place to be with plenty of Zebra Midges on hand. We’ve been having good luck with a purple or gold weight fly, a Tung Dart or an Olive Psycho May as a lead fly but double zebras with a split will get it done as well.

Cool mornings and autumn cloud cover have many thinking fall streamers and rightly so. Our resident browns are gearing up for the autumn spawn and will soon be overtaken by aggression which is what the streamer junkies are eagerly awaiting.

Weeds are going to challenge you, increasingly so as you move down to the lower stretches, but they are not the worst they’ve ever been. Just something you need to factor in and deal with. It’s not a surprise to those who know but if you’re just getting into the streamer game you’ll want to mentally prepare for the challenges (and rewards) of fall streamer fishing.

We’re on the cusp, not there yet but there’s no time like the present. Fish live by the changes in their environments, not by a calendar. Shorter daylight hours, long nights and cooler water tell the fish what time it is. These triggers roughly coincide with dates on the calendar but don’t get hung up on dates – just start throwing and see what happens.

We’re stocked up on all the best streamer patterns big and small as well as streamer lines for any and all situations/water types, and plenty of great options if you’re in the market for a new streamer stick including my personal go to, the Sage Igniter #7. It’s the best streamer stick I’ve fished and I’ve fished a bunch of them.

We’re open daily at 7 AM for all of your Missouri River (and surrounding waters) Fall fly fishing needs. The greatest selection of bugs ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana, the Cheapest Dam Shuttles on the MO, Adipose Flow drift boat rentals, Simms waders and cold weather gear, a fresh shipment of Richardson WCA logo hats, Bad Ass Korkers River Ops wading boots, SA, Rio and Airflo lines, Fishpond Nomad nets and much more.

It’s Second Season Time on the MO!

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-09-07T13:14:26-06:00September 7th, 2023|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Adipose Flow, Airflo, brown trout, caddis, cheapest dam shuttles on the mo, dry fly fishing, Fishpond Nomad, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, Montana, RIO, SA, Sage Ignitor, simms, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

An Intro to Holter Dam

Much of the information below was compiled from the article Holter Dam’s Century of Excellence from Hydro Review, March 25th, 2020. Historic photos courtesy of Helena as She Was

It’s not something we spend much time thinking about but that massive structure we’ve become so accustomed to seeing, which holds back the Mighty Missouri and which marks the start of one of the most prolific trout fisheries in North America, not only produces electricity to supply much of the region with power but is also an amazing piece of engineering history, having been in operation for more than 100 years.

Recently our shop staff had the opportunity to tour the facility from the bottom up and it is truly an amazing thing to see.

Holter Dam is one of a series of hydroelectric, straight gravity dams on the Missouri River. The dam is a run-of-the-river dam because it can generate electricity without needing to store additional water supplies behind the dam.

Prior to our tour I had little understanding of how a hydroelectric dam works and while I’m still fairly ignorant of the process, it’s nice to finally have a basic knowledge of what’s happening inside the Powerhouse of a dam. The illustration below is not Holter specific but does show the basics of hydroelectric power generation.

One of the things that really struck me is that much of what you see in the way of design and equipment are much the same as they were when construction of the dam was completed in 1918. When you consider the pace at which technology is currently progressing, it is amazing to think that power generation is happening the same way now as it was in 1918. It is obviously more efficient now, but the basic concepts and designs are unchanged. Holter Dam continues to perform with high reliability with the original infrastructure and design intact.

Electricity produced by Holter Dam is used to supply tens of thousands of residential and commercial electric customers in Helena, Great Falls, Butte, and Missoula with clean, affordable, and reliable energy.

The dam was inducted into the Hydro Hall of Fame in 2019.

Originally known as the Wolf Creek Project, Holter Dam was one of several business ventures of a partnership formed between Anton Holter and entrepreneur Samuel T Hauser. Construction of Holter Dam was on the drawing board during the construction of Hauser Dam at the turn of the century.

Both projects came at a time when the State of Montana was developing Hydro power in large part to support copper mining in the region which was booming because the country was in the process of electrification and needed copper wire everywhere.

Work was halted on the dam in 1909 due to cost over-runs and fear of bankruptcy. Work resumed in 1916 by Montana Power Company with around five hundred workers on the job site. The construction camp at Holter was the largest ever built by MPC and included more than 115 structures, the very last of which still stand as dam employee housing.

The first turbine-generator unit was operational by 1917 and was joined by three others in 1918. The finished dam was 1,350 feet long and more than 110 feet high, which was the highest dam in Montana at the time of completion.

The powerhouse contains 4 12-MW turbine generator units that generate 6600 Volts, four 20,000 kVA transformers that set the voltage to 100,000 volts. Holter Lake impounds 240,000 acre-feet of water.

MPC owned the dam until 1999 when all power generating facilities were sold to PPL Montana which operated the facility until 2014 when Northwestern Energy purchased the PPL Hydro facilities.

So next time you are fishing the dam and you hear the siren indicating an increase in release volume from the spill bays you might take a second and think about what’s actually going on in that building which we often don’t even notice because we’ve seen it a million times.

We often reduce the dam operation to Cubic Feet per Second and how flows are going to affect our fishing but there is a much larger picture, one framed in history, which it is worth taking the time to understand and appreciate.

Our sincere thanks to Cody Gatch, Operations Foreman at the dam, for taking the time to give our shop staff an informative, interesting, and entertaining look at Holter Dam.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-07-30T16:43:38-06:00July 30th, 2023|Categories: Local Buzz, Uncategorized|Tags: Holter Dam, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Project|2 Comments

The Blur Begins to Fade

The second half of June and the first half of July are our busiest part of the season, often referred to as THE BLUR due to the lack of demarcation from one day to the next. It’s a time of pre-dawn boat rental boat launches, chaotic mornings in the shop getting trips out the door and often times working well into the night picking up boats and prepping them for the next day. A few hours a sleep per night is pretty standard during The Blur. Our guides have their own Groundhog Days to deal with during this time, often working three or four weeks straight without a day off. It’s these weeks that test the mettle of those looking to make a go at a career in Montana Fly Fishing.

Now as we move into the latter part of July, the Blur has started to fade. Don’t get me wrong, things are still busy, just not the fever pace of a week or two ago. Slowly but surely, things are slowing down. Traffic has lessened and soon will slow to a relative crawl as the Blur gives way to the Fade and the Fade gives way to the Dog Days of Summer.

The days are already noticeably shorter and while we’re still opening at 6:30 AM daily you can expect later light and cooler temps as summer falls away. We’ll see where the weather goes but for now we’ll likely push you to start as early as possible to counter the triple digit highs on tap for the days ahead. July is our hottest month of the year and we may see this heat wave stick around for a while but sooner or later cooler temps will return as will a 7 AM open. We’ll let you know when that’s happening.

Fishing has been somewhat inconsistent but overall there’s not much to complain about.

Some Like it Hot

The wade anglers are happy with flows having now dropped below 5K (currently 4860 CFS) with water temps holding in the mid 60s range. Keep an eye on those water temps on those hot days as it doesn’t take long to heat up with these lower flows. We encourage every angler to carry a thermometer with them at all times and check water temps often. Once that temp eclipses 68 degrees it’s time to think about giving the fish a break and finding something different to do.

We’re expecting flows to hold where they’re at which should keep things cool but once water temps hit 70 degrees or greater you really shouldn’t be fishing. There’s been no talk of Hoot Owl on the MO this season but self-regulating is something we should all be doing. You can expect us to request 6 AM starts on the really hot days but regardless of whether you start early or not our guides will stop fishing if water temps exceed 68 degrees.

Need a stream thermometer? We have them available for purchase at WCA!

Tricos have been gaining momentum, Caddis have been the consistent evening go to and hoppers and ants are getting the occasional looks. Plenty of options for the DFO. Best-selling dries this week have been Hi Vis Trico, Guide Winna Spinna (Rusty or Trico), Double Wing Trico, Indicator Spinner Trico, Barr’s Trico Emerger, Lighthouse Spinner Trico, Cornfed Caddis, Missouri CDC Caddis, Outrigger Caddis, Blooms’s UV Caddis, Stockingfoot Caddis and CDC Grey Caddis Emerger.

More or Less Hoppers in Peach, Tan and grey have been moving fish and Micro Chubbies are getting plenty of looks as well. Come check out our greatly expanded FOAM section, which, I think it’s safe to say, rivals or exceeds that of any other shop on the MO.

Those chasing bobbers have had good luck with black Zebra Midges, Frenchies, Little Green Machines, Pheasant Tails, Split Case PMD’s, Purple or Gold Weight Flies, Tung Darts, S & M’s and of course, Sowbugs. Zirdles have also continued to have their moments though that has lacked consistency.

Not much to report as far as streamer fishing goes though buggers, particularly Thin Mints, have been effective.

Hot summer nights (though not too hot) are the perfect time to throw a mouse as well. Once again, keep a close eye on those water temps, but when the water temps allow for it why wouldn’t you try your luck at fooling a mammoth Missouri River brown trout with a mouse. Not for the faint at heart!

Just to repeat, we’re open at 6:30 AM daily for all of your Missouri River summer fly fishing needs. Sunscreen, Ice,Headwear, Neck Gators, Sun Gloves, Smith and Suncloud Sun Glasses, Simms Solarflex shirts, flip flops, NEW Korkers wading shoes and sandals and much more. How about a new SAGE R8 or Sonic? We’ve got em’.

Lodging and guides are still locked up but another week and we’ll have rooms available and might even be able to find you that (somewhat) last minute guide trip.

Adipose Drift Boat rentals, Simms waders and boots, Rio and SA lines, leaders and tippet and without a doubt, the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

Don’t forget, Wolf Creek Angler has the confirmed CHEAPEST DAM SHUTTLES on the MO. You won’t find a cheaper Dam shuttle anywhere. Our shuttle business has more than doubled from last year but we still can’t help but wonder why anyone would go anywhere else for a shuttle from the Dam down unless they just enjoy spending more money on said shuttles which must be the case because there are all kinds of rigs being shuttled from the dam which we aren’t moving.

The only other thing it could be is that folks don’t know that we’re here. Case in point, we had clients show up a few minutes late the other day for their trip because they “just assumed we were in Craig”. They assumed WOLF CREEK angler was in CRAIG! Help us get the word out – CHEAPEST DAM SHUTTLES ON THE MO ONLY AT WOLF CREEK ANGLER located in Beautiful WOLF CREEK MONTANA.

We LOVE Craig. We’re perplexed by watching the rigs with drift boats in tow passing us by in the morning presumably en route to Craig, only to see those same rigs at the dam later in the morning. And in this case it’s not just that our shuttles are cheaper, it’s that some folks are driving an extra 15 miles which means more money spent on fuel and at least a half hour later start than what would’ve been the case had they stopped here for a shuttle. Obviously to each their own but we’d love it if you spread the word to your peeps.

We hope you join us for The Fade and beyond this season on the MO.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-07-18T16:04:02-06:00July 18th, 2023|Categories: Fishing Report, Shop Life|Tags: Adipose, brown trout, cheapest dam shuttles on the mo, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Montana, running line, simms, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Goodbye June….Hello Summer

It’s a sleepy Wednesday with intermittent rain showers and a general sense that it’s a good day to wait it out in anticipation of a very summer-like forecast ahead.

Sunshine and 90’s on the way starting tomorrow just in time for the kickoff to the pre 4th of July weekend…the real start of summer. It’s time to bid farewell to this cool wet June and get the Montana summer underway.

Finally there are consecutive days without “a chance of showers and thunderstorms” in the forecast. Not that we won’t continue to see the occasional summer storm but it’s nice to see a forecast with sunshine as the headline rather than the carbon copy chance of rain and thunderstorms we’ve seen for most of June.

What’s that mean for your PRIME TIME dry fly season on the Missouri? Hopefully good things to come.

PMD’s have been sporadic at best and now that we’re approaching the time when they tend to begin to taper off it’s unclear whether we’ll see a late surge or if my favorite hatch on the MO just fades away giving way to Caddis and Tricos and terrestrials.

Our council is to remain prepared for any and all of it.

Good reports this week on the Caddis front from those doing the late shift. Cornfed, Missouri CDC, Iceberg and Stockingfoot Caddis in tandem with the old standby CDC Caddis emerger all money right now in the right place at the right time.

Nymphing continues to be the numbers game. Broken Record Nymphing Report…..Sowbugs should be your go to. There isn’t a #14 Tailwater Sow to be found in any shop right now but we’ve got a pretty good stock of #16’s at the moment.

Split Case PMD’s, Frenchies, Little Green Machines, Faucii’s, PMD Magic Flies, PMD Redemptions are all producing as are go to caddis pupae like the gold or purple weight fly, Translucent Caddis Emerger, Nitro Caddis, Tung Dart, Pulsating Caddis, Deep Six Caddis Pupae and more. All in stock now at Wolf Creek Angler.

Boat rentals are full bore right now and the Mending Waters boats for vets and active duty military have never been so busy. Our summer guide season has peaked but chances of getting a last minute guide will continue to be slim to none for the next few weeks. Not that you shouldn’t at least give us a call though. We do get the occasional cancellation.

Same with rooms. We’re full from now to the third week of July but we do get cancellations once in a while so make the call. And just a note, our regulars have been extremely intentional about getting things booked for next year so if you had intentions on coming in 2024 I’d suggest you make those plans now before everything fills up.

Fall dates have started to fill but we’re still looking pretty good for late September and much of October if fall fishing on the MO is on your agenda.

These are the long days of summer but the march to darkness is underway with each passing day shaving off moments of light. Before we know it the morning light will arrive a little later and will not linger quite so long as darkness returns.

But for now – enjoy the Montana summer.

Plenty of sunshine on the way and the heat to go with it. The river will soon be busy with rec floaters looking for a cool respite so just be aware of that going in. The resource is here for everyone and we should all make it a point to go out of our way to get along and promote harmony on the water.

Starting July 1st we’ll be open earlier yet at 6:30 am for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-06-28T13:31:17-06:00June 28th, 2023|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Wolf Creek Angler is your Missouri River Fly Fishing Headquarters

It’s relatively quiet this first day of June on the Missouri but that’s about to change!

Chalk it up to being a post-holiday week or just the calm before the summer storm but it’s been eerily quiet this week with many of the transient guides and outfitters taking their clients and returning to their home waters.

Wet weather has perhaps kept some of the local angling traffic away and we’re still a ways out from the heat that drives the recreational floaters to the MO but all that aside, the fact of the matter is, we’re on the cusp of the start of the summer season and a few days from now things are going to look a whole lot different so if spring solitude is your thing this is your window and it’s about to close!

We’re now entering the days folks book a year or more in advance. These are the days of pilgrimage from afar to the hallowed waters of the Missouri. These are not the days of “everything else is blown so we’ll have to fish the MO”, from here on out everyone who is here is here for this. They’re here to carry on what are often times generational traditions of summer days on our giant spring creek.

These are the days of the DFO. Not that you won’t see plenty of bobbers on any given day but the history of fly fishing on the Missouri is one steeped in the lore of epic hatches and monster browns and bows sipping well-presented dry flies. It’s a place known for technical fishing with all of the elements in play that make a soft landing and a drag-free drift a necessity.

The coming early days of Caddis and PMD activity always allow for a fair amount of sloppiness and less than stealthy presentation but it won’t be long before things get techy and the fish get extremely picky and if you’re not on your game you’ll likely have a tough time on the Missouri. Prepare yourself for the Missouri River Dry Fly Extravaganza!

That being said, this world class tailwater is chock full of sub surface food which means if you prefer the bobber to the dry fly the Missouri is for you as well. It’s almost always game on for the nymphing set and while the reckless abandon with which these trout have been feeding for the past month may be waning there is an incredible abundance of food in the water right now and the fish don’t stop eating.

Of course sow bugs continue to be the staple but there are caddis pupae, baetis nymphs, PMD nymphs, March Brown nymphs, worms, crayfish and who knows what else bouncing around the water column. Anchor your rig with a beaded Tailwater sow, Czech nymph, Weight Fly, worm or Crayfish and trail a Little Green Machine, 2 Bit Hooker, Magic Fly, Split Cast PMD, S & M, Frenchie, Psycho May and on and on….All available at Wolf Creek Angler.

Back to dry flies – we’re currently making the shift, switching the hi vis bins from BWO’s to PMD’s and Caddis. Stock up today on the latest and greatest as well as the old standbys. We recommend you keep a good selection of spinners and duns at the ready but we catch a bunch of fish on cripples…just sayin.

The Guide Winna Spinna is a relative new-comer to the Missouri. Great Fly….Terrible Name. CDC PMD Spinners and Para PMD’s along with Indicator Spinners in PMD and Rusty – all fine PMD options. Hellen Keller PMD, PMD Film Critic, PMD Flash Cripple. CDC Winged Emerger, Brooks Sprout PMD and the ever-popular Buzzball should all hold a place in your fly box.

Our go-to Caddis patterns include Cornfed Caddis, Blooms Para Caddis, Sloan’s Outrigger Caddis, Stockingfoot Caddis, Missouri CDC Caddis, Iceberg Caddis, Front End Loader, X Caddis and the always popular CDC Caddis Emerger.

You’ll find all of these and many more filling the bins at WCA amongst the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

As you prepare for the weeks ahead think about replacing those old fly lines. There’s nothing quite like fishing a fresh new line to help you step up your game. It’s difficult enough to overcome the challenges posed by micro currents when trying to perfect that presentation. Why add the challenge of a line that won’t float? Cleaning and dressing helps but at some point you need to replace those lines.

We’ve got you covered with all the basics as well as the more technical tapers from SA, Rio and Airflo.

Stock up on 5X and don’t forget your floatant.

We’re open at 7 AM daily for EVERYTHING you need for your day on the MO.

Sun protection, rain gear, Simms waders and boots, the brand new Korkers Swift Sandals and All Axis wading shoes, SAGE R8’s, Lamson Speedsters, tons of Simms logo gear, Adipose drift boat rentals, Mending Waters Drift boats FREE TO ALL VETS, Fishing licenses, Fishpond Nomad Nets and now featuring the CHEAPEST DAM SHUTTLES ON THE MO!

Welcome to Pre Prime on the MISSOURI!

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-06-01T12:23:50-06:00June 1st, 2023|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: Adipose, cheapest dam shuttles on the mo, dry fly fishing, Fishpond, fly fishing, green machine, Korkers All Axis wading shoe, Korkers Swift Sandal, Lamson Speedster, mending waters montana, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Sage R8, simms, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Creek fishing opens this Saturday

Another heat wave on the way this weekend with temps expected to approach 90 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. As luck would have it we’re currently experiencing some smoke from the wildfires burning in Alberta and British Columbia which does affect air quality to an extent but more importantly it also provides overcast conditions, all the better for those fishing the MO.

Current air quality conditions in Wolf Creek are moderate for the most part, worse as you travel to Helena and Great Falls. Expect hazy conditions today through Saturday with things starting to clear on Sunday.

Saturday is the general stream opener in Montana which will soon begin to distribute the angling traffic around the region however with the current streamflows already running high and hot weather on tap for the weekend which will likely bring about an increase in runoff, we’re expecting continued heavy traffic here for the time being.

We’re in good shape on the Missouri with current flows at 7000 CFS with water temps right around 50 degrees. Flows on the Dearborn and Prickly Pear have steadily dropped this week but will likely be on the rise again this weekend. Both are adding color to the MO but not in a bad way – chalky, not muddy. Just how we like it.

It’s been a decent week for BWO’s, especially with the low light conditions and there are a few caddis bouncing around out there as well as some march browns and of course, the ever-present midges which are still providing plenty of low light action for the dry fly set. Much more to come!

Nymphers are replacing sow bugs and scuds with BWO and PMD nymphs as well worms and zirdles in select locales. You needn’t abandon the sows altogether though as they are on the menu every month of the year on the Missouri.

Streamer fishing has been good enough with the better action during low light as you would expect. White, tan, yellow, olive….all good choices. Deeper has been better with a moderate retrieve and plenty of pauses in between. Work the banks, making sure you hit every fishy looking seam and pocket and every under-brush lair. There’s a reason you think those spots look fishy. It’s because they are. That being said, you’ll also want to hit island tailouts mid-river riffles and drops, water that maybe doesn’t look quite as sexy but which may hold the beast you’re seeking.

We’re open at 7 AM daily with everything you need for your day on the water, be that the MO or anywhere else. The CHEAPEST DAM SHUTTLES on the MO and so much more!

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-05-18T11:34:13-06:00May 18th, 2023|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: cheapest dam shuttles on the mo, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, midge, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Eternal Winter on the MO

It just keeps coming!

A steady snow falling this Thursday afternoon, APRIL 20th. Lows in the mid 20’s expected tonight with more snow on the way tonight and tomorrow. One more night of unseasonably cold lows Friday night and then maybe, just maybe we’ll be done with this.

No complaints about the snow – it’s all good but generally once we’re this far into April we’re ready for those temps that might freeze plumbing to have ceased. I’ve been waiting to turn the last of the water on having learned my lesson in years past when we’ve ended up with frozen plumbing in mid-April but we’re getting down to the wire and we’re going to need that water soon.

The dice will undoubtedly be rolled this weekend. Overnight lows look to be climbing and I think perhaps we’re on the precipice of leaving winter behind.

In addition to challenging my sanity, the unseasonably cold weather has also had somewhat of a chilling effect on business. With the exception of a couple of nice days that brought folks out of the woodwork (notably last Saturday) things have been relatively quiet for late April on the MO. Cold weather has kept the waters state-wide in good shape and delayed the runoff that generally precipitates the annual spring migration of guides and outfitters to the MO from around the region.

This has made for some relatively quiet days on the water which no one is complaining about. No one with the exception of the fly shop owners who are sitting on piles of new inventory watching the spring season pass by! But that’s neither here nor there.

Weather and stories of woe aside – fishing has been outstanding. Just what you would expect in mid to late April on the Missouri. Nymphing has been outstanding, last light dry fly fishing on midges has been consistently good depending on the day and streamer fishing is in PRIME TIME so if that’s your game these next few weeks are when you’ll want to be here.

Best bets for nymphs….Pill Poppers, Peterson’s Sow, Tailwater Sow, UV Yum Yum, Pink Ray with lucent pink bead, Caviar Scud, Rainbow Czech, Radiation Baetis (Pink), Pink Lighting Bug, Rainbow Warrior, black Zebra midge, soft hackle sow, Cotton Candy, Split Case BWO, BWO Magic Fly, Little Green Machine, Olive Psycho May. Sow bugs and anything with pink or orange beads have been the go tos but you should definitely be mixing some baeits and midge nymphs just to show them something they maybe haven’t seen quite so much.

The fish are on the move. You might find a few hanging in that slow winter water yet but you’ll definitely want to target the medium fast, medium depth water which is where they seem to be congregating at the moment.

Most of the nymphing traffic has been in the Holter Dam to Craig stretch but there’s no reason not to spread it out as the river is fishing well in all sections.

Dry Flies – Black Midge, Griffiths Gnat, Parachute Midge, Bucky’s Midge Cluster, Midge Sprout, Parachute Adams and maybe give that Skwala a try.

Streamers – all over the board but best sellers have been Skiddish Smolt, Sparkle Minnow, Thin Mints, Kreelex, Silk Kitty, Swim Coach, Mini Dungeon, Baby Gonga, MK Ultralite. Best Colors – Natural, white and olive.

Swing or strip. Bomb the banks, work the troughs, dredge the depths. The fish are where you find them which could be anywhere right now. Try a varied strip with plenty of pauses. Hit the shallows and give it a second to settle before you strip.

There’s no time like spring time on the MO.

We’re open daily from 7:30 AM – 4 PM. Stop in for everything you need for your day on the water including the CHEAPEST DAM SHUTTLES ON THE MO.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-04-20T16:37:05-06:00April 20th, 2023|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Sunny Late Winter Vibes as Wolf Creek ANgler

Blue skies and sunshine this ninth day or March, exactly the kind of day we need to get into spring fishing mode. The temperature hasn’t broken the freezing mark in a couple of days but we’re headed there today with a high near 40 on tap. Calm south winds in the 6-8 mph range make today the day to be on the water.

Snow and light winds from the NORTH tomorrow with a high of 33. 1-3 inches of snow expected. I’ll just leave that there without commentary.

Power through it. Spring weather will arrive next week with highs in the low to mid 50’s starting on Monday.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect!

We’ve opened a third of our lodging in preparation for a full house next week when our friends from the Bitterroot arrive for their Annual pre-season fling on the MO.

It’s been a couple of worrisome nights hoping for the best in regards to the plumbing with temps dipping into the single digits (so far so good) and we’re not quite out of the woods just yet but things look to be trending in the right direction.

Target date for opening the remodeled bungalows is April 1st or before and motel rooms will likely be opened by early to mid-April.

The shop is in GO mode with piles of spring inventory awaiting your arrival. We’re stocked up on Simms waders and boots, Sage rods and reels and of course the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

Streamer bins are full, Sow Bug bins are full, Midge bins are full….we’re ready to rock and roll at Wolf Creek Angler.

We’re also your exclusive FWP License Provider in Wolf Creek and while we encourage all of our guests to purchase licenses online which you can do here, we’re happy to provide this service to our customers. After all, what kind of fishing shop doesn’t sell fishing licenses?

Fishing has been good and it’s about to get a whole lot better as that blazing spring sun warms the winter waters letting our trout know it’s GO TIME.

For the rainbow population that means gearing up to spawn. For the browns that means it’s time to feast. Time to feast on midges, time to feast on nymphs, almost time to feast on eggs and most importantly, time to feast on baitfish. Streamer Time on the MO!

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year for those to whom enticing a hungry beast of a brown with a well-stripped streamer is the Holy Grail of fly fishing. Mind you we’re well aware that to some the Streamer game doesn’t even qualify as “fly fishing” and that’s ok.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and our opinion is that we’re all seeking the “tug” and it doesn’t really matter how we get there. We LOVE feeding dry flies to sipping fish. We LOVE chasing bobbers and you already know how we feel about streamer fishing. Find what you like and do it. It needn’t be any more complicated or controversial than that. #COEXIST

We’ll be adding Mondays back into the mix starting this week so starting on Monday the 13th, spring shop hours for now will be Monday – Saturday 9 AM – 4 PM.

Time change happens this weekend so don’t forget to Spring Ahead. Long hours of daylight on the way!

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-03-09T13:01:24-07:00March 9th, 2023|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: #coexist, brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, midge, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Sage, simms, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Following a couple of days this week where we got, what this winter has been, a rare taste of sunshine, blue skies, moderate temps and calm winds that mark late winter on the MO, it’s back to grey skies and cold gusty winds on this dreary second day of March.

It doesn’t feel much like it today but spring is in fact, on the way. 18 days and counting to be exact. It’ll be a while yet before the weather conditions sync with what the calendar says but sooner or later we’ll emerge from winter’s darkness here at Wolf Creek Angler and that warm spring sun will crowd out the cold and melt this ridiculous accumulation of ice and snow we’ve been haphazardly negotiating since about the middle of November.

Looking at today and tomorrow, conditions look less than ideal for fishing the MO with persistent gusty winds but Saturday looks optimal with sunshine, a high near 40 and south winds just 8-13 mph. Temps drop on Sunday and will hang in the high 20’s for a couple of days with a decent chance for snow but it looks like a moderate warmup underway starting mid-week next week.

We’ll be closed this weekend starting tomorrow for out of town obligations but if the weather trends hold for next week I would expect to have our first lodging units of the season available by next weekend.

Progress continues on our remodels with things really starting to take shape. It’s a huge makeover ushering in a whole different level of accommodation in our ever popular bungalows. And while this is probably the most dramatic of the changes we’ve made, heading into season number 10 and taking account of all the things we’ve done, I couldn’t be more pleased with the slow but steady transformation which has occurred here.

If you hadn’t shopped or stayed here since we bought the business in 2013 I’m confident you would not recognize much of anything about the operation we’ve become. And it’s not just the lodging. Wolf Creek Angler was always meant to be first and foremost a kick ass Missouri River fly shop and while I acknowledge that my opinion is definitely biased, I state truth when I tell you that this is exactly what we have become.

From humble roots we’ve scratched and clawed our way forward, ever expanding our offerings and chasing the top brands in the industry to the point where I’m happy to announce we do indeed offer the best of everything in fly fishing topped off this season with the much sought after and fought for addition of SAGE to our rod and reel inventory.

We firmly believe in and stand behind every product line we carry but those Sage and Simms Authorized Dealer signs are the symbols of victory in a battle, the likes of which I never imagined when we opened Wolf Creek Angler. I know it’s lost on most who walk into a fly shop and expect to see those brands but it’s FAR from a given and our having these industry leading brands is an affirmation of our legitimacy not only as a shop, but as a brand here on the MO.

Obviously Montana is the Big Leagues when it comes to fly fishing in North America and the Missouri River is among the major players. And while we’ll continue to fly under the radar here in Wolf Creek in the shadow of the oft cited and promoted town of Craig, it’s a position we don’t mind at all.

Five and a half river miles upstream we’ve been quietly doing our thing here for the past 9 years, building Wolf Creek Angler into a brand that has carved out a spot here on the Big League Missouri. And while we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, we’re not done.

Onward and Upward!

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-03-02T10:09:00-07:00March 2nd, 2023|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: Craig MT, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, progress, running line, Sage, season number 10, simms, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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