pmd's Archives - Wolf Creek Angler

Mid June on the MO

It’s hard to believe but we’re already talking about mid-June on the MO as the 2024 campaign continues to fly by

This is PRIME TIME. These next several weeks comprise the most coveted dates of the season. These are the weeks that book out a year or more in advance. This is GO TIME in the Missouri River Fly Shop, lodging and guiding world. Buckle up!

Bugs have been semi-cooperative most days. The wind has been about the most consistent component of our young season. The two do not go hand in hand. Mid day dry fly opportunities will avail themselves more days than not but gusty winds change the equation. It’s not only heads we’re hunting but also those coveted sheltered spots that provide a respite from the often howling onslaught. We’ll always do our best to get you to those spots where sheltered waters and bugs and rising fish converge but it’s not always the case so be prepared to overcome micro-currents with that reach cast while also managing that cast in the presence of strong head or tail winds. This has always been and will always be part of the challenge of the Missouri so come prepared.

PMD’s are your mid-day go to. We highly recommend incorporating an emerger or cripple into your offering. Sprout PMD, Hatchback PMD, Dolly Wing PMD, Helen Keller, Film Critic, CDC Case PMD Emerger, Loopwing Emerger…just a few of the techy PMD patterns available now at WCA.

Caddis are present in the canyon and lower stretches. We haven’t heard much on that front just yet as far as the fishing goes but it’ll happen sooner or later.

Nymphing continues to be solid and while I was going to post the obligatory sow bug game comment I did actually hear a couple of reports just this afternoon that just maybe they are taking a break from the sow in order to focus on tasty PMD nymphs. Try a Split Case or Crack Back, PMD Magic Fly, Redemption, Psycho May, Frenchie, Glass Bullet, Military May or the like and pair it with a Purple Weight Fly or a Tung Dart or maybe even a worm with the bump that’s coming today and tomorrow.

Tomorrow looks to be another summery day with highs near 90 before things trend cooler for the weekend and into next week when there is a winter storm watch in effect for the high country with snow returning to the mountains. We won’t likely see any of that here but do prepare for highs in the 50 on Monday and Tuesday with rain in the forecast and keep those jackets and fleeces at hand as overnight lows will be dipping into the 30’s beginning on Sunday.

We’ll see what the change in weather brings. Streamer season is certainly waning at this point but with a couple of cool, rainy days on tap that might be just the ticket.

We’re in the midst of our busiest month of the season for guide trips so expect traffic in the fly shops in the morning and if you’re trying to call in a shuttle and we don’t answer try back in a bit or better yet, stop by the shop. We’re likely busy with customers so answering the phone becomes much less of a priority. We generally start running shuttles around 9:30 am so we can accommodate early outs and we generally wrap up by 3 PM so the later shuttles aren’t usually something we’re able to do. It never hurts to check though.

The shop is open at 7 AM daily for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs. We are of course home to the CHEAPEST DAM SHUTTLES on the MO, Adipose drift boat rentals, ice, Sage rods and reels, Fishpond straw hats, Simms waders, boots and flip-flops, Suncloud and Smith optics and the largest selection of flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

By Jason Orzechowski|2024-06-13T16:23:52-06:00June 13th, 2024|Categories: Fishing Report, Shop Life|Tags: Adipose, caddis, cheapest dam shuttles on the mo, dry fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, pmd's, running line, simms, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Heat Wave on the Horizon

Following a week filled with scattered thunderstorms and fluctuating but pleasant daytime temps it looks like we’re in for our first sustained heatwave of the summer as the mercury starts to climb early next week into the mid to high 90’s, bumping up against 100 on Wednesday.

Not much in the forecast for precipitation but always be prepared as summer storms are common in the west and often come from out of nowhere. Have some rain gear at the least, preferably something with a sturdy hood to perhaps protect your noggin from the painful hail that can sometimes accompany these summer storms.

These hot summer days on the water are what many come for and there’s nothing quite as relaxing as floating down the river on a blue bird summer day but it’s important to be prepared for hazards like variations in the weather, lightning, wind and hail and the potential for overexposure to sun and/or heat. Keep yourself hydrated and don’t forget the sunblock.

Humans like the heat – so do the bugs. Waning days of PMD’s happening NOW with Caddis action building and Tricos making their way up river. Fishable numbers in the middle and lower sections now should give way to river-wide action over the next week or two.

In the absence of bugs try blind fishing a caddis, you might be surprised how effective the blind technique can be. And while it may be a little early, I never hesitate to give the hoppers a try any time after the fourth of July. Prime terrestrial season is still a ways out but if you spend enough time throwing a hopper or ant you’ll likely find a few willing players.

Rusty Spinners have been effective trailed with a PMD emerger, a CDc caddis emerger or a Buzzball. Double Wing Tricos or Indicator Spinners paired with a Trico emerger will soon be your go to rig. Outrigger Caddis, Front End Loaders, Stocking Foot Caddis, Iceberg Caddis, Missouri River CDC Caddis, Cornfed Caddis and Blooms Parachute Caddis are all good options thrown blind or to mimic what you’re seeing on the water.

Nymphing continues to be amazingly consistent with PMD and Caddis nymphs complementing the sowbug fare. Best bets for nymphing include Split Case PMD’s, Frenchies, PMD Redemptions, S & M’s, Little Green Machines, Gold or Purple Weight Flies, Tung Darts, Nitro Caddis, Rusty Magic Fly, Peep Show, Zebra Midges and black or olive Zebras. The water is still surprisingly clean with weeds just now getting started. Not bad considering we’re heading into the second week of July. Expect exponential growth once the temps skyrocket next week but with the relatively stable flows we’re seeing some of this will be mitigated.

Traffic has slowed slightly and many of those who remain are solidly situated in the DFO camp. A lot of folks wading and more evening angling activity than you’ll generally see on the Missouri.
The season is flying by us, so much so that bookings have seen a seismic shift to fall inquiries over this past week.

August seems a bit busier than usual but will still feel like a ghost town after these past couple of months. And things pick right back up in September so if you’re looking for fall dates on the MO we encourage you to make those plans now. October is fairly wide open at this point and is, in my opinion, the better month for fall fishing on the Missouri. More on that soon.

We’re open at 6:30 AM daily with limited shuttles, unlimited bugs and everything you need for your day on the water.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-07-08T11:31:14-06:00July 8th, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, pmd's, running line, summer, tricos, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Summer Days on the Missouri

Summer officially arrived last week and with it The Blur which is how we refer to this portion of the season when days blur together and the busy weeks we anticipate, prepare for and look forward to all year fly past, carrying us to the Dog Days of August and soon after the start of the fall season. Do you have your fall dates booked? It’ll be here before you know it.

We saw some fluctuations in flows last week which left some frustrated, but things have since stabilized and we’re currently looking at flows of 4100 CFS where they will likely hold for the remainder of the season. Water temps are creeping up with summer’s heat having finally arrived, but at 58 – 59 degrees we’ve got absolutely nothing to complain about.

Conditions are truly ideal right now with stable flows of cold clean water, lush green landscapes and happy, hungry trout feasting on PMD’s daily. The long days mean long hours on the water with many dry fly obsessed anglers fishing the last light of the day.

These are the days that define Montana fly fishing in the minds of many. And these are the days we savor every season.

The fishing has been phenomenal more days than not except for those couple of days with the big bumps and drops in flows.

PMD’s are still the main course though we’re approaching the end of the PMD cycle over the next two weeks. Caddis action is somewhat sparse but seems to be gaining momentum. Look for things to improve as we close out the month of June and roll into the 4th of July weekend. PMD’s still here. Caddis gaining steam and Tricos on the way. It’s Dry Fly Nirvana on the Mighty MO. Oh, and don’t forget…hoppers aren’t that far off!

We’ve got you covered with massive quantities of dry fly patterns for all of the above along with a vast array of floatants and a wide variety of general and specialty lines for your optimum dry fly presentation. We’ve got everything you need to make it happen…the rest is up to you.

There are plenty of folks throwing bobbers as well and hooking up plenty. PMD nymphs (split case, magic fly, redemption, Psycho May, etc. ) and caddis nymphs should be your go to bugs but don’t count the sowbugs out. Sowbugs are always on the menu. Best sellers the past week from the nymph bins include Tailwater Sows, Purple Weight flies, Frenchies, Perdigons, Split Case PMD’s, Little Green Machines and PMD Redemption.

Stop in and stock up on bugs and sun protection and ice and whatever else you need for your day on the water. Shuttles have been crazy to the point that we’re cutting off shuttle sales fairly early each day depending on the traffic. Get here early to make sure you can get a shuttle. We aren’t the only ones cutting shuttles off so you could find yourself without a shuttle if you arrive late on a busy day. We apologize for the inconvenience, it’s a BUSY year on the Missouri!

We continue to get a ton of calls daily for guide trips and while we have been able to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat a few times chances are slim that we’ll be able to book any additional trips over these next couple of weeks. The same holds true for lodging. We do get cancellations here and there but for the most part we are booked solid through the middle of July. Things open up at the end of the month.

Welcome back to the Blur. We hope to see you soon. We’re open 7 AM – 5 PM daily and will adjust accordingly once the Tricos commence.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-06-27T16:02:07-06:00June 27th, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report, Shop Life|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, Montana, pmd's, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

It’s Trico Time on the Missouri – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

It’s what some of you have been waiting for….Tricos on the MO’.

Others despise the challenges presented by tiny dry flies and finicky fish but for the hard-core DFO purists among you now is the time.

The quiet early mornings at the boat launches are a thing of the past for now as the Trico guys know an early start is critical for a shot at the prime spots during the spinner fall, somewhere around 9 – 10 am.

A week ago I had the ramps to myself at 6 am when I was dropping rental boats. Today I had to wait my turn behind a multitude of early starts with a steady stream coming in behind me.
Early on means early off which works out well as mid-day temps are currently pushing into the 80’s and 90’s with bright sun and minimal cloud cover the norm as of late. Tomorrow looks like a good chance for showers throughout the day before we resume the summer sun and heat through the weekend.

There continues to be a fair amount of evening traffic out there as well. We recommend self-shuttling for these late floats. We’ve been cutting off shuttles at 4 PM and while some may be doing them later than that I don’t think anyone is doing late night shuttling so if night ops are on your agenda please plan accordingly.

There are still some PMD’s around but definitely coming to a close. Tricos in the morning and Caddis in the evening and if that’s not your thing then have it to yourself during the heat of the day and start throwing some foam.

Hoppers and ants are starting to attract some interest. Not a ton of naturals around just yet but there will be soon enough. Fish the hopper (or ant) alone or drop a nymph (LGM, Zebra Midge, magic fly, lightning bug etc) and cover some ground. Hit the banks, hit the mid-river riffles, hit the spots you wouldn’t normally expect to move fish…you might just be surprised by where you find them.

The nymph game has continued to produce albeit somewhat inconsistently with the continued flow fluctuations taking a toll on the fishing depending on the day. We’re sitting at 4920 CFS as of this writing, I’d expect it to maintain in this range from here on out but I’ve been getting this one wrong more often than not so take it for what it is.

On the good days best nymph bets have been Purple Weight Fly, Frenchie, Brown S & M, Split Case PMD, Tailwater Sow, Black Zebra Midge, PMD Magic Fly, Pearl Lightning Bug, Little Green Machine, Peep Show, PMD Redemption, Tung Dart, PT’s, and the occasional hot streak on Olive or Natural Zirdles.

Top movers from the dry fly bin include Rusty Spinners, Buzzballs, Drowned PMD Spinner, Flash Cripple, Film Critic on the PMD menu. Caddis faves include Blooms Hi Vis Parachute Caddis, Stockingfoot Caddis, Outrigger Caddis, Cornfed Caddis and CDC Caddis Emergers. Go to Trico patterns – Indicator Spinner, Hi Vis Spinner, Double Wing, Hi Vis Sprout and other assorted flavors.

We’re open early every day, by 7 at the latest, with boat rentals in the water generally by 6:30 am. The weirdness continues to hamper our lodging and guide trip bookings but we’re plugging along piecing a season together. The point is, we’re getting enough cancellations that we’ve been able to accommodate last minute requests with a fairly high rate of success so don’t shy away from attempting to book those last minute rooms and trips.

It’s summertime on the Missouri, with Dog Days ahead.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-07-22T20:04:58-06:00July 22nd, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, pmd's, running line, tricos, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Caddis Sunset – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Rapidly approaching mid-July and everything is falling into place.

The flows have been cut in half since last week and are currently leveling off at a wade-friendly 5900 CFS. July operation plans from the Bureau of Reclamation are predicting most probable flows to be right about where they are for the month before falling in August and leveling out at around 4500 CFS for the remainder of 2020. Water temps are holding at around 63 degrees.
The late push of water had many singing the blues these last two weeks but to be honest with you, the conditions couldn’t be much better than they are right now as far as flow and water temperature go. The weeds are definitely starting to take hold but we’re in really good shape for Mid-July.

So it took a while but the water conditions which are the first piece of the puzzle just fell into place. Obviously the other critical component of the Missouri River dry fly extravaganza is the bugs and we’re happy to report that this component has also been shaping up nicely throughout the season.

This time of the season is what makes the MO a legend in the lore of western fly fishing. PMD’s? Check. Caddis? Check. Tricos? Check. And some pseudos in the mix for good measure. So many bugs, so many trout and nothing but time.

These are the days of pre-dawn launches and of picking boats after dark. These are the days of sleep deprivation amongst crazed dry-fly anglers and shop staff alike. These are the days of hunting heads, of blanket hatches, of putting pods of fish down with blown casts and with any luck, of artfully delivered casts being rewarded with the take and the fight and just maybe landing the fish of a lifetime. Big fish. Small flies. Delicate tippet and a highly developed combination of steely determination, resolve and finesse (as well as one hell of a well-rehearsed and more often than not, perfectly executed reach cast) culminating in an oddity known in our world as the DFO.

They’re a rare breed and the banks of the Missouri are crawling with them right now. That being said, “crawling” might be a stretch. After all, it’s the season of Covid and nothing is quite as it should be. Don’t get me wrong, there are folks here and we’re “busy” by 2020 standards but in a normal year with these bugs and these conditions you would expect the Missouri to be overrun with anglers which it is not.

That being said, we’ve been doing this dawn and darkness boat thing for years and while it’s definitely not every night, there have been a couple evenings at the ramp, the likes of which I’ve never seen with the parking lot at the takeout looking like 3:30 pm on a summer afternoon with nearly every trailer spot occupied.

Other days (and nights) it’s already feeling like the coming Dog Days of August with next to no one around.

Weekends are a different story as it seems Covid has kept folks close to home. A ton of rafts and SUP’s and all manner of floaty things assembled on all stretches of the river have made Saturday the day you probably don’t want to try to fish the MO.

Aside from Saturdays however, this is the season to be here if you want to experience the Missouri River at PRIME TIME like you’ve never experienced it before and hopefully won’t again with light to moderate traffic and an abundance of target-rich water there for the taking.

A recent lull in our lodging caused by Covid cancellations has ended and we’re back to full bore with a nearly full house for the remainder of the month.

Guide trips are filling in nicely and requests have reached a point where we’re having to turn down days because all of our guides are booked. This is a welcome development in a season we feared we might lose altogether.
We continue to play the fill-in game with inventory at the shop, walking the fine line between cautious purchasing and having everything on hand you might ask for. We still don’t know where this thing is going so we’re continuing to cautiously plot the remainder of the season but rest assured we do have bugs a plenty as well as a full stock of leaders/tippet/lines/tools/accessories/ etc. and we’ve also just placed a couple of logo orders to replenish our depleted stocks of WCA gear. New stuff coming soon.

The fly bins are full with all of the PMD, Caddis and Trico patterns (as well as the largest assortment of Missouri River nymphs ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek MT) And don’t miss our drawer of foam fully stocked with all of the best hopper patterns for the rapidly approaching terrestrial season.

Summer hours 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM officially, and usually someone around before and after those hours. Shuttles, sun protection, Adipose Drift Boat rentals, Affordable lodging and the hardest working guide crew on the MO’.

We are your Missouri River summer fly fishing destination.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-07-14T21:30:56-06:00July 14th, 2020|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: Adipose, caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, pmd's, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

A Different June for sure but regardless, PMD’s have emerged on the MO’ – photo courtesy of montana-riverboats.com

We’re three days into June and while in some respects things seem to be approaching normal, in many others the sense of Covid weirdness still pervades.

The biggest stride towards normalcy we’ve seen in months happened on Monday as Montana entered Phase II of reopening which included the lifting of the mandatory 14 day quarantine for those coming from out of state. We did have some spur of the moment lodging and guide trip bookings from out of state residents on Monday and Tuesday but for the most part Phase II feels about like Phase One did with light traffic on the river and an eerily quiet atmosphere in Wolf Creek and Craig.

Weekends have been a different story, feeling much more like the heart of the season with overflowing parking lots and flotillas of drift boats, rafts and all manner of floating apparatuses. Montanans were out in force over the weekend taking advantage of the clean, controlled flows of the MO and also re-discovering the Dearborn River in droves.

We’ve always advised against scheduling your guide trips on weekends, particularly on Saturdays. It’s no different this season. There has been a well-documented shift towards outdoor activities since things began to open up and we’re expecting that this trend will keep things busy here on the weekends as Montana residents stay close to home.

Obviously, our hope is that things get steadily busier during the week as we transition into Phase II but at this point our loss of out-of-state business is your gain as this could be the least fishing pressure the Missouri River has seen in decades. Between the continued Covid restrictions around the country and the travel complications caused by a reduction in air traffic the MO will likely see a relatively quiet June so if you have avoided the Missouri in the past due to the crowds and you are within a day’s drive we would love to be your June destination on the Missouri.

Conditions couldn’t be better. The weather has been nice and the water is in great shape. Flows are currently at 5100 but will bump over the next two days, nearing 7,000 cfs on Friday. Water temps are ideal at around 57 degrees and the Dearborn and Little Prickly Pear are dropping rapidly and should not be a factor going forward unless we get a bunch of precipitation.
Snowpack is dwindling but we’re in good shape for a good water year.

Oh, and the fishing? The fishing has been consistently solid and is about to get super fun as PMD’s emerge on the scene. We’ve had some sporadic bugs but it’s just getting started so if you’ve ever wanted to fish the PMD hatches on the MO’ now is the time. We’re also seeing plenty of caddis around though the fish have yet to settle into surface feeding mode. Rising fish have been few and far between but fear not, it’ll happen soon. Make sure you’re out there when it does.

In the meantime, nymphing has continued to be the go-to with, you guessed it, tailwater sow bugs continuing to be the nymph of choice. Split Case and Crack Back PMD’s, PMD Magic Fly, PMD Redemption, Psycho Mays, Peep Shows, S & M’s, Frenchies all on the menu right now. Gold or Purple Weight Flies, Tung Darts and other Caddis pupae patterns are all good choices for a point fly and we’ve heard a few rumors of the Zirdle getting eaten as well. Medium depth, fast (ish) water with or without lead, depending on the day. Target those nymph runs while keeping an eye on those PMD flats for bugs and rising fish. Rusty Spinners, Buzzballs, PMD Sprouts, HI Vis PMD’s, Film Critics, Flash Cripples, Doc’s PMD all good PMD Go To’s. All these and more currently filling the bins at WCA.

Restock that caddis box as well with Outrigger Caddis, Cornfed Caddis, Bloom’s Hi Vis Caddis, Stockingfoot Caddis and the ALMOST ALWAYS EFFECTIVE CDC Caddis Emerger. The time is drawing near!

We haven’t heard much on the streamer front this week but with the bump in flows coming and hopefully at least a couple of weeks left before the weeds arrive you could do worse than bombing the banks with big bugs as you hunt for rising fish.

The bottom line is the fish are here, the bugs are here….the people really aren’t. It’s a rare and golden opportunity to enjoy some summer solitude on the Missouri.

The shop is open at 7:30 daily and while we may be a little skinny on T shirts and trinkets this season we’re fully stocked on the stuff that matters. Bugs, Bugs and more bugs. Lines, leaders and tippet a plenty.

We’ve got good availability on lodging and guide trips through around the third week of June and limited availability of both right on through prime time. Shuttles, sun protection, Air Lock Indicators, Simms wading gear and sportswear, Adipose drift boat rentals, essential tools and accessories and a sensible inventory of rods and reels from Loop, Echo, Redington, Ross and Lamson.

We are the preferred fly fishing destination operation on the Missouri, close enough to the action but far removed from the chaos. We are closer to Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge than any other shop and it won’t take but a few minutes spent on the porch at cocktail hour, scanning the hillsides for roaming critters, to realize that what the town of Wolf Creek lacks in publicity it more than makes up for in genuine Montana Ambiance.

Shotgun Annie’s is open daily from 11 AM to 8 PM and serving breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays from 7:30 am – 11:00 am and our friends at Izaak’s just down the road in Craig is open Wednesday – Sunday from 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM. We urge you to support them both.

We’re also loving the breakfast and dinner delivery right to your door from MO’ River Eats. Call your order in the night before and have an amazing breakfast delivered to your door. Order the morning of and Kelli will return in the evening with absolutely delicious dinner once again delivered right to your door.

Are things weird this season in Wolf Creek and Craig? Of course they are, but we can’t stress enough the opportunity this is presenting to those in close proximity to enjoy relative solitude on one of, if not THE BEST fishery in the lower 48.

Book it!

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-06-03T19:25:44-06:00June 3rd, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, Echo, fly fishing, Holter Dam, Loop, Missouri River, Montana, pmd's, running line, simms, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Phasing Out Phase One this week on the MO’

As we close out the month of May this week I dare say things around here are actually starting to feel something close to normal.

There’s no doubt, the seemingly parallel universe of life under Covid19 has thrown all of us off. It seems like yesterday we were doing our late winter plotting and strategizing in anticipation of the coming season and then, just like that, time stopped but at the same time accelerated to the point where we’re now looking back at spring and wondering where it went as we begin to approach prime time on the Missouri River.

We got a taste these past couple of days of what’s hopefully to come with holiday traffic streaming into Wolf Creek and Craig. Nice weather, good fishing and the unofficial start of summer brought the crowds to the river this weekend.

A perfect way to end the week which brought us the best news we’ve heard in a long time as Governor Bullock announced that Phase II of Montana’s reopening would begin on June 1st. Included as part of phase II is the lifting of the mandatory 14 day quarantine for out of state travelers which was cause for celebration amongst not only fly shops, fishing guides and outfitters but also amongst the collective outdoor tourism industry in Montana. We spent last week passing the good news on to our out of state clients who’ve been anxiously awaiting a verdict on their summer travel plans.

Mind you we’re not abandoning safe practices and social distancing measures but the continued downward trends in the numbers along with news from the CDC late last week that the virus does not spread easily on contaminated surfaces as had previously been thought, is cause for optimism and yet another step closer to normalcy.

In keeping with the good news, it looks like it’s going to be an absolutely beautiful week on the MO’ and with the Dearborn and Little Prickly Pear on the drop we’ll look forward to spreading out again and seeing what’s happening in the canyon once the mud clears.

The Holter Dam to Craig beat was busy over the weekend but traffic has been light during the week. Make it a point to get out there this week and enjoy the Montana solitude before the out of state traffic returns next week.

Mid 70’s to mid 80’s on tap all week long with plenty of sunshine and highs near 90 on Saturday. I expect we’ll see a busy river again this weekend.

BWO’s and March Browns in the rear view but there have been caddis around and PMD’s won’t be long.

Nymphing has been good to great most days with the best action in the faster water, medium to shallow in depth. The Tailwater Sow Bug continues to rule the day but we’ve also had good action on worms, Rainbow Czechs, Pill Poppers and Little Green Machines. I’ve been cycling in some PMD standards like the Magic Fly and Crack Back PMD but we’re not quite there yet. Keep them in the mix but don’t spend too much time on them it they’re not producing.

Streamer fishing has continued to be inconsistent but could be good this week as things start to clear. Water temps are in the low 50’s and will be on the rise this week so don’t be afraid to move those bugs. Mix it up with short, fast strips with plenty of pauses and a few long strips thrown in for good measure. Switch up your bugs, your colors and your retrieve until you find what works (or until you hit the takeout, whichever comes first)! We’ve got a few weeks left before the aquatic vegetation becomes an issue. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Per the Covid retail protocol we’ve been trying to run as lean as possible but we’re stocked up on essentials with our focus on flies and terminal tackle this season. Plenty of Simms waders, boots and sportswear on the shelves and a workhorse lineup of rods and reels from Loop, Echo, Redington, Ross and Lamson. We’re also stocked up on sun protection from Blackstrap, Buff and Simms (which double nicely as masks) and we’ve got enough packs, tools and accessories to meet most, if not all of your needs. Anything we don’t have we’re more than happy to order for you.

We’ve got plenty of lodging available these next couple of weeks and guides are standing by. We’re happy to be resuming our out of state bookings next week but we have had substantial cancellations and we’d like nothing better than make up some of that ground and get some folks back in our guide boats and cabins. Give us a call if you’re interested in booking lodging, guides or drift boat rentals for PMD season…I think it’s going to be a good one!

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-05-26T19:36:31-06:00May 26th, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, Craig MT, Echo, fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Montana, pmd's, Redington, running line, simms, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

PMD’s are what’s on the menu. Stop by Wolf Creek Angler for the widest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

When I posted late last week we were hoping to see the switch flipped on bugs and dry fly action by the early to middle part of this week but then Christmas came early and we were treated to an epic day of blanket PMD hatches and sipping trout on Friday. I was more than happy to be wrong.

We did endure yet another cold front with some parts of the state even seeing substantial snow over the weekend but the weather didn’t seem to have as adverse of an effect on the fishing as I thought it might. Friday was definitely the best PMD day I’ve experienced so far this season. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the switch has been flipped but if you are looking to make a day of dry fly fishing you should have ample opportunities from here on out.

Some days are better than others but there are varying amounts of bugs and you can usually find at least a few willing players if you look hard enough.
Nymphing is still your numbers game but expect to have to work at it…it hasn’t been easy but it’s all good once you crack the code. Mind you the code changes daily, and sometimes even hourly but it’s the challenge that keeps you coming back.

Deep nymphing has been productive and when it’s not the short leash has performed (for some). We’re finding fish in faster water, shallow to medium depths and also suspended in the go-to swirly spots. Green Machines have been the most consistent bug (size matters, #16’s, #18’s and #20’s all getting some love depending on the day). Split Case PMD’s , PMD Psycho May, S & M, Redemption, Frenchies, Gold Lightning Bugs, Crack Backs, Military Mays, Peep Shows are all good choices for PMD nymphs. Keep those Tailwater Sows close at hand as well. Some days it’s all they’ll eat, other days they’re hit and miss but keep in mind that there are ALWAYS sow bugs in the river so they are NEVER a bad call. We’ve had a bit of success with Weight Flies and Tung Darts but the Caddis game has not yet been great. Zirdles and Crays are getting the occasional eat but we’ve yet to see the fish really key in on them. We’re hoping it happens soon. After last season’s Zirdlepalooza we went DEEP on the Zirdle stock so come replenish your supply….we’ve got piles of zirdles in all colors and sizes.

Best bets for dry fly fishing include Rusty Spinners, PMD Spinners, Sprout PMD’s , Flash Cripple PMD’s, Hellen Keller PMD’s, Film Critics, CDC PMD Emergers, Nyman’s DOA Cripple and the like. Might we also suggest trailing your PMD pattern of choice with a CDC Caddis Emerger. Mix PMD’s and Caddis you ask? Yes. Do it. You’ll thank us later.

And speaking of Caddis, don’t forget your Elk Hair Caddis, Bloom’s Parachute Caddis, X Caddis, Outrigger Caddis, Cornfed Caddis, Extended Body Caddis and more all available now at WCA.

Streamers? Maybe worth a shot before the weeds take hold but fading fast. Get dialed on your dry fly and nymphing game and fall streamer fishing will be here before you know it. And before that happens don’t forget HOPPER season will soon be upon us. We’ve already had some success on ants and beetles and we’re hoping it shapes up to be a great terrestrial year.

The river is busy and there are plenty of folks around but with 30 plus miles of fishable water there’s plenty of room to spread out and if you think outside of the box regarding launch times/locations you can often have vast stretches of river virtually to yourself. (Think EARLY or LATE start).

These early weeks of summer are homecoming time at WCA with our regulars from around the world returning once again to enjoy their home away from home. It’s my favorite time of the season with familiar faces all around.

Look for summer sales to start soon at WCA as we begin to clear the way for fall arrivals and don’t forget our third annual Make America Fly Again Half Price Fly Sale coming July 4th.

We hope you make us your first stop on your way to the MO’ for guides, drift boat rentals, shuttles, ice, sun protection, Simms wading gear and sportswear and the much ballyhooed largest selection of Missouri River flies every assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-06-25T21:22:47-06:00June 25th, 2019|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Make America Fly Again Half Price Fly Sale, Missouri River, Montana, pmd's, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Early June on the MO’

As we close out this first full week of June conditions are looking very favorable for a dry fly explosion to occur sometime very soon…..like ANY DAY NOW.

All but gone are the fears of high water. We’re currently sitting at 6300 CFS with water temps currently holding in the 52-54 degree range.

The most probable water forecast is calling for a peak in the 8,000 cfs range this month but I’m not sure we’ll see it. Post-peak flows drop to the 5000 cfs range for the duration and it sure feels like we might be headed that way already.

Shaping up to be a potentially perfect water year on the Missouri

For all of you who’ve been calling regularly to inquire about the water, this is the report you’ve been waiting for and one I’m confident with which you’ll be very pleased. Yes, I’m talking to you Stan!

The planets may just be aligning to give us a truly EPIC dry fly season. Coming off a substrate scrubbing 20,000 CFS last season might we see a return to the fabled and oft talked about caddis hatches of years past? Only time will tell.

Last season we lost much of the PMD action to high flows but it doesn’t look like that’s going to be a problem this year.

We’ve been seeing bugs daily and while the approaching cold front may halt progress for the weekend there’s every reason to believe next week’s return to normal late spring conditions (temps in the 70’s and 80’s) may indeed flip the switch.

We’re expecting strong storms this afternoon and evening and considerably cooler temps for the weekend with highs only reaching into the 50s and lows dropping below 40. Things turn around on Monday and next week looks pretty close to perfect.

It’s both literally and figuratively the calm before the storm right now. They’re calling for the possibility of golf ball sized hail this afternoon on the literal storm front and figuratively speaking we could very well see a storm of PMD and Caddis action next week. Those who rolled the dice and booked for this period early on despite the high water apprehension generated by last season’s conditions in June may be in for the ultimate reward very soon.

As if that weren’t good news enough, there was so much high water hesitation on the part of many of our regular guests that we’ve actually got some lodging availability for at least another week or so. These next six weeks are the PRIME of our guide trip season but we do still have guides on call for those last minute bookings so I wouldn’t waste any time making plans if I were you. It’s a rare opportunity to luck into what may very well be the hottest dry fly fishing of the season….or not.

Stock up on those Rusty Spinners and Corn Fed Caddis or your PMD and Caddis patterns of choice along with plenty of floatant and plan to be on the water next week.

Remember, we are your first stop Missouri River fly shop and we’re pulling out all of the stops to make sure we have anything and everything you need to keep you from having to travel down the road. Wolf Creek is your first stop and the only one you need to make on your way to the MO. We’ve got affordable lodging, the best guides in the business, Adipose drift boat rentals, shuttles, bugs, ice, sun protection, fishing licenses, rain gear, tools and accessories, rods and reels, SIMMS waders and boots, lines, leaders, tippet, floatants, guide wear, and so much more. You get the picture. There’s absolutely no need to go anywhere else. Wolf Creek Angler is proud to be your source for everything Missouri River fly fishing and beyond.

Give us a shot. We’re confident that once you visit our shop you’ll be hooked. We’re the best shop you never even knew was here!

Drag Free Drifts and Tight Lines to you!

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-06-06T21:22:19-06:00June 6th, 2019|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Adipose, caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, pmd's, running line, simms, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

PMD’s are what’s on the menu. Stop by Wolf Creek Angler for the widest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

The folks at the Bureau of Reclamation have made good on their promise to decrease flows, so much so that we’re currently sitting at 12,000 CFS. Remember it was just one week ago that we were bumping up against 20,000 CFS. A significant drop to say the least and one which has brought us the return of drift boat rentals (including the Project Healing Waters boat as of now) and a renewed optimism following a tough month of big flows and a lot of phone and email conversations having to do with high water.

The fish have begun to expand their diets to include the abundant PMD nymphs now mixed in with the sowbug smorgasbord which defined spring fishing in 2018.

PMD’s are hatching and dry fly fishing, while still a long way from prime, is becoming a real possibility with each drop in the flows and each passing day.

We’re just over a week out from the Summer Solstice….the longest day of the year which, consequently, means that, depressing as it may be, the countdown to winter will soon be underway. The clock is ticking on your 2018 season.

Traditionally we are in the thick of the grind by this point in the season but it seems the grind will be delayed this year. Don’t get me wrong, things are abuzz at WCA. Our lodging is running near capacity as you would expect in June and we’ve been busy in the shop most mornings and have been nearly overrun on more than a couple of occasions.

All that being said, things seem a little quiet on the MO’.

There are definitely folks around but there hasn’t been much waiting at the boat ramps and you can usually find a table or at least a seat at the bar on any given night at all of our local watering holes and restaurants. This isn’t typically the case in June.

It’s true that other waters around the state are coming into shape so that could account for some of it but for whatever reason traffic is down so you couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to come out and enjoy a bit of relative solitude on what is arguably one of the best fisheries in the country, if not the world.

The forecast looks good for dry fly fishing to improve daily. There are bugs hatching and the fish are starting to key on them. PMD’s and Caddis are the game and the long- dormant dry fly bin has finally started to get some attention.

Some suggestions for your dry fly arsenal….

PMD’s – Snowshoe Emerger, Greg’s Para Emerger, Nyman’s DOA Cripple PMD, Helen Keller PMD, PMD Flash Cripple, Brooks’s Sprout PMD, Hi Vis PMD, Rusty Spinner.

Caddis – Blooms Para Caddis, Outrigger Caddis, CDC Caddis Emerger, Jake’s Hi Vis Caddis, Cornfed Caddis, Front End Loader.

Essentials – Parachute Adams, WCA Trude, Purple Haze, Rocky Mountain Mint, Blooms Stealth Ant, Cinnamon Flying Ants, Buzzball.

Still chasing bobbers? Try tailwater sows, Split Case PMD’s, PMD and Rusty Magic Fly, PMD Redemption, Psycho May, S & M, Wondernymph, Weight Fly (purple or gold), UV Czech Caddis, Nitro Caddis Pupa, Tung Dart, Peep Show, PT’s , Lightning Bug (purple), Zirdle.

Streamer fishing seems to have fallen off a bit but with the water on the drop there’s an abundance of water back in play which had been negated by the higher flows. Many have moved on from streamers considering dry fly fishing is a real option so it’s an excellent opportunity to hit those spots you’ve been waiting all spring for. Sparkle Minnows, MK Ultras, Dirty Hippies, Circus Peanuts, D & D’s, Gongas, Dungeons….throw the ones you like, the fish like them too.

The water is expected to continue to drop barring any extended precipitation events and if the most probable outlook shown below comes to fruition we’re in for an awesome season with near perfect water conditions.

Near Perfect Water Conditions

The water is dropping, the sun is shining, the bugs are hatching, the fish are eating…life is good on the Missouri.

We hope you’ll join us for Prime Time on the Missouri River.

By Jason Orzechowski|2018-06-12T19:22:38-06:00June 12th, 2018|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, pmd's, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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