Redington Archives - Page 5 of 5

Weekend Update

Any day now…

Winter returned on Saturday with snow showers and wind and fairly unpleasant fishing conditions overall, at least for this time of year. Consequently we had a lot of traffic in the shop, some curious about the new kid in town, many seeking a respite from the weather which we are always more than happy to provide. The response to the shop has been overwhelmingly positive and we love seeing all of the familiar faces as well as a lot of new ones. Run off is bringing a lot of folks from around the state to our door and we are thrilled to have you here. Lodging has been pretty well booked all week and while it’s a quiet Sunday in Wolf Creek MT we anticipate filling up again this week as we return to more normal spring temperatures and conditions. Our spring special rates on lodging and guided trips will remain in effect through the end of April with lodging starting at $59/night + tax and full day Missouri River guide trips for only $300.

We’ve been getting a lot of calls concerning the river flows and though we are in no position to predict what will be happening with flows come May and June, it seems that those in the know are satisfied with the water management at Canyon Ferry and the general consensus is that it’s going to be a great water year with things running much closer to normal. Last season’s low flows made for some great wade fishing opportunities but also led to some stressed fish, some weedy conditions and some lackluster bug activity. We are excited to see water in the side channels again and the higher flows should mean better bugs, happier and healthier fish and hopefully some delay in the weed development.

Our guides all reported good to great fishing throughout the week. Nymphing has been solid everywhere and the streamer action has been decent in the canyon and below. Dry fly action is fairly limited right now with a few fish being picked up on Skwalas down low. Tons of midges on the water with most of the feeding coming during the last light of the day. This could be the week for BWO’s – stay tuned and if you’re going out have a dry fly rig at the ready. Firebeads and pink stuff remain the go-to where the nymphing is concerned but the transition is certainly underway and we are seeing a lot more baetis nymphs leave the bins over the past few days. Juju Baetis, Juan’s Flux Capacitors, Little Green Machines and purple and pink lightning bugs have all been in high demand and we are happy to report that we’ve got you covered with these patterns and many more. Skiddish Smolts, Sparkle Minnows and Pollar Minnows have all had their days as of late for those willing to commit to the streamer. Keep your nymphing rig on the long side, 7-8 feet from the indicator to the first fly and make sure you are getting the bugs down to the fish with a couple of bb’s. The softer water continues to produce well but don’t be afraid to fish the moderately fast stuff as well as the water temps bump upwards.

New product continues to arrive at the shop daily. We’ve got a bunch of new bugs from MFC and Umpqua, plenty of rods from St Croix and Echo including The Bank Robber and the High Stick Drifter, all the wading and cold-weather gear you could want from Redington, bunches of Wolf Creek Angler logo gear, Hydro Flasks, Ross Reels, everything RIO and much much more. We’ve also got you covered with shuttles and RO drift boat rentals and plenty of gear and gadgets we hope you can’t live without.

It’s going to be a great season at Wolf Creek Angler!

See you in the shop and on the water…. ~Jason O.

Baetis Nymphs are starting to leave the bins

New bugs at Wolf Creek Angler

Opening Day!!!

Before

After. The new fly cave at Wolf Creek Angler is filled with the patterns you need for success on the Missouri River

What was….

What is. We are fully stocked with new gear from Redington, Rio, St Croix, Echo, Fishpond, Ross and much, much more.

Yesterday was the official opening day of Wolf Creek Angler. It’s been a busy couple of weeks trying to get everything done and ready for the big opening day and while it’s still definitely a work in progress, the doors are open and we are ready to do whatever we can to earn your business and to hopefully become your Missouri River fly fishing destination

Most of our lodging units are open for the season and are available at discounted spring rates of $99/night for a cabin or bungalow and $59 for Cabin #3 which is the only one of the open units which does not have a full kitchen. We are keeping a close eye on the weather but with 60’s in the forecast for next week it won’t be long until our Motel units are up and running and ready to rent.

We are pleased to announce that Wolf Creek Angler will feature a brand new fleet of Montana made RO Drift Boats

We are proud to announce a brand new fleet of RO drift boats which will be available for rent at a rate of $150/day. The first of our three new boats is scheduled to arrive tomorrow with the other two to follow by May 1st. In the meantime whether it’s a drift boat or a raft or a kayak you are looking for we can help!

Last but certainly not least, the shop is open and we are anxious to serve you. Flies, shuttles, terminal tackle, waders, boots, cold weather and rain gear, rods, reels, accessories and plenty of Wolf Creek Angler logo gear and much, much more. We’ve worked hard all winter long assembling our inventory and creating the space in which to present it and we think you’re going to like what we’ve done.

Oh…and by the way, the fishing has been just fine. It’s been a while since we’ve seen the water ourselves, but we’ve had boats out the last couple of days working on an episode of Big Sky Outdoors which will be airing in June. We will keep you posted on this. All reports have been positive where the fishing is concerned, though we are still waiting on the warm sunny days that get the baetis going but it looks like they will be here soon. Pink anything, sow bugs, Rainbow Czechs….you know the routine. It’s all working and it’s just a matter of finding the right depth/weight combination and the right water which continues to be the slower winter fare. Streamers have been producing as well worked slow and deep. Try a swing through the deeper water rather than a strip. Darker colors are working well and you can’t go wrong with the Sparkle Minnow!

Having trouble figuring it out? Book a Wolf Creek Angler guide trip today at the ridiculously affordable rate of $300 for a FULL day through the end of the month.

See you in the shop and on the water! ~ Jason O.