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Back At It…

Guest Blog from WCA Guide Jim Murray

It looks like we may be in for another mild winter which will mean an early start to the 2016 guide season.

Our commitment to provide the very best Missouri River Fly Fishing experience for our clients year-round requires us to be out there whenever possible so that we’re prepared whenever you call for that guide trip. It’s grueling work, but it’s the sacrifice we at Wolf Creek Angler are willing to make for you.

Jason and I had been trying to get out on the river the past couple of weeks, and this week we were finally able to get out there for a couple of days of fishing. Reports had been all across the board, which is not unusual with winter fishing. We spoke to a couple of other guides and hard-core local anglers who had been out recently, and they had been less than enthusiastic about the fishing. We were itching to get out there see for ourselves.
We were glad we did, and while we had our ups and downs over the course of two days, we put a fair number of fish in the boat, and had a great time doing it. Fish didn’t always seem to be where we expected to find them, but we found out that if we poked around a little bit, changed our flies/depth/location etc, we would find a few willing fish to eat our bugs.

The fish were in slow/moderate-slow water and we seemed to have the most success in moderate depth runs rather than the deeper, more typical winter water. Flies seemed to be the least important variable, but we had the most success on fire bead sows and zebra midges. We threw streamers for a short while, but that game definitely seemed to be off. With the temps warming the next few days it might be a great time to shake away those winter blues with a bent rod!

Here are some winter tips to keep in mind when you do:

• If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. If you fish a run that you think should hold fish, go back through again, but change it up. Add weight. Remove weight. Change your depth. Move the boat to a little deeper water. A little shallower water. Change flies. The fish are there. Find ‘em and feed ‘em.

• Hit EVERYTHING. Winter eats are often subtle. If the bobber winks at you, set. You will often be happy with the result.

• Pink/Sows/Zebras – pick your favorite big pink/fire bead Czech/scud/sow, followed by a smaller more “techy” nymph, like a beadless tailwater sow or a zebra midge. That seemed to be the recipe for our success.

• Presentation is key. This should go without saying, but as always, work on getting that perfect drag free drift.

• Stay warm! Dress in layers to ensure you stay warm out there. Nothing ruins a day on the river faster than being cold!
We are very fortunate to live near this great year-round fishery, and Winter on the Mo can be a blast. It’s time to put away that shotgun and get the fly rod out! Cure your cabin fever with a day on the Missouri!

Weekend Report

Winter Fare at Wolf Creek Angler

We’ve got a nice weekend on tap here on the Missouri River, especially by mid-January standards with temperatures in the high 20’s and to low 30’s, relatively calm winds and a chance for snow showers each day. We are under a winter weather advisory beginning this afternoon at 2 pm and ending tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM. We could see 2-4 inches of new snow tonight.

The fishing could potentially be pretty good on the river and there was a fair amount of traffic headed up the lake again this morning. We’ve got a full house tonight but things open up on Sunday. If you’ve got Monday off for MLK day it wouldn’t be a bad call to book yourself a bungalow for Sunday night and a $400 full day guide trip on Monday. We’re supposed to see temperatures in the 40’s Monday.

Good reports from the past couple of days both from the nymphing set and the streamer guys. The go-to flies have been Pink Sows, Pink Scuds, Pink Lightning Bugs, Pink Amex…..notice a pattern? We’ve also done well with a few firebead patterns. Rainbow Weight Flies, Firebead Sows, Firebead Rays….. there are plenty of bugs that are working well these days, you just have to put them in the right place. With water temperatures in the 33-34 range those fish simply aren’t going to move much so you need to make sure you are putting it right in front of them. Generally you’ll find that where you pick one up you will pick more up as they are congregating in those spots right now.

Hot Head Kreelex, Hot Head Buggers, Polar Leeches in Brown and also Olive/Copper, Sparkle Minnows and Skiddish Smolts are all getting some action on the streamer side. We’ve got all of these and many more including a bunch of new patterns just begging to be fished. Stop by and check out the undisputed best streamer selection in Wolf Creek Montana.

There will definitely be some traffic out there this weekend with the weather being what it is. It’s a great weekend to fish! It’s also a pretty good weekend to watch playoff football with the Chiefs and Pats playing this afternoon and the Packers and Cardinals tonight. Seahawks and Panthers tomorrow morning followed by Steelers and Broncos tomorrow afternoon. They should all be great games.

Be sure and stop at Wolf Creek Angler if you are coming out to fish. We’re your one stop for everything you need for winter fly fishing on the Missouri. Shuttles, cozy lodging, cold weather gear, closeout deals on St Croix and Echo fly rods, RO Drift Boat Rentals, all the best winter bugs, Kast Steelhead Gloves, great coffee and much more.

The Oasis is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner Thursday-Monday so you’ll definitely have a place to eat as well as have a cocktail or two while you watch the football games this weekend.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 16th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Echo, fly fishing, Kast Gear, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, RO Drift Boats, running line, St Croix, Streamer Fishing, streamers, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Fishing the Thaw

Bins Overflowing with new bugs at Wolf Creek Angler

Busiest day of the year by far this mid-January Wednesday at Wolf Creek Angler. Full house on the lodging side last night and more bugs out the door today than we’ve seen since November.

There’s plenty more where those came from so make sure you swing by on your way to the river and check out the largest selection of winter-specific Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

We’ve also done more shuttles in the past two days than we’ve done in the past three weeks combined. It’s not too surprising though considering we’re pushing the 50 degree mark today with partly cloudy skies and some isolated rain showers in the mix. Ridiculously nice weather for winter fishing on the Missouri.

Most are opting for nymphing these days though there are plenty throwing streamers as well. Speaking of streamers, our streamer bin is overflowing with tons of new patterns, some of which have been consistently producing both on the swing and the strip. Stop by on your next trip through and check out our ever-expanding streamer selection.

New to the streamer game? Grab one of our St Croix Bank Robber demo rods and a handful of streamers and give it a go. If you find you like it we can get you set up with a complete package (rod/reel/line) tailored to suit your needs for a great transition season rate. We’re clearing our St Croix inventory to make room for something new and exciting…more on this soon.

I did make it out for a couple of hours yesterday and have a full report as promised.

#10 Casne’s Pinkalicious trailed with a #18 firebead pink soft hackle sow. 6′ give or take from point fly and occasionally from single bb. Slow deep winter water. A couple whiteys and a couple trout. The whiteys love the Pinkalicious. Same old story but a solid couple of hours for sure. Some spots which produced very well last season for me have yet to turn on while others which I overlooked in the past seem to be holding plenty of fish. The warm air feels good. The wind keeps things on the chilly side so dress appropriately. The water is cold (33-34) so layer up and have at it. Leaky waders may cut your outing short – they did mine!

Things are melting rapidly but there is plenty of shelf ice around yet so please use caution out there. Boat traffic is increasing so the ramps are definitely getting used but some pre-drift recon or a quick call to the shop to check ramp conditions is always advisable and if you don’t have four-wheel drive maybe leave the boat home for another time.

Continued above average temps tomorrow with a high near 40 and a 50% chance of snow showers. Sounds like a streamer day to me. Colder as we head into the weekend with temps closer to average in the high 20’s and low 30’s. Monday looks nice with temps back near 40. Three-day weekend for some with MLK Day on Monday. Why not spend it fishing the Missouri. $99 lodging and $400 guide trips all winter long. Give us a call and book yours today.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 13th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, St Croix, Streamer Fishing, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Blast from the Past

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I came across this pictures today while cleaning out file cabinets. I’m not sure what is going on with the helicopter out in front of the shop but for the record, it’s fine with us if you choose to travel here by helicopter, we’ve even got adequate parking for your rig!

Things definitely look a little different around here these days.

The One and Only Wolf Creek Angler – located at 515 Recreation Road in Wolf Creek

The second picture is of the arrival of the bungalows and the construction involved in making them what they are today.

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Enjoying some spring-like weather this week with temps in the low 40’s. A full house tonight as you might expect.

Lodging available for the rest of the week and guide trips available any and every day.

Full fishing report tomorrow – right now we’re MO bound.

See you on the water.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 12th, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Weekend Update

Winter taking hold on the MO – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

A fair amount of activity this morning in Wolf Creek despite temperatures in the teens. With a steady stream of traffic heading to Holter Lake I would assume the ice fishing is heating up.

Last we heard there was approximately 5 inches of ice around Log Gulch and 3 inches around the dam. Perch fishing has reportedly been very good with the 10 perch limit consistently being caught.

We get a fair amount of ice fishing related calls and have had a number of guests staying with us who are fishing the hard water and we welcome the business. Unfortunately since we don’t personally ice fish we rarely have good ice intel. We encourage everyone seeking up-to-date ice fishing reports to call Shawn at The Canyon Store here in Wolf Creek (406)235-4111. They get a lot of lake traffic and usually have a pretty good sense of what’s going on out there.

A few people fishing the river this morning between Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge but you can expect to find plenty of available water today and tomorrow if you’re planning to come out. Stop by the shop if you do and enjoy a cup of Montana Maid Coffee while you stock up on pink bugs and hand warmers!

Tuesday and Wednesday look like the days to fish with plenty of sunshine and highs approaching 40. Lodging and guide trips available. Call and book your Missouri River winter fly-fishing getaway with Wolf Creek Angler today.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 9th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: fly fishing, Holter Lake, ice fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

Cold Weekend Outlook

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Snowy and cold this weekend on the Missouri although not nearly as cold as what they had been calling for a few days ago. We’ll see highs in the mid 20’s tomorrow and close to 30 on Sunday with partly sunny skies….maybe not ideal conditions but certainly fishable.

Night time temps in the single digits will keep things icy. Slush will be a constant irritation. Watch that shelf ice and be on the lookout for icebergs on the move when you’re wading.

We wouldn’t recommend floating the river this weekend with wind chill values as low as -10 but if you decide to do it please use extreme caution at the ramps as they can definitely be on the sketchy side in these weather conditions. Four-Wheel drive is a must.

Things are going to warm up next week with highs near 40 on Wednesday and Thursday. If you feel a couple of sick days coming on give us a call and book yourself a cozy bungalow for a night or two. $99 gets you a room for three with a full kitchen. Don’t feel like cooking? The Oasis Bar and Grill is serving breakfast, lunch and dinner Thursday – Monday from 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM.

Looking for a guide? $400 gets you a full day float trip on the MO with one of our expert professional guides, a hot lunch, plenty of solitude and the chance to discover what an awesome winter fishery the Missouri can be. Book it today – if you don’t like what you’re seeing weather wise come game time you are free to bail. We will be out there weather permitting – you may as well be out there with us.

Need shuttles, winter bugs, hats, gloves, hand warmers, cold weather gear or anything else for a cold day on the water? Wolf Creek Angler is your Missouri River Winter Fly-Fishing headquarters. Stay with us, shop with us, fish with us. With 99% of the winter fishing taking place between Holter Dam and Craig, Wolf Creek is the place to be, just minutes from the dam and Wolf Creek Bridge.

Pay us a visit and find out why Wolf Creek is rapidly becoming the nexus of winter fly-fishing on the Missouri River. People from around the state and beyond choose Wolf Creek when they are looking for a winter fly-fishing fix. With the only restaurant and the only gas station/convenience store between Helena and Cascade and a first-rate Missouri River fly shop with comfortable and affordable lodging just minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge, the choice is clear. Wolf Creek Angler, Uncle Joe’s Oasis Bar and Grill and The Canyon Store provide everything you need from flies to food to fuel to night life. Keep an eye on the weather and when you see a break come discover for yourself all that Wolf Creek has to offer.

Everything you need in Wolf Creek Montana

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:40-06:00January 8th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, The Oasis Bar and Grill, The Wolf Creek Canyon Store, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Mid Week Missouri River Fishing Report

Enjoying a brief January Thaw on the Missouri – Photo by Wolf Creek Angler

It’s been a nice couple of days here on the Missouri by January standards and the river has been predictably busier with people taking advantage of warmer temps, calm winds and sunshine.

Cold and snow return tomorrow. Highs in the teens and night-time lows in the single or negative digits through the weekend with an 80% chance of snow tomorrow and a good chance of snow each day through Saturday. Sunday looks to be mostly sunny and cold and it looks like things warm up heading into next week.

I couldn’t resist the pull yesterday. Having not been out for quite a while it was a great day to do the Wolf Creek to Craig float and hit all the reliable winter runs.

No big changes to report. Slow water, anything pink and firebeads! Pink Amex, firebead pink soft hackle sow and pink lightning bugs all drew a favorable response.

There were quite a few midges on the water yesterday though I only saw a couple of sporadic rises but it won’t be long before there are swarms of midges and fish keying on them so it’s never a bad idea to have your dry-fly rig at the ready.

Only one other boat out there yesterday but plenty of wade anglers around. I like to float if I have time just so I can quickly get from spot to spot. If there is someone fishing the spot I want to fish I just float on past to the next one. The drawback of course is that you are committed and even on the nicer days like we’ve been having, once that sun goes away it gets cold quickly. Even so – if I have the time I would almost always rather float than do the walk/wade thing on the Missouri. The right cold weather clothing, a thermos of coffee, a thermos of hot soup and in extreme cases a propane heater or two go a long way in making your winter float an enjoyable experience.

If you haven’t experienced winter fishing on the MO you really should. We’ve got all the cold weather gear and all the winter nymphs and streamers you need and we’re more than happy to tell you exactly where to go to find the fish.

Keep your eye on the weather and do it yourself or book a $400 full day float trip some time this winter. Dress appropriately and leave the hot soup, hot coffee and heaters to us. Better yet, book a cozy bungalow for $99 and do a day with a guide and a day or two on your own.

Our bungalows are fully equipped with kitchens so you can cook your own meals. If you prefer to eat out, The Oasis is currently serving breakfast, lunch and dinner Thursday – Monday from 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM.

Don’t miss a great opportunity to experience winter solitude on the Missouri.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:41-06:00January 6th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: fly fishing, midge, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, nymphs, running line, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Missouri River Fishing Report 1.3.16

Based on the number of folks out on the river in the past few days I would say many of you have your priorities straight. With the high temperature in the last two days hovering somewhere between Sub-Arctic and Arctic, more towards the former, lots of anglers occupying limited stretches of open water. Despite the cold temps and sometimes unbearable wind, success has been pretty frequent. If your new years resolution is to fish more in 2016, no reason to not start now.

Lots of ice flowing, that’s right downstream. Seems to be piling up just below Lone Tree and is pretty consistent through the canyon. Sort of a downer for a few reasons. 1) To state the obvious, its hard to fish with ice flowing. 2) Generally when the wind is out of the SSW, as it has been, you can usually get a break from it in certain spots below the Dearborn. The ice pretty much nullifies that though. Combine the two previous points and what are you left with? The Dam to Lone Tree that’s what.

Not just anglers out there either. Keep an eye out for all the water fowl hunters on the river. I don’t know about you but I don’t want to start the new year with a face full of goose load.

Lots to contend with out there right now. If you do plan on hitting the water anytime soon, make sure you’re all stocked up on pretty much anything, pink, hot-headed, or midge flavored for nymphs & if you’re opting for the bugger game a little smolt, kreelex or more natural looking sculpin should do the trick. Swing by and check out the fly bins and see what strikes your fancy.

Speaking of flies, I’ll be here all winter cranking out some cool custom bugs available only at Wolf Creek Angler. Rigorously tested throughout Montana by a loosely associated group of whiskey drinking, flannel clad, bearded trout bums every fly is hand tied right here in Wolf Creek. We’ll post more on some of the patterns that’ll be hitting the bins later on in the winter.

In the mean time we’ll be here Wednesday-Saturday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 8 a.m. – Noon(ish). Give cabin fever a kick in the pants and head on over for everything you need for some winter time fishing!

~Cheers, Chewy.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:41-06:00January 4th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, winter fishing, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Sun Rises on 2016

Another year in the books.

Welcome 2016. We think it will be our best year yet!

Lots of exciting things happening at Wolf Creek Angler in 2016 as we continue to grow and to establish our brand. We couldn’t be more pleased with our second season compared to the first and we’re poised and ready for continued growth as we prepare for Season Three.

We’re finding our voice and settling in as we continue to be spurred on by the overwhelming encouragement we receive from our guests and customers.

Our goal is not just to get you in the door but to keep you coming back. We’re sincerely humbled by the response we’ve gotten over these first two seasons as we’ve seen a lot of new faces but also many that have become familiar. We are honored to be your Missouri River Fly Shop and we are committed to making your experience with us the best it can be.

From keeping the shop fully stocked with the products you want to constantly making improvements to the lodging to continuing to develop our guide crew…it’s all rooted in serving you. We’ve faced plenty of challenges in each of these areas and we haven’t always been successful in implementing the changes we would like to make but we’re always working on it.

One of the more frustrating challenges has been getting the products in the shop that we know you want. It’s much easier said than done but we continue to make inroads as we seek out products and brands we’re excited to get behind. Those who shop with us know that our fly and terminal tackle selection rivals that of any other shop and we will always maintain our focus on these because these are the things you are coming here to buy but we will also continue to expand our other offerings. Expect to find more of the products you want available at Wolf Creek Angler each and every season.

The challenge with lodging is that the sky is the limit where improvements are concerned but not so with the resources. Small steps…we’ll get there. Much of what we do on the lodging side you’ll probably never notice and we’re ok with that. We are committed to providing clean, affordable accommodations and that’s what you will find when you stay with us. We don’t expect you to notice new mattresses, new bedding, new towels…etc but we know you’d likely notice if we didn’t keep up with these things.

Perhaps one season you will arrive at WCA to find a brand new lodge with all the trappings but for now rest assured you will find clean, affordable lodging and a friendly staff committed to doing everything they can to make your stay with us as comfortable and as enjoyable as possible. We have the best housekeeping staff in the canyon…hands down.

The same commitment we have to customer service in the shop and the lodging carries over to our guide staff. Each and every one of our guides is expected to treat your day on the river the same way we treat your stay with us. Our goal as guides is to tailor each day to meet your individual expectations and to make your Missouri River fly-fishing experience one you won’t soon forget. We don’t push the numbers game – we provide an overall experience which certainly includes catching fish but we don’t measure the success of our days strictly by the number of fish caught, nor should you.

The Missouri is an amazing river with incredible numbers and size of fish but there is so much more to it than that. We provide you with experienced, professional guides, each of whom understands and subscribes to our commitment to our guests to provide exceptional service and to make your trip with us one you wont soon forget.

We’re excited about 2016 and we can’t wait to see you at Wolf Creek Angler.

Our sincere thanks to all of you for making 2015 such a great year and for making us your Missouri River Fly Shop.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:41-06:00January 1st, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Late December on the MO

It looks like we’re going to close out the year with below average temperatures with highs in the 20’s and lows in the single digits. Not ideal conditions for fishing the MO but on the positive side we’ve had very little wind as of late which makes things a little more bearable. We may break that freezing mark on Saturday with sunny skies and a high of 33 but aside from that there’s no real warm-up in the immediate forecast.

I took a ride from Holter Dam down to Spite Hill this morning and it looks like shelf ice is definitely becoming an issue. A fair amount of slushy ice and the occasional iceberg moving through as well. It appears as though the ramps were all used yesterday but I definitely wouldn’t do it without four-wheel drive. If it looks sketchy it probably is so maybe dump your boat at the top of the ramp with rope attached and lower it down. Better to do it this way than get stuck on the ramp or worse!

Water temps are holding just shy of 34 with flows currently at 3180. Again, maybe not the best fishing conditions but we’re happy to have it and we’re hoping winter continues at least for a while. It’s way too early to make any kind of predictions for spring but we’re certainly liking what we see right now from a snowpack perspective. Stay tuned for updates.

As we close out the year at Wolf Creek Angler we’re busy with bookings for 2016. Give us a call today and let us help you plan your Missouri River fly fishing dream vacation. Keep in mind you needn’t wait until spring to experience one of the finest trout fisheries in the country – we fish all year-long! Keep an eye on the 10-day and plan to pay us a visit as soon as you see that warming trend which is bound to come sooner or later. $99 lodging and $400 full day Missouri River Guide trips all winter long.

Our cozy bungalows all feature full kitchens should you choose to do your own cooking. If not, The Oasis Grill is open Thursday – Monday 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM.

Just out for the day? Stop in for shuttles, cold weather gear, hot coffee, always friendly service and of course, the largest selection of Missouri River winter flies and streamers ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:41-06:00December 30th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, Uncle Joe's Oasis Bar and Grill, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments