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Thursday Update

Moody Missouri Sky – Craig Montana. photo by Wolf Creek Angler

It was a little tougher out there yesterday than it’s been. Still good but we definitely had to work for them. The Tailwater Sow still won the day but I ended up doing a fair amount of bug and rig changes throughout the day. Rainbow Czechs, Tan UV Czechs and Bubble Yums were all ignored for the most part while the grey LGM, purple lightning bug, tailwater sow, grey soft hackle sow and purple Hi-Def baetis all caught fish.

A few bigger bugs on the water and a few fish in the places you would expect to find them but definitely far from a dry-fly extravaganza.

Traffic? Non existent!

You know what I love about November (and the rest of the late fall and winter) on the MO’? I love miles of empty water as far as the eye can see and being able to fish every place I want to fish, and more often than not being the first one through. Of course it’s not always this way but if you can have this experience on a 50 some degree gorgeous day in early November then you can bet the more seasonable (colder) weather will usually yield the same results.

You know what I like least about this time of year? Paradoxically its miles of empty water and the drop in traffic that ushers in the lean times for Missouri River fly shops. One in the same! It’s a fun time to fly fish the Missouri but on the shop side we’re ready for spring!

Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to do in the shop right now. We’re busy counting flies, checking in winter product booking trips and lodging for next year, winterizing lodging units, forecasting and planning for next season….we’re plenty busy. What we miss is seeing and chatting with all of you every day.

Keep your eye on the forecast and keep us in mind for a late fall/early winter getaway. At $99/night for a cozy cabin or bungalow just minutes from the river you can’t afford to pass up this opportunity.

Remember the winter months are when the town of Wolf Creek shines with the only services available between Helena and Cascade. Need fuel, food, groceries, a post office? Wolf Creek is where you’ll find them all in addition to affordable lodging and the fastest growing fly shop on the MO’ Wolf Creek Angler.

We are your Missouri River fly fishing one stop shop with more on-site lodging than anyone; the hardest working guides on the river; vehicle shuttles; RO and Adipose Drift Boat Rentals; cold weather gear from SIMMS, KAST and Redington; packs, bags and accessories from Fishpond and Simms; LOOP rods and reels; lines, leaders and tippet from Rio, ARC and Trout Hunter and of course, the largest and best selection of flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-11-03T15:59:48-06:00November 3rd, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: Fishpond, fly fishing, green machine, Kast Gear, Loop, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, Redington, RIO, RO Drift Boats, running line, simms, Tailwater Sow, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

Rainy days on the MO’

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Weather got you down?

It shouldn’t! This is what we think of when we think of fall fishing on the Missouri. Cold, wet, cloudy…..what’s not to like?

This is BWO weather and it’s also the kind of weather the streamer junkies dream of. With a chance for showers (both the rain and snow varieties) all week long and temps hanging south of 50 you can expect plenty of traffic out there and while we make no guarantees we think the fishing could be off the charts.

It’s a great time to fish the Missouri provided you have the right gear but there are few things more miserable as being stuck in a drift boat on a rainy 40 degree day , soaked to the core. Hypothermia tends to really detract from the experience.

We’ve all got our favorite pieces of essential gear for this type of weather but at the very least this is what we would recommend for ultimate comfort.

Redington SonicDry base layers. These pants and crew shirts are the perfect next to skin layer. SonicDry™ baselayer is powered by 37.5™ Permanent Technology and dries 2X faster than the competition, making your outdoor experience warmer, drier and more comfortable. This product is the answer for any outdoor adventure.

SIMMS Wading Socks. Use these premium Merino Wool Socks in conjunction with Simms liner socks to wick away moisture and keep your feet warm and dry all day.

Simms ColdWeather Pants. These micro-fleece lined pants are the best thing since sliced bread! If it gets really cold you can wear them over a base layer but I wear them by themselves until the temps drop into sub-zero conditions. They feature an adjustable waist and the Velcro closures on the cuffs prevent them from bunching up making them the perfect under-wader pants. You won’t believe how comfortable these pants are. It’s the best $100 you’ll spend this fall! coldweather

Simms ColdWeather Shirt. Equally as cozy and comfortable, these brushed flannel shirts feature waffle fleece lining and are the perfect insulating layer over your base. We love them for fishing of course but we wear them on and off the water. Quite possibly THE perfect fall and winter shirt. 20314-furyorangeplaid-l

Redington Sonic Pro Waders. At just under $300 you won’t find a more economical choice. These ultra-durable 4-layer waders feature Ultra-Sonic welded construction, articulated seams for ease of mobility and a reinforced lower leg for increased durability. You can spend a lot of money on waders and you generally get what you pay for but we sell a pile of Sonic Pros because they have many of the same features as some of the higher end waders at a fraction of the cost. sonic

Simms Guide Jacket – The Guide™ Jacket is a proven work horse that is built-to-fish with Gore-Tex® Shell fabric that’s waterproof, breathable, lightweight, and tenacious against tears.

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Kast Steelhead Gloves. We talk about these gloves a lot and we sell a bunch of them. There are all kinds of gloves to choose from out there but we know of none other quite like these. Patented OutDry technology makes them 100% waterproof/submersible, windproof, and breathable. Plus the warm fleece lining, and durable stretch shell give you the snug fit and uncompromising feel that you need in the fingertips, and an extended cuff for valuable additional coverage at the wrist.

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Block out the wind and the rain and you’re good. You’ll be surprised just how nasty of weather you can tolerate as long as you are dry. We’ve got all of the listed items above (and many more) in stock now at Wolf Creek Angler, your Missouri River fall fly fishing one stop.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:31-06:00October 3rd, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Kast Gear, Missouri River, Redington, running line, simms, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Late September on the MO’

We’re closing out September with another dose of summer with sunshine and highs approaching 80 for the next couple of days. Fall returns Sunday as we return to more seasonable weather with highs in the 50’s and a chance of rain each day through the middle of next week.

We’re enjoying the sunshine and the fishing has been good but we’re excited for the return of fall weather this weekend. Sunny blue sky days make the fall colors pop….it’s beautiful out there right now. The bad news is the fish don’t like cloudless sunny days so if it’s rising fish and dry flies you prefer next week is looking good. Like dry-fly fishing, streamer fishing gets better with cloud cover so if you like either you should plan to be here next week. If you have no preference and just want to catch fish then you should be here now. Nymphing will get it done, rain or shine and this isn’t to say that you can’t fish dries or streamers on bright sunny days. You can and you should and you will likely encounter some success no matter what your method if you work hard enough at it.

Having trouble getting it figured out? Stop by the shop and pick our brains. We like nothing better than helping folks get dialed in on the MO’.

Best bets for this week –

Nymphs. Tailwater Sows, Tan UV Czechs, Little Green Machines, Weight Flies in gold or purple, Juju’s, Olive Psychomays, Superflash PTs, Trina’s BWO Angelcase Emergers, Rainbow Warriors, Military Mays, San Juan Worms, Peep Shows and October Caddis nymphs.

Fish tandem nymphs with a split shot medium to long on depth shortening up and ditching the weight late in the day.

Dries – Sprout Baetis, WCA Trudes, Wilcox’s Micromay BWO, Nyman’s DOA Cripple Baetis, Flash Cripples, Olive Para Adams, Ants, October Caddis, CDC Baetis Emerger, Cripple Callibaetis, Pseudos.

Streamers – Sparkle Minnow, JJ, Late Night Wanda, Dolly Llama, Sundell’s Moss Fire, ZK’s Mercenary, Baby Gonga, Autumn Splendor, Circus Peanut, Skiddish Smolt.

Olives and naturals have been good but don’t be afraid to throw something different at them.Stop by WCA for information overload on effective streamer strategies. We are your streamer specialists on the MO’ and beyond.

Make Wolf Creek Angler your Missouri River Fall Fly Fishing Destination. More on-site lodging than anyone, a hard-working guide crew the number one priority of which is making your time on the water a success as defined by you and an up and coming Missouri River Fly Shop fully stocked with everything you need including SIMMS sportswear and accessories and the largest selection of flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

We’re the best fly shop you never even knew was here. Open daily at 7 AM. Nobody is open earlier!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:32-06:00September 28th, 2016|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, simms, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Full Swing

The season is definitely in full swing here in Wolf Creek. Guide trips out daily, all lodging units open and most occupied (at least for the weekend), and a shop filled with all kinds of cool new stuff including over a thousand dozen new bugs and a bunch of new logo gear. We’ve had some crazy busy mornings and enough traffic throughout the days that it’s obvious the word is out.

With affordable lodging, a great guide staff and a first rate fly shop located just minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge, Wolf Creek Angler is your base camp for Missouri River Fly Fishing. Start your day at WCA. Shuttles, RO drift boat rentals, a great fly selection, all the tools and accessories you need, clothing and gear for all weather conditions and what some have called the best cup of coffee in Wolf Creek.

Lots of boats below Craig today with the top section reportedly back to her moody ways as of yesterday. Slow was the collective description from the dam to Craig but it could very well be a completely different story on this dreary wet day which, by the way, we are very happy to see. The powers that be continue to scale back the flow predictions for the season which has led to quite an increase in flow related call volume. I’m sticking with what I’ve said all along related to flow predictions which is that I’m not going to make any. We will leave it to the “experts” to make those predictions and leave it to mother nature to make the final call. That being said we’re happy to see spring days like this and if I wasn’t in the shop all day I’d be more than happy to fish on a day like this. Streamers anyone?

Partly cloudy skies and a high of 58 on tap for tomorrow. Sunny and warm for the first part of next week with highs possibly reaching the mid 70’s by Wednesday before we see another chance for rain late next week. Whatever the weather, the fishing should be fine.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:54-06:00April 18th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: Fishpond, Hydroflask, Missouri River, running line, simms, Umpqua, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Little Black and White Bugs…

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The latest news is trico’s and the water dropping. As of right now the flows are 5510 and dropping. I think the word is it’s going down to 4,500 or so. It’s just a number and at this point really doesn’t affect much. It could keep the water cooler for the hottest month of the year, which is a good thing.

On to trico’s. I had to drop a boat off at the Dearborn ramp this morning. When I passed the Spite FAS I could see funnels of trico’s over the willows for maybe half a mile. Not a complete wall, but enough that it would probably take a lifetime to count them all if you had too. Trico’s are an early game. Probably wouldn’t hurt to be on the water at daybreak. Pick your favorite trico pattern and have at it.

Evening reports have been good. Caddis and spinners are on the menu.

Nymphing has remained solid, with bug choices still leaning to caddis pupae patterns, little green machines, weight fly, peep show, etc, etc.

Streamers…still an option.

What’s on the horizon? Trico’s for quite a while, hoppers in a couple of weeks.

We have been restocked with Trouthunter tippet. 3X-6X in flouro and nylon, including 4.5X and 5.5X if you want to get all techy.

Favorite new product of the summer so far? Rio Perception WF5…just an awesome line, maybe a review later. Another fave is Air-Lok strike indicators. They screw on to your leader instead of pushing a loop through the eye and then over the bobber. Eliminates kinked leaders and is faster to adjust depth. Have to throw in the Wolf Creek Angler branded Simms Solarflex shirt. Very comfortable on a hot day, and still looks good after a couple of nights wearing it to bed, and then again the next day (don’t judge me)—Matt

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:07-06:00July 12th, 2014|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: brown trout, caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, rainbow trout, RIO, simms, tricos|0 Comments

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