Streamer Fishing Archives - Page 16 of 19

Autumnal Equinox Eve

Fall Fishing in Montana

The eve of fall is officially upon us and while we’re experiencing summer-like temperatures this week we will see another cold front arriving this weekend making it feel more like fall.

The river has been in great shape with flows in the 4K range continuing to be maintained and water temps dipping below 60 degrees with the cool nights.

Abundant sunshine, gusty winds and weeds have all been atop the complaint lists of the half-empty angling crew but the half full bunch are enjoying the sunshine and blue skies and the changing colors while embracing the challenges presented by the winds and weeds and catching plenty of fish.

Dry-fly opportunities continue to present themselves in the form of lingering tricos and terrestrials along with the occasional skittering caddis but nymphing has definitely been the better option as of late. Black or purple Zebra Midges paired with Tung Darts, Weight Flies, BWO Magic Flies, Red Two Bits, S & M’s, Czechs, MicroMays, Purple Hot Belly PT’s, Chocolate WD-40’s, LGM’s, Bionic Chartreuse Midges and Psycho Mays have all been producing.

The streamer bite has been hit or miss but that being said, we’ve sold more streamers in the past week than I can remember ever selling in a week’s time. We’ve got more and better streamer patterns than we’ve ever had and we plan to continue to expand our selection. Come by the shop and let us get you set up with everything you need for streamer fishing the MO. From bugs to Airflo, Rio and SA streamer lines to St Croix Bank Robber specialty streamer sticks, we’ve got everything you need to get started. If you’re new to the streamer game or looking to upgrade your current set up grab one of our Bank Robber demo rods, you won’t be disappointed.

We encourage you to get out and enjoy fall fishing in Montana. Whether that’s floating the MO or exploring smaller waters it’s an awesome time of year to fish in Montana. Limited lodging available for the weeks to come and expert guides available any and every day. Give us a call today to book your Missouri River fly fishing trip of a lifetime – there’s no time like the present.

Shop open daily at 6:30 AM, earlier than ALL the rest, for all of your Missouri River Fly Fishing needs. Shuttles, bugs, boats, hot and cold weather gear from KAST, sun protection, Montana Maid Coffee, leaders and tippet from Rio and Trout Hunter, Fishpond Nomad nets and accessories and much more.

Mid September in Montana

On the hunt. September also means archery season in Montana. Photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Cooler temps and overcast skies have put us in full-on fall mode and while fall fishing is certainly on our minds, this is also the time of year we become conflicted about whether to be on the water or in the field stalking deer and elk.

Archery season is just over a week old and we’ve been out a couple of times but the warm weather has made it easy to maintain our focus on fishing. That may soon change however as it’s looking and feeling like fall out there with temps dipping into the low 40’s at night making for some great mornings to be out in the field.

Rain in the forecast through Thursday could make for some great streamer days and while nymphing was reportedly on the slow side yesterday it should be turning on with water temps hovering right around 60 degrees. Tricos remain an option as do Pseudos, Callibaetis and terrestrials depending on where you’re fishing. Whispers of baetis seem appropriate with the current weather trend – bring em’ on!

Status Quo on the nymphing front with zebra midges, two-bit hookers, Rainbow Czechs, LGM’s, PT’s, Weight Flies, Tung Darts, Olive WD 40’s, S & M’s, BWO Magic Flies etc. all getting some attention. Rig up with the bugs you like and fish them like you know they’re going to get eaten. Faith in the fly you are using almost always trumps the pattern.

Not sure what to use or where to go? Stop by the shop on your way to the river. We’d love to get you set up and headed in the right direction. Shuttles, Lodging, RO Drift Boat Rentals, Expert Guides, Cold Weather Gear from Kast and Redington, Rock Bottom sale prices on Simms WCA summer logo wear and of course, the largest selection of flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

See you at WCA. Open 6:30 AM Daily (Earlier than ALL THE REST) for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:46-06:00September 15th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: fly fishing, Kast Gear, Missouri River, RO Drift Boats, running line, Streamer Fishing, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Welcome September

Enjoy the solitude while it lasts – the Missouri River will soon be bustling with activity again as anglers return for the fall season – our favorite time of the year.

While not quite what we see in June and July, expect to have plenty of company out there soon. You have about a week and a half or so left where you might very well have the whole river to yourself and there’s no reason, at least from a fishing standpoint, that you shouldn’t be here right now!

Very good nymphing reports from the dam in particular, but we’re hearing decent reports from every section depending on the day. Status Quo on the bug front – zebra midges, Tung Darts, WD40’s, Peep Shows, Split Case BWO’s (and PMD’s) Two-Bit Hookers, Micro Mays, LGM’s, Juju Baetis, Weight Flies, Rainbow Warriors, Czechs, S & M’s , Military Mays, Pheasant Tails and Cray Fish have all been catching fish. It’s a great time of the year to throw the whole box at them- the fish are hungry and they’re eating nymphs a plenty.

Still hit or miss on the dry flies but good fish being caught on hoppers daily. Our go-to hopper continues to be the Tan Moorish but Tan or Pink More or Less, Tan White Clouds, purple Yeti Hoppers, and chubbys in purple, gold and tan are consistently getting eats as well. Try trailing a small parachute ant or a zebra or a Pine Squirrel Leech…. the possibilities are limitless.

Tricos still providing limited opportunities but definitely coming to a close. Pseudos, Callibaetis, October Caddis and BWO’s are all on the autumn dry fly menu.

The streamer bite has been all the talk as of late. Try a Sparkle Minnow, Circus Peanut, Skiddish Smolt or just a plain old bugger and see what happens. Lots of new streamers in the bins at WCA along with great line choices from Airflo and Rio. New to the streamer game? We’d love to help you get started. Come grab a demo St Croix Bank Robber and give it a shot – it could change your fishing life forever!

Plenty of lodging available for the time being at WCA.. Two weeks from now that changes but we usually have something available so give us a call and book your fall getaway – Epic Days Ahead!

Shop open daily at 6:30 am for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs. Guides, Shuttles, RO Drift Boat rentals (including the wildly popular Tailwater Skiff), Lodging, hot and cold weather gear and of course, the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:46-06:00September 2nd, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Fish, fly fishing, Missouri River, St Croix, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Weekend Update

Blue Skies, plenty of sunshine and lots of yellow flowers along Little Prickly Pear make everything ok. photo by Wolf Creek Angler

We had a break from the gloomy wet weather yesterday with a bright and sunny day that lifted everyone’s spirits. We’re loving all of the precipitation for sure but it’s amazing what a little sunshine can do to change your state of mind.
Back to the gloomy weather today but looking on the bright side, it’s perfect streamer weather and it sounds like nymphing has been just fine as well save a few tough reports I heard from yesterday. What about dries you ask? On the spotty side right now as we await the arrival of the PMDs but that’s not to say there are no opportunities. Those who know where to go are finding plenty of action on top.

The weather pattern looks to be holding for the coming week with a chance for showers and thunderstorms most days. Highs in the 80’s tomorrow and Monday – more normal temps in the low 70’s for the remainder of the week.
We’ve got several vacancies for the early part of the week before we kick into full-on summer season mode late in the week. Book a night or two for yourself today and while you’re at it why not book yourself a guide trip and let our guides do all the work while you just catch fish?

Just back from Missoula this morning where the rivers are running muddy so if you are from that neck of the woods and you want to fish this week – make it the Missouri. We are here to help you out with anything you may need for your day on the water. Lodging, shuttles, , RO drift boats (including the brand new, much anticipated and much talked about Tailwater Skiff), friendly service and advice, all kinds of packs and accessories and wading gear and clothing from the likes of Fishpond, Kast, Redington, Umpqua and Simms and of course, the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana. Stop in and see us today and see what the buzz is about. Open daily at 7 am.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:52-06:00May 30th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: dry fly fishing, Fishpond, Kast Gear, Little Prickly Pear, Missouri River, Montana, RO Drift Boats, RO Tailwater Skiff, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Weekend Outlook

It’s going to be a great weekend to get out and fish the Missouri with overcast to partly sunny skies and a chance for showers and thunderstorms each day. Friday looks great with a mix of sun and clouds and a high of 71. Things heat up on Saturday and Sunday with highs near 80.

The potential remains for some great streamer fishing, especially below the Dearborn which continues to churn. The same goes for the worm which should definitely be a component of your nymphing plan for the next while. Tailwater sows and various mayfly nymphs have been effective as of late including LGM’s, PMD Magic Fly, Rainbow Warriors, Autocads, Military May, Peeps Shows, 2 Bit Hookers, Black PT’s, Hot Belly PT in purple, Olive WD40’s and Pearl lightning bugs. We’ve also seen a resurgence in Zebra sales in both black and purple with silver tungsten beads and various caddis patterns like the weight fly in purple or gold have certainly had their moments.

Dry Fly potential is ever-present with baetis and midges and the occasional caddis around but we seem to have officially reached the in-between hatches stage as we await the PMD’s.

Sparkle Minnows and Kreelex have definitely led the charge in streamers for the past week. We just got in a brown and yellow Kreelex that I can’t wait to try and of course we are well stocked on my favorite the Circus Peanut in tan, olive, black or white. We’ve got everything you need for streamer fishing on the MO and beyond with a wide selection of Streamer Tip and Outbound Short lines from Rio and Streamer Max from Airflo which has been my go to line this season. Looking for a streamer rod? We’ve got St Croix Bank Robber rods available for demo. Designed by Kelly Galloup these 9′ 7 weight rods are exceptional streamer sticks with plenty of backbone for casting big weighted flies effortlessly and with exact precision. Try one today and if you like it so much you decide you want to purchase one we’ll knock the rental price off of your purchase.

We’re also offering Galloups’s High Stick Drifter for demo. This 10′ 5 weight with a special light-weight tip offers superb sensitivity and control without the fatigue associated with holding the rod high for long periods of time. Call ahead and reserve your Bank Robber or High Stick Drifter demo rod today.

We’ve got a couple of vacancies for the weekend and a bit of a lull through the middle of next week before things kick into gear again with full lodging and lots of trips going out beginning late next week and running through the summer season. We’re taking a breath now while we can as we prepare for the summer rush. It would be a great time to book a room and a trip for yourself – guides are standing by. It’s the calm before the storm.

See you soon at Wolf Creek Angler, your full service Missouri River fly shop and guide service located just minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge – nobody’s closer!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:52-06:00May 28th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, nymphs, running line, St Croix, Streamer Fishing, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Missouri River Weekend Report 5/2/15

Danya Ann taming the MO – photo by Matt Hargrave

Widespread reports of Full-On sick nymphing the past couple of days river wide. Sunny skies and some stiff winds have limited dry fly opportunities during the day though it sounds like those returning to the water in the evenings have been rewarded with some near-epic conditions and lots of fish willing to eat.
Green Machines have been THE bug, hands down, no matter what the section though it sounds like the Pink Amex and the Rainbow Czech have had their moments as well. We restocked LGM’s this morning and while the #18 PT’s had been the most frequently picked over the grays are reportedly working as well, if not better, in some places so don’t hesitate to try them. Firebead sows and FB Rainbow Weight Flies have seen a bit of a resurgence over the past few days and we’ve been selling a ton of Olive WD 40’s. Purple Weight flies, tailwater sows, BWO Magic Fly, S & M’s , Micro Mays, 2 Bit Hookers, wire worms….all have been catching a lot of fish and last but not least…I haven’t heard too many reports about Peep Shows but for what its’ worth this bin had probably 8-10 dozen bugs in it when I opened this morning…

I haven’t heard any streamer reports though we’re thinking that should be on your agenda as well in the coming days.
Bottom line? The fishing is damn good right now no matter where you go. The word is that fish are more concentrated in the canyon section but that they are smaller overall than in the upper sections where there are reportedly fewer fish at the moment but much bigger average size. Pick a stretch and enjoy!
Lodging just shy of full this evening and opening up tomorrow and Monday before the next wave comes in on Tuesday. Completely booked mid-week but a few openings here and there towards next weekend. Guides at the ready. Don’t miss out on this awesome spring fishing. Book your trip on the Missouri today.

Make us your first stop on the way to the river for shuttles, bugs (other than #16 dark Peep Shows), bobbers, boats, fishing licenses, ice, Buffs and gloves for hot or cold weather, Rio and Trout Hunter leaders and tippet, all kinds of tools and accessories, a great cup of coffee, friendly and knowledgeable service, honest advice and much much more.

See you at WCA

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:53-06:00May 2nd, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

WCA Events Update

May is going to be a busy month on the Missouri. An early spring has kick started the 2015 season. Lots of folks around already and a bunch of stuff going on in addition to great fishing on the MO. Here’s what’s happening the next few weeks in and around Wolf Creek Montana.

Friday May 15th. Ales For Trails – Pioneer Park in Helena from 5 – 9 PM. Helena Ales for Trails is about contributing to the common good in Helena by raising funds for the Helena trail system. This year’s event will benefit Centennial Trail which is a paved non-vehicle path that will connect Spring Meadow Lake to East Helena.

This year will feature 40+ beer varieties from up to 15 different craft breweries. Participants will also have the opportunity to taste cider and wine. Live music by David Casey and Kate Plummer.

Saturday, May 16th. 9th Annual Craig Caddis Festival. 4 pm – ?? Barbeque Contest, Parade, Kids Activities, Silent Auction, Raffle, Live Music and all-around shenanigans in Craig Montana with proceeds going to support the Craig Volunteer Fire Department. We’ve decided to pass on the barbeque contest portion of the event this year but we are donating items for the auction and we will be around enjoying the festivities.

Saturday, May 16th. Montana 2015 General Fishing Season Opener. Get out and fish the creeks. We can’t wait!

Not the Dub C A Soiree – but cool anyways.

Saturday, May 23rd. The Inaugural Dub C A Soiree – Wolf Creek Angler, Wolf Creek Montana.

Come join us as we usher in another great season on the Missouri River with the Inaugural WCA Soiree. Great deals in the shop all day, food and fun and live music from Helena’s Sleeping Giants starting at 5 pm. You don’t want to miss this one. Limited lodging still available. Book yours today.

In addition to these big weekend events May will be a busy time at Wolf Creek Angler with crowds descending upon the region to fish our world-famous river. It should be prime time for streamer fishing and dry fly fishing will definitely be drawing a crowd. May is definitely a favorite month amongst the fly shop contingent as we enjoy spectacular fishing coupled with relative peace and solitude – the calm before the storm of the summer season.

We hope you join us for all of these events and great fishing on the Missouri River.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:54-06:00April 30th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: Craig Caddis Festival, dry fly fishing, Dub C A Soiree, fly fishing, Helena Ales for Trails, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Weekend Outlook 4/17/15

Doubled Up time on the MO.

Beach weather expected today with sunny skies and a high of 71. Winds south at 5-10 mph. A perfect day for a float and while the sun might not make for ideal fishing conditions it’s tough to complain about a 70+ degree sunny day in mid-April.

Saturday will be a little more spring-like with steady light rain in the morning and showers continuing into the afternoon with highs in the low to mid 50’s. Intervals of clouds and sun on Sunday with highs near 60. Sounds to us like three perfect days to spend on the Missouri.

Traffic remains pretty light out there despite the fact that fishing has been consistently good all week. Dam to Craig had been fickle last week but seems to be improving. We had several trips through there the last couple of days and they did very well with the fish preferrring the smorgasbord approach to any one pattern in particular. Nothing new to report on specific patterns – sounds like a little bit of everything is working. Sowbugs, Rainbow Czechs, SJW’s, Military Mays, S & M’s, LGM’s, BWO Magic Flies, Hot Belly PT’s and on and on. Stop by the shop and we’ll get you set up with any and all of the above and more.

There were a bunch of BWO’s around yesterday along with the piles of midges we’ve been seeing daily but not much in the way of fish up, at least during the early to mid afternoon save for a few small pods where you would expect to find them.

We devoted a good couple of hours to throwing streamers yesterday and didn’t have a lot of action which wasn’t a big surprise in the bright sun but we did manage to move a few good fish regardless. We tried a bunch of different bugs and only got them to move on one of them. We threw polar leeches, smolts, sparkle minnows, circus peanuts, kreelex, rattlesnakes, buggers and more in a bunch of different colors – stop by the shop and we’ll let you know which one worked. We’ve got plenty of all of them and tomorrow just might be the day to throw them.

Discounted lodging and $300 spring special guide trips available through the end of the month. Book yours today.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:54-06:00April 17th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, Circus Peanut, Kreelex, Missouri River, running line, sparkle minnow, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Canyon Report 4/14/2015

Guest Report from WCA Guide Jim Murray

Fellow WCA Guide, Matt Hargrave and I decided to get out on a last minute recon trip this past weekend to see if we could find a few fish in the Canyon. While the wind made the fishing and rowing challenging at times, we definitely put our fair share of fish in the net. The water levels have dropped, while the water temps have risen, and the fish seem to be doing exactly what you would expect in these situations. Moving out of the slow, deep runs, and into shallower, faster runs. We caught a number of fish right on the hard banks in fairly fast water. Shelf lines and current seams, as always, were productive as well.
At times the river was blanketed with both midges and baetis, but not many fish were looking up. That said, for those anglers wishing to target heads, there are pods of fishing working in the right areas, willing to eat a properly presented midge cluster or BWO parachute. The dry fly bite is definitely happening on the Missouri right now, and only figures to get better and better as April turns to May.
Hot nymphs for the day included a Rainbow Czech and a small Hogan S&M. That’s it. We never had the need to try other patterns. We set our rig in the morning and fished it all day, as fish happily ate both flies.
Although we didn’t throw any streamers, we have been hearing mixed reports on those that do. The streamer junkies love to the throw the meat and are having some success, but it seems to be hit or miss. A lot of changing flies, patterns, colors, etc., hoping to find the magic combo that will get the fish into an aggressive mood.
All in all a great day on the water with a great buddy, topped off with a couple of Blackfoot River IPA’s at the end of the day at Izaak’s in Craig. The season is upon us. We’re ready!
One other note: We had the chance to fish the Strike Foundry Stealth Indicator on Sunday, and really liked it. It worked as advertised, and proved very sensitive to help detect subtle strikes. We used the “In Line” rigging method and found that it performed flawlessly. For all you nymph junkies out there (count me in), you might want to give this indicator a try. I know I’ll have a few in my boat this year. Check them out at WCA!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:55-06:00April 14th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Hogan's S & M, Missouri River, nymphs, running line, Streamer Fishing, Strike Foundry, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Fly Rod Edition

Rods have proven to be a challenge for us from the start. We don’t get a huge call for rods and reels but we feel like having a decent selection of both is a must for most any fly shop and Wolf Creek Angler is no exception.
When we opened our doors last season we chose to go with Echo, St. Croix and Redington as our rod offerings and Echo and Ross for our reels. First season rod and reel sales exceeded our expectations, but honestly our expectations were pretty low.
We are continuing with these brands this season and have expanded our selection of Ross Reels as well as adding Nautilus Reels to the mix. It’s a great blue-collar line up of proven work horse gear and we would love to increase our sales in this department.
Our most popular St Croix rod has been the Avid series which was my first fly rod back in the day and which remains a staple in the industry as a great series of affordable trout rods at $300.
We also stock the Kelly Galloup designed Bank Robber and High Stick Drifters. At $460 these Fast action rods are a little more of an investment but we think they are well worth the money. The Bank Robber is the ultimate streamer stick and the High Stick Drifter was built for nymphing the MO.
New to Wolf Creek Angler this season, we’ve decided to line up a couple of these rods as demos. Come fish a Bank Robber or High Stick Drifter for the day and see what you think. Demo the rod and reel for $25/day – if you decide to purchase one we’ll credit you back the rental fee.
The most popular Echo rods for us have without a doubt been the Carbon series. Many of our guides, myself included, use Carbons for Client Rigs and coupled with Echo Ion Reels they are a great choice and a great value. Clients new to the sport find these Medium-Fast rods easy to cast and at just shy of $250 for the rod and reel combo you can’t beat the price. The Carbon is a great choice for an affordable entry level rod.
Other workhorse offerings from Echo include the Ion and the Solo. While our Echo inventory consists primarily of Carbons and Solos we’re happy to order anything they offer including the highly touted Echo Glass Two Hand and Switch rods.
If you’re looking for a rod for your little ones look no further than the 7’9″ 4/5 weight Echo Gecko, the industry’s only high-performance rod built specifically for kids.

We also carry rods from Redington including the Fiberglass Butterstick and the ready-to-fish Path combo (rod, reel pre-spooled with Rio Mainstream WF fly line, backing, leader and case) with lifetime warranty for under $200. This entry level moderate-fast action rod has been our most popular offering by far and is a great choice for beginners.
Look for upcoming blogs detailing the particulars of many of these rods.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:15:58-06:00March 28th, 2015|Categories: Product Review|Tags: Echo, fly fishing, Kelly Galloup, Nautilus, Redington, Ross, running line, St Croix, St Croix Bank Robber, St Croix High Stick Drifter, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments