Streamer Fishing Archives - Page 4 of 19

Easing Into Spring

As we approach mid-April things are slowly, but surely starting to look (and feel and smell) like spring.

Sunshine and 70’s on Monday FINALLY took care of the snow that had been lingering here around the shop since NOVEMBER.

But don’t swap out the fleece and flannel for flip flops just yet. We’re currently under a WINTER STORM WARNING in effect from 6 PM tonight through 12 AM on Friday. Today looks perfect with a slight chance of rain, mostly cloudy skies, high in the low 50s and light and variable wind.

Rain changes to snow tonight with a low of 34 and tomorrow looks fairly miserable with a high of 42, snow early on changing to rain in the afternoon and north winds 10-13 mph with gusts to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent with 1 – 2 inches of accumulation possible. If this was October it might be the makings of an epic BWO day but with our water temps still well shy of 40 degrees we’re a ways out from that.

Current water flows are higher than we’ve seen in a while at around 5400 cfs. Expect those flows to bump as the spring progresses. We’ll likely see increases up to 8K in May, peaking at around 10K before settling back to the current 5 – 6K in June. These flow predictions are great for the health of the river and obviously indicate a good looking big picture for all of the regional waters for the 2023 season. Snow pack currently ranges from 90 to 120 percent of average for the vast majority of the region.

The warm weather brought out a fair amount of traffic over the Easter weekend and Monday was the busiest day we’ve seen in a while. High wind warnings kept folks away yesterday on a day which turned out to be pretty damn nice. It’s a quiet hump day but the river will be busy this weekend if our bookings are any indication.

We’re close to a full house this weekend but we do have a couple of vacancies if you’re looking to spend your weekend on the MO.

We’ve also got our first big group trip of the season with the Annual Iron Fly Outfitting/Hidden Canyon Lodge Women’s Intermediate Fly Fishing Clinic happening Saturday and Sunday.
Winter Storm Warning aside – it looks to be a perfect spring weekend with plenty of sunshine and ideal temps in the 50’s on Saturday and edging back towards 70 on Sunday.

We’re expecting a busy weekend so get here early and beat the rush. The shop is literally bursting at the seams with new product so please come and take some of this stuff off of our hands. Waders and outerwear from Simms and Redington, boots from Simms and Korkers, rods and reels from SAGE, LAMSON, ECHO and REDINGTON and piles of fly lines from SA, Rio and Airflo. From general purpose weight forward floating lines to a full range of specialty sink lines and EVERYTHING in between we’ve got you covered.

With all of the new product coming in we’ve had to make some room so we’re clearing out a bunch of winter inventory at incredible prices. 30 – 40 percent off on winter wear and fly lines. Get em’ before they’re gone!

Need flies? You won’t find a better selection of Missouri River flies ANYWHERE! Those trendy bugs you’re reading about in all of the fishing reports- we’ve got em’. We’ve got em’ all! Pill Poppers, Bubble Yums, Tailwater Sows, Radiation Baetis, Amex, Cotton Candy, Yum Yums, Rainbow Czechs, Zebra Midges, Ray Charles, Little Green Machines and on and on. Looking for dries? We’ve got midge patterns galore and more BWO patterns than you’ll know what to do with. Looking for classics? Look no further. Parachute Adams, Purple Haze, Pheasant Tails, Hares Ears…we’re fully stocked on all of the classics in all of the sizes. And these aren’t shop ties or knock offs – these are the real deal from trusted brands like Montana Fly Company, Umpqua, Solitude Flies and Yellowstone Fly Goods.

Skwalas? Of course. We’ve got bins full of them.

Streamers? Ha! Don’t get me started. We are the undisputed Streamer Authority on the MO!

Need a couple more reasons to make Wolf Creek Angler your Missouri River Fly Fishing Destination?

Our guides are amongst the very best in the region with well over a century of combined experience. And not only are they fishy, you won’t find a more patient and humble crew anywhere. If you like a guide with a huge ego who spends half the day yelling at you and the other half telling you what a great guide they are then you’ll want to book elsewhere. You won’t find them here.

Our lodging is still amongst the most affordable in the area and your comfort while staying with us is our number one priority. Following our major remodel this winter we now have rooms ranging from basic motel style rooms to fancy efficiencies, something to fit every budget. We are dog friendly in most of our rooms with the exception of the newly remodeled bungalows.

We offer the cheapest dam shuttles on the MO…spread the word!

we are your source for Fishing licenses, ice, hats and socks and gloves, sunscreen and buffs, piles of tools and accessories from MFC, SA and more.

Wolf Creek Angler is closer to the Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge fishing access sites than any other shop. LPP and the Dearborn are currently dumping mud into the MO so chances are you’ll be starting at one or the other for the time being.

Wolf Creek is the home of Lazy I Beerworks with over 20 beers on tap and also home to the Canyon Store which is the ONLY place for gas and groceries between Helena and Cascade.

Wolf Creek is just 7 miles from Craig, home of Izaaks and the Craig Taphouse and I think there are a couple of other fly shops there as well.

As you can see, Wolf Creek is, by all measures, your Missouri River spring fly fishing destination.

See you in the shop and on the water soon.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-04-12T11:29:18-06:00April 12th, 2023|Categories: Local Buzz, Shop Life|Tags: annual women's intermediate fly fishing clinic, cheapest dam shuttles on the mo, Craig Taphouse, dry fly fishing, Echo, fly fishing, green machine, Hidden Canyon Lodge, iron fly outfitting, Izaaks, Lazy I Beerworks, Missouri River, Missouri River Fly Fishing Destination, Montana Fly Company, pill popper, Redington, RIO, Sage, simms, solitude flies, Streamer Fishing, Umpqua, winter storm warning, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, yellowstone fly goods|1 Comment

Spring Coming Soon…photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Could it be that this ridiculously prolonged, slow burn of a winter is FINALLY coming to an end?

We can’t say for sure. But the forecast seems to be leaning that way.

A couple of more days of high 30’s/ low 40’s with overnight lows dipping into the teens but then it happens. 50’s on Thursday, near 60 on Friday and 60’s pushing 70, yes, you read that right, pushing 70, early next week.

They’re calling for a 30 percent chance of snow tomorrow, with little or no accumulation expected. But other than that the only precip we’re seeing in the forecast is in the form of rain.

Maybe, just maybe, spring is settling in.

With any luck we’ll be bidding a fond farewell to the snow and ice which have been blanketing the property since early November.

The combination of snow and ice and mud have made the parking lot a mess for weeks and by extension, since those who have been staying with us have had to park in and walk through said parking lot to get to the rooms, housekeeping has been a challenge to say the least.

But that’s all about to come to an end as a couple of days in the 60’s with even a little bit of sun will go a LONG ways in drying us out.

We’ll look to open up the last of the lodging late this week.

Traffic has been building, ever so slowly. A few folks around the shop each day, busy lodging on the weekends and guide trips just starting to roll. Just enough activity to get acclimated as it’s about to blow up.

The river is in great shape, currently running 5400 CFS with that temp holding steady in the 36 degree range. The upcoming warming trend should get things cooking as the water warms and the fish snap out of their winter slumber.

Nymphing the usual suspects will keep a bend in the rods. Anything with a pink bead has been exceptional as of late. Dry fly fishing has been decent on the right days, absent the wind and should only improve. Keep those midge rigs at the ready.

Streamer fishing has been adequate and is about to go PRIME TIME! The hour and the day is unknown but it could happen any time so go after it. Swing, strip, do what you do knowing that it could happen anytime now. We’ve got 6 weeks of Prime streamer fishing ahead of us with dry fly nirvana to follow. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

Treat yourself to a new streamer set up today. We’re stocked up with plenty of the tools you need to get the job done from Sage, Echo, Redington and Lamson and a bumper crop of streamer lines from SA, Airflo and Rio for any and all sub surface scenarios. It’s just the bugs you need? We’ve got you covered there as well with the best streamer selection on the Missouri. We are your Streamer Fishing Authority on the MO!

Shop open at 8 AM for everything you need for your day on the water. Shuttles, bugs, hats, gloves, waders, boots, wading jackets, rain gear, lines and leaders, tools and accessories and the best free coffee in the canyon.

We hope you make WCA your fist stop on your way to the MO.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-04-03T17:06:56-06:00April 3rd, 2023|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Not So Fast…

We’re five days into spring and we have had a taste of spring weather but don’t put the cold weather gear away just yet. It looks like winter is about to return with snow in the forecast every day starting tomorrow and running through Thursday with a couple of inches expected on Sunday.

Temps will hover around 40 each day so not exactly an arctic blast but for those who have been waiting for those warm and sunny spring days, you’ll have to wait a little longer. Or maybe a lot longer. The long term is calling for below average temps and above average precipitation at least for this first half of spring.

Overnight lows are trending up into the 20’s rather than the teens so you may be able to get an earlier start with things warming up quicker but I’d expect those water conditions to remain static for the time being. Flows are currently holding right around 4000 CFS with that 34.5 degree water temp having a hard time going much of anywhere.

These are fairly standard early spring conditions, nothing too out of the ordinary but it’s been a LONG winter and we’re ready for warmer days. Fishing has been good with nymphing being the go to for numbers but there are plenty of folks swinging and stripping streamers as well and the low light midge fishing has definitely been productive.

Standard fare on the nymphing with pink leading the charge. Must haves include Pill Poppers, Pederson’s Sow, Bubble Yum Scud, Pink Soft Hackle Sow, Cotton Candy, Lucent Bead Pink Ray, Tailwater Sow.

Streamer fishing has been hit or miss but we’ve had a few decent days. Swing a Polar Leech, Thin Mint or Kreelex. Strip a Sparkle Minnow, Skiddish Smolt, Dirty Hippy, D and D, Gladio, MK Ultra, Wedge Head, Silk Kitty or Swim Coach. Go deep and strip slow or hit the sunny shallows to target those fish seeking warmer water.

Midges have been plentiful most days and you’ll find fish up here and there but the better dry fly action has definitely been during low light conditions which generally means evenings but the cloudy conditions expected this weekend could bode well for daytime action.

It’s definitely on the cold side for doing so but it might be getting to be time to start throwing a skwala around on select stretches of water. Not a major player on the MO but always worth a try as we transition into spring. Big bugs = big fish (sometimes). We’ve got a good variety of skwala patterns in the bins for those wanting to give it a shot.

Winter lodging rates are in effect through the end of the month so you’ve got a week left to take advantage of CHEAP rooms. You’ve also got a week left to shop TAX FREE as the resort tax in Wolf Creek goes back into effect on April 1st.

We’ve got 2/3rds of our lodging open and will have the motel units open by the middle of April. Guide trips are starting to pick up but we’ve got plenty of availability through the month of April and into the early part of May.

Shop hours are 8 AM – 4 PM Monday – Saturday. We’ll add Sunday to the mix and extend our hours just as soon as the help arrives for the season which will be soon.

Start your day with a stop at WCA for shuttles, bugs, fishing licenses, hats, gloves, fly lines, leaders, waders, boots, rods, reels and so much more. We are your FULL SERVICE MISSOURI RIVER SPRINGF FLY FISHING DESTINATION. Those in the KNOW shop WCA, far and away the very BEST FLY SHOP in Wolf Creek MT and consistently proclaimed to be the BEST FLY SHOP you never even knew was here.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-03-24T10:28:02-06:00March 24th, 2023|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: BEST FLY SHOP, Cheap, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, tax free, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Predlude to Spring

It’s been a roller coaster weather wise this week on the MO with spring showing up on Monday and Tuesday before another winter smack down in the form of a Winter Storm bringing 6 plus inches of new snow on Tuesday night and Wednesday.

The sun is shining this St Patrick’s Day morning and the forecast looks good with an abundance of sunshine and a high near 42 and south southwest wind just 7 – 11 mph. Definitely a favorable forecast for spring fishing on the MO but you might want to give it a minute as we’re currently sitting at 14 degrees.

And speaking of spring fishing – Monday is the day, the official first day of spring. The current forecast is calling for mostly cloudy skies with a high near 50 and calm winds. If that forecast holds you can’t do much better than that for the first day of spring on the Missouri River.

Between now and then the weekend looks similarly appealing with highs right around 50 each day, manageable winds on Saturday and calm winds on Sunday. No sign of snow in the forecast until Monday night and that chance will linger throughout next week but maybe, just maybe we are past the significant winter weather. A welcome change to be sure!

In spite of the weather ups and downs what has been consistent is the fishing which has been consistently good all week long. Early spring is amongst the very best times to fish the MO if numbers are important to you. It’s already heating up as our fish emerge from their winter slumber. A couple of more ticks up in the water temps and it’s going to go off! We’re still hanging around 34 degrees which is on the cold side but it won’t be long and those spring sun BTU’s will get things moving towards optimal trout temps (44 – 67 degrees).

Best bets for nymphing – Pill Popper, Bubble Yum, Cotton Candy, Pederson’s Sow, Tailwater Sow, Rainbow Czech, Pink Amex, Pink Lucent Bead Ray Charles, UV Yum Yum, Caviar Scud, Radiation Baetis, Zebra Midge, Firebead Ray, Firebead Czech, UV Sow, Soft Hackle Sow…you get the picture. All of these and many more in stock NOW at WCA.

Midge Madness on any given day for those looking to catch that first fish of the season on a dry fly. Try a Griffiths Gnat, Grizzly Midge, Bucky’s Midge Cluster, Black Sipper, Black Midge or even the tried and true Parachute Adams.

We’re a couple of weeks out from Prime Time for streamer fishing but there’s no time like the present to start down that road. Good reports as of late on white, grey and black but that will change with the day depending on water conditions and light levels. Polar Leech, Kreelex, Sparkle Minnow, Skiddish Smolt, Thin Mints, Mod Maidens, Mojo Minnows, MK Ultralite all good on the slow strip. Best bet on the swing would be leeches, buggers, Fruit Rollups and the like.

The shop is stocked up with TONS of Bugs, Simms Waders and boots, a bunch of new sweet sticks from Sage, Lamson, Echo and Redington and all the gear and accessories you’ll need for your day on the water.

We’re open from 8:30 – 4 PM Monday – Saturday and will expand those hours as things get busier.

Stop in for shuttles, fishing licenses, intel, the best coffee in the canyon and so much more.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-03-17T11:15:59-06:00March 17th, 2023|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: Black Midge, Black Sipper, bubble yum, Bucky's Midge Cluster, Caviar Scud, cotton candy, dry fly fishing, Firebead Czech, Firebead Ray, Griffiths gnat, Kreelex, Lamson, midge, Missouri River, MK UYltralite, Mod Maiden, Mojo Minnow, Pederson's Sow, pill popper, Pink Amex, Pink Lucent Bead Ray Charles, Polar Leech, Radiation Baetis, Rainbow Czech, running line, simms, sparkle minnow, Streamer Fishing, Tailwater Sow, Thin Mint, UV Yum Yum, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Sunny Late Winter Vibes as Wolf Creek ANgler

Blue skies and sunshine this ninth day or March, exactly the kind of day we need to get into spring fishing mode. The temperature hasn’t broken the freezing mark in a couple of days but we’re headed there today with a high near 40 on tap. Calm south winds in the 6-8 mph range make today the day to be on the water.

Snow and light winds from the NORTH tomorrow with a high of 33. 1-3 inches of snow expected. I’ll just leave that there without commentary.

Power through it. Spring weather will arrive next week with highs in the low to mid 50’s starting on Monday.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect!

We’ve opened a third of our lodging in preparation for a full house next week when our friends from the Bitterroot arrive for their Annual pre-season fling on the MO.

It’s been a couple of worrisome nights hoping for the best in regards to the plumbing with temps dipping into the single digits (so far so good) and we’re not quite out of the woods just yet but things look to be trending in the right direction.

Target date for opening the remodeled bungalows is April 1st or before and motel rooms will likely be opened by early to mid-April.

The shop is in GO mode with piles of spring inventory awaiting your arrival. We’re stocked up on Simms waders and boots, Sage rods and reels and of course the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

Streamer bins are full, Sow Bug bins are full, Midge bins are full….we’re ready to rock and roll at Wolf Creek Angler.

We’re also your exclusive FWP License Provider in Wolf Creek and while we encourage all of our guests to purchase licenses online which you can do here, we’re happy to provide this service to our customers. After all, what kind of fishing shop doesn’t sell fishing licenses?

Fishing has been good and it’s about to get a whole lot better as that blazing spring sun warms the winter waters letting our trout know it’s GO TIME.

For the rainbow population that means gearing up to spawn. For the browns that means it’s time to feast. Time to feast on midges, time to feast on nymphs, almost time to feast on eggs and most importantly, time to feast on baitfish. Streamer Time on the MO!

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year for those to whom enticing a hungry beast of a brown with a well-stripped streamer is the Holy Grail of fly fishing. Mind you we’re well aware that to some the Streamer game doesn’t even qualify as “fly fishing” and that’s ok.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and our opinion is that we’re all seeking the “tug” and it doesn’t really matter how we get there. We LOVE feeding dry flies to sipping fish. We LOVE chasing bobbers and you already know how we feel about streamer fishing. Find what you like and do it. It needn’t be any more complicated or controversial than that. #COEXIST

We’ll be adding Mondays back into the mix starting this week so starting on Monday the 13th, spring shop hours for now will be Monday – Saturday 9 AM – 4 PM.

Time change happens this weekend so don’t forget to Spring Ahead. Long hours of daylight on the way!

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-03-09T13:01:24-07:00March 9th, 2023|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: #coexist, brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, midge, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Sage, simms, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Happy President’s Day!

How will you be spending your 3 Day Weekend?

It looks to be a breezy and somewhat snowy weekend on the Missouri but I would expect at least a bit of traffic from those looking for a winter trout fix as temperatures will plummet early next week taking fishing the MO off the table at least for a couple of days.

The weekend forecast is calling for highs in the 40’s with breezy west southwest winds and a chance for snow showers each day. Not ideal, but not terrible. I wouldn’t expect much in the way of dry fly fishing with those winds but nymphing the slow depths should be just fine and swinging and/or stripping is NEVER a bad call.

We’ll see highs in the single digits starting Wednesday before things start to trend upward again next weekend. Likely a better week for ice fishing than river fishing but not to worry, it’ll be here before you know it.

And speaking of that, the clock continues to tick on our remodeling projects as we work feverishly to wrap things up by the end of March. The good news is it’s looking like we’ll get there. We can’t wait for you to see what we’ve been up to.

Spring gear has started to trickle in and though the focus remains on our building projects we’re starting to move towards retail mode. Our hiring is (mostly) done and with any luck our crew will begin to take shape in early April.

Spring Cleaning will soon be the task at hand as we prepare the shop for season number 10! How did that happen? It doesn’t seem too long ago the clock was ticking on our original shop remodel and opening day at Wolf Creek Angler.

It’s going to be a great year at WCA!

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-02-17T09:26:19-07:00February 17th, 2023|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, President's Day, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Winter Retreats on the MO – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Our mild month continues with the January Thaw still very much in effect.

Accordingly, angling traffic has increased substantially, especially on the weekends and with the forecast being status quo for the time being I’d expect this trend to continue until winter returns.

The snow pack continues to look good with most of the region at or above 100 percent of average but weeks of spring-like weather definitely aren’t helping. Let’s hope for persistent cold and snow in the high country and moderate conditions on the MO…the best of both worlds! Current conditions on the Missouri have flows at 3560 CFS with water temps just shy of 34 degrees.

We decided to take advantage of the conditions yesterday, in particular the absence of wind in the forecast, and get out on the water. Contrary to what we’ve been seeing on the weekends we had the river to ourselves save some late season waterfowl hunters.

Per usual the focus was streamer fishing though we did run the obligatory nymph program early on just to confirm recent reports. As expected, winter water was productive with no big surprises on the fly front. The Pill Popper/Tailwater Sow pairing is about as close to go-to as you can get but a Rainbow Czech, Pink Amex or Pink Weight Fly paired with a Soft Hackle Sow, Radiation Baetis, Rainbow Warrior, Pederson’s Sow, Pink Lighting Bug or Zebra Midge will get it done as well.

Interestingly, the fish were not limited to the winter depths and in fact seemed to be more concentrated in the slightly faster, not quite as deep runs. Still the winter water, just not the EXTREME winter water. Go with the early spring program water wise and see what happens and if you aren’t finding them then shift gears, particularly as you move further down, distancing yourself from the ultra-stable conditions provided by the dam.

Scouting obligations having been met, we broke out the streamer rods for the remainder of the day and had good action from the start, consistently moving fish without changing bugs and boating several good browns and rainbows before the action tapered off late afternoon.

Yellow, Olive and white were good, but again, we used what already happened to be rigged up and never changed bugs so I would call that a good streamer day, particularly by January standards. And as with the nymphing, most of our fish came out of faster water you wouldn’t typically target in the winter.

You’ve read this here many times, but just to repeat it once more, don’t let anyone tell you stripping streamers isn’t effective in the winter. Most opt to swing through the winter months which is great, but we got em’ on various retrieves ranging from slow to medium fast but always stripping, never swinging, with plenty of pauses in between. It may have been a case of just the right time in just the right place but isn’t that what fishing is anyways?

Medium current, medium depth, sunny side of the river. Work the banks with a varied retrieve. Most of our fish came halfway between the bank and the boat and were fairly deep so leave the intermediate lines at home and get down.

There were a few midges on the water and we did see a handful of eats so as long as this weather persists get out there and fish it any way you like.

Opportunities abound!

The shop is open at 9 AM Tuesday – Saturday and while we don’t have lodging available this winter we are stocked up with winter bugs and anything you might need for your day on the water including Adipose Flow Drift Boat Rentals.

Ramps in the top section are in good shape and all should continue to improve as the warm weather persists. I did get stuck in the ice ruts at Spite Hill the other day while checking ramps so maybe avoid that one for the time being. Stickney should be in good shape by now. Dearborn is currently a no-go so if you’re intent on fishing something other than Dam to Craig maybe look at Craig to Stickney or Stickney to Mid.

Say NO to Cabin Fever and enjoy the January Thaw.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-01-12T11:02:58-07:00January 12th, 2023|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Adipose, brown trout, midge, Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, Tailwater Sow, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Welcome 2023

Welcome to 2023 and to near- perfect fishy winter weather for the next few weeks.

We’re expecting a busy (by January standards) month on the MO with winter having retreated for the time being and folks itching to get out and do something after having hunkered down during much of the last two months due to the the early onset of winter conditions and the holidays.

Gone are the negative double digits we recently experienced and the majority of the snow and ice we’ve been dealing with since mid-November replaced by open water and highs in the high 30’s and low 40’s for the foreseeable forecast. Overnight lows will drop into the high teens and 20’s so no need to get an early start and be prepared to deal with some breezy conditions as you might expect with the warmer temps but once again, by January standards you really couldn’t ask for better conditions for getting out and curing that cabin fever.

Nymphing has been good and should be your go to for numbers all winter long but that being said, it’s also swing season and midge season on the MO if you prefer. And you won’t be surprised to hear me say that I’ll be spending plenty of time stripping streamers now through May. April/May are the Prime Months for streamers on the MO but there’s no reason not to strip all winter long if conditions allow it. The biggest brown I’ve caught on the Missouri ate a ZK’s MK Ultra stripped slow and deep on an early January float. I’ll be looking for a repeat this year.

Once again, nymphing is going to be your best bet for numbers. Think Pink and go deep. Pink Amex, Caviar Scud, Bubble Yum Scud, Pill Popper, Pederson’s Sow, Rainbow Czech, Pink Weight Fly…all good options paired with a soft hackle sow, tailwater sow, pink lighting bug, zebra midge, Pink or Firebead Ray. It’s a little bit about the bug. It’s more about the location. We don’t spend a lot of time changing flies when winter nymphing. Find the slow, deep winter depths and start deep. Adjust depth accordingly until you find hungry fish.

Best bets on the swing include Polar Leeches, Kreelex, Thin Mints, MoJo Minnows, Fruit Rollups, Pine Squirrel Leeches or any old bugger.

Likewise for stripping but don’t be afraid to branch out. Sparkle Minnows, the aforementioned MK Ultra, Skiddish Smolt, Dirty Hippy, Swim Coach…there’s really nothing in your streamer box you shouldn’t be throwing. Fish the ones you like. Fish the ones that work. Slow and varied retrieve with an abundance of pauses. They generally aren’t going to move fast or far in cold water so make sure you work the water thoroughly in an effort to meet them where they are.

Floating is definitely an option again, at least in the top section from the Dam to Craig and I’d imagine Craig down to the canyon should be fine as well. The ramps are in good shape and most of the shelf ice has dissipated. Watch for those chunks of floating ice if you’re wade fishing, they can make a day go bad! Current flow is 3370 CFS with water temp just shy of 34 degres.

Shop hours will be more consistent in accordance with the weather conditions. Posted hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 9 AM – 4 PM though it’s always a good idea to give a call to make sure we’re going to be here if it’s later in the day. Also, we are a staff of 1 during the winter months so other engagements/appointments may at times result in the shop being closed on days we would normally be open. Case in point – the shop will be closed this Friday, January 6th.

We’ve had a fairly steady stream of calls for lodging this past week and unfortunately, as of this week, we will not be offering lodging for the remainder of the winter. The good news? The reason we don’t have lodging is because we’re remodeling. More on this to come.

In the meantime we will still do Adipose boat rentals, weather permitting and we’ll do our best to provide shuttle service. More importantly, we’re fully stocked with winter bugs, cold weather gear, lines and leaders, Simms Waders and Boots (Still the BEST IN THE BUSINESS) despite of what you may have heard elsewhere and much more.

We’ve got a few rods and reels left following our most successful Fall Rod and Reel Sale to date and we’ll extend that sale pricing for the next while as we clear out space for incoming spring arrivals. More on this to come as well but suffice it to say that this is the most excited we’ve ever been about incoming rods and reels.

It’s good to be back in the shop with fishy weather at hand and we’re stoked to see traffic resume.

Happy New Year! We think 2023 is going to be a great year on the MO and at WCA.

Cheers!

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-01-03T13:43:07-07:00January 3rd, 2023|Categories: Fishing Report, Shop Life|Tags: brown trout, fly fishing, midge, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, simms, Streamer Fishing, Tailwater Sow, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Seasons Collide – late October on the MO. Photo courtesy of Bob Hoyt

We got a taste of winter last weekend with several inches of snow falling on Saturday night and Sunday just in time for the general hunting season opener. Judging by FWP reports it sounds as though opening weekend was a success for many hunters.

The migration of traffic from the water to the woods has left us with the quiet solitude of late fall. From here on out through these next several months crowding will not be an issue on the MO.

You’ll find a few of the Swing Brigade out there on any given day along with the hard core DFO’s awaiting EPIC BWOs and the fall streamer junkies looking for a fix.

More hunters than anglers in the house at WCA right now with a big push of lodging business ahead of next week’s scheduled shut down of the majority of our lodging for winter. We’ll be closing down our Cabins and motel rooms on November 1st, leaving the bungalows open for the time being as we head into the winter months.

We’ll be on normal hours through the first week of November and then weekends only starting the week of the 7th as we close up shop to tend to off-season business though the end of November. Weekends will be weather dependent as our new shop hand Jack has a bit of a haul to get here.

Unfortunately shuttles will be on hiatus until spring unless you happen to show up when there are a couple of us in the shop. We run a minimal crew during the winter months and I haven’t yet figured out how to run shuttles with just one person so in the meantime please check with Headhunters or The Trout Shop for shuttle availability.

Shuttles aside we’ve got everything else you’ll need for late fall and winter fishing on the MO including some awesome Cold Weather and wading gear from Simms and we’re also awaiting the arrival of our Brawl of the Wild Series Griz and Cat themed WCA hoodies. We’ll get them on the online store just as soon as they’re out of the box. Quite a few have already been spoken for so maybe give us a shout and have us hold one for you if you’re interested.

Fishing has been fair with water conditions holding steady. Flows currently holding in the 3200 CFS range with water temps in the low 50s and on the drop. Weeds continue to be a factor but will improve as we head into the winter months. Even so, there’s plenty of clean water out there. You just need to choose your spots.

Status quo on the nymphing scene with sowbugs and small mayfly nymphs getting it done. We haven’t really seen a huge shift to Pink or Firebeads yet but it’s coming. Pill Poppers have been good depending on the day so there’s no reason not to start working those winter offerings into the mix. We’re still fishing the faster water, medium depth but as those water temps drop look to shift your focus to the winter water.

We ran a couple of swing trips this week and had moderate success. Stripping has been hit or miss but definitely worth your time. I trust that if you’re fishing from now through the winter months you don’t need to be talked into anything. If you’re here you know.

Guide trips are coming to a close, just one more on the books at this point. Many of our guides have disappeared but give us a call if you’re looking for a late fall trip. There are a few left here who’d love to take you.

Come enjoy the late fall solitude on the Missouri.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-10-26T11:40:12-06:00October 26th, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Brawl of the Wild, dry fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, simms, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Nothing like October Browns on the MO

Day after day of blue skies and sunshine and temps in the 70’s make it feel more like September out there than mid October but things are about to change. A couple of more days of this and then something more like what you’d expect with November looming.

Those unseasonably warm daytime highs will start to head towards normal starting on Friday as the clouds roll in and we drop into the 40’s for the weekend with overnight lows dropping into the high 20’s and low 30’s. There’s a good chance we’ll see a rain and snow mix on Saturday and Sunday and while sunshine will return starting on Monday, highs in the 40’s will confirm we’re a third of the way into fall.

Could Saturday and Sunday bring the BWO’s you’ve all been asking about for the past 4 weeks? There’s only one way to find out. And while I expect there will be a few folks around this weekend, Saturday’s General Hunting Opener and the weather to go with it will likely keep the river fairly quiet.

If you’re skipping the hunt then grab those BWO and streamer boxes and spend your weekend on the Missouri. I feel like there’s a good chance one or both of those weekend days could be epic dry fly events but even if they aren’t, I’d bet on awesome streamer action. It’s been moderately good even on these bright and sunny days with plenty of fall shadows in which to find the fish hiding but if we get the conditions they’re calling for this weekend it could very well be the best streamer fishing we’ve seen since spring.

We’re still selling a ton of Balanced Leeches and Kreelex and Thin Mints and the like but the big stuff is moving now as well so you know the hard core streamer junkies have arrived. We’ve got a couple of new must haves like a Brown and Yellow Wedge Head and Swim Coaches in all flavors as well as piles of Sparkle Minnows in the full spectrum of colors. Dirty Hippies and Circus Peanuts are never a bad call in the fall and ZK’s Colonel Kurtz and MK Ultras have been hot sellers these past weeks.

We are your streamer shop on the MO with bins full of bugs and a full range of Streamer Lines for any and all situations. Rio Predator and Streamer Tip, Airflo Streamer Max, SA Sonar…we’ve got em’ all. Our fall rod/reel sale has gone so well we’re a bit thin on inventory at this point….right where we want to be heading into the winter, but we do have some awesome streamer sticks still available at 25% off. Redington Predator, Echo Streamer X and Boost Blue, Lamson Cobalt fine rods all and at a price that can’t be beat. Pair it with a Redington or Lamson reel and a line and take 30% off the entire package. And just to help you feed your addiction we’ll knock 30% off any streamers you purchase with a rod/reel/line package now through the end of October.

Nymphing is still going strong though we have seen a bit of a lull in the action these past couple of days. It’s still a sowbug game with Tailwater Sows, Pill Poppers, Poxyback Sows, Soft Hackle Sows, Yum Yums, UV Sows and Cotton Candies all getting it done. You can’t go wrong with a double sow rig but you’d also be right to mix in some baetis nymphs. Little Green Machines, Olive Psycho Mays, Olive S & M’s, BWO Magic Flies, Split Case BWO’s, Pheasant Tails…all good options. Firebeads? Worms? Sure – they’ll eat all of it. Show them something a little different and reap the rewards.

Dry fly action is spotty though there seem to be ample opportunities more days than not for those on the hunt. A few caddis bouncing around including the occasional October variety. Tiny BWO’s as well. Fish blind with a Foamy October Caddis or Purple Haze or Parachute Adams or come over to the Dark Side and get your streamer fix while you wait for rain and snow and BWO’s, keeping in mind that those same conditions you’re praying for if you’re a DFO are exactly the conditions we streamer junkies have been awaiting as well. If the weather comes but the bugs don’t, rest assured the possibility of epic streamer fishing is at hand.

We’re open at 7:30 AM Monday – Saturday and 8:00 AM on Sunday. Mornings are cold and dark so there’s certainly no shame in waiting until after 8 to get your start. We’ve been starting our guide trips closer to 9 and doing just fine.

Guides are wrapping up for the season and trips are coming to a close. Lodging is available with everything open until the end of October.

Stop in tomorrow for sun screen and ice and on Saturday for hand warmers, flannel shirts, winter hats and gloves!

We are your four season Missouri River full service fly shop.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-10-18T15:58:03-06:00October 18th, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: brown trout, caddis, dry fly fishing, green machine, Lamson, Missouri River, Redington, running line, Streamer Fishing, Tailwater Sow, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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