Streamer Fishing Archives - Page 5 of 19

Autumn Fade

As we approach the middle of October the season’s end is looming.

You wouldn’t know it, based on the weather which has been consistently pleasant. Daytime highs have been in the 60’s and low 70’s with blue skies and sunshine more often than not. Overnight lows are chilly, dipping into the high 30’s and 40’s but you really couldn’t ask for nicer weather.

Even so, every good thing must come to an end and while it may feel like September, time is marching on. Soon the 2022 campaign will be in the rearview and we’ll all be sitting back and reflecting on what went well and what could’ve gone better as we look toward the next.

Fall traffic has been fairly heavy, especially these last two weeks but this week feels like things are coming to a close. Just a handful of trips out this week and while our lodging is still fully open there aren’t quite as many folks around.

Many guides have either completed or are counting down to their last trips of the season and as is always the case, while we hate to see it come to an end, everyone is ready for a much-anticipated break in the action.

The fishing remains good with nymphing and streamer fishing continuing to make up for the majority of our trips. BWO’s have yet to make a showing but dry fly fishing is still an option if that’s where your heart lies. Terrestrials and October Caddis could still get a look and you might find success prospecting with a Purple Haze or Parachute Adams. Try trailing a CDC Caddis Emerger behind whatever it is you choose to lead with. They seem to eat it more often than what you might expect.

Stick with the sowbug program if you’re nymphing. A #14 Tungsten Tailwater Sow trailed by a #16 unbeaded Tailwater Sow has been a good go to but BWO nymphs like the Little Green Machine, Split Case BWO, BWO Magic Fly, BWO Redemption, BWO Psycho May and a plain old Pheasant Tail have all been getting noticed as well. Medium fast current, medium depth water should still be your target. The swirlies have been full of food and full of fish so maybe go deep there but otherwise 4 ish feet from bobber to first bug should suffice, with our without a spit shot.

Streamer fishing has been good, better during the low light or under cloud cover but definitely worth your time regardless of conditions. Small black buggers and Thin Mints have been consistently good but the larger, flashier offerings are finding plenty of willing players as well. Weeds are a hindrance but there’s plenty of clean water to throw to. Choose a good long stretch and push through the weedy stuff.

Flows are on the low side (currently around 3300 cfs) with temps holding in the 58 – 60 range. Traffic has finally spread out from the dam stretch with the entire river fishing well. A little more water would be nice but all in all the water and the fish are in great shape and it’s really been an idyllic fall fishing season thus far. The weather looks to hold steady for the foreseeable forecast with no sign of a winter shift on the horizon but it’s coming sooner or later so get out there and enjoy this amazing fall weather and this amazing fall fishery while you can.

We’re open at 7:30 AM Monday – Saturday and 8 AM on Sundays for all of your Missouri River fall fly fishing needs. Shuttles, bugs and so much more including awesome Simms fall flannels and hoodies and plenty of waders, boots now that wader season has returned.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-10-11T14:27:45-06:00October 11th, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Little Green Machine, Missouri River, October Caddis, Pheasant Tail, Psycho May, Redemption, running line, simms, Streamer Fishing, Tailwater Sow, terrestrials, thin mints, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Late September on the MO

Summer heat has returned this week with temps back in the 80’s and near 90 tomorrow. Overnight lows in the 40’s and low 50’s have made for cool mornings so despite the daytime highs being a little warmer than what we’d like right now it still definitely feels like fall. More seasonable conditions will resume on Thursday with temps dropping back into the 60’s and 70’s with cloudy skies and a daily chance for some precipitation through the weekend.

Traffic has dropped off for us a bit this week after last week’s guide trip marathon but there are a fair number of folks getting out and enjoying these summer-like afternoons and the upcoming change in conditions will likely bring out the streamer set as well as those in search of fall dry fly action. We’re not expecting much on that front just yet but it won’t be long. While you wait for the fall BWOs you can bide your time with terrestrials, October Caddis and those dreaded pseudos.

Nymphing continues to be your best bet for numbers with sows, scuds and zebras getting it done and crayfish patterns still providing some solid action on the right days.

Conventional wisdom dictates small leechy patterns on intermediate lines if you want to try your hand at the streamer game and we’ve undoubtedly been selling plenty of Buggers, Thin Mints, Balanced Leeches, Pine Squirrel Leeches, Polar Leeches etc and getting some glowing reports. However, it’s not conventional wisdom that made us THE Streamer shop on the MO so you won’t be surprised to hear that we’ve been defying convention by running big bugs and heavy lines, searching out the water that allows it and finding plenty of success (and plenty of weeds)ourselves.

We keep the streamer bins as full as the supply chain allows so be sure to make us your first stop of the day for the best streamer selection on the MO and a variety of specialty lines and leaders to fit your preferred technique.

We’re down to the last of the summer gear but we’re fully stocked with cool weather essentials like Simms WCA Challenger hoodies and guide flannels as well as a full selection of hats, gloves and layering and of course waders and boots from Simms, Redington and Korkers. We stock Simms G3 and Freestone waders as well as Redington Sonic Pro waders and Escape wading pants.

Our fall rod and reel sale has been a huge success and is still going strong.

Our lodging is busy but not SOLD OUT on most nights. Give us a call for last minute reservations. Our guide calendar has peaked as we start to close out the 2022 campaign. We have openings throughout October and despite having had our busiest guide week of the fall last week we feel like the best fishing of the fall is still ahead of us.

It’s definitely the home stretch with the winter’s quiet looming but that being said it’s currently 80 degrees and sunny with clear blue skies above and a symphony of fall color….it’s the best of fall fly fishing in Montana. Get out there!

We’re open at 7 AM daily for all of your Missouri River fall fly fishing needs.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-09-27T14:53:03-06:00September 27th, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: balanced leeches, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, pine squirrel leeches, polar leeches, running line, simms, Streamer Fishing, thin mints, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Back At It

What a difference a week makes!

A week ago we were looking for ways to pass the time with the late summer lull in full effect. The days in the shop tend to drag during the lull, especially after 9 am when you often don’t see much in the way of customers for the rest of the day. A few folks stopping in out of curiosity or maybe asking for change for the pop machine or directions to the river. Suffice it to say, we haven’t been setting any retail records over these past few weeks but the switch flipped this week and we’re back in the thick of it.

A full house and a pile of guide trips going out most days these next couple of weeks. It’s taken a minute to get back into the swing of things but we’re there now and ready to finish this season strong.

Not much has changed on the river since last week. It’s still primarily a nymphing game but there are some surface opportunities as well with terrestrials and the occasional callibaetis and October Caddis which may be few and far between but our trout LOVE them so don’t be afraid to invest some time in an October Caddis dry/dropper rig.

Weeds are definitely creating challenges for the sub-surface set but you’ve likely dealt with much worse. Check those rigs often and keep em’ clean. Trout prefer NO SALAD with their meal!

Weeds aside, the water is in great shape with flows holding steady in the 4200 CFS range and temps on the drop (currently 63 degrees).

Smoke from wild fires in the region has been pretty thick this past week for the first time this season but seems to have started to dissipate today. Cooler weather trends ahead with a chance for precipitation most days should continue to cool the water temps while the fishing heats up.

There’s nothing like fall fishing on the MO. Chilly mornings and evenings, fall colors popping and big browns on the prowl. Get out there!

We’re open at 7 AM daily with everything you need for your day on the water. Hats, Gloves, Sun protection, the best streamer selection on the MO and the sale of the season happening NOW on all rods and reels.

Lodging is busy but plenty of last minute options available most nights. We can’t really say the same thing where guide trips are concerned. It’s a busy month on the MO with many of our summer guides who moonlight as educators during the off season back to work, shrinking our guide pool substantially. It never hurts to call and ask but September is pretty well full. We do have plenty of openings in October though which in my opinion is the better month to fish but that’s neither here nor there. Give us a shout if you’d like to set something up for October or early November.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-09-14T13:00:17-06:00September 14th, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Another Summer Season in the Books

The calendar still says summer. The weather at the moment definitely concurs but Labor Day has come and gone and with it Summer Season Number Nine at Wolf Creek Angler.

Summer angling crowds have been absent for weeks now and the river has been busy with rec floaters enjoying one last summer fling before it’s back to the fall grind.

Things have been on the lonely side these past few weeks for those of us in the fly shops but that’s about to change as we close the books on the summer season and make the shift to fall. It appears as though it will continue to feel like summer for the time being with a taste of what’s on the horizon coming Friday with expected daytime highs in the 50’s. The heat returns for the weekend but we’re definitely in the transition from sweltering heat to cooler days and nights. The leaves are turning, ever so slowly and the vibe has turned from Endless Summer to everything fall.

Fall sports are either already or very soon to be underway and many have already put away the fishing gear for the season, making the switch from hunting heads to hunting horns. Big Game Season is here which means the pursuit of deer and elk for many but for others Big Game Season means the pursuit of monster browns on the prowl as the fall spawning season gets underway.

I spent Saturday afternoon in Missoula sweating through a convincing Griz win for their season opener. Sweating aside – it felt GREAT to be back in the stands watching football again. It’s the time of year when hopes are high for all of our favorite teams with a clean slate from which to start. It’s hard to be anything other than optimistic prior to that first snap, even if you’re a Detroit Lions fan. This could be our year!!

September and October are among my favorite months of the year. I love everything about the fall and find myself savoring these autumn months more and more as the years pass by. Many of you share this love for autumn as evidenced by our bookings for September. It’s going to be a busy month on the MO but at this point availability for lodging and guides in October looks good.

You simply can’t beat autumn days on the MO. As those cooler temps begin to take hold and our water temps start to drop you can expect fishing to improve dramatically. Terrestrials will continue to be your go to for surface action while the nymphing and streamer fishing start to heat up. Folks have already started asking about BWO’s…it typically doesn’t happen until mid-October or later depending on the weather but we’ll certainly keep you posted. A few Callibaetis here and there for the hard core DFO and a great time to throw an October Caddis.

It was a fun summer and a hot one at that. And so we bid farewell to Summer 22. We’ll miss those green hills and long days and warm nights but we shall not mourn summer’s passing. Instead we embrace the change and welcome this season of the harvest.

We hope to see you on the MO this fall.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-09-05T14:25:35-06:00September 5th, 2022|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: brown trout, fly fishing, Griz, Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, summer, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

NOT the Missouri River NPS / Jacob W. Frank

The calls have been non-stop the past few days with concerned guests calling to check on conditions in response to national news coverage of the devastating flooding on the Yellowstone River and elsewhere in the region.

Our hearts go out to our friends in Gardiner, Livingston, Red Lodge and elsewhere as they pick up the pieces following this historic flood event. Still on the rebound from suffering through the effects of the Covid economy the past two seasons, this is a tough pill to swallow. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those affected.

That being said, Montana is a BIG state and what’s happening 150 miles away is not happening here on the Missouri. Even so, conditions have evolved dramatically over the past few weeks and what looked like a season of low flows on the MO now looks to be the ideal conditions we hope for every season.

We’re seeing a big bump in flows right now, currently at 8380 CFS, a far cry from the static 3K flows predicted for the entire season just a month ago but nothing to be worried about. Bumps and drops definitely have an immediate effect on the fishing, don’t get me wrong, but we’re looking at the Big Picture here and we’re loving what we’re seeing.

A couple thousand CFS increase carries with it a lot of debris as the waters rise and carry away the accumulation of wood and other objects lining our low flow exposed river bed but once it’s carried said debris downstream things tend to settle and stabilize fairly quickly. We haven’t reached peak flows and I won’t venture a guess where that’s going to end up but we do have a high confidence that flows will recede to a steady 4-5K in the not too distant future, perfect conditions for our summer season.

The bottom line is that if you’re coming to fish the MO you can expect great conditions and great fishing. It may not be that 3K loved by so many of the wade angling crowd but the fact of the matter is 3K is simply not good for the MO.

There may be a few challenging days here and there with bumps and drops in the flows but overall the 2022 water outlook is shaping up to be so much better than we thought possible just a month ago.

We’re happy to take your calls of concern and we’re ready to talk some of you off of the ledge if necessary but rest assured, your 2022 Missouri River fly fishing pilgrimage is not in jeopardy.

PMD’s are here and will be the mainstay for the next several weeks. Caddis in play as well with Tricos just around the corner.

Higher flows are perfect for the nymphers with Sows and Scuds and Worms and Crays on the menu along with those Split Case PMD’s, Magic Flies, Psycho Mays, Frenchies, etc.

Streamer fishing is typically on the wane this time of year but with this unexpected increase in flows and the cool conditions which have kept our water relatively clean and weed free we would most certainly recommend chucking meat if that’s your thing.

We’ve had a few cancellations from the wade crowd, scared off by the flows so if a last minute trip to the MO is on the agenda give us a call, we may just have a room for you and we most certainly have rental boats available most days for the next couple of weeks.

We’re open 7 AM – 5 PM daily with everything you need for your day on the MO. High water nymphs, the best dry fly selection in the canyon, streamers a plenty, Simms waders and boots, Flyagra, Sun Protection, Oros indicators, shuttles, Adipose Drift Boat rentals and so much more.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-06-16T14:00:22-06:00June 16th, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report, Shop Life|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, tricos, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, Yellowstone River|0 Comments

What a difference a month has made

So far so good. Three days in and the cool weather trend we’ve seen so far this spring continues. The month of April worked wonders for the snow pack which has bumped in much of the region up from a somewhat bleak outlook in the 70s and 80’s percent of average to a much more optimistic outlook in the 90s and 100 Plus percent range.

We are in for a short warm spell over the next few days with temps climbing into the low 70’s tomorrow and near 80 on Thursday before we cool down again for the weekend and into next week with highs back in the 40’s and 50’s and overnight lows in the high 20’s and low 30’s. Just the weather we need to preserve that late spring snowpack.

The fishing continues to be consistently good with weather conditions generally conducive to good BWO activity. We’ve been seeing better action below Craig on that front with plenty of midge activity still occurring river-wide.

Nymphing remains strong with baetis nymphs really starting to come on. Stock up on Little Green Machines, Psycho Mays, BWO Magic Fly, BWO Redemption, Spanish Bullets, Split Case BWO’s, Olive Lightning Bugs and various PT’s all in the mix. That being said, don’t abandon the sow bugs and scuds just yet. Pill Poppers, Tailwater Sows, UV sows, Bubble Yums, Pederson’s Sow, Caviar Scud, Rainbow Czech, Amex all still very much in play.

Fish the medium depth (2’ – 4’), fast ish water with or without a split shot starting with a mid-range rig with your indicator 4’-5’ from your point fly. Some are going longer, some are short leashing, both with varying degrees of success but the medium rig is always a good place to start.

We’re loaded up with all the aforementioned bugs as well as AirLock strike indicators in all sizes and colors. Like most everyone else we’re SOLD OUT of Oros indicators but hope to see some product back in stock later this month.

What we do have plenty of are Fishpond and Rising nets in all sizes and colors, SA, Rio and Airflo fly lines for every application, Yakoda caps and fly boxes, rods and reels from Lamson, Redington, Loop and Echo, Redington waders and wading pants, boots from Simms and Korkers and FINALLY the new Simms G3 waders are starting to trickle in.

Lodging is busy from here on out. There are some openings here and there throughout the month of May but overall we seem to have arrived at PRIME TIME for lodging on the MO. Similar case with guide trips. We’ve got a pile of them out this week, next week tapers off a bit for us but overall guide season has fired up on the MO.

It doesn’t hurt to check availability for either as we have been known to have some success with last-minute trips. Sometimes we’re sneaky good that way. A better option would be to up your odds of success by booking those fall dates very soon. Spots are filling quickly and it’s a safe bet it’s going to be a busy fall on the Missouri.

Spring shop hours are Monday – Saturday 7:30 AM – 5:00 pm and 7:30 AM – 2 PM on Sundays.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-05-03T13:02:46-06:00May 3rd, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: bubble yum, BWO Magic Fly, BWO Redemption, Caviar Scud, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Lamson, Missouri River, Pederson's Sow, pill popper, Psycho Mays, Rainbow Czech, running line, simms, Split Case BWO, Streamer Fishing, Tailwater Sow, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, Yakoda|0 Comments

Go Time

Following last week’s winter blast it looks like we’ll be settling into a much more seasonable weather pattern this week. We’ll see daily highs in the 50’s with overnight lows in the 30’s and a chance for some rain/snow throughout the week. Sounds like Blue Wing weather to me.

It looks to be on the breezy side tomorrow with a west southwest wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 19 to 24 mph in the afternoon with gusts up to 37 mph possible but aside from that it really does appear to be quintessential spring fishing conditions this week. No wild swings up or down with the temps, just a good steady run for the foreseeable forecast.

We had confirmed BWO sightings over the weekend so expect good things to start happening this week on the dry fly front, especially towards the end of the week with cloudy skies and a chance of rain and snow in the mix.

Best bets for Blue Wings – Olive Haze, Sprout Baetis, BWO Guide Winna Spinna, Wilcox’s Micro May BWO, Nyman’s DOA Cripple Baetis, BWO Film Critic, Flash Cripple, Para BWO, CDC Winged Emerger. We usually have good success running a double rig with a cripple or an emerger in the mix. I like a Sprout Baetis trailed with a DOA Cripple. Keep that BWO dry fly rod rigged and ready. You never know when it might happen so better to be at the ready than to have to spend time rigging when that opportunity is calling for fishing not rigging.

Nymphing will continue to be your numbers game with Sowbugs still leading the charge but it’s time to throw some baetis nymphs in the mix with the sows and scuds and pink stuff. Little Green Machines, Psycho Mays, Split Case BWO’s, BWO Magic Fly, BWO Redemption, Olive Lighting Bug, Radiation Baetis, JuJu Baetis…etc should all be making their way into the mix right now. Don’t abandon the sows and scuds, just expand your offerings.

Flows are steady at right around 3,000 cfs and will likely hold there from here on out. Water temps are bumping up over 40 and should also hold fairly steady for the next while. Fish are on the move. Rainbows are spawning and browns are feasting on caviar. Target the medium fast water in the 2’ – 5’ depth range and please leave the spawners alone. Watch where you step and if you somehow find yourself surrounded by redds and spawning fish resist the temptation to harass those fish.

Conditions are critical for these fish right now with the low water. With the absence of side channels resulting from the low flows they’re right out there in the open for everyone to see and unfortunately some folks just can’t resist the temptation. We urge you to remember that our rivers are not stocked. These are wild fish and this is how they come to be so for the sake of the future please leave the spawning fish alone and let them do their thing. Read all about it here!

Streamer fishing heating up. Smaller patterns are moving more fish but as the water temps come up it changes the game and while smaller sizes may move more fish I still feel like bigger patterns catch fewer but bigger fish and there’s nothing I won’t throw this time of year. Go small, go big…go with both. Fish what you like and commit. Prime Time Streamer fishing for the next 4 weeks!

Traffic will bump this week with the nicer weather and will steadily increase from here on out. We’ve got plenty of lodging and guide trips available for the next few weeks before things start to really go crazy so book now.

We’re open at 8 AM daily for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-04-18T14:48:20-06:00April 18th, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: BWO's, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, juju baetis, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Doubled Up Streamer Eating Beasts on the MO

The spring season is now in full swing but you might not know it based on the weather conditions this morning. A taste of winter has returned with a dusting of snow and temps hovering in the mid 30’s. We saw downright summer-like weather over the weekend and yesterday with plenty of sunshine and temps breaking the 70 degree mark. Dramatic changes in the weather are a spring staple in the Rockies so no surprise there. In fact we’re stoked for the precipitation in any form and looking forward to the greening we should see soon as conditions return to seasonal norms later today and through the remainder of this week. Expect daytime highs in the 50’s with overnight lows in the 30’s, a chance of rain here and there and plenty of sunshine….quintessential early spring weather on the MO.

As expected, the weekend brought the traffic with Saturday having been our busiest day of 2022 thus far. A lot of boats on the water that day, primarily in the Holter Dam to Craig stretch which will likely be the case for the next month or so despite the fact that there are plenty of fish to be found river wide.

Knowing there was an approaching weather system we took advantage of the Monday lull closing the shop, grabbing the streamer sticks and hitting the water to see if we couldn’t find a willing player or two.

WCA Super Guides Luke Koerten and Brad Turner joined me for a fun day of pre-season fishing before things start getting crazy for all involved. Once the guide season gets rolling we don’t get a chance to fish together so it’s always good to get out and enjoy what brought us all here.

Not exactly lights out, but enough action to keep things interesting throughout the day and a perfect storm of the right water, the right time of day, the leading edge of the weather system, the right bugs and maybe even something to do with the ones throwing them all culminating in an epic 10 minutes of fishing with three 20 plus fish landed, two of which came on an extremely rare big brown double. Doubles happen fairly regularly when nymphing and you get the occasional streamer double but hooking two fish over 20 inches, one from each side of the boat, and landing them both….that’s a day maker for anyone.

As I said, it wasn’t exactly lights out but it won’t be long. The water temps are still cold, in that 36 – 38 degree range but these next few weeks should bring about the prime time spring streamer fishing. If you’d like to fish prime streamer time on the MO and get a shot at that fish of a lifetime make those plans NOW! It’s a lot of work and it’s definitely NOT a numbers game but if you get the streamer game then you already know that. There’s a few of us who are Streamer Obsessed and who would like nothing better than to take you on a hunt for that Missouri River fish of a lifetime.

If nymphing or dry fly fishing is your preference I’d suggest staying up high, at least based on what we saw yesterday. Very few midges in the canyon and the little bit of dry/dropper fishing we tried failed to produce.

The word from the Dam section is abundant dry fly opportunities and solid nymphing on Pill Poppers, Tailwater Sows, Caviar Scuds, Pink Rays, Pederson’s Sow, Zebras, Cotton Candy, Bubble Yums, Amex, Yum Yums etcetera along with mayfly nymphs like BWO Magic Flies, Little Green Machines, Psycho Mays and Split Case BWO’s all getting some attention.

Our advice on dry fly fishing is keep it simple with a Griffiths gnat and a Parachute Adams. They’ll also eat various midge clusters, Black Midges, Black Sippers and the like but why not just keep it simple while you can?

Soon enough they’ll have smartened up and won’t be so eager to eat just any old bug you throw at them. A sloppy cast with a skating fly that doesn’t match the hatch in both size and profile is not, generally speaking, an effective strategy on any water but particularly on the Missouri where the trout are famously picky and educated and sophisticated and do not suffer amateurish casting or fly selection.

The shop is loaded up with new spring gear. New flies, rods, reels, waders, boots, lines, leaders, nets, tools, accessories, drinkware, headwear, eye wear… and on and on. We’re bursting at the seams.

Open daily at 8 AM for all of your Missouri River Fly Fishing needs.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-03-29T11:57:01-06:00March 29th, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report, Shop Life|Tags: brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, midge, Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

March Midge Madness on the MO’

Last week’s arctic blast is but a memory now as spring weather and spring traffic have arrived on the MO this week.

Seven cabins open, Seven Cabins full as we host our friends from Freestone Fly Shop in Hamilton this week. Despite the standard intermittent breezy conditions most days, you really couldn’t ask for better Mid-March weather. And the fishing? Suffice it to say, it has not sucked.

The midge action has delivered the most consistent late winter/early spring dry fly fishing I’ve experienced here on the Missouri. I reported a couple of weeks back about an epic dry fly outing I’d had while on a puppy training float and at the time I felt like I lucked out and happened upon the best day of 2022 midge action but from the reports we’re getting in the shop it seems it was just one of many epic dry fly days. It seems that most days, absent the wind, the fish are up in big numbers, feasting on tiny midges. Mind you it’s not everywhere, but if you know where to look and the wind conditions allow for it, most afternoons are providing an abundance of opportunities. Smiles all around for those seeking out the early season dry fly experience as well as those rocking the bobber and stumbling into it. It’s been a fun few weeks and it appears the fun will continue with midges indefinitely with BWO’s not too far out on the horizon.

The Griffiths Gnat has been king in a size #18 but we’ve also heard of plenty of success with midge clusters, parachute Adams, Buzzballs and more. Bins and bins of midge patterns at WCA, each worth at least a try. If you’re a member of the deteriorating vision crowd such as myself and love the idea of sticking with the same rig all day long then by all means go with the GG and call it good but if you’re a techy type and love the process of feeding them pattern after pattern to see just how many they’ll eat we’ve got plenty of options for you.

Nymphing has been solid and status quo for the time of season with Pill Poppers, UV Yum Yums, Rainbow Czechs, Caviar Scuds, Soft Hackle Sows, Zebras and the like keeping things easy but the times they are a changing and Mayflies are now integrating into the sub surface buffet. Maybe think about a Little Green Machine or Psycho May or BWO Magic Fly or Radiation Baetis…they sky is the limit.

Most are finding a Pill Popper and a tailwater Sow rig will get it done all day long but if you want to show them something different you may increase your odds by throwing in a mayfly nymph now and again. Totally your call but regardless of the route you pursue we’ve got you covered with full bins of every flavor including all of your favorite jig patterns. Spanish Bullets, Perdigons and standard jigs…we’ve got piles of them.

And as if all of this wasn’t enough, don’t forget spring is Streamer TIME on the MO. Swing or strip, you decide. Both methods are effective and are currently being utilized with varying degrees of success daily. We’ve got a string of Swing trips slated for the next two weeks and the single hand set is starting to show up as well. Polar Leeches, Balanced Leeches, Kreelex, Thin Mints, Buggers, Fruit Rollups on the Swing. Meatier offerings if you’re bombing the banks. Just make sure you’re swimming deep and slow as not to discourage would-be aggressors from putting forth the effort. Strip too fast and they’ll watch it fly by as it just doesn’t make sense for them to expend that kind of energy to chase it down under the current conditions. That being said, water temps are on the slow climb so it might not hurt to try a fast retrieve or two just to see what happens.

We’re open daily at 8 AM with everything you need for your day on the water. Bugs, Shuttles, Boats, Lodging, 2022 Fishing Licenses, Cold Weather Gear, Rain Gear, Wading Gear, Lines, Leaders, Tippet, Nets, Tools, Sunscreen, Ice, Headwear, Footwear, Hand wear, Eyewear and more.

Lodging is full through the weekend but opens up next week. Guide trips are starting to roll but plenty of availability both below Holter and at the Land of the Giants. Call and book your trip today!

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-03-16T08:18:47-06:00March 15th, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, midge, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Winter Holding On

As if on cue, last week’s mild temperatures which spurred us to de-winterize and open up a couple more cabins, were replaced this week with another arctic blast. We’ve seen the brunt of it though temps will dip down into the negative digits tonight with wind chill factors hovering near -10.

The warm up will be underway starting tomorrow with temps back in the 30’s and we will see 50’s by the weekend and into the first part of next week. Expect breezy conditions this weekend with the warmer air moving in with gusts of to 33 mph expected on Saturday.

We’re expecting a busy week on the MO next week. We’ve got a full house starting on Monday and I would expect we aren’t the only ones.

Despite the frigid conditions out there at the moment warm spring days aren’t far off. Spring Fever has started to take hold and the MO is your perfect spring fishing getaway.

Things are still in Winter Mode in Wolf Creek and Craig for the moment but it won’t be long before things start to open up and before you know it we’ll be back in full swing.
In the meantime you’d be smart to make Wolf Creek Angler your destination as we offer kitchenettes in all of our open lodging. And speaking of lodging, there’s just 11 days left to take advantage of our Winter Guide Trip and Lodging Special which means that spring is less than two weeks away!

The expected product floodgates didn’t exactly break open wide last week as we had anticipated. Two words….and I bet you can guess what they are….Supply Chain. So we’re not where we thought we’d be with spring product but we’ve got your essentials covered. Bugs, leader, line and tippet are fully stocked and chances are we’ve got most of what you need outside of that as well. We’re light on waders and boots at the moment but should have those items in very soon.

We’ve got plenty of cold weather gear, nets, tools and accessories, 2022 fishing licenses, 2022 Adipose Flow rental boats and much more.

The pre cold-snap fishing report was EXTREMELY encouraging with a couple more epic days of midge action, consistently good nymphing and ever improving streamer action.

There’s nothing quite like spring fishing on the MO. The action is consistently good and while there is definitely an uptick in traffic it can still be considered the calm before the storm of the busy prime season.

As we enter Season Number 9 at WCA we couldn’t be more excited for things to get underway.

We’re open at 8 AM daily though with Daylight Savings Time beginning this Sunday you’ll probably want to push your start time to allow things to warm up a bit.

Either way, we’ll be here bright and early ready to take care of all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-03-09T12:57:29-07:00March 9th, 2022|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: Adipose, Craig MT, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, midge, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|2 Comments

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