Streamer Fishing Archives - Page 7 of 19

September Stride

Halfway through September and about a week away from the official first day of fall and we’ve hit our September Stride.

The late summer lull is over and we’re back to bustling mornings at the shop getting trips out the door and making certain all of our guests and clients have everything they need for their day on the water.

The morning and evening chill has arrived and with cooler daytime temps settling in it’s probably about time to put away those shorts and flip flops. Not quite wader weather just yet but it’s coming soon, possibly as soon as this weekend. Hot temps and high winds on Saturday followed by cooler weather and rain on Sunday and Monday with highs in the 60’s and 50’s respectively. Classic autumn days on tap after that with blue skies and sunshine and highs in the 60’s with overnight lows in the high 30’s/low 40’s.

The colors are rapidly changing, the weather is cooling, the fishing is heating up…you really can’t beat autumn fishing on the Missouri.

Nymphing is the go to river wide with most traffic occupying the upper reaches from the dam to Craig. Zebra Midges are the ticket, #18 or #20 in black, olive or purple. Pair it with a weight fly, a Tungsten Tailwater Sow, a Peep Show, any old tungsten bead Pheasant Tail or go with the Double Deadly Double Zebra rig.

Most are running short, some with weight some without. All are keying on the fast moving, choppy water in the 1’ – 3’ range. Crayfish have dropped off but still worth a trial run. If it doesn’t produce relatively quickly, ditch it. It ain’t happening.

Hoppers are hanging on. Maybe the fish have had their fill. It might be worth a try with a Zebra or Green Machine dropper but like the crayfish trial, probably best to not spend a whole lot of time on it if you don’t see something happen in relatively short order. The better bet for your dry selection might be an October Caddis.

Streamers are En Vogue and are worth your time. Weeds will test your patience but the risk/reward ratio favors persistence. And while I’ve advised abandoning crayfish and hoppers if they don’t produce in short order the same does not hold true where streamers are concerned. Stick with it…you’ll be glad you did. Buggers, Clousers, Sparkle Minnows, Circus Peanuts, Dungeons, Dirty Hippies, Swim Coach, Peanut Envy, Autumn Splendor, Lil’ Kims, Inflated Egos and anything and everything else you might want to throw at them. Black, Olive, Brown, Natural, White all fine choices. JJ or Brownie Sparkle Minnows can be $$ on any given day.

River flows are flat-lined at 3100 and change with temps holding in the low 60’s with no big changes on the horizon.

See us at 7 AM daily for shuttles, Adipose boat rentals, the best bug selection on the Missouri, hats, gloves, socks, sun protection, waders and boots, outerwear, layering….and much more. And speaking of waders – get your Simms G3 Waders for 30% off in-store and online, while they last.

Lodging available most nights, guides as busy as they can be with September as close to completely booked as we’ve ever seen. Always worth a call but probably best to look to October if you want to get a day booked this fall.

See you soon for autumn fishing on the MO.

By Jason Orzechowski|2021-09-16T20:14:23-06:00September 16th, 2021|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Craig MT, fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, Missouri River, nymphs, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Fall is in Bloom on the MO – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

The mental shift to fall is underway, even as summer returns this week with daytime temps climbing back into the 80’s and 90’s. Not to worry, there’s plenty of cool (followed by COLD and likely even frigid) weather in store for the not too distant future.

Last weekend’s unofficial end of the summer season was a great mix of warm sunny summer days on the water combined with the embrace of the signs of the upcoming season. There was plenty of traffic on the river this weekend, both angling and recreational floating with beautiful weather for both. And while it may still be tubing weather, change is underway.

Fall colors are emerging as the green leaves of summer transform into brilliant reds, oranges and yellows. Choke Cherries are thick this year and the bears have been feasting on them up and down the banks of Little Prickly Pear.

The evening chill in the air is immediate and unmistakable once the sun fades and there’s nothing quite like the feel of that fall morning sun as it climbs over the horizon, warming everything upon which it falls and chasing the chill away.

High school and college football are underway (Go Griz!) and couch-bound NFL Sundays commence this weekend. It’s time to trade in our T shirts, shorts, sun shirts and flip flops for hoodies, long pants and socks and shoes. It’s time for Oktoberfest brews and elk tenderloin on the grill.

But elk aren’t the only big game we’re pursuing. For many, fall is time to put away the fly rod and pick up the bow or rifle. For others, fall IS fishing season and colored up browns are the quarry.

It’s streamer season in Montana now through the end of autumn and we couldn’t be more excited. It’s just getting started mind you so by all means, the best is yet to come.

We’re still on the early side but if yesterday was any indication we could be in for an epic fall streamer season. There’s already a fair amount of aggression out there amongst the brown trout population with plenty of fish of all sizes willing to chase the streamer, if for no other reason than to defend their territory and chase off intruders. Hook ups were hard to come by but if you’re like me and measure streamer fishing success by the number of fish moved rather than just those hooked and landed then you would not have been disappointed with yesterday’s action.

Stop in for everything Missouri River Streamer Fishing. Streamer X rods, a streamer line for every occasion, stripping guards, the best streamer selection on the Missouri and most importantly, all the advice and practical information you could ever want from a staff well-versed in the game and more than ready and willing to talk about it. We live for this.

For those outside of the streamer set the nymphing has been solid with black Zebras and Zirdles still ruling the day. Small mayfly nymphs and sow bugs should also be a staple of your fall nymph arsenal.

Hopper fishing should continue to be solid for the next couple of weeks. Tan and peach hoppers have been working well in sizes ranging from #10 – #14. Trailing an ant is never a bad idea though we have not had a ton of action on the ants as of late. Fish the banks. Fish the mid-river riffles. Fish the non-descript random water whether you think it looks fishy or not. The trout are everywhere. They’re opportunists on the hunt for calories and they may just surprise you when you’re least expecting it so don’t take your eye off of the ball.

We are adjusting our shop hours for fall this week in accordance with the morning darkness and will now be open at 7 AM daily.

Lodging is moderately busy but we do have a fair amount of availability. The guide book is getting busier by the day but we do have some openings here and there and things do open up again around the second week of October. We’re happy to fish any way you like but we absolutely love to guide streamer trips. Book yours today!

Stop in for clean and affordable lodging, Adipose Drift Boat Rentals, vehicle shuttles, summer clearance items like Smith Sunglasses and Simms sportswear and amazing fall deals on select waders, boots and more.

Annual Fall Rod and Reel Sale coming very soon. Stay Tuned

By Jason Orzechowski|2021-09-07T14:33:20-06:00September 7th, 2021|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: Adipose, brown trout, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, simms, Smith, Streamer Fishing, Streamer X, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges, Zirdle|0 Comments

Fall on the Mighty Missouri

Summer is soon to be but a memory as we close out August and welcome September and the arrival of autumn fishing on the MO.

Looking back, it was really a great spring and summer. Sure the high temps and low flows were not ideal and having Hoot Owl Restrictions placed on the Missouri was something we’d not seen since we’ve been in business and it definitely took a toll but aside from this the 2021 season started strong and was exactly the return to normalcy we’d all been craving since Covid hit.

We had a record spring, our strongest start ever and in spite of the challenges of the late summer season we’re still on track for one of our best seasons to date.

These last couple of weeks have been very quiet but as always happens in conjunction with September’s shift to cooler weather, shorter days and the return to the Grind for most everyone, an uptick in traffic is underway.

Fishing is what we’ve come to expect during the summer to fall transition. We’ve had some off-the-charts days and some really tough days. Hit and miss to be sure.

Conditions have improved drastically, as least as far as water temps go. We’re currently holding in the low 60’s and will continue to do so thanks to those cool nighttime lows in the 40’s and fewer hours of sun heating the water.

Trout are responding accordingly trading warm water lethargy for cool water energy so you need to be on your game with those fish fighting skills if you hope to land even a portion of them.

Dry fly opportunities are somewhat limited right now with hoppers, ants and beetles being our go to. Pseudos and callibaetis in the mix as well as the occasional trico opportunity but those days are definitely waning.

Best bets for dry flies – More or Less Hopper, Donkey Kong Hoper, Panty Dropper Hopper, Stealth Ant, Cinnamon Parachute Ant, Sparkling Ant, Foam Beetles, October Caddis, Parachute Adams, Buzzball, Trico Indicator Spinner, Drowned Trico Spinner, Olive Pseudo.

As always, nymphing will be your best bet for numbers with the fish still concentrated in the faster, mid-depth runs. The Black Zebra Midge is king during the fall, especially in the grass flats below the dam. Run in tandem with your choice of BWO nymph or Sowbug or roll the dice and run a cray fish with your zebra. It’s not always the ticket but when it’s on it can be absolutely ridiculous. We like a tan or olive zirdle or a throwback like the Snapping Cray or Claws R Cray. And if you’re one of those who likes to mend CONSTANTLY – this is your rig. The erratic fly movements caused by incessant mending mimic exactly the natural movements of actual crayfish so mend away!

Not so with any other nymphs. Keep them on a dead drift with the current as indicated by your INDICATOR. They call them strike indicators, we also refer to them as drift indicators. Skating and dragging are not desired, a dead drift is what you’re looking for and the occasional mend up or downstream (depending on the situation) can accomplish your goal. When that goal is accomplished LET IT RIDE. No mending necessary. LESS MENDING = MORE FISH

Best bets for fall nymphs….Black or Olive Zebra Midge, Tailwater Sow, Tungsten Tailwater Sow, Little Green Machine, BWO Magic Fly, Split Case BWO, Psycho May Olive, Jig Crack Back Bullet Olive, Spanish Bullet Black, Redemption BWO, PT’s, Pearl or Olive Lighting Bug, Thurman’s Zaddis October, Soft Hackle Sow, Micro May, Tan Czech, and more.

We’ve seen some traffic around the streamer bins as of late and while it is perhaps a little early, from what we’re hearing it sounds like it may in fact be time…..streamer time… which is, in this author’s humble opinion, the most wonderful time of the year.

I will confess that spring is my favorite time for streamers due to the lack of aquatic vegetation at that time of year but I throw them every month of the year and despite the challenges of fishing through salad, I will say that you really can’t beat fall if you’re looking for aggression.

The Big Browns are on the move, they’re coming into spawning colors and they’re pissed off and hook-jawed and ready to do battle. These are the fish every streamer junkie dreams of.

Again, we’re on the early side of it but there’s no time like the present. Let the games begin!

Sparkle Minnows in all flavors will of course be a staple from here on out. Autumn Splendors, JJ Specials, Peanut Envy, Dungeons, Circus Peanuts, Swim Coach, ZK’s Inflated Ego, Dirty Hippies, Wedge Heads and smaller buggers and minnows all worth a try.

Convention dictates smaller streamers on the MO and if you decide to go that route you’ll likely move plenty of fish. We at WCA however prefer the unconventional where streamer fishing is concerned and for that reason you’ll find our streamer bins full of bugs you’ll likely not find anywhere else on the MO. We prefer the bigger and flashier bugs and while it’s true that articulation and stinger hooks make fishing the salad exponentially more difficult it’s all part of the game. We’re driven by dreams of 30” browns hunting down and smashing our offerings, a life-long pursuit residing in our DNA.

So sure, we’ll sell you buggers but in our world, life is way too short to waste your time playing with wooly buggers. That being said, we’re well aware that people fish what is effective so we won’t be surprised (or deterred) if you happen to land a River Monster on a Wooly Bugger.

We sincerely hope you make us your one stop shop for fall fishing on the MO. We’ve got it all from affordable lodging to drift boat and equipment rentals to a shop full of essential gear to the hardest working guide crew on the river. Wolf Creek Angler is truly your one stop Missouri River Fly Shop.

Open daily at 6:30 AM, earlier than ALL the rest.

By Jason Orzechowski|2021-08-31T11:04:01-06:00August 31st, 2021|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Holter Dam, Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|2 Comments

Dog Days photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Sunday’s rain accompanied by a much-needed cool down has us thinking fall as we power through the Dog Days of what has become one of the doggier late summer seasons in recent memory.

Between the hot weather, the low flows and the resulting Hoot Owl restrictions the MO has become a rather quiet place as of late.

A few weeks from now these Dog Days will be but a memory as we ramp up for the fall fishing season. In the meantime our rooms are getting some extra attention during the lull, the grass is looking better than it has all summer and the shop has undergone de-cluttering and deep cleaning and we’re in the process of re-stocking with everything you need for fall fishing on the Missouri and anywhere else your travels might take you.

Those who have stuck around these past couple of weeks and those who have maintained their August arrival plans have been rewarded with some pretty good fishing as well as an abundance of solitude on the MO.

With Hoot Owl in effect it’s early on and early off though the march of the season continues to shorten our days and those first light 6 AM starts are slowly returning to 6:30 or 7 AM. Regardless, we’re here early at 6 AM for those looking to hit the pre-dawn bite.

Trico action has been spotty by most accounts but those who are working hard at it are finding ample opportunities on any given day provided the conditions are favorable. Many have shifted their focus to terrestrial fishing, giving the hoppers and ants a go with varying degrees of success. It’s always important to keep your expectations in check and that’s especially true this time of year when things tend to get a little weird out there.

Must Have Dries – Trico Indicator Spinner, Double Wing Trico, Hi Vis Trico Spinner, Stockingfoot Caddis, Buzzball, Outrigger Caddis, Missouri River CDC Caddis, Cornfed Caddis, More or Less Hopper, Donkey Kong Hopper, Blooms Stealth Ant, Cinnamon Parachute Ant, Moorish Mouse 2.0, Midnight Express Mouse, Mouse Pouch, Mr. Hankey Hickman Mouse.

Blind fishing a hopper/ant or a dry/dropper rig generally isn’t going to rack up the numbers but if you take it for what it is which is essentially prospecting, it’s really not a bad way to spend your day and you might even get a few big eats and you simply can’t beat hopper eats!

The best shot at numbers is going to be nymphing which has been decent and which will continue to carry the day from here on out. Zirdles and Crays are a go-to this time of year, and like those hopper eats, you’d be hard pressed to find a better sub-surface hit than that of a hungry trout annihilating a cray! Pair that Zirdle or Cray with a Black Zebra or tailwater sow and fish it hard.

Other productive options have been Frenchies, Little Green Machines, Peep Shows, PT’s, Weight Flies, Tung Darts, Nitro Caddis and Soft Hackle Sows.

The swingers and strippers have been quiet for the most part though all of this unoccupied water has been an open invitation to the swing set who have begun to show up in various haunts up and down the river. Light traffic equals perfect swing conditions. And what about stripping you ask? As you know, it’s ALWAYS streamer season at Wolf Creek Angler so while I’m not going to say conditions are optimal I will say that the low-light early starts are the perfect time to target those Missouri River giants with an intermediate or sinking line and your go-to big bug selections. Hit the banks with a quick retrieve or do a slow sink off the drops with a varied retrieve and prepare for that unexpected grab. Weeds will be a hindrance though definitely not enough to shut you down. Like the terrestrial fishing, streamer fishing is basically prospecting which involves a lot of blind casting, a lot of stripping and hopefully a good grab every now and then to keep things interesting.

And while hot summer nights have traditionally been the time to skate a rodent Hoot Owl has eliminated that option so why not smack that mouse down and skate it in the pre-dawn darkness just to see what happens. The mice don’t care how hot it is and they don’t care if it’s late night or early morning darkness and those carnivorous browns are opportunists and will eat when fed so have at it.

Shop hours are 6 AM – 5 PM daily. A glut of lodging currently available as well as Adipose rental boats and a shop full of everything you need for your short day on the water. We’re sticking with no new August guide trips for the time being but we’re booking trips for fall and also filling in the blanks for Prime Time 2022.

By Jason Orzechowski|2021-08-10T13:16:06-06:00August 10th, 2021|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Adipose, brown trout, caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Hoot Owl, Midnight Express Mouse, Missouri River, Montana, Moorish Mouse 2.0, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

On the Dirty Water Prowl

And just like that summer arrived.

Memorial Day Weekend ushered in the nicest weather we’ve seen all season and with temps in the 90’s on tap for the next several days it seems summer has arrived. And to think 10 days ago we were getting in the midst of a spring snow storm which dumped over a foot of snow.

It was a busy holiday weekend on the MO with the vast majority of the angling traffic in the Dam to Craig section due to a steady flow of dirty water coming in from the Dearborn and Little Prickly Pear. Both continue to run dirty but are dropping fast with current flows of 834 CFS and 264 CFS respectively. Meanwhile the Missouri holds low and steady at 3730 CFS.

Traffic should start to spread out soon though 90 degree temps will likely continue to feed the runoff throughout this week. That being said, conditions in the canyon are PRIME right now for streamer fishing with the perfect amount of color and around a foot and a half of visibility below the Dearborn as of yesterday afternoon. Nymphing was adequate down there as well but if that’s your primary focus I would continue to stay higher up until the water clears a bit more. Best nymphing zone at the moment Holter Dam to Stickney.

The worm was on for the weekend but it seems that window has closed. Tung Darts and Weight Flies are rapidly becoming a go to on point with larger sow bugs, Split Case PMD’s, Frenchies, Psycho Mays, LGM’s and Magic Flies all fine trailing fly choices.

If you’ve been waiting for near-perfect streamer conditions on the MO the wait is over but the time is short. Get out there this week before things clear and see if you can’t coax a couple out of the dirty water. They’re definitely lurking in the shallows so you’ll want to beat the banks but strip all the way to the boat with plenty of pauses in between. We got a fair amount of action yesterday 2/3rds of the way back to the boat on the pause and while I assume those were all follows from the bank you never know where you’re going to find them.
Olive, natural, tan and grey all getting some looks and while the water is dirty I’d recommend you go big to help them hit their target.

Updated hours for the shop 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM daily.

We hope you make us your first stop on the way to the MO for shuttles, bugs, Simms sportswear and wading gear, Adipose boat rentals, ice, sun protection and so much more.

By Jason Orzechowski|2021-06-01T13:23:32-06:00June 1st, 2021|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: green machine, Holter Dam, Missouri River, running line, simms, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Springtime in the Rockies 2021

Monday we were guiding in shorts and flip flops, searing pale winter skin and feeling like summer with temps just shy of 90 all the while knowing a return to winter was looming later in the week.

A Winter Storm Watch became a Winter Weather Advisory which then became a Winter Storm Warning last night as a few flakes began to fall. This morning we awoke to a steady snow, heavy and wet and temps hovering just above freezing.

That winter storm warning remains in effect through tomorrow morning. We’ll continue to see a mix of rain and snow with temps holding near 40 and a brisk north wind thrown in just for good measure. We’ll dip down to 29 tonight before things start to turn towards more seasonable conditions late this weekend. We’re not expecting much for accumulation down here though Rodgers Pass is getting hammered and could see up to a foot of new snow by the time it’s all said and done.

By far not the worst winter can dish out but quite a contrast from a few days ago. And while 89 degrees felt great we are definitely in need of the precipitation so we’ll try to keep the complaints to a minimum and just be thankful for what we’re getting.

Traffic is light today as you can imagine but there are a few boats out and really, if it wasn’t for the north wind, it wouldn’t be a bad day to be out there. That being said, I’m happy to be in the shop today.

Fishing has been solid this week, status quo for the most part with good nymphing and the occasional dry fly opportunities with plenty of BWO’s around, a few March Browns and sporadic rising fish fairly willing to engage if you’re lucky enough to find them.

There haven’t really been any drastic changes as far as fly selection is concerned though we’ve definitely begun to move away from the pink stuff towards late spring staples like baetis nymphs and caddis pupae. A beaded tailwater sow in size #14 paired with a Little Green Machine is still tough to beat but it could be worth your while to swap that sow for a Tung Dart, a Weight Fly or the like trailing with the LGM, psycho may, nitro caddis, Radiation Baetis, Magic Fly, Split Case BWO etc.

We left the streamer rods home earlier in the week with the cloudless skies and the sun beating down on the water but streamer fishing could be the ticket in the midst of this storm system for the next day or two. And speaking of streamer rods, we’ve got Galloup’s Streamer X Rods from Echo in #7 and #8 back in stock. Get yours before their gone!

Supply chain challenges continue and we do have some holes in our inventory but all things considered we are in pretty good shape right now with newly arrived Echo rods, plenty of bugs, a bunch of new Ross and Lamson reels, a good selection of Simms G3 waders and various wading boots and spring/summer clothing arriving in fits and starts seemingly daily.

We’ve got lodging and guides available this weekend. Things fill up early next week. Call for availability if you’re interested in a last minute trip to the MO and we’ll see what we can do for you.

Official Spring shop hours are 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM daily. Stop in for shuttles, bugs, leaders, hand warmers and blow out pricing on all remaining cold weather gear from Simms.

We hope to see you soon at WCA, your Missouri River spring fly fishing destination.

By Jason Orzechowski|2021-05-20T10:48:12-06:00May 20th, 2021|Categories: Fishing Report, Shop Life|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, Montana, running line, simms, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Missouri River Pre-Grind Report

With water on the rise around the state, the MO has become a busy place this week with steady low flows providing one of the better fishing options in the region. Traffic remains moderate for the most part as The Grind approaches.

Spring is settling in with some nicer days as of late but cool temps and rain are on tap for this weekend which will likely make for some good baetis opportunities as well as optimal streamer fishing conditions.

Nymphing has been strong, rain or shine, with the baetis nymphs maybe starting to edge out the sowbug/scud selections ever so slightly. There’s still been a run on Pill Poppers, Tailwater Sows and Caviar Scuds but we’re also moving a bunch of Little Green Machines, Olive Psycho Mays, BWO Magic Flies and the like as we move into mayfly season.

For my money I’m still starting out with a Pill Popper and no bead sow and not messing with a good thing but if that rig goes quiet you’d be well advised to show them a green machine or the like.

Sunshine has rendered the streamer game less than stellar but we’re moving fish and getting some good grabs even on the cloudless days. It’s all about persistence!

Bugs have been plentiful and the fish are starting to look up but the majority of the pods I’ve observed lately have been smaller fish. Expect some good top water action this weekend with the weather and study those rise forms to locate the bigger fish. They’re out there. You just need to work for them.

We’re still in the prime of spring fishing where you can realistically expect to have great action with whatever method you choose. I’ll throw streamers all day, any day but I’ve always got the dry fly rig at the ready this time of year as well as a bobber rig for those times we just need to catch a fish.

Mornings in the shop have been increasingly busy with the bump in traffic this week and we continue to be encouraged by bookings for the season ahead. Most of Prime Time is booked solid and fall is just starting to take shape.

Lodging has been busy but it seems to come in waves. We’ll go a day or two with just a couple of rooms occupied and then things blow up and we’re booked solid. At this point the weekend looks to be a little slow but again, that can all change with a couple of phone calls. If you’re looking to come out and enjoy some spring fishing on the Missouri over these next couple of weeks we’ve got you covered with plenty of lodging options and access to some of the best guides on the river. It’s always a challenge to line up a guide for the next day but if you can give us a couple of days to work on it we can generally get you on the water with a great guide.

Bugs are moving from the bins at a fevered pace and so far we’ve been able to keep most of those bins stocked with all of the Missouri River essentials. Other product has been more of a challenge but we have no shortage of gear in stock with more arriving daily and we’d like nothing better than to keep all of these items moving through.

Waders will continue to be a challenge but we’ve got plenty of Simms G3’s in stock as well as Simms Flyweight, Freestone and G3 boots and Korkers a plenty including the new River Ops boot which has been receiving rave reviews.

Fishpond Eddy River and Lowcountry hats are back in stock and we’ll have a large shipment of WCA logo gear arriving soon, including sun hoodies, just in time for the warm weather which should arrive soon.

We’re open from 7:30 – 5 PM daily for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs.

By Jason Orzechowski|2021-05-05T14:20:04-06:00May 5th, 2021|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, running line, simms, spring fishing, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Spring has FINALLY Arrived

We’re seeing an abundance of blue sky and sunshine with temperatures warming into the 70’s and near 80 by Friday. Flip Flop weather is nearly upon us.

Sure the fishing may have slowed down just a bit and BWO’s prefer grey skies and rain to blue bird days but that being said, it sure feels good out there right now.

After a couple of weeks of cold, cloudy, snowy, rainy dreary days I for one am happy to see the sun again.

The grass is finally greening (and growing) and the buds are popping and the birds are singing. NOW it feels like springtime on the Missouri!

And it’s not as though the fishing is terrible. It’s been a little tougher than it was two weeks ago but we’re still nymphing them up pretty good most days and dry fly opportunities (both midges and BWO’s) are a very real possibility each and every day. Expect to find fish eating midges any day and if you’re looking for good BWO action keep an eye on the forecast for cloud cover.

Streamer fishing has been hit or miss but has generally been pretty good on the cloudier days. Olive and white have been consistently good but we’ve also had luck on greys and tans. Sparkle Minnow for the win as always but Clousers, Skiddish Smolt, MoJo Minows, ZK’s Gladio and MK Ultralight all getting some eats as well.

Strip off the banks and also in the buckets varying your retrieve speed with short strips and long strips and plenty of pauses in between. They seem to be grabbing on the pause more often than not. Most importantly…keep at it. Persistence pays off (sometimes). Once again, clouds are better but they’ll eat under the blazing sun as well. You just need to find the right fish and the only way you’re going to do that is to stick with it. If 45 minutes without a grab or a flash bums you out then maybe stick to the bobbers.

Tailwater Sows with or without the bead, Pederson’s Sow, Pill Poppers, Czechs, Bubble Yums and Soft Hackle Sows still leading the charge but there are plenty of baetis nymphs bouncing around in the system so LGM’s, Psycho Mays, Redemptions, BWO Magic Fly, Olive Lightning Bugs etc are all good calls and you can never go wrong with a black Zebra. Medium depth (3-4’) medium fast to fast water should be your nymphing target water and they’ve been eating the streamer in that water as well.

Traffic has been moderate with the majority generally in the Holter Dam to Craig zone but don’t be afraid to spread out. If you call ahead we’re happy to tell you where the traffic is concentrated so you can plan your day accordingly. Sometimes it happens that everyone figures the dam zone will be busy so they all end up going down river which seemed to be the case on Saturday with a ton of traffic in the canyon and barely anyone fishing the dam to Craig.

We are your eyes and ears on the river and not just where fly selection is concerned. We know where the traffic is and where the fish are. Don’t be afraid to ask us. It’s what we’re here for.

Spring inventory keeps trickling in. We’ve got plenty of bugs, leaders, lines, tippet and such but we’re all struggling to keep rods and reels and waders and boots and the like in adequate supply. Call ahead if there is something specific you’re looking for and we’d be happy to let you know if we have it or where else you might be able to find it if we don’t.

Lodging is moderately busy but we’ve got plenty of rooms available for the next couple of weeks. We’re getting a good number of last minute guide trips being scheduled and this is a good time of year to do it that way. A few weeks from now a last minute guide will be hard to come by but for the time being if you’re thinking about booking a trip we’d appreciate the call and we’d be thrilled to have your business.

Enjoy the warm weather and the sunshine this week and don’t let the wind forecast get you down. It’s not terrible with sustained south southwest winds in the 6-15 mph range the next couple of days, increasing to 15-20 mph on Friday afternoon with some bigger gusts but windy warm days are so much for tolerable than windy and cold days so get out there.
Sunday looks like it could be the next good baetis day with a chance for showers and thunderstorms and a high of 58.

Hope to see you in the shop and on the water soon.

By Jason Orzechowski|2021-04-28T11:10:08-06:00April 28th, 2021|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: bubble yum, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Holter Dam, midge, Missouri River, pill popper, Psycho May, Redemption, running line, Streamer Fishing, streamers, Tailwater Sow, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, ZK's Gladio|1 Comment

Low Water, Spring Snows and BWO’s

With April’s end in sight we’re still waiting for spring to settle in, at least where the weather is concerned.

The last couple of weeks have served up a fairly steady diet of spring snow showers coupled with that dreaded north wind making for somewhat less than ideal conditions if sunny and warm spring days are your thing but for those more concerned with the fishing than the forecast April has not disappointed.

As you would expect, nymphing has been the go to for numbers but streamer fishing has been good and dry fly fishing, though lacking consistency, has been good enough to keep things interesting with midges a plenty and some substantial BWO events occurring over the past week.

Our spring special is now in the rearview and despite the lingering winter conditions we managed to book more of these trips than ever before. And while we usually book a fair amount of guide trip and one night stays this year we had multiple parties stay for over a week with multiple trips, something we’ve rarely seen in April and NEVER in March but I think 2021 is going to continue to be a year of firsts.

There have been a few nice days sprinkled in for good measure and some of those days have been approaching “busy” by spring standards, but generally speaking traffic has been light and the fishing has been solid.

River conditions are currently prime for the dry fly angler and look to remain that way all season long with flows holding in the 3700 CFS range with water temps still holding in the 42 degree range. Snow pack is rapidly diminishing and while the map still indicates 80 – 109% of average for much of the region, flow projections indicate status quo flows with no substantial increase on the horizon. Canyon Ferry remains at only 76 percent full so again, barring an extremely wet May/June it appears as though we’ll be settling in to a low water year on the Missouri.

Wade anglers love these flows as wade access increases dramatically which inevitably leads to an increase in wade angler/boat angler conflict but don’t let that get you down and don’t be a part of the problem. There’s still plenty of water for everyone and while technically those floating are required to yield to the wade anglers, it’s extremely helpful for everyone to communicate in an effort to reduce said conflict.

Yes – if you wade out to a spot and stake your claim it is technically yours but just keep in mind that those same low flows that allow you to get to that spot you normally couldn’t get to also limit the navigation options for those in boats so often times they’ll have to come closer than what you’d like simply because it’s the only way to get by you.

Things work great if boats give an extra wide berth to the wade anglers and also if the wade anglers understand that sometimes boats are going to have to come close to them in order to get by. What makes it all work seamlessly is if the person rowing the boat announces their intentions, maybe even asking the wade angler when possible, where they would prefer the boat to go.

It’s really not difficult but when conflict arises it’s generally due to a lack of communication. If everyone understands the rules of the road as dictated by the flows and treats those they encounter with respect and kindness things usually work out just fine.

Best Sellers from thy Nymph Bins – Pill Poppers, Caviar Scuds, Rainbow Czechs, Tailwater Sow Bugs, Firebead Rainbow Czech, Firebead Ray, Little Green Machine, BWO Magic Fly, Soft Hackle Sow, Zebra Midge, Bubble Yum Scud.

Essential Dry Flies – Bucky’s Midge Cluster, Black Sipper, Sprout Baetis, Grizzly Midge Cluster, Hi Vis Griffiths Gant, Olive Parachute Adams, WCA Trude, BWO Film Critic, BWO Flash Cripple, CDC Baetis Emerger, Micro May BWO.

Hot Streamers – Coffey’s Sparkle Minnow (Sculpin), Double Sparkle Minnow, ZK’s Gladio, Galloup’s Mini Dungeon, Galloup’s Silk Kitten, Craven’s Dirty Hippy, Lil’ Kim, ZK’s MK Ultralite, Craven’s Swim Coach. We’ve also been selling plenty of Thin Mints and buggers for the more traditional streamer set.

No need to start any earlier than 9, especially with the days continuing to get longer. As you’d expect Holter Dam to Craig has been the float of choice but Wolf Creek to Stick, Craig to Mid and Mid to Prewett have all been good options as well.

Things are starting to get consistently busier but we do have plenty of lodging and guide availability for the time being as well as Adipose drift boat rentals and a shop full of everything you need for success on the MO.

By Jason Orzechowski|2021-04-20T11:01:25-06:00April 20th, 2021|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Adipose, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, midge, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Spring is beginning to show itself on the MO. Photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Just a few days left to take advantage of our 2021 Spring Lodging and Guide Trip Special. It all comes to an end on Sunday April 18th and while we’ve been experiencing some winter-like conditions this week it looks like we’re in for another gorgeous weekend. Saturday looks like near perfect conditions with sunshine and 64. Sunday won’t be quite as nice with the possibility for some rain in the forecast but that could up the odds you might find some BWO’s. I’m not able to personally confirm but we have heard reports of a few bugs here and there this week.

We’ve got plenty of availability for both lodging and guides for the weekend so we hope to see you out here.

If you’re planning your own guideless adventure we’re happy to have you as well. Spring special lodging rates also come to a close on Sunday so don’t miss this opportunity to take advantage of the best lodging deal around.

It’s been a little quiet this week with the weather being what it is, but despite the fact that there’s snow on the ground this morning Wolf Creek and Craig and the MO are definitely OPEN for business.

Shotgun Annie’s has already expanded their hours and are now open every day. (Monday and Tuesday dinner only, 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM and Wednesday – Sunday lunch and dinner 11:30 – 9:00 PM). We’ve also got a new place in town, The Wolf Ice Cream and Hoagies, located next door to the laundromat/Oasis. I haven’t been yet but I hear it’s good.

Izaak’s in Craig is OPEN Wednesday – Sunday 3-9 PM and The Craig Taphouse should be open soon…we can’t wait!

Suffice it to say, the fishing has been good to great most days, things in and around town are up and running and all we need is a little spring sunshine to make it feel like a bit more like the season is underway.

Flows are low and stable at around 3500 CFS with water temps holding in the 42 degree range and it doesn’t look like we’ll see much of a change any time soon with flows predicted to pretty much hold in this range all season long. A wet spring could obviously change that but we’re settling in to these flows and dialing things in accordingly.

I’ve said it repeatedly and I’ll keep beating the drum…if streamer fishing is your game this is your time. Water temps are near prime and conditions are optimal, at least for the next six weeks or so. Nymphing is the numbers game with Tailwater Sows, Caviar Scuds, Pill Poppers, Hotbead Rays and Zebra Midges still leading the charge. Little Green Machines and other baetis nymphs also now playing an increasingly important role.

Again, not much for BWO’s just yet and the midge game hit and miss but between the random Skwalas and midges and the increasing potential for BWO’s you could definitely put together a dry fly day if you worked at it.

Stop in and see all the new arrivals. From the hot new River Ops boots from Korkers to the awesome new rod and reel offerings from Waterworks Lamson, a brand new jig section in our fly bins, the amazing Tornado Anchor, new Camo Air Lock Indicators and much, much more.