Uncle Joe's Oasis Bar and Grill Archives

Late December on the MO

It looks like we’re going to close out the year with below average temperatures with highs in the 20’s and lows in the single digits. Not ideal conditions for fishing the MO but on the positive side we’ve had very little wind as of late which makes things a little more bearable. We may break that freezing mark on Saturday with sunny skies and a high of 33 but aside from that there’s no real warm-up in the immediate forecast.

I took a ride from Holter Dam down to Spite Hill this morning and it looks like shelf ice is definitely becoming an issue. A fair amount of slushy ice and the occasional iceberg moving through as well. It appears as though the ramps were all used yesterday but I definitely wouldn’t do it without four-wheel drive. If it looks sketchy it probably is so maybe dump your boat at the top of the ramp with rope attached and lower it down. Better to do it this way than get stuck on the ramp or worse!

Water temps are holding just shy of 34 with flows currently at 3180. Again, maybe not the best fishing conditions but we’re happy to have it and we’re hoping winter continues at least for a while. It’s way too early to make any kind of predictions for spring but we’re certainly liking what we see right now from a snowpack perspective. Stay tuned for updates.

As we close out the year at Wolf Creek Angler we’re busy with bookings for 2016. Give us a call today and let us help you plan your Missouri River fly fishing dream vacation. Keep in mind you needn’t wait until spring to experience one of the finest trout fisheries in the country – we fish all year-long! Keep an eye on the 10-day and plan to pay us a visit as soon as you see that warming trend which is bound to come sooner or later. $99 lodging and $400 full day Missouri River Guide trips all winter long.

Our cozy bungalows all feature full kitchens should you choose to do your own cooking. If not, The Oasis Grill is open Thursday – Monday 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM.

Just out for the day? Stop in for shuttles, cold weather gear, hot coffee, always friendly service and of course, the largest selection of Missouri River winter flies and streamers ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

Farewell to October

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM WOLF CREEK ANGLER

Halloween 2015. The weather conditions remain the same, unseasonably warm and sunny, however we are under our first winter storm watch of the season beginning Saturday night with the potential for 5-10 inches of snow at the higher elevations and 1-4 here on the Missouri. Could see rain or snow or both but the hope is that whatever weather we see it is accompanied by the BWO’s which have yet to make a real appearance. Fingers are crossed.
Fred and I traveled to Livingston Wednesday night and spent yesterday ripping streamers on the Yellowstone. Having been MO bound for the most part since April it was a great opportunity to get out and see some of the other awesome waters of the state. While I’ve fished the Yellowstone a time or two, neither of us had ever floated it. We were not disappointed! We committed to the streamer all day long and moved a ton of fish and even managed to boat a few. We will definitely be back.

Shades of brown on the Yellowstone – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Floating the Yellowstone – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Fred with a solid Yellowstone River Brown – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Best of the day – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Thanks to Matt for holding down the fort yesterday on his last “official day” in the shop. Hard to believe that the season is already over, it seems like we just opened the doors. Our inaugural season can only be described as a “blur” in the best possible way. We certainly had our hands full trying to figure this thing out and while I don’t think we’ll ever have it completely figured out we did learn a lot this season and we can’t wait to do it again. A huge THANK YOU to each and every one of our customers for allowing us to pursue our dream and to the fly fishing community in general for welcoming us into the fold. We are thrilled to be a part of this family, as dysfunctional as it sometimes seems. Special thanks to The Trout Shop, Crosscurrents, Headhunters Fly Shop and Trout Montana for doing what you do and for helping us do what we do. Thank you also to The Canyon Store, The Frenchman, The Oasis, Izaaks and the other businesses in the area as well as to all the folks in Wolf Creek and Craig who have gone out of their way to make us feel like we belong.

As always there are exciting changes coming to Wolf Creek Angler, changes which are, in large part, a result of your requests and suggestions. We are confident you will be pleased with the changes you will continue to see in Wolf Creek as we evolve and grow and continue to convert our inspired visions into reality.
A big topic of conversation amongst Fred and Sheila and myself has been what to do this winter. We’ve been contemplating everything from being fully open to fully closed for the winter months and believe we’ve found a happy medium that may or may not change depending on what kind of winter we get. As it stands now we will have cabins and bungalows available at least through the end of November and we plan to offer limited lodging through the winter months. We will have a couple of units available and will see how it goes. The shop is currently open daily from 7:30 am – 5 pm. With Fred heading back to Michigan soon for the winter we will likely be adopting a winter schedule which will probably mean 4-5 days/week. We’re still trying to figure out which days would work best but as of now we are leaning Thursday-Monday. Any input on this would be greatly appreciated.

For now we will see you daily 7:30 AM – 5 PM. Lodging is booked solid for the weekend but we do have availability next week should you decide to make the trek to the Missouri in search of BWO’s and the fish that love to eat them. Winter rates are in effect with cabins and bungalows going for $99/night. Give us a call to book lodging or guide trips or stop by on your way to the river for bugs, shuttles, boats and a bunch of great cold weather gear which just arrived from Outdoor Research.

Don’t forget the big Halloween party tonight at 7 PM at Uncle Joe’s Oasis Bar and Grill, it should be a great time.

See you in the shop and on the water.

~Jason O.