winter Archives - Wolf Creek Angler

President’s Day Weekend Forecast

February Delivers Winter to the MO – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

February continues to deliver some much needed winter weather.

The snow is piling up in the high country but we’ve still got a long ways to go. Snowpack is improving slowly but surely and while I’m tempted to curse the weather while I’m digging out my driveway in the pre-dawn hours, so far I’ve resisted that urge and powered through it, thankful we are getting exactly what we need.

This latest round of precipitation is being accompanied by a blast of cold arctic air which has us in the teens today with single digits on tap overnight. Friday will see an end to the snow but continued cold with a high of 20 and overnight low near 5 degrees. Things start to warm up on Saturday with a high near 37 and Sunday we’re back up near 40’s and bumping up against 50 again on Monday.

Friday fishing will be on the chilly side but the holiday weekend and into next week could be exceptional with those daytime temps in the low 40’s and an abundance of sunshine making for some ideal February conditions on the MO.

Expect plenty of top water action with winter midge madness underway. Pair a #18 Bucky’s Midge Cluster with a #18 or #20 Black Midge and feed those steady risers.

The nymphing action should be good as well with no real changes on the bug front. Pill Poppers, Bubble Yums, Rainbow Czechs, Amex, Weight Flies paired with Tailwater Sows, Soft hackle sows, Zebra midges, Pederson’s Sow, Radiation Baetis, Pink Lighting bugs or really any other of your go to winter offerings.

Target the slow, deep winter water and run as close to the bottom as practical but don’t get stuck on that. Especially on the sunny days when the sun is warming the water up a tick or two, don’t be afraid to target the moderately faster runs. Shorten up your rig accordingly and see what happens. You might be surprised.

Streamer action should be good as well, primarily working the slower tail outs and deep, slow buckets with a combination swing and super slow and long strip. But again, don’t get stuck on that. Bomb the banks, switch up your bugs, switch up your retrieve. You might find an aggressive retrieve off the bank to be effective, it all depends on the day.

The established winter techniques are a great starting point but the fish don’t always follow the script. Break those winter rules and see what happens.

The shop will be closed for the weekend as we make the trek up to Calgary for a long overdue return to a Wings/Flames game on Saturday but we do have lodging available for the holiday weekend and beyond.

We’ll be back in the shop on Monday for the big President’s Day rush which could well end up with getting out on the water ourselves for an afternoon outing.

Let’s hope the snow continues to pile up throughout the second half of February. Spring is just 33 days away and will be here before we know it.

By Jason Orzechowski|2024-02-15T12:43:25-07:00February 15th, 2024|Categories: Fishing Report, Shop Life|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, midge, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, nymphs, pill popper, running line, Streamer Fishing, Tailwater Sow, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

January Thaw

Spring-like conditions have taken hold this week with temperatures in the 40’s through the weekend, climbing into the 50’s and near 60 by mid-week next week. And yes, it’s a nice switch from the 30 below we saw last week but there is certainly cause for concern as we approach the end of January with regional snowpack at record lows.

Birds are singing, the sun is shining, the snow is melting, the fish are feasting…feels much more like March than January but these things are beyond our control so I guess the best thing to do is embrace it.

Traffic has increased this week and by increased I mean that we actually had a customer or two through the doors this week and even ended up running a few shuttles. A welcome change for sure!

Conditions on the water really couldn’t be better so if you’re looking for a quick Missouri River trout fix you’d do well to make your way out here in the next week or so and cure that cabin fever.

We’ve got our newly remodeled bungalows available for rent at the special winter rate of $149/night (plus tax) and I’d bet with that feel of spring in the air we could very likely find you a guide willing to spend a day on the water doing all of the work while leaving it up to you to catch all of the fish.

Predictably, nymphing has been the go-to as of late but winter midges are providing ample dry fly opportunities as well. Cover a short section of river on a relatively calm day and you will undoubtedly find plenty of opportunities to hone those dry fly skills. And one of the nice thing about dry fly fishing in the winter is that it’s not all that hard to fool them. Having had months of relief from the barrage of dry flies they tend to be much less wary and much more forgiving of a less-than-perfect presentation.

Black midges, midge clusters, Griffith’s gnats or a small (#18 or #20) parachute Adams should do the trick.

Best bets for nymphs are all of the broken record variety….pink anything and a sowbug! Pill Poppers, Pederson’s Sow, Bubble Yum Scud, Rainbow Czech, Amex, Naughty Bunny, Pink Weight Fly, Caviar Scud and the like trailed with a tailwater sow, pink lighting bug, pink radiation baetis, soft hackle sow, lucent bead Ray, zebra midge, rainbow warrior or a standard PT should get it done.

Following the deep freeze we’ve still not really heard any streamer reports but with the water temps back on the rise there’s no reason not to be doing the swing thing or even a measured strip/swing from the boat. Sparkle Minnows, Kreelex, Polar Leeches, Skittish Smolt, Thin Mints, Pine Squirrel Leeches, Balanced Leeches, Buggers…all good options.

As of early this week the lower river remains locked up with ice so you’ll likely want to concentrate your efforts between Holter Dam and Craig. The upper river ramps are usable and shelf ice, while a factor, is rapidly disappearing. As we mentioned last week, the dam is weeping large chunks of ice regularly so BE AWARE when you are wade fishing. One of these chunks could definitely cause you issues if you happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. In fishing, as in life, situational awareness is KEY. Have it! Heed it!

This ice chunk doesn’t look like much from afar but up close and personal it could and would cause the wading angler problems

We’re open at 8 AM Tuesday – Saturday and offering shuttles when we can. Bug bins are fully stocked and we’ve got plenty of hand warmers, gloves, hats, socks, waders, boots and whatever else you might need for your day on the water.

By Jason Orzechowski|2024-01-25T14:46:45-07:00January 25th, 2024|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Holter Dam, midge, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, situational awareness, Tailwater Sow, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Winter Weather on the Way

Did you make it out for that fall fishing fix on the MO last weekend?

Positively gorgeous weather but change is underway.

A little cooler, a little cloudier yesterday to kick the week off with some reports of epic dry fly fishing yesterday afternoon.

A lot colder today with a WINTER STORM on the way.

We had several guests bail early, leaving this morning in order to beat the weather. The temperature has been dropping all morning, currently 27 and on the way to a low in the low teens this evening. In spite of this I would venture a guess that the fishing could be off the charts today on the front side of this weather system.

Snow in the forecast for tonight…3-5 inches possible this evening with another 2- 4 tomorrow when we’ll see a high of just 26 with 14 mph north winds gusting to 21 mph. We’re not anticipating much traffic for the remainder of the week with snow in the forecast each day, highs in the 20’s and lows in the single digits. Things appear to begin to normalize on Sunday and into the early part of next week with temps back above freezing and into the 40’s by the middle of the week.

We’ve got one hearty group arriving tomorrow and filling the property for the rest of the week. These will be our last guests of the season in our cabins and motel rooms which we will be closing for the winter early next week.

Our bungalows will remain open with winter rates taking effect on November 15th. Our winter rate will be $149/night (plus tax), $100 off the regular season rate.

We’ve only got three of these units so they will likely all book if we get breaks in the weather. Book well ahead of time if you’ve got your eye on specific winter dates and cancel anytime. No questions. No fees.

The approaching system has stymied my own fishing plans. This last week of October has developed into a bit of a tradition over the years. The Annual Late Season Streamer Odyssey will have to wait but I’m holding out hope that we’ll get it done before the season comes to an end.

The shop will be open daily (for the most part) 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM through the end of November, weather permitting, though it’s never a bad idea to call ahead this time of year as we’ve been known to open late, close early or not be here at all if the conditions prevent safe travel (or if we happen to on a streamer odyssey).

Case in point – while I do fully intend on making it to Wolf Creek in the snow tomorrow it might not be until after 8 AM. I don’t think I’ll be missing much, but if you’re reading this and planning on being here at 7:30 for a shuttle you might want to adjust your plans.

Enjoy this first winter weather event of the season. We’ll see you on the other side.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-10-24T12:47:32-06:00October 24th, 2023|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: dry fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Fall on the Fly

And just like that, September is all but in the books as we draw ever closer to the end of the 2023 season.

It’s been a busy month on the MO and while we do have a couple of large groups arriving over the next week or two, things are definitely winding down.

The topics of conversation have shifted as we plot out October and early November. From April on it’s always a case of planning ahead to meet the demands of the coming busy season but that’s behind us.

Now is the time to strategize best practices for the wind down. When to close the lodging, when to start end of season clearance sales, when to go to shift to winter hours, whether or not to close for a week or two at the end of the season….these are the things we consider as September draws to a close.

Slowly but surely the shift will come and things will start to shut down. We will have lodging available at least through the middle of November though we will likely close the motel and cabins at the end of October leaving the bungalows open for November and possibly through the winter. We’ll keep you posted on that.

Per my last blog we will shift to fall shop hours on Sunday, October 1st, moving our open time to 7:30 AM daily.

It sounds like Izaaks in Craig will be closing on October 27th or thereabouts and I haven’t heard what he other restaurants are doing though I’d expect Lazy I here in Wolf Creek will be open well into the fall season.

We will likely shave a day or two off the weekly schedule come winter but we plan to offer shuttles all winter long and we’re always happy to put together late fall/early winter guide trips if the weather allows for it.

We’ve already reached the point in the season where we stop ordering things in preparation for the lean months ahead but most of the spring 2024 orders are submitted and we’ll start it all over again come March.

That being said, we’ve got a shop full of gear so don’t feel like we’re not going to have what you need. We’re loaded up on waders and boots and cold weather gear and flies and rods and reels and tools and accessories…we’ve got all the stuff we normally do, we’re just allowing those shelves to empty as we head into winter rather than restocking everything as it sells.

We’ll be offering vehicle shuttle service for as long as there’s a demand for it and we’ll likely have at least a few rooms open through the winter especially if it turns out to be on the mild side.

It looks like a rainy, cool weekend ahead with overnight lows in the mid 30’s and daytime highs in the 50’s. I’d expect the fishing to be excellent.

Next week looks like more of the same temperature wise with a mix of clouds and sun. Perfect autumn weather!

Don’t let the fall season get away from you, it’s nearly half over already. Fishing has been exceptional more days than not and we’re expecting that trend to continue right on through November.

We hope you start your trip to the Missouri with a stop at Wolf Creek Angler for everything you need for your day on the water.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-09-28T14:47:03-06:00September 28th, 2023|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Eternal Winter on the MO

It just keeps coming!

A steady snow falling this Thursday afternoon, APRIL 20th. Lows in the mid 20’s expected tonight with more snow on the way tonight and tomorrow. One more night of unseasonably cold lows Friday night and then maybe, just maybe we’ll be done with this.

No complaints about the snow – it’s all good but generally once we’re this far into April we’re ready for those temps that might freeze plumbing to have ceased. I’ve been waiting to turn the last of the water on having learned my lesson in years past when we’ve ended up with frozen plumbing in mid-April but we’re getting down to the wire and we’re going to need that water soon.

The dice will undoubtedly be rolled this weekend. Overnight lows look to be climbing and I think perhaps we’re on the precipice of leaving winter behind.

In addition to challenging my sanity, the unseasonably cold weather has also had somewhat of a chilling effect on business. With the exception of a couple of nice days that brought folks out of the woodwork (notably last Saturday) things have been relatively quiet for late April on the MO. Cold weather has kept the waters state-wide in good shape and delayed the runoff that generally precipitates the annual spring migration of guides and outfitters to the MO from around the region.

This has made for some relatively quiet days on the water which no one is complaining about. No one with the exception of the fly shop owners who are sitting on piles of new inventory watching the spring season pass by! But that’s neither here nor there.

Weather and stories of woe aside – fishing has been outstanding. Just what you would expect in mid to late April on the Missouri. Nymphing has been outstanding, last light dry fly fishing on midges has been consistently good depending on the day and streamer fishing is in PRIME TIME so if that’s your game these next few weeks are when you’ll want to be here.

Best bets for nymphs….Pill Poppers, Peterson’s Sow, Tailwater Sow, UV Yum Yum, Pink Ray with lucent pink bead, Caviar Scud, Rainbow Czech, Radiation Baetis (Pink), Pink Lighting Bug, Rainbow Warrior, black Zebra midge, soft hackle sow, Cotton Candy, Split Case BWO, BWO Magic Fly, Little Green Machine, Olive Psycho May. Sow bugs and anything with pink or orange beads have been the go tos but you should definitely be mixing some baeits and midge nymphs just to show them something they maybe haven’t seen quite so much.

The fish are on the move. You might find a few hanging in that slow winter water yet but you’ll definitely want to target the medium fast, medium depth water which is where they seem to be congregating at the moment.

Most of the nymphing traffic has been in the Holter Dam to Craig stretch but there’s no reason not to spread it out as the river is fishing well in all sections.

Dry Flies – Black Midge, Griffiths Gnat, Parachute Midge, Bucky’s Midge Cluster, Midge Sprout, Parachute Adams and maybe give that Skwala a try.

Streamers – all over the board but best sellers have been Skiddish Smolt, Sparkle Minnow, Thin Mints, Kreelex, Silk Kitty, Swim Coach, Mini Dungeon, Baby Gonga, MK Ultralite. Best Colors – Natural, white and olive.

Swing or strip. Bomb the banks, work the troughs, dredge the depths. The fish are where you find them which could be anywhere right now. Try a varied strip with plenty of pauses. Hit the shallows and give it a second to settle before you strip.

There’s no time like spring time on the MO.

We’re open daily from 7:30 AM – 4 PM. Stop in for everything you need for your day on the water including the CHEAPEST DAM SHUTTLES ON THE MO.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-04-20T16:37:05-06:00April 20th, 2023|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

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

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

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

Mid December on the MO

All is quiet on the MO right now.

With the river having been firmly held in winter’s grasp since early November, angling traffic has been sparse to say the least.

Oh sure, there have been a few folks out there on any given day but for all intents and purposes the 2022 late season has been defined more by the absence of traffic than anything else.

Our snow pack has been quietly building and we haven’t seen bare ground since early November thanks to the sustained well below average temperatures and above average snowfall.

It’s been cold. It’s about to get REALLY COLD. The forecast for next week, starting Sunday is for highs in the single digits and lows well below zero. Next Wednesday looks to be particularly brutal with a high of -9 and a low of -20.

River traffic has been sparse. It’s about to come to a stand-still though the hard water set should be mobilizing very soon. We’ll see highs in the mid 20’s for the next few days so if you must scratch that itch I’d plan on doing it sometime before Sunday.

Current river flow is 3300 CFS with water temp holding just shy of 34 degrees. I’d expect we’ll see a bump in flows next week to keep things moving but expect shelf ice to start to become an issue as those temps plummet.

Winter has undoubtedly become Swing Season on the Missouri but with the current and upcoming conditions deep nymphing will be your best bet for success. That being said, I know of at least one dry fly obsessed individual who has been finding rising fish and getting them to eat so don’t rule anything out.

Fish how you like to fish, just know that deep nymphing will give you your best odds at success from here on out. Of course it all depends on how you define success. If that definition is not tied to numbers then by all means, swing to your heart’s content, hunt those heads or strip those depths.

Best bets for those deep nymph rigs would be a pink Amex, Bubble Yum Scud, Rainbow Czech or Pill Popper trailed with a Soft Hackle Sow, Tailwater Sow, Pink Lightning Bug, Pink Ray or Pederson’s Sow. Run deep, 5-6 feet indicator to split shot and target the slow winter water. With water temps barely above freezing, fish are not expending a lot of energy. You’ll need to put your flies right in front of them as they aren’t going to move for them.

Obviously hooking and landing fish is a big part of why you’re out there but handling fish when air temps are in the mid 20’s can make you very uncomfortable extremely quickly. Good gloves are a must but there’s really nothing worse than fishing in gloves. I recommend putting hand warmers in the chest pocket of your waders or in your coat pockets as well as in a good pair of gloves.

Fish gloveless if you can, taking plenty of breaks to warm your hands and if you do happen to be “lucky” enough to have to handle a fish make it quick and get your dry hands in those pre-heated gloves immediately.

I’m all on board with #FORGETTHEFORECAST and I think you can do so with the right gear but even if your covered from head to toe and keeping that core temp where it needs to be, cold hands can ruin your day quickly and whether you’ve got a hike back to your vehicle or miles to row, cold hands will make it seem like an eternity.

That’s the advice for this week. Once we hit those single digits on Sunday my advice would be to STAY HOME!

Get that Christmas shopping done, sweep up those fallen pine needles, organize your gear or just sit around and daydream about coming warmer days on the water.

Winter is still technically a week out but we’ve already had a bunch of it and it’s about to put us in an arctic stranglehold, just in time for Christmas!

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-12-13T10:13:55-07:00December 13th, 2022|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Amex, bubble yum, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Pederson's Sow, pill popper, Rainbow Czech, running line, Soft Hackle Sow, Tailwater Sow, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Winter Returns

24 degrees this Monday morning in Wolf Creek with a light snow falling…the calm before the storm.

There is a Winter Storm Warning in effect from 6 PM tonight through 6 AM Wednesday for heavy snow and gusty winds starting late this afternoon.

We saw temps near 80 degrees last Friday and while it’s hard to not enjoy a day like that, we hope we don’t see that again for at least the rest of April. The forecast is calling for blustery north winds at 24 – 28 mph this evening with 4-8 inches of snow expected followed by more of the same with an additional 2 – 4 inches of snow tomorrow. The snow tapers off on Wednesday but we won’t make it above freezing that day and the temps actually dip into the single digits Wednesday night with a low of 6.

Things return to somewhat more seasonable conditions starting on Thursday with daily highs in the low 40s. Storm Total snow accumulations of 5-10 inches expected at lower elevations with 10 – 20 inches of desperately needed snowfall expected in the mountains. Let’s hope so!

We had a fairly busy week of guide trips scheduled and have already cancelled all trips for Tuesday and Wednesday. Hopefully we’ll be able to salvage a few days at the end of the week.

The extended forecast looks good as far as fishing weather goes with temps back in the 50’s next week but we’ll take as much of this winter weather as we can get.

Our lodging is 100 percent open now with plenty of availability throughout the rest of the month. Things get progressively busier once we hit May but we’ve generally got at least a vacancy or two most nights until we hit June so we hope you make us your Missouri River spring fly fishing destination.

The shop is bursting with new gear. In fact we’re running out of places to put it all.

We’re open at 8 AM daily with everything you need from guides to lodging to shuttles to flies and all the gear you could possibly want.

Sit back and enjoy the spring snow storm resting assured that this is exactly what we need, and we’ll see you on the other side.

By Jason Orzechowski|2022-04-11T09:58:31-06:00April 11th, 2022|Categories: Local Buzz, Shop Life|Tags: Missouri River, Montana, running line, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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