Wolf Creek Angler Archives - Page 18 of 67

Mid September Reality Check

The leaves aren’t the only colors of fall. It’s time to go on the hunt for Missouri River browns.

Here we are mid-way through September and just under a week out from the official first day of fall. The march to our Second Season is on and each day brings us closer to those ideal autumn conditions which make fall fishing on the MO’ so spectacular.

In the meantime we wait.

Traffic has increased considerably over the past 10 days and these next several weeks look to be our busiest of the fall. There is definitely reason for renewed optimism coming off of the long hot August ghost town. That being said, I caught myself yesterday giving what was perhaps, an overly pessimistic assessment of the current opportunities and conditions to some folks from out of the area who had stopped in for a report.

As I gave these folks the lowdown on the nymphing and warned them about the abundance of weeds and the lack of dry fly fishing opportunities it struck me that for people showing up here for the first time and hearing this, I was painting a bit of a bleak picture which is the last thing I want to do. Following this exchange I did reformulate my presentation to paint things in a better light but at the same time I made certain to maintain an honest evaluation and to not oversell it.

Let’s be honest, early September can be tough and while it does carry with it the promise of ever-improving conditions as we transition to fall it can be a challenging time to fish the Missouri. Those first two weeks of September are essentially a continuation of the Dog Days but with some cooler temperatures creeping in, especially in the early and later parts of the day, keeping our focus trained on what’s coming.

My standard report as of late is that that nymphing is the ticket to numbers and that the dam to Craig is the ticket to the nymphing but that’s not to say that things are horrible elsewhere. And in fact, when traffic is stacking up at the dam I always advise seeking out other opportunities as there’s simply no reason to pack into one 8 mile section of river when we’ve got 30 plus miles of river and plenty of fish throughout.

If I’m asked if the weeds are bad my standard response is that they could be worse, which is definitely the case, but sometimes I feel like people don’t really want to hear it. Sometimes I feel like people want to hear that there are no weeds, that there are no crowds at the dam, that the fish are incredibly grabby every day and that opportunities abound no matter what your preferred method but this simply is not the case and I would be doing you a disservice by telling you it was.

On a positive note nymphing is pretty darn good right now and should continue to carry the day. Most days have seen a big push of traffic at the dam and for good reason. The grass flats below the dam typically shine in September which has in fact been the case more days than not as of late but if the bumper boats isn’t your thing then don’t be afraid to skip the dam, there are plenty of fish throughout the system.

You could very well make it through your day without changing rigs but it never hurts to show them something different either. Frenchie/Zebra, Purple Weight Fly/Tailwater Sow, Zebra/Sow, Tung Dart/JUJU, Zirdle/Sow, Claws R/Zebra…there are a lot of rigs working right now but fail-safes have been #18 Black or Purple Zebras, #16 no-bead Tailwater Sow, #16 Frenchie, #16 Purple Weight Fly and #8 Zirdles in natural or olive. Again, there are plenty of other options which you should not overlook. Flashback PT’s, Rainbow Warriors, Split Case BWO’s, Olive S & M’s, Pearl Lightning Bugs, Soft Hackle Sows, Olive Psycho Mays, Poxyback Sows, Snapping Crays, Magic Flies, 2 Bits, LGM’s…good options every one of them.

Dry fly fishing proper is not great though the terrestrial game remains strong depending on the day. Smaller hoppers and ants and October Caddis will get some attention, particularly in the middle and lower sections. I’ve been getting a lot of calls about BWO’s. Not yet. Probably a month or so. Perhaps a trico or two around and the random caddis but this is what I’m saying about September…it’s simply not our best month for dry fly fishing. We’re in between hatches, closing out the tricos and awaiting fall BWO’s.

Blind fishing terrestrials can be very effective. It can also make for a long day. It just depends on the day. It’s definitely worth your time to give it a go but if hunting heads and targeting rising fish is your game then bide your time, keep an eye on the reports and be ready to make your move on a moment’s notice. My guess is mid to late October.

Fall is also traditionally Streamer Season and there’s no time like the present to get after it. Weeds will frustrate and challenge you throughout the fall season, they aren’t going anywhere. But that being said, hooking into those aggressive fall browns makes it all worthwhile EVERY TIME!

We’re stocked up on streamers and sinking lines and we’ll talk streamer fishing for as long as you can stand to listen. Weeds or not, it is the most wonderful time of the year!

We are your Missouri River Fall Fly Fishing destination, your one stop shop on the MO’. Look no further than WCA for a wide range of lodging options, the most professional guide crew on the river, Adipose drift boat rentals (including free rentals for vets and active duty military personnel through Mending Waters Montana), and a shop filled with the goods you need for fall fishing on the Missouri and beyond.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-09-17T19:00:50-06:00September 17th, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: brown trout, caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, juju baetis, Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Fall on the Mighty Missouri

A shot of winter weather over the Labor Day weekend and a couple of frosty mornings to start the short week are the perfect transition as we say goodbye to summer 2020 and welcome fall fishing on the MO’.

A warm up is underway with temps climbing back into the 80’s for the weekend but chilly, longer nights and cold mornings will remind you that fall is officially on the way.

No need for early starts as we transition into autumn. Mid-morning until dark makes for the perfect day.

Things have started to pick up again though we get the sense that it might be a quiet fall compared to what we’re used to. Local traffic has slowed as many have switched their efforts to chasing game rather than hunting heads and Covid continues to thwart travel for many which spells opportunity for those able to do a spur of the moment trip.

Fishing has been good enough and should only improve from here on out with nymphing being the go-to for numbers but plenty of opportunities for dry fly fishing as well. Fall is also the time to break out the streamer rods and the swing set will arrive in due time.

It’s been a Sow Bug/Zebra Midge nymph game as of late with a fairly consistent crayfish bite as well.

Best bets sub-surface;

#18 Tungsten Black Zebra Midge (silver bead)
#16 Tailwater Sow Bug
#16 Soft Hackle Sow
#18 S & M (Brown or Olive)
#18 LGM (PT)
#18 Split Case BWO
#16 Weight Fly (Purple)
#16 Frenchie
#18 Lightning Bug (Purple, Olive, Pearl)
#8 Zirdle (Natural or Olive)
#8 Claws R Cray
#8 Snapping Cray

Dry Fly Essentials for September

#20 Hi Vis Trico Spinner
#20 Indicator Spinner
#18 Two Wing Trico Spinner
#10 – #8 October Caddis
#12 – #10 More or Less Hoppers (gold/peach/grey/pink/purple)
#16-#14 Ants (Cinnamon/Black/Sparkle/Purple)
#16 – #14 Beetles
#16 Bloom’s Para Caddis
#16 Cornfed Caddis
#16 CDC Caddis Emerger
#16 Stockingfoot Caddis
#16 Outrigger Caddis

Streamer fishing both on the swing and the strip will continue to frustrate with the amount of weeds in the river but prepare yourself mentally, seek out clean water and fish hard. Best bets on the swing or strip include Pine Squirrel Leeches, Buggers, Fruit Rollups, JJ’s, Autumn Splendor, Lil’ Kim, Sparkle Minnow (JJ/Brownie) Dirty Hippy (Brown/Black), Mini Dungeons (Olive), ZK’s Inflated Ego (Olive) and anything else you might like.

Expect hit and miss action with the streamer fishing keeping in mind it’s only going to get better as we move into the heart of autumn fishing. Mammoth browns will soon be on the prowl looking to attack so be ready for the tug or the slam.

All of these bugs and many, many more available now at Wolf Creek Angler. We’ve got the largest selection of Missouri River bugs ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana as well as anything and everything else you might need for your day on the water.

Shop hours remain 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily. Cold weather gear has arrived and Simms waders and boots are in stock and back in style with water and air temps soon dropping.

Lodging is busy but we’ve got some availability and more often than not we can get you a guide with a day or two notice.

We hope to see you soon for fall fishing on the MO’.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-09-09T21:53:56-06:00September 9th, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, simms, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Autumn is a magical time on the Missouri – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

The Dog-Day Slog of August is over. At least that’s what the calendar says. There’s been no drastic change on day one of September but according to our lodging book we’re just a few days out from a return to busier days and it can’t come soon enough!

The river has remained quiet with just a handful of folks around on any given day. I would expect that that’s about to change.

Sure, we’ve seen plenty of cancellations for the fall and yes, the world still seems utterly insane (somehow seeming more so every day) but there’s nothing like the arrival of fall to shut the door on the summer season and collectively move us towards new beginnings.

After all, the lazy days of summer are drawing to a close and it’s time to get back into action. A new school year has begun, election season is in full swing, NFL football is on track to start at its normal time of year and fall fishing is about to heat up. And ultimately while we don’t know how any of this will pan out we are ready for the new beginnings.

Of course we’re continuing to track the Covid numbers and we’re continuing to do everything in our power to keep our guests, customers and employees safe and healthy but as we head into autumn we’re excited to embrace the change of season and while it may in fact just be wishful thinking, I for one feel like it’s time to move on. Mind you I’m not talking about moving on from mandates or from doing all of the things we’ve been doing for SIX MONTHS now to protect ourselves and others from sickness. What I’m talking about is moving on from the mental anguish of letting these things drag us down.

I hope to hell things go smoothly this fall. I hope there are no major outbreaks and that school at all levels remains open and continues to make strides towards business as usual. I hope we get through these next couple of months leading up to the election without continuing to be so entrenched in our respective ideologies that we choose politics over relationships, echo chambers over open discussions and tribalism over tolerance.

One thing I do know for certain is that there are places you can go to escape. Places that are a long ways from the chaos. Many of these places are not solely physical locations but are the fusion of beautiful and remote places combined with a renewed and refreshed and relaxed state of mind one can only attain by removing oneself from the daily and immersing oneself in the moment. That moment might consist of wandering in the mountains, wading in a stream or floating down a river. It might consist of simply sitting in silence, unplugging from everything and appreciating the moment for what it is.

Needless to say, there are many places you could go to chase this elusive state of enlightenment (satori) and one of those places is right here, floating down the Missouri River on an early autumn day. Covid disappears, social unrest disappears, politics disappears but only if you allow them to do so. Out here it’s sun and sky, moving water, gentle (and at times not so gentle) breezes and your focus on your cast, your drift and with any luck your proficiency at fighting and landing fish, all the while taking in the amazing scenery around you.

Fly fishing is the ultimate escape from the chaos.

Let us facilitate your escape and deliver this experience to you this fall at Wolf Creek Angler.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-09-01T20:30:44-06:00September 1st, 2020|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|4 Comments

The View from Above

Traffic has slowed to a crawl on the Missouri per the established seasonal ebbs and flows and with the exception of Saturdays when the rec floaters are out in droves soaking up the last days of summer, things have been quiet.

The shops are quiet. It’s the time of year we’re busying ourselves by cleaning house, watering grass, mowing grass, painting decks, sweeping the parking lot, washing our boats…just looking for ways to pass the time as we await The Return.

It’s also that time of year when we are busy putting together pre-season orders for spring, a process which has become extraordinarily challenging in our Covid World where we don’t know what to expect other than a steady supply of the unexpected. I for one am a little gun shy in regards to ordering, trying to strike a balance between cautious conservatism (essentials only) and a more hopeful optimism that we’ll see a return to normal and that we should order accordingly. As you would expect I’m leaning towards caution in response to the fact that while I am hopeful for the future, I can’t help but think “a return to NORMAL” is a ship that has long since sailed.

From where I sit it makes perfect sense to load up on essentials such as flies and terminal tackle. Beyond that I’m not so sure where this is heading. I expect there will continue to be plenty of people fishing regardless of what the future brings but based on what we’re seeing in the way of fall cancellations as well as on what feels to me like an attempt to normalize the turning upside down of our existence and a disturbingly widespread willingness on the part of many to accept it, I feel caution remains the best course of action.

We continue to do our part to protect the health and safety of our employees and our customers but our patience is eroding and weariness has gained a strong foothold. We’re tired of social distancing. We’re tired of masking. We’re tired of Plexiglas dividers. We’re tired of cancellations. We’re tired of being divided. We’re tired of all of it and we’re OVER it!

That being said, there’s not much else to do other than deal with it so thank you for the opportunity to vent. Now, on with the socially distanced, double disinfected and triple sanitized show.
In spite of the late summer doldrums fishing, as always, has remained a welcome escape from the world.

Nymphing has continued to produce those much sought after numbers and between Tricos and Caddis and Terrestrials, there are enough dry fly opportunities to keep the bobber averse engaged and entertained most days.

Weeds continue to frustrate so make sure to mentally prepare before you get out there and don’t let them get you down. After all, weeds or not, wouldn’t you rather be wade fishing or floating mask less down the river on beautiful late summer day than doing almost anything else in the Covid world?

Nymphing has been best between the dam and Craig with black Zebra midges, Little Green Machines, brown S & M’s, Tailwater sows, purple weight flies, purple lightning bugs, dark Peep Shows, Frenchies and more. Crayfish are hit and miss but always worth a try.

Tricos have continued to be a disappointment. 2020 will be remembered for many things. Tricos on the Missouri will not be one of them! Even so, keep those hi-vis Trico spinners, Indicator Spinners and Double Wings at the ready just in case.

Hoppers and ants will get some looks and generally some eats as well. We’ve been targeting the lower river for hopper action but the Craig to Mid zone has had some decent days as well. We have not ventured into the canyon as of late but I would expect adequate action there as well. Smaller hoppers in the #12 range seem to be what they want these days and if the hoppers aren’t getting the looks then fish the ant. They will eat the ant.

Standard operations right now for late summer as we anxiously await fall and what we hope will be a busy late season on the Missouri.

We’ve got plenty of lodging available and the guide schedule is fairly open for another week or two before the fall season kicks into gear.

Fall shop hours are 7 AM – 5 PM daily. We are your one stop shop for everything Missouri River fly fishing and beyond. A lodging and guided fly fishing experience for every budget, Adipose drift boat rentals, shuttles, Simms waders and boots, Fishpond packs, Smith optics, Rio lines and leaders and the now near-legendary largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana. Our bug selection rivals (and in our opinion bests) that of any other shop on the MO and our customer care is second to none.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-08-26T17:37:27-06:00August 26th, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, simms, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Autumn Creeping In

As we approach late August our thoughts have turned toward fall fishing. People often ask when is the best time to fish in Montana and while that answer can change based on our current time and place and mood I always say that based strictly on weather and seasonal transition its damn tough to beat autumn fishing in Montana.

We’re currently in the midst of some of the hottest temps we’ve seen this season but sweater weather isn’t far away. Shorter days, cooler temps and fall colors will usher in the magic of autumn and despite the heat of the afternoons the cool mornings are already hinting at the transition which is underway. Expect highs near 90 for the next 10 days but plenty cool at night with lows int he 50’s.

Mid week on the Missouri and Wolf Creek and Craig are ghost towns. Traffic is extremely light on the weekdays which is normal for August though we had hoped for an extended summer season in light of the late start we got due to Covid.

And speaking of Covid, we’re continuing to see a steady stream of fall cancellations so if it’s practical for you to make a trip to Montana over the next couple of months the good news for you is that we’ve got plenty of openings for lodging and guide trips both at Wolf Creek Angler and at our partner facility Hidden Canyon Lodge.

Whether you prefer to be pampered in a luxury lodge setting with gourmet meals each day or you’re looking for something a little more rustic and do-it-yourself we’ve got you covered and the fishing experience is the same whichever option you choose. Have questions? Give us a call at the shop or shoot us an email and we’d be happy to answer them.

Current Fishing Report

Fishing has been adequate as of late. Not red hot, not terrible…kind of what you’d expect in late summer.

Tricos have been a disappointment. Hoppers and ants are providing a decent alternative but nymphing (as per usual) is your best bet for numbers.

We have definitely passed the prime for dry fly fishing but there are opportunities if you work at it with sporadic Trico activity, a smattering of caddis and the aforementioned terrestrials which can make for a fun day of blind casting with the occasional chug which could potentially be a mammoth brown trout on the prowl.

Most of naturals I’ve observed have been of the yellow variety but we’ve had our best luck with peach or pink More or Less Hoppers. You can drop a nymph or trail a smaller dry (ant or caddis) but there’s nothing wrong with keeping it simple and running a single hopper. Obviously you won’t be as prone to tangling with single and that’s the eat you’re looking for anyway. Should you choose the tandem rig check it often to make sure your trailer/dropper isn’t wrapped.

Nymphing has been good most days and the Grass Flats below the dam will soon be the place to be. Black Zebras, Tailwater Sows, Purple Lightning Bugs, Pheasant Tails, Purple Weight Flies, Little Green Machines are all solid options and Zirdles, Snapping Crays and Claws R Crays are definitely worth a try.

Streamers will soon be back in play but keep in mind the challenges involved with fishing streamers on the MO in late summer and throughout the fall, namely WEEDS! The same can be said for nymphing though not quite to the same extent. There are big fish to be caught on streamers on the Missouri but prepare to be frustrated and count on spending on an inordinate amount of time removing weeds. If you can get in the right place with this and just accept it as part of the challenge it’s definitely worth your time.

Autumn Shop Hours are 7 AM – 5 PM daily.

Please remember the state mask mandate is still in effect and we are 100 percent committed to complying with it. We cannot allow anyone in the shop without a mask and we are continuing to limit the number of customers in the shop at one time to 4 in an effort to maintain social distance. We appreciate your compliance with these protocols and we can’t express just how much we are looking forward to the day when this is all behind us.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-08-19T14:58:52-06:00August 19th, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: brown trout, caddis, Craig MT, dry fly fishing, Fall fishing, Hidden Canyon Lodge, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Dog Days on the MO’

As we close out the month of July this week it feels as though the annual mid-summer lull known as the Dog Days of Summer has arrived. Angling traffic has slowed, rec traffic has increased and the weather has turned HOT. We’ll see 90’s all week, pushing 100 by Thursday through the weekend and the early part of next week with plenty of sunshine and very little chance of precipitation.

Flows today are back above 5000 CFS and should remain fairly steady give or take. Water temps are holding around 64.5 degrees but will be on the rise this week.

Tricos have attained consistency and will be a Missouri River staple for the remainder of the summer. Evenings continue to provide plenty of caddis action and we’re still hearing plenty of reports of PMD’s though they could disappear any day now. Many have shifted their focus to terrestrials with hoppers as the mainstay but don’t overlook the ants which can regularly out fish a hopper pattern by orders of magnitude.

Nyphing has continued to account for the greatest numbers as you would expect though weed growth has taken off, making it an increased necessity to check those rigs often to make certain they are clean. You might not think that the little piece of vegetation hanging off you nymph would make that big of a difference but more often than not it does.

I talked about early starts last week and you should definitely continue to shoot for being on the water as early as possible. Mornings have been prime time for nymphing with things tapering off by late morning/early afternoon, during the height of the sun and the heat of the day. If you’re dry fly fishing expect your best trico opportunities to occur within the 9-noon window after which time fishing an ant or hopper blind is your ticket to success.

As per usual the arrival of the Dog Days is marked by an exodus of anglers who will hopefully be returning for a busy fall season but under the current conditions in the world it’s anybody’s guess.

August fishing on the Missouri tends to get a bad rap due to the perceived (and often-times real) notion that it’s hot and weedy but that aside August fishing can often be as good, if not better, than earlier in the summer simply due to the fact that the fish aren’t nearly as pressured.

Couple this with an overlap of Tricos and Caddis and the best month of the summer to fish terrestrials and I can’t imagine why you WOULDN”T fish the Missouri in August. I’ve had more than my share of ridiculous nymphing days in August and also caught my personal best Missouri River fish on a hopper in the middle of August. So while weeds and heat can be a challenge it’s a challenge that’s more than offset by the lack of traffic and the abundance of great fishing opportunities. There really is no reason to not be fishing the Missouri in August.

Take advantage of this opportunity today and book yourself a late summer trip to the Missouri. Lodging is currently wide open and while we’ve still been putting multiple trips on the water each day things are tapering off meaning it’s the perfect time to book.

The shop is open early with everything you need for your day on the water from lodging, guides, rental boats and shuttles to sun protection, packs and bags, tools and accessories and the near-legendary largest selection of Missouri River bugs ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-07-28T17:03:54-06:00July 28th, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

It’s Trico Time on the Missouri – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

It’s what some of you have been waiting for….Tricos on the MO’.

Others despise the challenges presented by tiny dry flies and finicky fish but for the hard-core DFO purists among you now is the time.

The quiet early mornings at the boat launches are a thing of the past for now as the Trico guys know an early start is critical for a shot at the prime spots during the spinner fall, somewhere around 9 – 10 am.

A week ago I had the ramps to myself at 6 am when I was dropping rental boats. Today I had to wait my turn behind a multitude of early starts with a steady stream coming in behind me.
Early on means early off which works out well as mid-day temps are currently pushing into the 80’s and 90’s with bright sun and minimal cloud cover the norm as of late. Tomorrow looks like a good chance for showers throughout the day before we resume the summer sun and heat through the weekend.

There continues to be a fair amount of evening traffic out there as well. We recommend self-shuttling for these late floats. We’ve been cutting off shuttles at 4 PM and while some may be doing them later than that I don’t think anyone is doing late night shuttling so if night ops are on your agenda please plan accordingly.

There are still some PMD’s around but definitely coming to a close. Tricos in the morning and Caddis in the evening and if that’s not your thing then have it to yourself during the heat of the day and start throwing some foam.

Hoppers and ants are starting to attract some interest. Not a ton of naturals around just yet but there will be soon enough. Fish the hopper (or ant) alone or drop a nymph (LGM, Zebra Midge, magic fly, lightning bug etc) and cover some ground. Hit the banks, hit the mid-river riffles, hit the spots you wouldn’t normally expect to move fish…you might just be surprised by where you find them.

The nymph game has continued to produce albeit somewhat inconsistently with the continued flow fluctuations taking a toll on the fishing depending on the day. We’re sitting at 4920 CFS as of this writing, I’d expect it to maintain in this range from here on out but I’ve been getting this one wrong more often than not so take it for what it is.

On the good days best nymph bets have been Purple Weight Fly, Frenchie, Brown S & M, Split Case PMD, Tailwater Sow, Black Zebra Midge, PMD Magic Fly, Pearl Lightning Bug, Little Green Machine, Peep Show, PMD Redemption, Tung Dart, PT’s, and the occasional hot streak on Olive or Natural Zirdles.

Top movers from the dry fly bin include Rusty Spinners, Buzzballs, Drowned PMD Spinner, Flash Cripple, Film Critic on the PMD menu. Caddis faves include Blooms Hi Vis Parachute Caddis, Stockingfoot Caddis, Outrigger Caddis, Cornfed Caddis and CDC Caddis Emergers. Go to Trico patterns – Indicator Spinner, Hi Vis Spinner, Double Wing, Hi Vis Sprout and other assorted flavors.

We’re open early every day, by 7 at the latest, with boat rentals in the water generally by 6:30 am. The weirdness continues to hamper our lodging and guide trip bookings but we’re plugging along piecing a season together. The point is, we’re getting enough cancellations that we’ve been able to accommodate last minute requests with a fairly high rate of success so don’t shy away from attempting to book those last minute rooms and trips.

It’s summertime on the Missouri, with Dog Days ahead.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-07-22T20:04:58-06:00July 22nd, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, pmd's, running line, tricos, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Caddis Sunset – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Rapidly approaching mid-July and everything is falling into place.

The flows have been cut in half since last week and are currently leveling off at a wade-friendly 5900 CFS. July operation plans from the Bureau of Reclamation are predicting most probable flows to be right about where they are for the month before falling in August and leveling out at around 4500 CFS for the remainder of 2020. Water temps are holding at around 63 degrees.
The late push of water had many singing the blues these last two weeks but to be honest with you, the conditions couldn’t be much better than they are right now as far as flow and water temperature go. The weeds are definitely starting to take hold but we’re in really good shape for Mid-July.

So it took a while but the water conditions which are the first piece of the puzzle just fell into place. Obviously the other critical component of the Missouri River dry fly extravaganza is the bugs and we’re happy to report that this component has also been shaping up nicely throughout the season.

This time of the season is what makes the MO a legend in the lore of western fly fishing. PMD’s? Check. Caddis? Check. Tricos? Check. And some pseudos in the mix for good measure. So many bugs, so many trout and nothing but time.

These are the days of pre-dawn launches and of picking boats after dark. These are the days of sleep deprivation amongst crazed dry-fly anglers and shop staff alike. These are the days of hunting heads, of blanket hatches, of putting pods of fish down with blown casts and with any luck, of artfully delivered casts being rewarded with the take and the fight and just maybe landing the fish of a lifetime. Big fish. Small flies. Delicate tippet and a highly developed combination of steely determination, resolve and finesse (as well as one hell of a well-rehearsed and more often than not, perfectly executed reach cast) culminating in an oddity known in our world as the DFO.

They’re a rare breed and the banks of the Missouri are crawling with them right now. That being said, “crawling” might be a stretch. After all, it’s the season of Covid and nothing is quite as it should be. Don’t get me wrong, there are folks here and we’re “busy” by 2020 standards but in a normal year with these bugs and these conditions you would expect the Missouri to be overrun with anglers which it is not.

That being said, we’ve been doing this dawn and darkness boat thing for years and while it’s definitely not every night, there have been a couple evenings at the ramp, the likes of which I’ve never seen with the parking lot at the takeout looking like 3:30 pm on a summer afternoon with nearly every trailer spot occupied.

Other days (and nights) it’s already feeling like the coming Dog Days of August with next to no one around.

Weekends are a different story as it seems Covid has kept folks close to home. A ton of rafts and SUP’s and all manner of floaty things assembled on all stretches of the river have made Saturday the day you probably don’t want to try to fish the MO.

Aside from Saturdays however, this is the season to be here if you want to experience the Missouri River at PRIME TIME like you’ve never experienced it before and hopefully won’t again with light to moderate traffic and an abundance of target-rich water there for the taking.

A recent lull in our lodging caused by Covid cancellations has ended and we’re back to full bore with a nearly full house for the remainder of the month.

Guide trips are filling in nicely and requests have reached a point where we’re having to turn down days because all of our guides are booked. This is a welcome development in a season we feared we might lose altogether.
We continue to play the fill-in game with inventory at the shop, walking the fine line between cautious purchasing and having everything on hand you might ask for. We still don’t know where this thing is going so we’re continuing to cautiously plot the remainder of the season but rest assured we do have bugs a plenty as well as a full stock of leaders/tippet/lines/tools/accessories/ etc. and we’ve also just placed a couple of logo orders to replenish our depleted stocks of WCA gear. New stuff coming soon.

The fly bins are full with all of the PMD, Caddis and Trico patterns (as well as the largest assortment of Missouri River nymphs ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek MT) And don’t miss our drawer of foam fully stocked with all of the best hopper patterns for the rapidly approaching terrestrial season.

Summer hours 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM officially, and usually someone around before and after those hours. Shuttles, sun protection, Adipose Drift Boat rentals, Affordable lodging and the hardest working guide crew on the MO’.

We are your Missouri River summer fly fishing destination.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-07-14T21:30:56-06:00July 14th, 2020|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: Adipose, caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, pmd's, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

The Elephant Lurks

Throughout the pandemic I’ve done my best to avoid any political discussion regarding our current situation. I’ve kept readers informed of our efforts to handle the unique challenges of conducting business in the Covid World and while I certainly have devoted some space on this blog to thoughts and reflections on life in the age of Coronavirus, I’ve been careful to steer clear of controversy.

I find it best to continue with that approach but due to the fact that we seem to be at a Covid Crossroads as evidenced by daily increases in case numbers coupled with press conferences from our Governor as well as from our County officials regarding these increases, I’m going to stray from that approach ever so slightly today just to keep everyone apprised of what is happening with Coronavirus in Montana and more specifically in Lewis and Clark County where we reside and where we conduct our business.

The bottom line is that whatever your opinion of the pandemic and the way in which it’s been handled, the fact is the numbers are increasing daily which is concerning to all of us. Mind you, it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that we’re seeing an increase in the numbers as things open up and restrictions are lifted. The point was never to STOP the spread, it was to SLOW the spread in an effort to not overwhelm health care systems. That goal was reached during the stay at home order.

Increased testing obviously means increased cases and while those daily numbers can look scary I would contend that the relatively low (and steady) hospitalization and death rates should give us hope that this thing is not nearly as menacing and deadly as it was thought to be early on.

That being said Montana did see its largest single day increase in cases yesterday with 80 total cases (over 50 of which came from one place, a nursing home in Yellowstone County). So while I’m not necessarily losing sleep lying awake at night freaking out about Covid it’s obvious that the increased spread is very much a thing and this being the case I have decided to push hard for masking in our shop.

For the time being and until further notice, all employees are required to wear masks when anyone is in the shop. I’ve placed conspicuous signage up explaining that we are strongly encouraging the wearing of masks by our customers and that we do have disposable masks available for those who don’t have a mask. Mask wearing has increased ten-fold since we stepped up our masking program but we still see a fair number of customers entering who don’t seem to give NOT wearing a mask a second thought.

I’ve tried to maintain a level head throughout but I must say that this all seems to have many folks from all sides of the issue on edge. We’ve seen some push back from customers who are skeptical of the whole thing and are more than happy to share their opinions about the masks. We’ve also heard a number of complaints from masked customers who wonder why we are allowing people in our shop without masks.

I’ve been ok with letting folks make their own choice as to whether or not they choose to wear a mask in the shop but I will say that as the county has pushed closer to mandating masks and as some states have taken that step and mandated wearing a mask in all public places, I’ve been surprised to see people choosing to not wear them. Believe me, without getting political about it, I do not have a favorable opinion of any government agency issuing such a mandate. However, as a business owner and a consumer, I have no problem with a private business implementing such requirements.

It has been made clear to us in Montana that we need to get it together…OR ELSE, and while such threats immediately raise hackles (mine included), we all share the hope that Covid numbers can be held in check and that we can continue to move towards Phase 3 of reopening. If wearing a mask and social distancing are going to get us there then I’m in. We’ve struggled through this season so far and will continue to do so but we’re thankful to be doing our thing right now, even if it is in somewhat of a limited capacity, and we’re going to do what we can to maintain and hopefully increase the opportunities afforded us.

Once again, just to be clear, having the health department mandate mask usage for all and urging our customers to wear masks in the shop are two completely different animals and we hope you agree with our assessment and appreciate the distinction.

I’ll stop just short once again of requiring the masks because I don’t really want to get into policy enforcement issues but we would humbly ask that you do your part to help us keep our business open by observing social distancing, wearing a mask in the shop, using hand sanitizer when you come in and adhering to our limited customer capacity request.

We’ll continue to clean and disinfect often and will continue to implement measures to keep all of our employees and customers safe and all we ask of you is that you respect our efforts to do so.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-07-08T18:30:33-06:00July 8th, 2020|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: coronavirus, COVID-19, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek Angler|4 Comments

Summer Days on the Missouri

2020 continues to confound.

It’s hard to believe but July is upon us, and with it, the continued peak flows of the season. 10,900 CFS at the time of this writing with a couple of more bumps to come today and tomorrow. We may in fact be bumping up against 13K by tomorrow and while that’s far from ideal for the legions of wade anglers currently either sitting on the sidelines or renting boats, it’s not all bad.

Canyon Ferry is currently 100 percent full with the flood control pool currently 14.5% full. Inflow is 10,377 with outflow at 10,040 CFS. We’re approaching equilibrium with plenty of water for the season ahead. That’s good news.

Soon enough the flows will be reduced and conditions will again approach perfection. In the meantime we’re already looking at flows exceeding 12K below the Dearborn but after cresting yesterday things are on the drop and it shouldn’t take long to clear.

Water temps are still holding at around 59 degrees thanks to below average temps during the day and downright chilly nights which have been dipping into the 40’s regularly. It doesn’t feel much like summer but it will soon enough. Our extended green season will soon be behind us but thankfully healthy flows should maintain for the season.

Despite the higher flows the fishing has actually continued to be fairly consistent both for the dry fly crowd and the nymphing set alike and the hard core streamer contingent continues to thwart convention, taking advantage of the extended clean-water season. We’ve been exploiting these higher flows and the color being added by the LPP and Dearborn to put together some respectable days on streamers and it looks like we could have at least another week of it.

We’d recommend concentrating your efforts sub-surface for the remainder of the week as the additional couple thousand CFS promised for the next two days may effectively shut down dry fly fishing for the time being. If you simply can’t accept that then focus on the side channels and soft water locales for your dry fly fix. We’re not sure when she’s coming down but it shouldn’t be long. If I had to venture a guess I’d say that we should see flows start to fall by the weekend and certainly by next week.

Dry Fly options still PMD’s and Caddis. Tricos on deck. Best bets – Rusty Spinners, PMD CDC Spinner, Buzzball, Film Critic, Flash Cripple, Blooms Parachute Caddis, Outrigger Caddis, Cornfed Caddis, CDC Caddis Emerger. We’ve gotten a few calls inquiring about Terrestrial Fishing this week and while it’s not quite prime-time for terrestrials you could certainly do worse things than throw an ant these days.

Best bet for nymphing – PMD nymphs (Crack Backs, Split Case, PMD Redemption, Frenchie, Psycho May, S & M PMD, Magic Fly, LGM) Caddis Pupae (Purple or Gold Weight Fly, Tung Dart, Nitro Caddis) and general purpose staples like Fish Finder Worms, Pheasant Tails, Sow Bugs and Czechs.

Streamers – Olive buggers, Lil Kim, Sparkle Minnows, MK Ultras, Dirty Hippie (Brown), Mini Dungeons, MoJo Minnow etc. Fruit Rollups and Pine Squirrel Leeches are never a bad call and crayfish have had their moments as of late.

Boat rentals have blown up this week so you’ll definitely want to call ahead if you’re thinking you’re going to rent a boat. We’re in the thick of it with guide trips but do have openings for those last minute plans. Lodging is full of holes due to Covid cancellations. We’re busy with lodging but not nearly as busy as we should be during the first week of July so if you’re thinking of changing summer travel plans and possibly putting together a trip to the MO give us a call. It’s likely we can get you set up with guides and lodging in the weeks to come.

The balancing act continues in the shop, trying to keep things somewhat minimal while at the same time making sure we have all the staples you need and thus far I feel like we’ve done a good job with it. Flies, leaders, tippet, fly lines, tools and accessories are fully stocked. Hats and T’s and gifty things….not quite so much.

Official summer hours are 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily. Guide trips have been going out around 8 AM and Rental Boats have been being delivered at the crack of dawn.

We’re keeping a close eye on the Covid situation and doing everything in our power to operate in the safest possible manner for our clients as well as our employees. You can rest assured we’re committed to our cleaning/disinfecting protocols in the shop and we’re leaning heavily towards requiring masks for our customers. Not quite there but we’ll keep you posted.

By Jason Orzechowski|2020-07-01T18:56:34-06:00July 1st, 2020|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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