Wolf Creek Archives - Page 23 of 60

Springtime in the Rockies

Frozen Pipes in April?

Ahhhh…..May in Montana. Singing birds, sunshine, greening grass, budding trees, freezing temps, frozen pipes, broken plumbing…it’s springtime in the Rockies.

Following some moderately mild spring weather in mid-April, winter returned last Sunday. You never know when the weather will turn but you’d think by late April we’d be done with the risk of frozen plumbing. Not so this year.

We dipped back down into the teens last night but it appears as though a warm-up is underway and with any luck the nervous nights spent worrying about frozen plumbing are behind us for the season.

We’ll see temperatures back in the 50’s for the next couple of days, 60’s by the end of the week and up to 70 by Sunday. More importantly, overnight lows will be hanging in the high 30’s and low 40’s. Good for slowing snow melt and for maintaining water in its liquid form.

Fishing has been fair though not as consistent as we expect it to be this time of year.

Status quo fishing report with the best fishing still happening from the dam to Wolf Creek Bridge. Nothing much new to report on the nymphing scene. Tailwater sows still ruling the day with Pill Poppers, Bubble Yums, Pederson’s Sow, Yum Yums, UV Crush, Caviar Scud, Rainbow Czech, Pink Amex, Firebead Sows, Cotton Candies and the like all finding their targets. I mentioned last week that it might not be a bad idea to start mixing in some BWO nymphs and it bears repeating. LGM’s, S & M’s, Psycho Mays, Radiation Baetis, BWO Magic Flies, and 2 Bits should all be in the mix.

Dry Fly fishing? Coming soon. Widespread reports of BWO’s making an appearance. We like Sprout Baetis, MicroMay BWO, and Olive Para Adams etc trailed with a cripple or an emerger. Film Critics, Flash Cripples, and DOA Cripple Baetis should all get it done. Surface activity has been sporadic at best but it’s only going to get better so keep your dry fly rod rigged and ready….be prepared.

Streamer fishing has been tough, I’m not going to lie. We’ve been working extremely hard at it without much to show for our efforts. Some are discouraged. I am not. Keep at it. Sooner or later it’ll happen. Or not. Try different colors, different sizes, switch up your retrieve. It’s hard work but the payoff is so worth it when it happens.

Good news from the Bureau of Reclamation this morning, it looks like flows are going to drop by around 1000 cfs tomorrow. It might make fishing weird for a day or two but we’re optimistic that things are about to come into fine shape. Water temps are holding in the 43 degree range and should start to increase over the next couple of weeks. Snow pack is average to slightly above so with the current weather pattern of mild days and cool nights continuing we’re cautiously optimistic that things are about to get really good.

Spring special is OVER but spring fishing is just getting started. We’ve got guides at the ready and lodging available most nights so if you’ve been on the fence about doing a spring trip get off the fence and book a trip today. NOW is the TIME!

We are open daily from 7:30 – 5:00 pm for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs. Shuttles; fishing licenses; Adipose Flow Drift Boat Rentals; waders, boots, outerwear and accessories from SIMMS; packs, tools and accessories from FISHPOND and the largest selection of Missouri River Bugs ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana. We are your GO TO, Full Service Fly Shack on the MO.

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-05-01T16:42:18-06:00May 1st, 2019|Categories: Fishing Report, Shop Life|Tags: dry fly fishing, Fishpond, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Spring is Streamer Time on the MO’

11,400 CFS and holding. That’s where she’s flowing right now. Out of the comfort zone for wade anglers, perfect for the drift boat brigades.
The dam to Wolf Creek Bridge has been the most consistent bet for the last couple of weeks. Wolf Creek to Craig has had its moments and Craig down has been hit or miss, but mostly miss.

It’s the time of year you need to strike a balance between sharing the best water and actually leaving the good spots to make room for the next wave. There are row arounds that can support quite a few boats. It’s best if you don’t drop anchor in these and it’s also the right thing to do to move on after you’ve caught some fish. How many is enough? It’s subjective for sure, but typically if I’ve run through a busy run a half a dozen times or so and hooked up on every run and the next run doesn’t produce then I’ll move on, especially if there are more boats joining in. Others stay longer and that’s fine but the whole point is to be as considerate as possible. Share the water!

Tailwater sows, Yum Yums, Soft Hackle sows, more tailwater sows, Pill Poppers, Pink Bead Rays, Pederson’s Sows, Firebead Rays….notice the trend? Fly selection is fairly simple right now. Anything sowbug should get it done though you might throw in a Rainbow Czech, an Amex or a worm just to mix it up a bit. We’re still concentrating on the slower, deeper water though we’re starting to pick up fish in more transitional water as well. Take some time and watch what’s happening around you. Take notice of the water the guides are fishing and mimic their behavior. Not sure what they’re using or how they’re using it? Ask them. Most guides are friendly and accessible and more than happy to help you out.

Midges a plenty out there but not much happening on top. We’re still waiting on BWO’s to start. I have heard rumors of a few here and there so it shouldn’t be long now.

The rumors you’ve heard about streamer fishing are true. It’s not that great right now but you can rest assured we’ll continue to do it and you’ll be the first to know when things turn on. We’ve had decent windows of time and/or certain water which produce on some days but we’ve yet to have a day where they were chasing all day. Don’t give up. It’s the best time of the year for streamer fishing….honest. You can always switch back and forth between the nymphing and throwing streamers but I usually opt to stick with streamers no matter what. That being said, it makes perfect sense to nymph the good nymphing runs since you’re right there.

We’re not sure where the flows are headed but we’re hoping they’re dumping in moderately large doses now to ease up on the flows next month. I can’t tell you that’s what’s happening but I hope it is.

We’ve had a few really nice weather days out there with temps actually approaching 80 last Friday but it appears as though winter is about to take another last gasp. Snow is in the forecast beginning on Sunday and running through Tuesday and it looks like it could be a substantial spring snow event with several inches predicted for Sunday and Monday. We’ll see highs in the mid 30’s and overnight lows in the high 20’s but it looks like normal weather will return by the middle of next week. Enjoy these next couple of days of mild weather and come prepared if you’re planning on being here early next week. Dig those winter clothes back out and bring them with you. We can help you with anything you forget. Plenty of hats and gloves and cold weather wear still hanging around at the best prices of the season.

Only five days left to take advantage of our spring special rates. $400 guide trips and $99 premium lodging. Regular season rates go into effect one week from today.

Lodging has hit its stride. It’s great having a crowd around here again. We’re booked solid for the weekend but there are rooms available starting on Sunday (just in time for the snow).

We’ve already implemented our extended spring hours to meet the morning rush. The shop is open daily at 7:30 am and we’ll likely push that to 7 AM at some point in May but for the time being you’ll find us here from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM daily. We’re open earlier than the rest so make Wolf Creek Angler your first stop on your way to the river for shuttles, bugs and a multitude of other Missouri River essentials.

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-04-25T21:23:51-06:00April 25th, 2019|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Mid April on the Missouri

Well TAX Day has come and gone and the spring season is really starting to take shape. We’ve seen our best first half of April ever thanks to adverse water conditions elsewhere though now that things have settled on the west side traffic has thinned a bit for the time being.

We’re under a winter weather advisory once again today with light snow falling but it looks like we’re finally going to see some nicer weather with temps approaching 70 by Friday before returning to more seasonable 50’s for the weekend.I’m definitely ready for some 70 degree days but these cool spring temps are exactly what we need right now to keep things in shape going forward.

Flows on the MO are on the high side for April, currently at around 8600 CFS which isn’t ideal for the wade anglers but fishing from the boat has been good most days, great some days and tough on others which is usually how it goes. Overall though spring is delivering.

As you might expect, river conditions have been the hot topic as of late. Everyone wants to know what the flows will be when they get here. The jury is still out on that.

April max flow conditions from the Bureau of Reclamation have already been exceeded with our current flows but even so, snow pack is hovering in the average to slightly above average range so we aren’t expecting to see a repeat of last year’s 20,000 CFS.

Last year around this time

2019 – All about the averages

As always, the wild card will be precipitation. Snow to an extent but rain for the most part will determine where we end up.
Last year at this time we were looking at snowpack in the 180% of average range so we were expecting to see a high water event. Current snowpack isn’t telling that kind of a story but again, if we see an exceptionally rainy spring then all bets are off.

On the bright side last year’s high water provided a much needed scouring of the substrate and we’re optimistic that the river reaped huge benefits from this scouring. Will we see Caddis Nirvana on the MO this season? Only time will tell.

Dry fly opportunities have been minimal but nymphing and streamer fishing are a go. Tailwater sows, Fish Finder Worms, Caviar Scuds, Rainbow Czechs, Amex, Firebead Rays, UV Crush, Bubble Yum Scuds, Pill Poppers, Zebra Midges and soft hackle sows have all been go to choices as of late and I certainly wouldn’t hesitate to try a green machine or a BWO Magic Fly just to switch things up.

Deep and slow is still a go but transitional water is in play. The water is still on the cold side but should start to bump up with warmer days and nights ahead which will get those fish moving around and spreading out. Rainbows may be scarce as spawning is in full swing (watch those redds when wading) but this is the perfect time to target those hungry browns with a streamer….just sayin!

We’re moderately busy this week with lodging and doing a fair amount of guide trips but we have rooms and guides at the ready if you’d like to come out and spend a day or two on one of the best trout rivers in North America. Look for things to steadily pick up as we hit the end of April into the heart of spring fishing in early May. You’ve got exactly two weeks to take advantage of $400 guide trips and $99 premium lodging. Starting May 1st that trip will cost you $550 and the rooms go up to $135/night.

Welcome to spring on the Missouri. We can’t wait to see you.

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-04-16T21:14:34-06:00April 16th, 2019|Categories: Fishing Report, Shop Life|Tags: caddis, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, green machine, Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|2 Comments

Montana Jim

We got the sad news last week that our friend James Savstrom (AKA Montana Jim) had passed away. Jim left us too soon but he went out doing what he loved, fishing his beloved Blackfoot River.

I met Jim the second year we were in business when he stopped by the shop looking for a new rod and some advice on where to fish the MO’. Looking back, I’m sure this was my audition and I guess I must have passed the test as Jim continued to frequent Wolf Creek Angler. He always had a kind word to say about our shop and he even started a Facebook group called Friends Who Like Wolf Creek Angler.

Jim started to book guide trips with us the following year and I really enjoyed taking him and his friend Paul fishing. We had some great spring days on the Missouri and while Jim has now been reunited with Paul who passed away last year I will miss fishing with both of them.

Many knew Jim from his “Montana Jim” blog where he chronicled his angling adventures primarily on the Blackfoot near his home in Lincoln. Jim and I often talked about getting out and fishing the Blackfoot together…unfortunately it never happened.

You can check out his blog here

Jim was not only supportive of Wolf Creek Angler but also took an interest in the events and organizations we support. More than one time he made the drive from Lincoln to Helena in January to attend the Pat Barnes Trout Unlimited presentation of the Fly Fishing Film Tour and I could always count on him to share and promote whatever events we were promoting on social media.

Jim had been dealt some major blows in his life from loss of loved ones to health issues but he remained eternally optimistic and his passion for the resource, the sport of fly fishing and introducing new anglers to the sport never faded.

Rest easy my friend. I’ll miss fishing the MO with you and I’ll always think of you when I’m wandering the Blackfoot.

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-04-10T21:45:18-06:00April 10th, 2019|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: Blackfoot River, fly fishing, Montana, Montana Jim, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|1 Comment

Streamer Eaters on the Prowl

Just when we were getting used to spring sunshine and temperatures in the 50’s Mother Nature shows us again that she’s in charge and she’s not quite done with winter weather.

We’re currently in the midst of a good soaking rain and under a WINTER STORM WARNING starting tonight, primarily for elevations above 5,000 feet where 6-12 inches of new snow is expected. We won’t see that here but we’re bracing for a cold, wet snowy day on the water tomorrow.

Lucky for you we’ve got plenty of Simms cold weather gear still hanging around the shop and better yet it’s all 30 percent off!

And speaking of SIMMS – spring is definitely wader weather and there are no better waders in the world than Simms waders so if you’re in the market for a new pair we’d love to sell them to you. We stock G3’s, Freestones and Tributaries (something in every price range) and the boots to go with them and we’re happy to order absolutely anything else you might want including boot foot models or G4’s or G4Z’s, which are the ultimate in wader technology and quality.

It’s a busy week here at WCA in spite of the soggy weather. The west side blew out Sunday night bringing an influx of guides and outfitters and their clients in search of fishable water and it just so happens the Missouri fits the bill and we’re happy to host the migration.

The river is fishing well, with the majority of traffic in the Holter Dam to Craig stretch. LPP and the Dearborn are adding some color but not so much that it’s having a negative impact on the fishing. Most are opting to fish the clean side but don’t be afraid to work the mud line with a worm and a sow bug or better yet a streamer if you are so inclined.

In my mind there is no better time to fish streamers on the MO than April and these soggy/cloudy/snowy days can be lights out. Sparkle Minnows, MK Ultras or Ultralites, Mojo minnows, Clousers, Skiddish Smolts…..angler’s choice this time of year. Fish what you like and stick with it.

Nymphing the dam down is your best bet for numbers. The aforementioned worm and sow bug are key. Pill poppers, UV Crush, Caviar Scuds, Lucent Bead Rays, Soft Hackle Sows, Pinkalicious, Rainbow Czechs, Bubble Yums, Cotton Candies, Amex…..all good choices.

The water is still on the cold side at right around 37 degrees so the majority of the fish are continuing to hold in the deeper, slower water but we’ve picked plenty up in the transitional water as well so don’t limit your options.

Flows have bumped to the 6500 range….we love 6-8K and the river does too.

It’s game-time…are you ready?

The Missouri River awakening continues this week as Izaak’s opens on Thursday, April 11th for season number nine. We can’t wait! Brisket Sandwich and Smoked Wings oh how I’ve missed you.

Izaak’s will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays for the time being but open for divinely delicious dinner offerings Wednesday-Sunday 4 PM – 9 PM. Dinner at Izaak’s is a highlight of the trip for many and we are thrilled to have this world-class dining option here on the Missouri.

It’s going to be a soggy week here on the MO but it looks like we’ll see a return to more seasonable conditions by the weekend.

We’ve got lodging available for the weekend ($99 for a kitchenette, $75-$85 for non-kitchen rooms) and our $400 spring special guide trips are in full swing. Book yours today!

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-04-09T20:35:32-06:00April 9th, 2019|Categories: Fishing Report, Local Buzz|Tags: Holter Dam, Izaaks, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, running line, simms, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Welcome April….The Season is Upon Us

And just like that winter was gone!

April is here and it’s GO TIME on the MO. The fishing is heating up and Wolf Creek and Craig are starting to come alive after one of the more brutal winters in recent memory.

The river is seeing some moderate to heavy traffic, especially on the weekends and especially in the Holter Dam to Craig stretch.

More importantly (from where I sit) the shop is busy and that’s good because spring shipments are arriving daily and the product is starting to stack up. We’re fully stocked with all kinds of great new gear. Simms waders and boots, tons of new bugs, Lamson and Ross reels, Loop, Echo and Redington rods, Korkers boots and the best of men’s and women’s 2019 sportswear from Simms. Piles of fly boxes, lines, leaders, tools and accessories. Boat bags and packs from Fishpond and Simms. Awesome new sunglasses from Smith and Suncloud and a sale rack you’re not going to want to miss. All Remaining Winter gear needs to go NOW! We’ve got the best deals you’re going to find on cold weather gear from Simms including jackets, hats, gloves, socks, flannel shirts, coldweather pants and more. Get em’ before they’re gone.

Adipose Rental boats are polished up and ready to hit the water and don’t forget we’ve got three Mending Waters Montana boats available free of charge to all vets and active duty military. Reserve your boat today at mendingwatersmontana.org

As of today lodging is 100 percent OPEN and we’re excited for our first FULL HOUSE of the season coming this weekend. It’s been a long and lonely winter around Wolf Creek Angler. Let the busy season begin!

Spring Special Guide Trips in effect…just $400 through the end of the month. Don’t miss this awesome opportunity to fish the amazing MO with the best guides in the business and save yourself $150 while doing it. The fishing is good and getting better and while we’ve still been flirting with some winterish weather the 10 day looks good with highs in the 50’s through the weekend and a little cooler heading into next week. Perfect spring fishing weather. Nymphs, streamers, dries….it’s all happening right now.

We are your Missouri River one stop shop with everything you need for your day on the water. Guides, rooms, shuttles, fishing licenses, the best coffee in the canyon and the biggest and best selection of bugs ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

Open 8 am daily for all of your fly fishing needs.

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-04-03T20:08:22-06:00April 3rd, 2019|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, Montana, Redington, running line, simms, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Photo – Rob Weiker

Do we have a spring special you ask?

It just so happens we have THE BEST DEAL on the MISSOURI… PERIOD.

Most are running specials, some are not and while we may not have been the first ones on the river to run a spring special we appreciate and are happy to participate in the market which has been created and we’re confident that you’ll be much more interested in the details of our amazing offer than in how long we’ve been doing a spring special.

Here’s what we’re offering…

$500 (plus tax) for a full day on the water with one of our exceptional guides AND two (2), that’s right, two nights of premium lodging at Wolf Creek Angler. No rushing to get here the morning of your trip. No driving home tired after hauling in trout all day. We invite you to try to find a better deal…you won’t!

Get here the night before your trip and relax. You can wander down to Shotgun Annie’s for dinner and cocktails or prepare your own dinner in your fully furnished kitchen. We’re still waiting for the last of the snow to disappear but it will soon be gone and we’re getting to the point where you’ll probably enjoy spending some time on the porch just taking it all in. We’re nestled in the heart of the Big Belt Mountains, surrounded by gorgeous views of rugged canyon landscapes. We’re definitely biased but we believe we’ve got the best views around and while being a stone’s throw from the MO would be nice, as far as we’re concerned there’s not a more perfect setting for a fly shop and cabins than Wolf Creek Montana.

Spend an awesome spring day on the water with the best guides on the river and return to WCA for another evening of R & R.

Don’t need the lodging? No problem. Our guide trip only price is an amazing value at just $400.

Just looking for a room? We’ve got you covered. $99 for premium lodging (kitchen and private bath) through the end of April.

So yeah, we’ve got a spring special and it’s the best deal on the Missouri.

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-03-22T16:30:46-06:00March 22nd, 2019|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: Best Deal on the Missouri, fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Spring Special Guide Rates, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|2 Comments

Five Years In

Wolf Creek Angler has a birthday coming up. This April 1st we turn 5 years old.

In some ways it feels like yesterday we opened up our doors but looking back there’s no denying we’ve come a LONG way.

Five years ago we spent the month of March transforming this old shack into the shop we’d dreamed up over years of frequenting fly shops. We still love the look and feel of this place though we are definitely space-challenged and doing our best to fit an ever-growing product line into our limited, but well utilized, space.

Just to highlight how much things have changed, there was actually a discussion early on of putting a raft in the shop just to take up space since we didn’t have enough merchandise to fill the shop. That’s not an issue today!

Enjoy this walk down memory lane….

Montana River Outfitters interior….where it all started

Another Time, Another Place

Montana River Outfitters Exterior

Inside the empty shell…winter 2014

Changing of the Guard (and the sign)

Taking Shape

Digging In

Progress

WCA 2019

Since we opened, it’s been our goal to make continuous improvements to the shop and to our lodging units. Sometimes its little things, sometimes its big things. Sometimes its things you’ll notice, often times its things that go unnoticed but which you’d definitely notice in a bad way if we didn’t do them.

This fifth year was no different. Some of our birthday gifts to you this year include;
• A Full Line Simms Dealership at Wolf Creek Angler
• Reels from Waterworks/Lamson
• New and improved Wi-Fi Access property-wide
• Fully remodeled motel rooms (just completed #11, the last of them)
• New carpet in Cabin #4
• New water heaters in all of our cabins

With the exception of the water heaters and the Wi-Fi these are all very visible improvements which are the fun ones to make and even though you’d probably never have occasion to notice things like water heaters, we love making these improvements almost just as much as they make it so much easier to sleep at night.

You can expect continuous change and continuous improvements as long as we’re around because as long as you keep coming back we want to do everything we can to enhance your experience shopping, fishing and staying with us.
We hope you join us this season at Wolf Creek Angler, it’s definitely a mile stone but honestly, we’re just getting started.
We are your FULL SERVICE Missouri River fly shop and we’re getting better with age. Come experience CHILL in Wolf Creek, far removed from chaos. You’ll be glad you did.

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-03-19T20:47:19-06:00March 19th, 2019|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: Missouri River, montana fly shops, Montana River Outfitters, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|3 Comments

The Shape of Water

As often happens, the sunshine and the spring-like forecast brought about a shift in my mindset from enduring the remainder of winter to getting things opened up for the start of the spring season. Right on cue, Mother Nature shut me down this morning with another dumping of snow.

Thankfully the temperatures are holding steady and it looks like the remainder of the week will bring a return to an abundance of sunshine, highs in the 40’s and a resumption of spring preparations.

I decided yesterday that today would be the start of having the shop open every day so that is the reason for another day of watching the snow fall but it’s just one more day. Tomorrow we turn the corner and it looks like we’re headed for more seasonable norms just in time for the official arrival of spring just one week from today.

As you might expect, the talk has definitely turned to the water forecast for 2019. As the snow continues to pile up the Bureau of Reclamation has adjusted flow predictions upwards though nowhere near what we saw last season. The latest “most probable” projections look favorable with spring flows in the 7-8K range with a peak around 9K in June. Max probable shows a jump from 8K to 12k from April to May with a June peak just over 12K while the Minimum probable shows things holding about where they’re at through the spring season with a peak of around 6K in June and back around 4500 CFS for the rest of the season.

What does it all mean? As per usual, it means that we’ll get what we get, there’s not much we can do about any of it, and while an extremely wet spring could change the game from where we sit now we’re still liking what we see.

As far as the snowpack goes, we are well below where we were last season at this time so we see no reason to panic. Wading conditions may not be ideal if we hit those most or max probable projections but it’s a ways out yet. We’ll wait and see what happens.

As I proclaim every spring when I start writing these water reports we have no way of knowing what’s going to happen. The experts are making informed decisions and we trust what they are saying but the bottom line is that Mother Nature will always have the final say.

What we do know is that there will be water, there will be fish, there will be bugs and we will be fishing. Beyond that, our crystal ball is as clear as mud but I’m still expecting that we’re setting up for what could be one spectacular season on the Missouri.

For the time being this is what you need to know. Spring weather is coming. Several of the ramps have been cleared including Wolf Creek Bridge, Craig, Stickney and Mid Cannon so it is indeed GO TIME.

Reports from the last couple of days have been good to great. Detailed report to come but suffice it to say that the fish are eating. Traffic is light (for the moment) but that’s all about to change.

We had a couple of cancellations for this weekend so if you’re itching to get out on the MO’ and want to make a weekend out of scratching that itch give us a call.

Make the Missouri River (and Wolf Creek Angler) Busy Again!

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-03-13T16:50:19-06:00March 13th, 2019|Categories: Local Buzz, Shop Life|Tags: Missouri River, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Coming Soon?

The shortest month of the year feels like it’s been the longest as winter drags on with no end in sight.

March will pick up right where February left off with single digit temps through the weekend and into the first part of next week but then it looks like something might just be starting to happen. Things could change between now and then but at this point it looks like we’ll be bathed in sunshine Sunday through Tuesday and while the temps will be far from warm we all know how good that late winter sun feels.

We’ll climb into the 20’s on Wednesday and Thursday and near 30 on Friday. Is it a warming trend? Here’s hoping so!

We’re thankful to have made up for winter’s slow start with plenty of precipitation throughout the last month but I for one have had just about enough. I’ve had enough of shoveling snow. I’ve had enough of fighting ice dams on the roof. I’ve had enough of NOT FISHING!

Snowpack has edged up to 110 – 120 percent of normal in our region and most of the state looks good right now at or near 100 percent of average. Only the Kootenai and the Sun, Teton and Marias drainages are lagging behind but are currently right around 90 percent of average. We like the looks of this map and we’re remaining cautiously optimistic that high water will not be an issue however Mother Nature always gets the final say on this so no guarantees here.

Ideally we’d see a return to normal temperatures sooner rather than later. The average high for February is 39 degrees, we’ve seen highs in the single digits or below zero more days than not this month. The average high for March is 47. We obviously won’t see that the first week of the month but sooner or later it has to warm up and when it does we’re expecting an extremely busy spring as the throngs arrive to satisfy that long-delayed Missouri River Fix.

And speaking of spring fishing, don’t forget it’s time to buy your 2019 Montana fishing license. 2018 licenses expire tomorrow.

Sadly we still have no fishing report to share but as you look towards the eventuality of spring fishing here’s what you need to know.

Water temps are currently holding in the 33 degree range….COLD! We would expect much of March to be full on winter fishing as far as the nymphing goes. Slow, deep water is what you’ll want to target with winter fare. Pink should be in the mix along with firebeads, tailwater sows, Yum Yums, Caviar Scuds, Zebra Midges, Rainbow Czechs, Soft Hackle Sows, Lightning Bugs, Ray Charles etc. Fish deep with weight (tungsten bead nymphs or split shot or both) and cover the water from the inside out, shortening the depth of your rig until you find where they’re at.

Warming water will get them moving at which time we’ll start to key in on the traditional spring hot spots, typically a little faster current with a little less depth. We like to run sowbugs all season long as they’re a constant food source but as we move into spring we will typically swap out the winter fare for mayfly nymphs and maybe even a dirt snake. Little Green Machines and the like tend to shine as the water conditions hit the spring prime.

Spring is brown trout time as the spawning rainbows become scarce. Watch those redds and please don’t target spawning fish. Late March through April and into the first part of May are the prime weeks for streamer fishing on the Missouri. We can’t wait!

Spring is also dry fly time as the Midge Machine churns out piles of bugs. We typically start fishing midges in late February but since nobody has been on the river harassing and educating the fish this year, those first few fishable days could be lights out with relatively easy pickings.
Don’t care for fishing midges? Spring is also Skwalla time so if throwing big dries is your thing don’t miss this opportunity. Many of the larger browns we catch each spring fall for the Skwalla.

I think we could be in for one phenomenal spring if this weather ever breaks and while it’s tough to shift gears to fishing mode while winter continues to have a stranglehold, it’s coming soon so there’s no time like the present to prepare.
It’s time to dig out your gear and get it organized. It’s a great time to replace those old, worn fly lines and this is the spring you should treat yourself to a new pair of Simms waders and boots. We’d be happy to help you with that!

How about a brand new Lamson, Ross or Redington reel or maybe a new LOOP, Redington or Echo rod. We’ve also got a limited supply of Nautilus reels we’re clearing out at 25% off. Once they’re gone they’re gone.

Great deals on Simms winter wear including Cold Weather Pants and Shirts and guide flannels….all 25 % off. Help us make space for the new gear arriving daily.

Remember spring is also time for the WCA Spring lodging and guide trip special….we guarantee it’s the best deal you’ll find on the MO’ and it’s happening right now!

$500 for two nights of premium lodging at Wolf Creek Angler and a full day guide trip for one or two anglers through the end of April. This same package will cost you over $800 starting May 1st so don’t miss this opportunity.

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-02-27T19:55:21-07:00February 27th, 2019|Categories: Fishing Report, Montana Fly Fishing, Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: brown trout, dry fly fishing, Echo, fly fishing, Loop, midge, Missouri River, Montana, Redington, running line, simms, WCA Spring Lodging and Guide Trip Special, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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