Missouri River Fishing Report 5/21/15

Hot fishing on cold rainy days on the MO.

Hot fishing on cold rainy days on the MO.

Last weekend’s Montana Monsoon rains which lasted into the early part of the week changed things up a bit bumping Missouri flows up over 4,000 for a couple of days, greening up the countryside and coloring the water up below Little Prickly Pear and the Dearborn.
The streamer guys took advantage of the situation both on the MO and the creeks and the worm ruled for a short time as the mud dumped. We had a couple of outstanding bwo events on those cold rainy days despite the persistent north northeast winds which made things a little on the unpleasant side out there. All in all however, the cold wet weather made for some great fishing all the way around.
Yesterday the sunshine and blue skies returned and the action slowed a bit as the river cleared and the flows returned to sub 4K. Reports were mixed but overall it was on the slow side yesterday from top to bottom.
Tailwater sows were our ticket on Monday and Tuesday on the upper stretch but that all changed yesterday as we worked hard to find something they would eat with some consistnecy. It was one of those days constantly changing bugs and changing depths and failing to really find a consistent rig. There were some reports of the worm continuing to work below the Dearborn but we ran a wire worm of sorts for the better part of the day in the Wolf Creek to Stickney stretch and failed to get an eat. Little Green Machines, Peep Shows and the PMD Magic Fly were our best bugs of the day in slower, moderate depth water, usually working inside out and running the drop-offs.
The streamer bite was fair yesterday despite the bright sun with Coffey’s Sculpin Sparkle Minnow and the Circus Peanut getting some attention. Dry fly activity was spotty yesterday though there were a couple of spots with substantial pod activity between Craig and Stickney and it appeared as though an evening outing would have been quite productive judging by the diminished winds and the fish we saw up as we drove along the river back to Wolf Creek.
We’ve got another blue sky day with a slight chance of rain this afternoon with more of the same for tomorrow. We’ve got limited lodging available for the weekend and guides available anytime. Give us a call at the shop for up-to-the-minute river and weather conditions and stop by on your way to the river for bugs, shuttles, boats and everything you need for your day on the water. Don’t forget the DUB C A Soiree happening all day on Saturday with 15% off everything store wide except shuttles. Free barbeque beginning at 5 pm with music from Helena’s Sleeping Giants weather permitting.
See you at Wolf Creek Angler!

Our first day of outfitting on the Blackfoot with WCA guide Ryan Stultz

Our first day of outfitting on the Blackfoot with WCA guide Ryan Stultz

The Week Ahead

Preparations underway for the Dub C A Soiree. Fred hard at work getting the grounds in shape.

Preparations underway for the Dub C A Soiree. Fred hard at work getting the grounds in shape.

It’s going to be a busy week here in Wolf Creek as we prepare for Saturday’s Dub C A Soiree. We’re prettying things up around the shop and the property and hoping for awesome weather for the weekend. The current forecast is for rain showers in the morning becoming intermittent later in the day with highs near 70.
Stop in Saturday morning for bugs and shuttles and great deals on almost everything and come back after fishing for barbeque and live music from Sleeping Giants starting at 5 pm. We’ ve got a few vacancies for the weekend which should fill by mid week so don’t hesitate. Book your lodging and guide trips today.
Busy morning on the MO with the dam and Wolf Creek Bridge launches buzzing with activity. The rainy weekend has flows at around 4400 with Little Prickly Pear and the Dearborn pumping a fair amount of mud. Could be some outstanding streamer fishing to be had. Mixed bag of reports from yesterday with most reporting a tougher than average day. Heard a few good reports from those fishing the creeks but much of that water is pretty churned up right now. Should be back in shape by the middle part of the week.
The weather looks good this week with temps in the 60’s and 70’s and partly cloudy skies though that NNE wind looks like its going to hang around a while longer.
Full fishing report tomorrow.

By |2016-10-25T16:15:52-06:00May 18th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Fancy yet Functional River Series Fly Boxes at Wolf Creek Angler

 

River Series handmade wood fly boxes from A.L. Swanson Craftsman Studio in Helena Montana. Available now at Wolf Creek Angler.

River Series handmade wood fly boxes from A.L. Swanson Craftsman Studios in Helena Montana. Available now at Wolf Creek Angler.

We’ve recently started selling handmade River Series wood fly boxes from A.L. Swanson. They are beautiful boxes made in Helena Montana and constructed from sustainably harvested lumber, inlaid with exotic woods, metals and shell. They feature inlaid shell and earth magnet closures, brass hinges….the whole nine yards.

The River Series features three different size boxes from three classic Montana rivers, each box with it’s own unique characteristics just like their namesakes, the Missouri, the Madison and the Smith Rivers.

Starting at $129 these boxes aren’t cheap but they are a perfect Montana keepsake for the fly anglers in your life and we think they make a perfect Father’s Day gift which could very well be passed on for generations to come…they’re THAT nice.

Swanson, the maker of the boxes, expects them to be used rather than set on display somewhere collecting dust. They are as functional as they are beautiful and while it would certainly be a drag to lose one of these boxes the normal scratches and dings you can’t avoid with wood will only add to the character of the box as it ages.

I’m not sure I would use this box on the water if I had one, I tend to lose things, but I would definitely put it on display and it would definitely hold a prominent place amongst my prized possessions. A box like this can take on a significance you could never predict or expect.

I was given a beautiful hand made wood fly box by a friend many years ago.  I never considered actually using it for the purpose for which it was intended, I knew exactly what it would be used for. It would become the permanant home for a black and white Rooster Tail spinner.

I was still just dabbling in fly fishing at the time and had not yet committed. My dad asked me if I would like to  fish with him one June evening which I did. I don’t remember if we caught anything but I closed the night out with the Rooster Tail. A few weeks later he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Seven months later he was gone. It was the last time we fished together and while it may seem sacrilege to store a Rooster Tail  in a handmade fly box, this was the purpose for which this particular wood fly box was destined.

Stop by the shop and check out these beautiful boxes. We’re positive your dad, grandfather, husband or anyone you know who loves Montana and loves fly fishing would LOVE to have one. Better yet, why not treat yourself to one. After all, you deserver nice things too!

 

Mid Week Missouri River Fishing Report

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Guest Blog from WCA Guide Matt Hargrave

Met a buddy and fellow guide at the shop Monday morning. I picked through the fly bin grabbing some usual suspects (#18 pt little green machine and some #18 olive s&m nymphs), and decided to grab some nymphs I never fish. I’ve been doing a lot of experimenting lately. Fishing different water and different patterns. This time I picked up some #12 bh flashback pt’s, some #14 hare’s ears, a downey baetis nymph, a bwo magic fly, and a two bit hooker. I am guilty of sticking to tried and true patterns and water that I know hold fish. I also know to improve as an angler and a guide that I need to expand my arsenal and my knowledge of the Missouri. Sometime’s you gotta take chances.

We floated Mid-Mt. Palace. The day was overcast, 60, but with a cold wind. I picked up a nice brown right away on the lgm. Sometime’s landing a fish that quickly is a bad sign. That was not the case that day. The fish were hungry and ate everything I presented to them.

Later in the day, my buddy Josh started wrecking them fishing blind with a brown para adams. I stuck with the short leash and landed fish everywhere you would think a trout would be.

Towards the evening we anchored on a pod of fish that would not go down. We all touched and caught several fish out of that pod, only leaving it because it was getting too late to fish. Just before the take out, Chad and I doubled up on two dry fly eating fish. Perfect way to end an epic day.

Moral of the story is to get out there and get out of your comfort zone. Start building confidence in different patterns and different water. Growing as an angler is what everyone should be striving for—Matt

Doubled UP

Doubled UP

Come see what’s new at Wolf Creek Angler

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As we move into the heart of the spring season we’ve got a shop full of gear and more arriving daily. Do yourself a favor and stop by and find out what the buzz is about at Wolf Creek Angler.
We’ve got a case full of new reels from Ross and Nautilus, racks full of awesome gear from KAST and Redington and all kinds of cool Simms WCA logo wear. Plenty of rods from Echo and St Croix including the High Stick Drifter and the Bank Robber – both available to demo. Give a call and reserve one today. If you fish it and you like it and you decide to purchase one we’ll knock the rental fee off of the purchase price.
Fishpond Nomad net restock underway. Smith optics, Yeti coolers, an awesome selection of fly lines from Rio and Airflo, all kinds of indicators including Strike Foundry and Air-Lock, leaders and tippet from Trout Hunter and Rio and all the tools and accessories you need for Missouri River Fly Fishing success along with the largest selection (and growing larger by the day) of flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana. These are high quality bugs from the likes of Montana Fly Company, Umpqua, Yellowstone Fly Goods and Solitude….the real deal, not the knock-offs.
A top notch guide crew, comfortable and affordable dog-friendly lodging, shuttle service, RO drift boat rentals and a humble and helpful staff anxious to be a part of your Montana fly fishing adventure make us a great choice. All just minutes from Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge…nobody’s closer!
Open daily at 7 AM for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs.

A Great Week on the MO

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Our clients have been enjoying some spectacular fishing this week on both nymphs and dries. What’s your preference? Book a guide trip with us today and we’ll tailor your trip to fit your needs. Hunting heads, chucking streamers, nymphing – we are happy to do any and all of the above.

All of our guides specialize in making your day on the Missouri everything you want it to be. We can’t guarantee how the fishing will be but we are committed to doing everything we can to make your day of Missouri River fly fishing an experience you won’t soon forget.

Give us a call today and book your Missouri River trip of a lifetime.

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Jan and Lynn doubled up with WCA guide Eric Mondragon

Jan and Lynn doubled up with WCA guide Eric Mondragon

Mid Week Missouri River Fishing Report 5/6/15

WCA Guide Nick Kaufman with a dry fly eating Missouri River brown. This is how we spend our days off.

WCA Guide Nick Kaufman with a dry fly eating Missouri River brown. This is how we spend our days off.

The spring crescendo continues on the Missouri as the daylight hours stretch and the bugs intensify and the numbers of fish feasting on the surface increase almost daily.
BWO’s, midges, March Browns and rumours of Caddis in the canyon mean the dry fly fishing is about to go insane and while you wait the nymphing has been keeping rods bend daily river wide.
We don’t have much new to report on the nymphing side of it. Green Machines are THE bug of choice. Shallow rigging has been successful depending on the day and the time of day and the deeper rigs are consistently working on the sunnier days which we’ve had no shortage of lately. Try a purple weight fly, Tungsten Tailwater Sow, Wire Worm, Hot Belly PT or a tan czech for a point fly and follow it with your LGM, S & M, Peep, Military May, Micro May, Magic Fly, Olive WD40. 2 Bit Hooker or various sow bug patterns and search the water columns until you find the fish. A BB split or two helps on the longer rigs, go weightless on the short rigs – the tungsten beads will get you where you need to be.
If you find fish up throw the kitchen sink at them. If you want to keep it simple throw an Adams and a bwo cdc emerger at them and build from there. We’ve got all kinds of cool BWO patterns at the ready. Come check them out and see if you can find something you like, chances are pretty good that if you like your bugs you will fish them with confidence and the fish will like them too.
How about streamers? We’ve been throwing them and getting some fish to move on Sparkle Minnows, Tan Circus Peanuts and brown Polar Leeches. Overcast skies on tap for tomorrow – could be a great streamer day which will give you something to do while you’re out there looking for heads.
Stop by the shop for a shuttle on your way out and stock up on all the dries, nymphs and streamers you will need as well as leaders, tippet, tools, Flyagra, Strike Foundry Lil Nugget Indicators, Buffs, Kast Extreme Fishing Gear and all kinds of cool WCA logo gear.

Missouri River Weekend Report 5/2/15

Danya Ann taming the MO - photo by Matt Hargrave

Danya Ann taming the MO – photo by Matt Hargrave

Widespread reports of Full-On sick nymphing the past couple of days river wide. Sunny skies and some stiff winds have limited dry fly opportunities during the day though it sounds like those returning to the water in the evenings have been rewarded with some near-epic conditions and lots of fish willing to eat.
Green Machines have been THE bug, hands down, no matter what the section though it sounds like the Pink Amex and the Rainbow Czech have had their moments as well. We restocked LGM’s this morning and while the #18 PT’s had been the most frequently picked over the grays are reportedly working as well, if not better, in some places so don’t hesitate to try them. Firebead sows and FB Rainbow Weight Flies have seen a bit of a resurgence over the past few days and we’ve been selling a ton of Olive WD 40’s. Purple Weight flies, tailwater sows, BWO Magic Fly, S & M’s , Micro Mays, 2 Bit Hookers, wire worms….all have been catching a lot of fish and last but not least…I haven’t heard too many reports about Peep Shows but for what its’ worth this bin had probably 8-10 dozen bugs in it when I opened this morning…

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I haven’t heard any streamer reports though we’re thinking that should be on your agenda as well in the coming days.
Bottom line? The fishing is damn good right now no matter where you go. The word is that fish are more concentrated in the canyon section but that they are smaller overall than in the upper sections where there are reportedly fewer fish at the moment but much bigger average size. Pick a stretch and enjoy!
Lodging just shy of full this evening and opening up tomorrow and Monday before the next wave comes in on Tuesday. Completely booked mid-week but a few openings here and there towards next weekend. Guides at the ready. Don’t miss out on this awesome spring fishing. Book your trip on the Missouri today.

Make us your first stop on the way to the river for shuttles, bugs (other than #16 dark Peep Shows), bobbers, boats, fishing licenses, ice, Buffs and gloves for hot or cold weather, Rio and Trout Hunter leaders and tippet,  all kinds of tools and accessories, a great cup of coffee,  friendly and knowledgeable service, honest advice and much much more.

See you at WCA

 

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WCA logotransform photo signs

The One and Only Wolf Creek Angler - located at 515 Recreation Road in Wolf Creek

The One and Only Wolf Creek Angler – located at 515 Recreation Road in Wolf Creek

It’s the first of May and things are in full swing at Wolf Creek Angler and on the Missouri. We’ve had a couple of extremely busy lodging weeks and some mornings in the shop that feel like the height of the season.

Looking back at where we were  last year at this time, one month into our first season, we couldn’t be more pleased with our upward trajectory. We are so thankful to all of our customers and we’re excited to continue to improve and grow and offer you more of what you want and more of what you expect from your Full Service Missouri River fly shop and guide service.

And speaking of our guide service, this is an area of our business that we would love to grow and we’ve put together just the team to make that happen. Our guides are First Class in every respect and they are committed to making your day on the water one you won’t soon forget.  We’re not into the ego thing at Wolf Creek Angler as anyone who has shopped here or stayed with us knows and we approach guide trips in the same way with our focus first and foremost on providing our clients with a great all around experience rather than on proving what phenomenal guides we are. Book a trip with us today for an experience that goes far beyond the numbers game.

It looks like it’s going to be another great week weather wise to fish the MO with temps in the low 70’s for the weekend and back up near 80 on Monday. Things cool down mid week with cloudy skies and low 60’s and a significant chance for rain showers on Thursday which will likely be your best bet for a good dry fly or streamer day.

Another busy week of lodging ahead but we do have a few vacancies on Sunday and Monday and again on Wednesday. Call today to book your guide trips and to fill these vacancies!

See you in the shop and on the water.

By |2016-10-25T16:15:53-06:00May 1st, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

WCA Events Update

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May is going to be a busy month on the Missouri. An early spring has kick started the 2015 season. Lots of folks around already and a bunch of stuff going on in addition to great fishing on the MO. Here’s what’s happening the next few weeks in and around Wolf Creek Montana.

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Friday May 15th. Ales For Trails – Pioneer Park in Helena from 5 – 9 PM. Helena Ales for Trails is about contributing to the common good in Helena by raising funds for the Helena trail system. This year’s event will benefit Centennial Trail which is a paved non-vehicle path that will connect Spring Meadow Lake to East Helena.

This year will feature 40+ beer varieties from up to 15 different craft breweries. Participants will also have the opportunity to taste cider and wine. Live music by David Casey and Kate Plummer.

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Saturday, May 16th. 9th Annual Craig Caddis Festival. 4 pm – ??  Barbeque Contest, Parade, Kids Activities, Silent Auction, Raffle, Live Music and all-around shenanigans in Craig Montana with proceeds going to support the Craig Volunteer Fire Department. We’ve decided to pass on the barbeque contest portion of the event this year but we are donating items for the auction and we will be around enjoying the festivities.

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Saturday, May 16th. Montana 2015 General Fishing Season Opener. Get out and fish the creeks. We can’t wait!

Not the Dub C A Soiree - but cool anyways.

Not the Dub C A Soiree – but cool anyways.

Saturday, May 23rd. The Inaugural Dub C A Soiree – Wolf Creek Angler, Wolf Creek Montana.

Come join us as we usher in another great season on the Missouri River with the Inaugural WCA Soiree. Great deals in the shop all day, food and fun and live music from Helena’s Sleeping Giants starting at 5 pm. You don’t want to miss this one. Limited lodging still available. Book yours today.

In addition to these big weekend events May will be a busy time at Wolf Creek Angler with crowds descending upon the region to fish our world-famous river. It should be prime time for streamer fishing and dry fly fishing will definitely be drawing a crowd. May is definitely a favorite month amongst the fly shop contingent as we enjoy spectacular fishing coupled with relative peace and solitude – the calm before the storm of the summer season.

We hope you join us for all of these events and great fishing on the Missouri River.

 

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