Wolf Creek Archives - Page 5 of 59

Eternal Winter on the MO

It just keeps coming!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Easing Into Spring

As we approach mid-April things are slowly, but surely starting to look (and feel and smell) like spring.

Sunshine and 70’s on Monday FINALLY took care of the snow that had been lingering here around the shop since NOVEMBER.

But don’t swap out the fleece and flannel for flip flops just yet. We’re currently under a WINTER STORM WARNING in effect from 6 PM tonight through 12 AM on Friday. Today looks perfect with a slight chance of rain, mostly cloudy skies, high in the low 50s and light and variable wind.

Rain changes to snow tonight with a low of 34 and tomorrow looks fairly miserable with a high of 42, snow early on changing to rain in the afternoon and north winds 10-13 mph with gusts to 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent with 1 – 2 inches of accumulation possible. If this was October it might be the makings of an epic BWO day but with our water temps still well shy of 40 degrees we’re a ways out from that.

Current water flows are higher than we’ve seen in a while at around 5400 cfs. Expect those flows to bump as the spring progresses. We’ll likely see increases up to 8K in May, peaking at around 10K before settling back to the current 5 – 6K in June. These flow predictions are great for the health of the river and obviously indicate a good looking big picture for all of the regional waters for the 2023 season. Snow pack currently ranges from 90 to 120 percent of average for the vast majority of the region.

The warm weather brought out a fair amount of traffic over the Easter weekend and Monday was the busiest day we’ve seen in a while. High wind warnings kept folks away yesterday on a day which turned out to be pretty damn nice. It’s a quiet hump day but the river will be busy this weekend if our bookings are any indication.

We’re close to a full house this weekend but we do have a couple of vacancies if you’re looking to spend your weekend on the MO.

We’ve also got our first big group trip of the season with the Annual Iron Fly Outfitting/Hidden Canyon Lodge Women’s Intermediate Fly Fishing Clinic happening Saturday and Sunday.
Winter Storm Warning aside – it looks to be a perfect spring weekend with plenty of sunshine and ideal temps in the 50’s on Saturday and edging back towards 70 on Sunday.

We’re expecting a busy weekend so get here early and beat the rush. The shop is literally bursting at the seams with new product so please come and take some of this stuff off of our hands. Waders and outerwear from Simms and Redington, boots from Simms and Korkers, rods and reels from SAGE, LAMSON, ECHO and REDINGTON and piles of fly lines from SA, Rio and Airflo. From general purpose weight forward floating lines to a full range of specialty sink lines and EVERYTHING in between we’ve got you covered.

With all of the new product coming in we’ve had to make some room so we’re clearing out a bunch of winter inventory at incredible prices. 30 – 40 percent off on winter wear and fly lines. Get em’ before they’re gone!

Need flies? You won’t find a better selection of Missouri River flies ANYWHERE! Those trendy bugs you’re reading about in all of the fishing reports- we’ve got em’. We’ve got em’ all! Pill Poppers, Bubble Yums, Tailwater Sows, Radiation Baetis, Amex, Cotton Candy, Yum Yums, Rainbow Czechs, Zebra Midges, Ray Charles, Little Green Machines and on and on. Looking for dries? We’ve got midge patterns galore and more BWO patterns than you’ll know what to do with. Looking for classics? Look no further. Parachute Adams, Purple Haze, Pheasant Tails, Hares Ears…we’re fully stocked on all of the classics in all of the sizes. And these aren’t shop ties or knock offs – these are the real deal from trusted brands like Montana Fly Company, Umpqua, Solitude Flies and Yellowstone Fly Goods.

Skwalas? Of course. We’ve got bins full of them.

Streamers? Ha! Don’t get me started. We are the undisputed Streamer Authority on the MO!

Need a couple more reasons to make Wolf Creek Angler your Missouri River Fly Fishing Destination?

Our guides are amongst the very best in the region with well over a century of combined experience. And not only are they fishy, you won’t find a more patient and humble crew anywhere. If you like a guide with a huge ego who spends half the day yelling at you and the other half telling you what a great guide they are then you’ll want to book elsewhere. You won’t find them here.

Our lodging is still amongst the most affordable in the area and your comfort while staying with us is our number one priority. Following our major remodel this winter we now have rooms ranging from basic motel style rooms to fancy efficiencies, something to fit every budget. We are dog friendly in most of our rooms with the exception of the newly remodeled bungalows.

We offer the cheapest dam shuttles on the MO…spread the word!

we are your source for Fishing licenses, ice, hats and socks and gloves, sunscreen and buffs, piles of tools and accessories from MFC, SA and more.

Wolf Creek Angler is closer to the Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge fishing access sites than any other shop. LPP and the Dearborn are currently dumping mud into the MO so chances are you’ll be starting at one or the other for the time being.

Wolf Creek is the home of Lazy I Beerworks with over 20 beers on tap and also home to the Canyon Store which is the ONLY place for gas and groceries between Helena and Cascade.

Wolf Creek is just 7 miles from Craig, home of Izaaks and the Craig Taphouse and I think there are a couple of other fly shops there as well.

As you can see, Wolf Creek is, by all measures, your Missouri River spring fly fishing destination.

See you in the shop and on the water soon.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-04-12T11:29:18-06:00April 12th, 2023|Categories: Local Buzz, Shop Life|Tags: annual women's intermediate fly fishing clinic, cheapest dam shuttles on the mo, Craig Taphouse, dry fly fishing, Echo, fly fishing, green machine, Hidden Canyon Lodge, iron fly outfitting, Izaaks, Lazy I Beerworks, Missouri River, Missouri River Fly Fishing Destination, Montana Fly Company, pill popper, Redington, RIO, Sage, simms, solitude flies, Streamer Fishing, Umpqua, winter storm warning, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, yellowstone fly goods|1 Comment

Spring Coming Soon…photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Could it be that this ridiculously prolonged, slow burn of a winter is FINALLY coming to an end?

We can’t say for sure. But the forecast seems to be leaning that way.

A couple of more days of high 30’s/ low 40’s with overnight lows dipping into the teens but then it happens. 50’s on Thursday, near 60 on Friday and 60’s pushing 70, yes, you read that right, pushing 70, early next week.

They’re calling for a 30 percent chance of snow tomorrow, with little or no accumulation expected. But other than that the only precip we’re seeing in the forecast is in the form of rain.

Maybe, just maybe, spring is settling in.

With any luck we’ll be bidding a fond farewell to the snow and ice which have been blanketing the property since early November.

The combination of snow and ice and mud have made the parking lot a mess for weeks and by extension, since those who have been staying with us have had to park in and walk through said parking lot to get to the rooms, housekeeping has been a challenge to say the least.

But that’s all about to come to an end as a couple of days in the 60’s with even a little bit of sun will go a LONG ways in drying us out.

We’ll look to open up the last of the lodging late this week.

Traffic has been building, ever so slowly. A few folks around the shop each day, busy lodging on the weekends and guide trips just starting to roll. Just enough activity to get acclimated as it’s about to blow up.

The river is in great shape, currently running 5400 CFS with that temp holding steady in the 36 degree range. The upcoming warming trend should get things cooking as the water warms and the fish snap out of their winter slumber.

Nymphing the usual suspects will keep a bend in the rods. Anything with a pink bead has been exceptional as of late. Dry fly fishing has been decent on the right days, absent the wind and should only improve. Keep those midge rigs at the ready.

Streamer fishing has been adequate and is about to go PRIME TIME! The hour and the day is unknown but it could happen any time so go after it. Swing, strip, do what you do knowing that it could happen anytime now. We’ve got 6 weeks of Prime streamer fishing ahead of us with dry fly nirvana to follow. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

Treat yourself to a new streamer set up today. We’re stocked up with plenty of the tools you need to get the job done from Sage, Echo, Redington and Lamson and a bumper crop of streamer lines from SA, Airflo and Rio for any and all sub surface scenarios. It’s just the bugs you need? We’ve got you covered there as well with the best streamer selection on the Missouri. We are your Streamer Fishing Authority on the MO!

Shop open at 8 AM for everything you need for your day on the water. Shuttles, bugs, hats, gloves, waders, boots, wading jackets, rain gear, lines and leaders, tools and accessories and the best free coffee in the canyon.

We hope you make WCA your fist stop on your way to the MO.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-04-03T17:06:56-06:00April 3rd, 2023|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Not So Fast…

We’re five days into spring and we have had a taste of spring weather but don’t put the cold weather gear away just yet. It looks like winter is about to return with snow in the forecast every day starting tomorrow and running through Thursday with a couple of inches expected on Sunday.

Temps will hover around 40 each day so not exactly an arctic blast but for those who have been waiting for those warm and sunny spring days, you’ll have to wait a little longer. Or maybe a lot longer. The long term is calling for below average temps and above average precipitation at least for this first half of spring.

Overnight lows are trending up into the 20’s rather than the teens so you may be able to get an earlier start with things warming up quicker but I’d expect those water conditions to remain static for the time being. Flows are currently holding right around 4000 CFS with that 34.5 degree water temp having a hard time going much of anywhere.

These are fairly standard early spring conditions, nothing too out of the ordinary but it’s been a LONG winter and we’re ready for warmer days. Fishing has been good with nymphing being the go to for numbers but there are plenty of folks swinging and stripping streamers as well and the low light midge fishing has definitely been productive.

Standard fare on the nymphing with pink leading the charge. Must haves include Pill Poppers, Pederson’s Sow, Bubble Yum Scud, Pink Soft Hackle Sow, Cotton Candy, Lucent Bead Pink Ray, Tailwater Sow.

Streamer fishing has been hit or miss but we’ve had a few decent days. Swing a Polar Leech, Thin Mint or Kreelex. Strip a Sparkle Minnow, Skiddish Smolt, Dirty Hippy, D and D, Gladio, MK Ultra, Wedge Head, Silk Kitty or Swim Coach. Go deep and strip slow or hit the sunny shallows to target those fish seeking warmer water.

Midges have been plentiful most days and you’ll find fish up here and there but the better dry fly action has definitely been during low light conditions which generally means evenings but the cloudy conditions expected this weekend could bode well for daytime action.

It’s definitely on the cold side for doing so but it might be getting to be time to start throwing a skwala around on select stretches of water. Not a major player on the MO but always worth a try as we transition into spring. Big bugs = big fish (sometimes). We’ve got a good variety of skwala patterns in the bins for those wanting to give it a shot.

Winter lodging rates are in effect through the end of the month so you’ve got a week left to take advantage of CHEAP rooms. You’ve also got a week left to shop TAX FREE as the resort tax in Wolf Creek goes back into effect on April 1st.

We’ve got 2/3rds of our lodging open and will have the motel units open by the middle of April. Guide trips are starting to pick up but we’ve got plenty of availability through the month of April and into the early part of May.

Shop hours are 8 AM – 4 PM Monday – Saturday. We’ll add Sunday to the mix and extend our hours just as soon as the help arrives for the season which will be soon.

Start your day with a stop at WCA for shuttles, bugs, fishing licenses, hats, gloves, fly lines, leaders, waders, boots, rods, reels and so much more. We are your FULL SERVICE MISSOURI RIVER SPRINGF FLY FISHING DESTINATION. Those in the KNOW shop WCA, far and away the very BEST FLY SHOP in Wolf Creek MT and consistently proclaimed to be the BEST FLY SHOP you never even knew was here.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-03-24T10:28:02-06:00March 24th, 2023|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: BEST FLY SHOP, Cheap, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, running line, Streamer Fishing, tax free, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Predlude to Spring

It’s been a roller coaster weather wise this week on the MO with spring showing up on Monday and Tuesday before another winter smack down in the form of a Winter Storm bringing 6 plus inches of new snow on Tuesday night and Wednesday.

The sun is shining this St Patrick’s Day morning and the forecast looks good with an abundance of sunshine and a high near 42 and south southwest wind just 7 – 11 mph. Definitely a favorable forecast for spring fishing on the MO but you might want to give it a minute as we’re currently sitting at 14 degrees.

And speaking of spring fishing – Monday is the day, the official first day of spring. The current forecast is calling for mostly cloudy skies with a high near 50 and calm winds. If that forecast holds you can’t do much better than that for the first day of spring on the Missouri River.

Between now and then the weekend looks similarly appealing with highs right around 50 each day, manageable winds on Saturday and calm winds on Sunday. No sign of snow in the forecast until Monday night and that chance will linger throughout next week but maybe, just maybe we are past the significant winter weather. A welcome change to be sure!

In spite of the weather ups and downs what has been consistent is the fishing which has been consistently good all week long. Early spring is amongst the very best times to fish the MO if numbers are important to you. It’s already heating up as our fish emerge from their winter slumber. A couple of more ticks up in the water temps and it’s going to go off! We’re still hanging around 34 degrees which is on the cold side but it won’t be long and those spring sun BTU’s will get things moving towards optimal trout temps (44 – 67 degrees).

Best bets for nymphing – Pill Popper, Bubble Yum, Cotton Candy, Pederson’s Sow, Tailwater Sow, Rainbow Czech, Pink Amex, Pink Lucent Bead Ray Charles, UV Yum Yum, Caviar Scud, Radiation Baetis, Zebra Midge, Firebead Ray, Firebead Czech, UV Sow, Soft Hackle Sow…you get the picture. All of these and many more in stock NOW at WCA.

Midge Madness on any given day for those looking to catch that first fish of the season on a dry fly. Try a Griffiths Gnat, Grizzly Midge, Bucky’s Midge Cluster, Black Sipper, Black Midge or even the tried and true Parachute Adams.

We’re a couple of weeks out from Prime Time for streamer fishing but there’s no time like the present to start down that road. Good reports as of late on white, grey and black but that will change with the day depending on water conditions and light levels. Polar Leech, Kreelex, Sparkle Minnow, Skiddish Smolt, Thin Mints, Mod Maidens, Mojo Minnows, MK Ultralite all good on the slow strip. Best bet on the swing would be leeches, buggers, Fruit Rollups and the like.

The shop is stocked up with TONS of Bugs, Simms Waders and boots, a bunch of new sweet sticks from Sage, Lamson, Echo and Redington and all the gear and accessories you’ll need for your day on the water.

We’re open from 8:30 – 4 PM Monday – Saturday and will expand those hours as things get busier.

Stop in for shuttles, fishing licenses, intel, the best coffee in the canyon and so much more.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-03-17T11:15:59-06:00March 17th, 2023|Categories: Fishing Report, Uncategorized|Tags: Black Midge, Black Sipper, bubble yum, Bucky's Midge Cluster, Caviar Scud, cotton candy, dry fly fishing, Firebead Czech, Firebead Ray, Griffiths gnat, Kreelex, Lamson, midge, Missouri River, MK UYltralite, Mod Maiden, Mojo Minnow, Pederson's Sow, pill popper, Pink Amex, Pink Lucent Bead Ray Charles, Polar Leech, Radiation Baetis, Rainbow Czech, running line, simms, sparkle minnow, Streamer Fishing, Tailwater Sow, Thin Mint, UV Yum Yum, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Sunny Late Winter Vibes as Wolf Creek ANgler

Blue skies and sunshine this ninth day or March, exactly the kind of day we need to get into spring fishing mode. The temperature hasn’t broken the freezing mark in a couple of days but we’re headed there today with a high near 40 on tap. Calm south winds in the 6-8 mph range make today the day to be on the water.

Snow and light winds from the NORTH tomorrow with a high of 33. 1-3 inches of snow expected. I’ll just leave that there without commentary.

Power through it. Spring weather will arrive next week with highs in the low to mid 50’s starting on Monday.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect!

We’ve opened a third of our lodging in preparation for a full house next week when our friends from the Bitterroot arrive for their Annual pre-season fling on the MO.

It’s been a couple of worrisome nights hoping for the best in regards to the plumbing with temps dipping into the single digits (so far so good) and we’re not quite out of the woods just yet but things look to be trending in the right direction.

Target date for opening the remodeled bungalows is April 1st or before and motel rooms will likely be opened by early to mid-April.

The shop is in GO mode with piles of spring inventory awaiting your arrival. We’re stocked up on Simms waders and boots, Sage rods and reels and of course the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

Streamer bins are full, Sow Bug bins are full, Midge bins are full….we’re ready to rock and roll at Wolf Creek Angler.

We’re also your exclusive FWP License Provider in Wolf Creek and while we encourage all of our guests to purchase licenses online which you can do here, we’re happy to provide this service to our customers. After all, what kind of fishing shop doesn’t sell fishing licenses?

Fishing has been good and it’s about to get a whole lot better as that blazing spring sun warms the winter waters letting our trout know it’s GO TIME.

For the rainbow population that means gearing up to spawn. For the browns that means it’s time to feast. Time to feast on midges, time to feast on nymphs, almost time to feast on eggs and most importantly, time to feast on baitfish. Streamer Time on the MO!

It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year for those to whom enticing a hungry beast of a brown with a well-stripped streamer is the Holy Grail of fly fishing. Mind you we’re well aware that to some the Streamer game doesn’t even qualify as “fly fishing” and that’s ok.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and our opinion is that we’re all seeking the “tug” and it doesn’t really matter how we get there. We LOVE feeding dry flies to sipping fish. We LOVE chasing bobbers and you already know how we feel about streamer fishing. Find what you like and do it. It needn’t be any more complicated or controversial than that. #COEXIST

We’ll be adding Mondays back into the mix starting this week so starting on Monday the 13th, spring shop hours for now will be Monday – Saturday 9 AM – 4 PM.

Time change happens this weekend so don’t forget to Spring Ahead. Long hours of daylight on the way!

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-03-09T13:01:24-07:00March 9th, 2023|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: #coexist, brown trout, dry fly fishing, fly fishing, midge, Missouri River, Montana, running line, Sage, simms, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Following a couple of days this week where we got, what this winter has been, a rare taste of sunshine, blue skies, moderate temps and calm winds that mark late winter on the MO, it’s back to grey skies and cold gusty winds on this dreary second day of March.

It doesn’t feel much like it today but spring is in fact, on the way. 18 days and counting to be exact. It’ll be a while yet before the weather conditions sync with what the calendar says but sooner or later we’ll emerge from winter’s darkness here at Wolf Creek Angler and that warm spring sun will crowd out the cold and melt this ridiculous accumulation of ice and snow we’ve been haphazardly negotiating since about the middle of November.

Looking at today and tomorrow, conditions look less than ideal for fishing the MO with persistent gusty winds but Saturday looks optimal with sunshine, a high near 40 and south winds just 8-13 mph. Temps drop on Sunday and will hang in the high 20’s for a couple of days with a decent chance for snow but it looks like a moderate warmup underway starting mid-week next week.

We’ll be closed this weekend starting tomorrow for out of town obligations but if the weather trends hold for next week I would expect to have our first lodging units of the season available by next weekend.

Progress continues on our remodels with things really starting to take shape. It’s a huge makeover ushering in a whole different level of accommodation in our ever popular bungalows. And while this is probably the most dramatic of the changes we’ve made, heading into season number 10 and taking account of all the things we’ve done, I couldn’t be more pleased with the slow but steady transformation which has occurred here.

If you hadn’t shopped or stayed here since we bought the business in 2013 I’m confident you would not recognize much of anything about the operation we’ve become. And it’s not just the lodging. Wolf Creek Angler was always meant to be first and foremost a kick ass Missouri River fly shop and while I acknowledge that my opinion is definitely biased, I state truth when I tell you that this is exactly what we have become.

From humble roots we’ve scratched and clawed our way forward, ever expanding our offerings and chasing the top brands in the industry to the point where I’m happy to announce we do indeed offer the best of everything in fly fishing topped off this season with the much sought after and fought for addition of SAGE to our rod and reel inventory.

We firmly believe in and stand behind every product line we carry but those Sage and Simms Authorized Dealer signs are the symbols of victory in a battle, the likes of which I never imagined when we opened Wolf Creek Angler. I know it’s lost on most who walk into a fly shop and expect to see those brands but it’s FAR from a given and our having these industry leading brands is an affirmation of our legitimacy not only as a shop, but as a brand here on the MO.

Obviously Montana is the Big Leagues when it comes to fly fishing in North America and the Missouri River is among the major players. And while we’ll continue to fly under the radar here in Wolf Creek in the shadow of the oft cited and promoted town of Craig, it’s a position we don’t mind at all.

Five and a half river miles upstream we’ve been quietly doing our thing here for the past 9 years, building Wolf Creek Angler into a brand that has carved out a spot here on the Big League Missouri. And while we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished so far, we’re not done.

Onward and Upward!

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-03-02T10:09:00-07:00March 2nd, 2023|Categories: Shop Life|Tags: Craig MT, fly fishing, Missouri River, Montana, progress, running line, Sage, season number 10, simms, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Coutning down the days to Spring

By Montana standards we’ve had a very mild winter here on the MO.

After an early November arctic blast conditions have remained relatively mild and relatively stable all winter long with daily high temps averaging somewhere in the low 30’s with lows hovering in the teens.

We’re currently in the midst of a somewhat rare cold snap with highs in the single digits today and tomorrow and lows dipping into the negative double digits. A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect through Friday with wind chills as low as -35 possible. Mild weather returns this weekend with highs back in the 40’s and the winds you would expect with the warmer temps.

So yes, a mild winter for sure and a FAR cry from a couple of years ago when our average high for the entire month of February was in the single digits. But even so, as we near the end of February and creep ever closer towards spring (26 days and counting) winter has started to feel really LONG and monotonous and I’m sure I’m among many who are over it. Spring can’t get here soon enough!

I say that, but at the same time we need all of the days between now and then to complete our winter projects and to finish preparations for a busy upcoming season. Definitely a Catch 22 as winter conditions certainly add challenges to getting things done. Our parking lot has been covered in ice for the most part since November. The snow comes and goes. The ice remains and will likely do so for at least another couple of weeks until the sun finally inches its way onto our property and starts to melt the winter away.

So yes, I’m breaking my own rules regarding complaining about the weather and every year those posts I see from seemingly everyone but me from their winter fishing trips to South America, Belize, Cuba, Louisiana, Arkansas etcetera look more and more appealing. I’ve had it with whiteouts, black ice, wind chill advisories, shoveling snow, NOT fishing….bring on the spring weather!

While we wait for spring and try to focus on the bright side there are definitely reasons for optimism. Snowpack conditions look pretty good at the moment provided things stay cold in the high country. We’ll continue to build on that snowpack through much of March so by all indications it should be a good water year on the MO.

Traffic has been very light for much of the winter, save a few nice days that saw substantial fiberglass and Gore-Tex hatches but I expect that will change very soon, likely with the next warmup which looks to be happening this weekend.

We’re a ways out on the remodel but we will be looking to get some lodging opened up in the next week or two as we’ve got a number of groups scheduled for the middle of March and judging by the calls I’ve been getting lately I don’t think we’ll have any problems filling rooms once that warming trend has been established. It sounds like people are READY TO FISH! I know I am!

Give us a call to book your spring lodging and guide trips. We’re anxious to see some lodging traffic again and to see some cash flowing IN rather than OUT which is pretty much the only direction it’s been flowing this winter. Guides are HUNGRY and the fish are as well.

Wolf Creek is ready to be your Missouri River spring fishing destination with everything you need right here. Affordable lodging, the friendliest fly shop on the MO, great food and over 20 amazing beers on tap at Lazy I Beerworks which is OPEN EVERY DAY, the ONLY spot for gas and provisions between Helena and Cascade at The Canyon Store and all within a couple of miles of Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge, as close as you can get.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-02-22T11:13:12-07:00February 22nd, 2023|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: Holter Dam, Lazy I Beerworks, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, spring fishing, The Canyon Store, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, Wolf Creek Bridge|0 Comments

Happy President’s Day!

How will you be spending your 3 Day Weekend?

It looks to be a breezy and somewhat snowy weekend on the Missouri but I would expect at least a bit of traffic from those looking for a winter trout fix as temperatures will plummet early next week taking fishing the MO off the table at least for a couple of days.

The weekend forecast is calling for highs in the 40’s with breezy west southwest winds and a chance for snow showers each day. Not ideal, but not terrible. I wouldn’t expect much in the way of dry fly fishing with those winds but nymphing the slow depths should be just fine and swinging and/or stripping is NEVER a bad call.

We’ll see highs in the single digits starting Wednesday before things start to trend upward again next weekend. Likely a better week for ice fishing than river fishing but not to worry, it’ll be here before you know it.

And speaking of that, the clock continues to tick on our remodeling projects as we work feverishly to wrap things up by the end of March. The good news is it’s looking like we’ll get there. We can’t wait for you to see what we’ve been up to.

Spring gear has started to trickle in and though the focus remains on our building projects we’re starting to move towards retail mode. Our hiring is (mostly) done and with any luck our crew will begin to take shape in early April.

Spring Cleaning will soon be the task at hand as we prepare the shop for season number 10! How did that happen? It doesn’t seem too long ago the clock was ticking on our original shop remodel and opening day at Wolf Creek Angler.

It’s going to be a great year at WCA!

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-02-17T09:26:19-07:00February 17th, 2023|Categories: Shop Life, Uncategorized|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, Missouri River, President's Day, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

The Shape of Water – February 2023 Edition

This is the time of year the calls really start to pick up from folks looking for flow predictions for the Missouri for the spring season.

Having just received the monthly Water Supply and Projected Operations report from the Bureau of Reclamation I figured I’d take this opportunity to give you the latest.

Current conditions as of February 8th have us at 3710 CFS with steady water temps just shy of 34 degrees, fairly standard winter flows and temps. The weather has been mild with daily highs generally in the high 30’s and low to mid 40’s, a trend we will see continue for at least the next 10 days.

That last substantial weather system we saw the week before last did deliver some much needed precipitation in the high country so we are indeed in that ideal winter pattern at this point with a good looking snow pack but little to no snow on the ground locally. If it wasn’t for the gusty winds, conditions really couldn’t be much better for February fishing.

Local conditions might make one think we’re destined for a low water spring but drilling down into the data, it doesn’t appear that this will be the case, at least according to the current snow pack and reservoir conditions.

With the Missouri Headwaters currently sitting at 114% of average, a favorable monthly precipitation and temperature outlook and Canyon Ferry currently sitting at 73.3% full, it seems we may in fact get the necessary and preferred flows we need this spring.

As indicated by the chart above, our most likely scenario at this point is flows holding at a steady 4K through this month and next before bumping slightly in April and then increasing to around 8K in May before peaking in the 9500 CFS range in early June. April through July runoff inflow forecast volume into Canyon Ferry Reservoir of 2,263,000 acre-feet, or 123 percent of average is predicted.

That being said, we’ve got a long way to go so actual flow volumes will likely deviate from February predictions.

I know I’ll be receiving calls after I post this from wade fishing folks who are going to voice concern and displeasure with said projections. Here’s what I’ll say about that…

First and foremost, just to repeat, we’re a long ways out. These projections are based on climate forecast models and current snowpack conditions and reservoir volumes. Nothing is carved in stone and I’d venture a guess that it’s very possible we see something more in the minimum probable model with flows holding steady right where they’re at all season long.

Second, should we see a peak of 8k – 10K it’s important to keep in mind that this is NOT considered to be “high” flow. The mean average peak flow below Holter Dam from 1947 – 2020 was 14,061 CFS so 8 – 10 K is historically considered to be on the low side.

As far as how flows relate to fishing conditions, we LOVE 6 – 8K. The wade anglers don’t love those flows as that 6K and up starts to present challenges but looking at the bigger picture, the sustainability of the fishery is dependent upon healthy flows. We’d love to see at least a few days of those “flushing flows” in the 15K range for the health of the river but an 8K – 10K peak is certainly preferred to a sustained 4K all season long.

It’s the same story every season. Those in the know make their best educated guesses as to what we’ll see and then Mother Nature gives us whatever she wants to give us. Maybe we’ll see 4K, maybe we’ll see 20K. It’ll likely be somewhere well in between.

What I can say for sure is that there will be water and we will be fishing it regardless of how high or low the flows may be. My February gut tells me that by the second week of June we’ll be settling in to summer flows and while those early summer flows may not be exactly what you LOVE I have a feeling that boat and wade anglers alike will be enjoying the start to another amazing summer season on the Missouri. That instinct may change depending on what happens between now and April but I’ll keep you posted.

Here’s to a great season ahead.

By Jason Orzechowski|2023-02-08T11:18:30-07:00February 8th, 2023|Categories: Local Buzz, Uncategorized|Tags: Canyon Ferry Reservoir, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River flows, Montana, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

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