Wolf Creek Archives - Page 54 of 60

Updated Fishing Report 2/27/15

Despite the cold temps I couldn’t resist the pull of the river yesterday. It was pretty quiet at Wolf Creek Angler so I dusted off the old Simms Extreme waders, grabbed some hand warmers and donned my Wind Pro Balaclava from Outdoor Research (available at Wolf Creek Angler) and headed out. Surprisingly I was the only one at each of the couple of spots I fished.
Blue skies and sunshine and very little wind made for an awesome afternoon of fishing – even in 17 degrees, and while it was far from EPIC it was a pretty good couple of hours both sub surface and on top. I nymphed a couple up (a couple on the Pinkalicious and one on the soft hackle sow) and noticed a mess of midges on the water and more than a few eats. I decided that three fish was plenty as the big drawback to fishing in these temps is getting your hands wet and I headed off to find some heads.
It took a while but eventually I did find some fish feeding somewhat consistently and I made my way to them but failed to reach them before Jake swam through their feeding lane and put them down. I waited for a while and eventually they started eating again and this time I was ready. My second cast brought me my first fish of 2015 on a dry fly – not a big fish – but a fish on a dry fly in February in 17 degrees…I’ll take it!
Hiking back to the truck my waders were icing up, as was Jake’s coat and my hands had had as much as they could take so we called it a day.
It looks like it could be another slow day at WCA so I may just do it again….

Missouri River Fishing Report 2/27/15

Cold and lonely on the Missouri right now. Not near as cold as some other parts of the country but cold enough to shut down the fishing for a while. We’re seeing highs in the 20’s and lows in the single digits for the forseeable future – no surprise for late February/early March in Montana but since we had grown accustomed to temps in the 40’s and 50’s and even into the 60’s over the past month it’s a little bit of a shock to the system.
It’s good for the long- term but we were sure enjoying the fishing and enjoying the business we were doing in the shop. Fishy weather will return soon enough – in the meantime enjoy the Montana winter!
We plan to be open our regular winter hours for the next couple of weeks (Wednesday-Saturday 8:00 am – 4:00 pm) but may opt out depending on what the weather is doing. If you are hardcore enough to fish in below freezing temps and you’re planning on a stop at Wolf Creek Angler give us a call first just to make sure we are around. Whether we’re in the shop or not we are ALWAYS open for lodging and guide trips. If you are planning to fish this weekend remember Saturday is the last day your 2014 fishing license is valid. 2015 licenses available at Wolf Creek Angler.

Speaking of licenses – don’t forget deer and elk permit applications are due on March 16th. Everything you need to know is right here;

http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/licenses/buyApply/newDeadline/

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:00-06:00February 27th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Winter Returns

The recent return of winter weather means a little less time in the shop and on the river and a little more time enjoying the trails around Helena. – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Following three weeks or more of unseasonably warm temperatures late February has brought with it colder temps and snow putting the brakes on our early spring at least for the moment. We may see 47 today but it looks like we’ll be closing out the month with high temps in the 20’s and 30’s and lows in the single digits with a chance of snow every day through the weekend. As of right now it looks like more of the same for the early part of next week.

A week and a half ago I was begging RO Drift Boats to get us our new rental boats as we had all of our boats out for the day. Now it’s looking like it may be time to tuck them back into the garage for a while. Our available lodging had been full the past couple of weekends so after having had to turn people away we were ready to open up more lodging which we will likely still be doing soon but the sense of urgency is gone for the time being.

The traffic on the river was sparse for the past week, even with some great weather and consistently good fishing (for February) so we are expecting a slow week or two in the shop with the winter weather. That being said, we’ve been busy on the phones booking trips and lodging and it looks like 2015 is shaping up to be another great season. We’re thrilled with the attention our new web site is getting and we’re excited about the WCA Buzz.

Lots of new products arriving at Wolf Creek Angler this spring. We are confident you will be pleased. We are expanding our already impressive fly selection with a bunch of new patterns and we’ve stocked up on the hot bugs which tend to disappear from the area by the middle of the season. We don’t think we’ll run out…we will LOVE it if we do! New reels from Nautilus and Ross, a bunch of new accessories and Nomad nets from Fishpond, new logo gear from Simms, cool packs from Umpqua just to name a few and a couple of major product partnership announcements soon to come!

Open today for all of your Missouri River fly fishing needs. Shuttles, bugs, bobbers, boats, lodging, guide trips and more. Playing it by ear for the rest of the week, keeping an eye on the weather. Always open for guide trips and lodging.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:00-06:00February 24th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, RO Drift Boats, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Weekend Report 2/21/15

More traffic this morning than I’ve ever seen on Recreation Road, unfortunately the result of an accident on I-15 in the canyon rather than hordes of anglers heading out to fish the Missouri and making WCA their first stop of the day.
A little bit of winter back for this weekend with temps hanging in the mid 20’s today and tomorrow before we return to 40’s on Monday. I wouldn’t expect much traffic on the river today based on what we’ve seen over the past week but we will be in the shop this morning for those willing to brave the cold. The roads from Helena aren’t great so please use caution if you are coming out.
Nymphing remained on the slow side yesterday, at least in the Wolf Creek to Craig stretch. We’ve seen an uptick in streamer sales over the past week and the streamer action, though often hit or miss, has been pretty decent throughout the winter. Streamer fishing should only get better from here on out as the water begins to warm a bit. I plan to devote a day to it this week and will give a full report at that time. We’ve sold piles of polar leeches over the past couple of months and the copper/olive version has been our go-to all winter. Stop in and pick a couple up and fish them – they will make you a believer! Other good sellers have been Kreelex in brown/gold, Clousers and Squirrel Leeches in Olive and Black.
At this point Monday and Tuesday look like your best bets weather-wise but it will be tolerable all week. Lodging available anytime for $99/night. Just a reminder – you’ve got one week left on your 2014 Montana fishing license. New licenses available at Wolf Creek Angler! The new license year means spring is coming soon – we will be opening up more lodging by mid March – including the much sought after Cabin #3 for $69/night through the end of April. $300 Full Day Spring Special Guide Trips beginning in March. We’re anticipating a busy spring at Wolf Creek Angler and we’re excited about a bunch of new stuff we’re going to be carrying in the shop this season. Stop in and see what’s new!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:00-06:00February 21st, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: $300 Missouri River Guide Trips, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Friday Fishing Report 2/20/15

Solitude on the Missouri – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

All is quiet on the Missouri today, we’re not sure why. It’s currently 43 degrees with some rain/snow looming and little to no wind. One boat in at Wolf Creek and a couple more at the dam means a lot of available water and a lot of available fish. From where I sit typing away and doing other shop stuff I can only imagine that the water is blanketed with midges and that there are pods everywhere, casually sipping away – unmolested by anglers.
Good reports from those fishing downstream in the canyon yesterday with a decent streamer bite and good nymphing action and a few fish up. I walked in below WC Bridge last night and picked up a few though it was definitely slower for me than it’s been the past few times out. My go-to firebead soft hackle sow was all but ignored with the few cooperative fish opting to eat the #10 Pinkalicious instead.
We’ve got a little dose of winter on the way for the weekend with snow showers and highs in the 20’s tomorrow along with the dreaded NNE wind gusting to 24. Calm, sunny and cold on Sunday with a high of 25 and back to 30’s and 40’s next week.
Just eight days left to take advantage of our February special – book a full day guide trip for $395 and get a night’s lodging in one of our bungalows for $59. Not really expecting a barrage of calls for trips this weekend but weather permitting we expect trips out and rooms full throughout next week.
Spring will be here before you know it and with it ever improving fishing opportunities. Book a trip with us today and find out what a magical place the Missouri can be any time of year.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:00-06:00February 20th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, Streamer Fishing, streamers, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Why Wolf Creek? 10 Reasons you should make Wolf Creek your Missouri River fly fishing destination

10. Location, Location, Location

Wolf Creek is located just 3 miles from the Wolf Creek Bridge and 4.5 miles from Holter Dam. Chances are if you are traveling by car to fish the Missouri from much of Western, Southwestern and Central Montana and beyond you will be passing through Wolf Creek before you reach the river. Whether you are coming from Helena, Missoula, Kalispell, Billings, Bozeman, Butte or a host of other cities Wolf Creek is your first access to the Missouri River. Since Holter Dam to Craig is the most popular section of the river to float/fish it only makes sense to exit at Wolf Creek, buy your flies and arrange your shuttles at Wolf Creek Angler and proceed to your adventure on the MO. We will shuttle your rig to Craig or wherever you choose to float and you will have saved yourself all kinds of time and substantial mileage. If you choose to bypass Wolf Creek and start your day in Craig you have already added eight miles to your trip. Not the end of the world but by the time you travel eight miles back to Holter Dam or Wolf Creek Bridge you’ve added roughly 15-20 miles to your trip and shaved 30 minutes to an hour off of your fishing time. If you come out once a week to fish you are looking at 60-80 extra miles and a loss of several hours of fishing time over the course of the month. If you fish every month of the year it could be costing you up to several hundred dollars (depending on gas prices) and up to two days of lost fishing time over the course of a year! That’s a steep price to pay and we would love to help you save your time and money.

9. Food, Gas and Lodging

Looking to have access to amenities during your trip to the Missouri any time of the year? Wolf Creek is your destination. With two bar/restaurants and the ONLY gas station/convenience store and the ONLY US Post Office between Helena and Cascade, Wolf Creek is your first choice. Need lodging? Wolf Creek Angler has you covered with affordable lodging options year round. We’ve got units with full kitchens and full baths which sleep up to four comfortably and during the warmer months we’ve got no-frills motel rooms for under $70/night. We are dog friendly, we offer guide discounts and all of our units are clean and comfortable and right next door to a first-rate Missouri River fly shop.

8. A River Runs Through It

Much of Norman Maclean’s novel A River Runs Through It takes place in and around Wolf Creek. Wolf Creek is mentioned in the story many times – other Missouri River fishing destinations are not.

7. Little Prickly Pear/Wolf Creek Canyon

Postcard view of Little Prickly Pear Canyon

Our awe-inspiring canyon goes by both names. Whatever you choose to call it it’s an amazing place. Please keep your eyes on the road as you wind your way through the canyon along Little Prickly Pear Creek. More than a billion years ago,during the Precambrian Era, an ancient inland seaway deposited these shales and sands, which over time,became these vibrant red and green mudstones called“Spokane Shale”. Many of our guests enjoy relaxing times on the porch gazing at the rugged hillside across from the shop where we often see mule deer and big horn sheep and the occasional black bear.

6. The Oasis

Located within walking distance of Wolf Creek Angler, The Oasis offers dining during the season and is a great place to unwind anytime of the year with a game of pool or just watching the game and relaxing in the bar.

5. Welcome to Wolf Creek MT

Wolf Creek is made up of an eclectic mix of residents, some with deep Montana roots spanning generations, others who’ve arrived here from anywhere and elsewhere and have fallen in love with all that Wolf Creek has to offer. It might get a little weird around Wolf Creek sometimes but that’s part of what we love about it. Come discover for yourself the charm of Wolf Creek MT.

4. Wolf Creek Bridge

To call the Wolf Creek Bridge iconic is an understatement. Everyone who has fished the Missouri knows the bridge. It is probably our most photographed local landmark and images of our bridge often appear on the blogs and facebook pages of local fly shops and outfitters. We love our bridge so much we made it a part of our logo and while we love to see pictures of our bridge on social media, Wolf Creek Angler is the only shop with a rightful claim to the Wolf Creek Bridge.

3. Shotgun Annie’s

A Wolf Creek institution, Shotgun Annie’s (formerly The Frenchman and Me) is the only year-round restaurant between Helena and Cascade. It is a classic small town Montana saloon and is a favorite amongst our guests. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner and Shotgun Annie’s. They serve up great steaks, ribs, burgers and more.

2. Montana Microbrews at The Canyon Store

Rivaling the Montana-Made beer selection of large grocery stores in the bigger cities, The Canyon Store has fully embraced the Montana Microbrew craze. Check out their great selections from Lewis and Clark, Bitterroot Brewing, Bayern, Mighty Mo, Bozone and more.

1. Wolf Creek Angler

On the move and at your service since April of 2014, we are here for the long haul and fully intend to do our part to put Wolf Creek back on the map as a Missouri River fly fishing destination. We are your full service Missouri River fly shop offering lodging, guided fly fishing, drift boat and equipment rentals, shuttle service and a first-rate shop with an ever-growing inventory of everything you need for success on the Missouri River including the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

This season make Wolf Creek your Missouri River fly fishing destination!

By Jason Orzechowski|2019-01-16T18:31:03-07:00February 19th, 2015|Categories: Local Buzz, Montana Fly Fishing, Shop Life|Tags: A River Runs Through It, Craig MT, fly fishing, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Montana, montana fly shops, running line, The Canyon Store, The Frenchman and Me, The Oasis, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|5 Comments

Mid-Week Report – 2/18/15

Another gorgeous daybreak on the Missouri – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

River traffic remains very light this week though lodging has filled for the next couple of nights so expect to see at least a few folks out there today and tomorrow. It’s going to be another bright and sunny day with a high near 50 and it sounds like it may get a little breezy with SW wind 8-14 mph. More of the same tomorrow but with a WSW wind 18-22 gusting to 31.
Snow in the forecast for the weekend with temps in the 30’s and back to sunny skies and 40’s next week. We do have lodging available for the weekend. $99 + tax gets you a bungalow with a full kitchen and bath which sleeps three very comfortably.
Fishing wise I would continue to stick with the winter fare (pink stuff, soft hackle sows, firebeads) and I would still recommend Wolf Creek to Craig as being your best bet. Bring along a dry -fly rod rigged with a midge cluster or griffiths gnat and search the side channels for rising fish. Streamer fishing is always an option as well. We continue to have pretty good action depending on the day on the olive/copper polar leeches as well as the Kreelex and clousers.
The shop will be open from 7:30 am – 5:00 pm at least Wednesday – Sunday and we’ll be here on Monday and Tuesday as well if the weather calls for it. Please call ahead on Mondays and Tuesdays for the time being just to make sure. We are open EVERY day for lodging and guide trips and soon the shop will be open EVERY day as Fred will be returning sometime in early to mid March. We will likely open up more lodging in March so count on staying with us throughout the late winter/early spring.
We’ve got some great deals going on select items in the shop as we clear space for new merchandise arriving daily. We’ve got some awesome new product lines coming for spring which we are extremely excited about as we continue with our commitment to offer you the products you expect from your Missouri River fly shop.
See you in the shop and on the water!

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:00-06:00February 18th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: fly fishing, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, Streamer Fishing, Wolf Creek|0 Comments

Missouri River Fishing Report – Tuesday February 17th

Presidents Day Solo Mission on the MO – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

We were expecting things to be at least a little busy yesterday with the holiday and the near perfect weather conditions on the Missouri but apparently Presidents Day is not a big fishing day. With mostly cloudy skies and temps hanging in the mid 30’s and no wind to speak of I opted to fish in the afternoon and had an outrageously good couple of hours floating Wolf Creek to Craig with not another boat to be seen. A couple of wade anglers and a couple of pontoons – that was it – essentially the whole thing to myself with plenty of fish willing to play.
I chose two spots to nymph – one at the beginning of the float and one at the end, and spent the rest of the day exploring the slow banks and side channels looking for heads as I had not yet fished dries this year. I managed to stumble into a couple of different pods of feeding fish and while my first fish of 2015 on a dry-fly eluded me, I did have my first dry-fly refusals of 2015 and I was just thrilled to be out there throwing the 5 weight again to rising fish. The midges covered the water much of the day and the fish I found eating them were predictably in the slow spooky side channel waters. It was a great time and I’m looking forward to spending more time doing this in the weeks to come as it’s a major part of the winter fishing experience on the Missouri which I have, for the most part, overlooked.
On the nymphing side both spots I fished produced a lot of fish – many to hand and probably just as many missed. Nothing new here – Pinkalicious trailed with a firebead soft hackle sow bug. I fished the pink sow at the first spot until it was destroyed and having no more switched to the grey for the remainder of the day and did just as well. Only one fish on the Pinkalicious so I would highly recommend going with at least one firebead soft hackle sow. Fish the sloooow deep water and hit any movement of the indicator. Some aggressive takes but mostly on the subtle side. Overall a tremendous day on the water.
It looks like a couple of nice days ahead and then a little colder with a chance for some snow over the weekend but not so cold or so snowy that you shouldn’t be fishing. We are closed today but will be back in the shop tomorrow for the remainder of the week. Lodging has started to fill for the weekend but we do still have some vacancies so book your room now and make Wolf Creek your weekend destination.

Plenty of these and not a soul to be seen – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:00-06:00February 17th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: dry fly fishing, fly fishing, indicator, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments

Snowy Sunday 2/15/15

Winter returns to Wolf Creek – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

It’s looking a little more like February out there today with the snow coming down though it’s still great fishing weather with temps in the mid 30’s going up to 43. More of the same tomorrow with little to no accumulation and little to no wind.
Reports this morning are that things turned around yesterday and that it fished very well, “incredibly well” by some accounts. No surprises – pink scuds/firebeads/zebra midges and tailwater sows working like they should where they should.
Hopefully that trend will continue today as I’ve got an instructional trip this afternoon with a very demanding client who expects to not only learn to fly fish but also to land her first Missouri River Rainbow. It should be a fun day!
The shop will be closed Monday and Tuesday but we will be back in on Wednesday as spring weather returns with temps back in the 50’s. Lodging and guide trips available every day.

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:01-06:00February 15th, 2015|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: fly fishing, RO Drift Boats, running line, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler, zebra midges|0 Comments

Weekend Report

Valentine Sky at Holter Dam – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

Lots of people out and about and enjoying the 60 degree weather yesterday but from what we’ve been hearing this morning things were on the slow side, at least between Holter Dam and the Dearborn launch. Sounds like a few fish being taken here and there but nothing like the reports from Thursday which was good to great for many and bordering on epic for some. I was not able to get out during the day on Thursday but I did walk in for an hour or so at last light and cleaned up with all but one fish coming on the pink firebead soft hackle sow.
It’s another April-esque weekend with lots of people around, full lodging, a couple of boat rentals out, a decent stack of shuttles to run and lots of bugs going out the door.

The day started on the cloudy side and they are calling for a chance of rain this afternoon but we are currently looking at sunshine and blue skies and 53 degrees. It’s a perfect day to spend on the water with your valentine.

A chance of snow tomorrow but still nice with a high of 43 and calm winds. Snow and a high of 36 for Presidents Day and then back to 40’s and 50’s later next week. You’ve got a couple of weeks left to take advantage of our February special. Book a full day guide trip at the $395 winter rate and get a night’s lodging in one of our bungalows for $59! Our guides have been out on the water getting things dialed in and they are ready to show you what an awesome winter fishery the Missouri can be. Nymphing has of course been the most effective method of putting fish in the boat but streamers are having their moments as well and there are just enough fish rising to midges on a daily basis to make things interesting for the dry fly guys. Spend a day on the water with one of our expert guides and enjoy the solitude offered by the winter months. Your full day trip includes a delicious hot lunch and hot and cold beverages as well as all the flies and the use of any equipment you may need and transportation to and from the river. Take advantage of this great deal and enjoy the unseasonably warm weather we’ve been having all month.

Not looking for a guided trip? That’s ok too – we’ve got rooms available for $99/night, each with it’s own full kitchen and bath. Rooms sleep up to four very comfortably. Wolf Creek is definitely the place to be for winter fishing on the Missouri with the only restaurant and the only gas station/convenience store between Helena and Cascade and since you will likely be fishing somewhere between Holter Dam and Craig this time of year why wouldn’t you stay at Wolf Creek Angler considering that we are closer to Holter Dam and Wolf Creek Bridge than ANYONE? We’ve got plenty of parking space for your boats and our shop has everything you need for fishing the Missouri including shuttles and the largest selection of Missouri River flies ever assembled under one roof in Wolf Creek Montana.

We hope to see you in Wolf Creek soon.

Wolf Creek Angler is your full service Missouri River Fly Shop – photo by Wolf Creek Angler

By Jason Orzechowski|2016-10-25T16:16:01-06:00February 14th, 2015|Categories: Fishing Report|Tags: fly fishing, Holter Dam, Missouri River, Missouri River Winter Fishing, Montana, running line, winter, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Angler|0 Comments