Bow River Beginner

[Asillywalrus]

Hello everyone!

I am heading down to Calgary this week and I was hoping for some advice as to how to fish the Bow. I've never fished the bow before so any advice will be appreciated.

I will be staying around downtown Calgary (near China Town I think) and was hoping that someone could give me an easy access spot around there but I can drive around if need be. I'm not looking to catch a lot, i'd be happy with one or two fish.

I also am fairly new to fly fishing (I've only done it twice) so any tips regarding what fly's to use and what to do in general would be nice as well.

Since I'm really bad at fly fishing I plan on bringing a spinning rod too, from what I've read, cranks do well this time of year, but what colors and size should i be using? Any other tips on what works best would be very much appreciated.

Thanks for the help everyone!

[Okotokian]

Last week and weekend to fish as the Bow is closed around downtown Calgary April 1st. Would have to go a little further east (but not much).

If you are anywhere around Chinatown you are two blocks from the Bow, access not an issue.

from Bearspaw Dam downstream to Western Headworks Diversion (W.H.D.) Weir (including the Elbow River below Glenmore Reservoir).
CLOSED Apr. 1 to May 31 and Oct. 1 to Nov. 30
June 1 to Sept. 30 and Dec. 1 to Mar. 31 – Trout limit 1 under 35 cm; All Trout over 35 cm must be released; Mountain Whitefish limit 5 over 30 cm; Maggots are the only bait allowed and only in the river from Aug. 16 to Sept. 30.
from the Western Headworks Diversion (W.H.D.) Weir downstream to the Carseland Weir (includes 500 m of the Highwood River and the 3 Carburn Park Ponds) but excluding all waters in the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary (see Inglewood Bird Sanctuary) – Open all year. Apr. 1 to Mar. 31 – Trout limit 1 under 35 cm; All Trout over 35 cm must be released; Mountain Whitefish limit 5 over 30 cm; Bait Ban.