Best places for a newbie?

[nuchamps5]

Hi everyone,

I've been lurking around the site for a few weeks and figured it was time to post. I'm new to Calgary (just moved here about a month ago) and came from Minnesota where it's primarily lake fishing for bass, walleye, and northern.

I'm hoping to get back into fly fishing but it's been years. I'm not looking for secret spots or anything like that, but are there any opinions out there on good places to start wade fishing for a relative novice? I'd much rather C&R a few little ones to get my feet wet at this point (read: I'm cool with catching 8 inch brookies). Again, don't need specific areas or even rivers/streams, but maybe an idea of whether I'm in the right systems? Am I better off with the Bow/Oldman tribs or branching out somewhere else? I'm willing to drive at this point.

I've been thinking of hitting up the Crow because of relatively easy access, but I hear it can get pretty technical this time of year, and the flow looks low so I don't want to stress the fish too much (assuming I could even catch them). My other thoughts are maybe the Sheep or Highwood? I've been down on the Bow a few times without any success.

Thanks for any guidance for this newbie!

[KegRiver]

The Bow is a world class trout steam. But I'm not a Trout fan.

[lds]

The bow is not a newbie river and the highwood is tough to navigate and need to be good at mending line if fly fishing. Spinning is easier but if your a bass and lake guy there is a lot to learn for those rivers. Do some reading on how to fish rivers. Willow creek used to be great to learn on just below chain lakes but it has had a rough go with floods and construction. Chain lakes is a good lake if you just wanna catch fish but if you wanna learn trout in rivers start with smaller water and Brooke trout and cutthroat are probably your most forgivable for technical stuff and will get you loving flyfishing streams or even spin fishing. As far as pike and walleye. Not a lot of good stuff near Calgary. I also haven't done as much exploring in that area but the place I always go is sylvan and it treats me well. Hope that helps. PM if you want anymore spicific advise for a location you plan to go.

[nuchamps5]

Thanks! I'm sure the Bow is amazing, but I'll need to work my way up to that.

Good tips, lds. I'd like to give fly fishing an honest effort at this point, I think you're on to something with brooks and cutts. Thanks for the info on the Highwood, I'll be holding off on that for a bit too.

[nevercatchmuch]

You can catch trout and whiteys with spin gear or a few basic flys on the bow. Easy access by bowness park in the nw

[jgmcleod]

Just to let you know, if you have a small boat and want to have some fun catching smaller pike, there is a lake called bruce Lake. If you go to the Costco near Iron Mill Mall in Balsac and go straight east and past hwy 9 about 5 km.
Also Mcgregor is great for pike and walleye right alone the rock dam , same again with a boat I have more luck.
Good luck in your search, but there are tons of lakes in southern alberta with pike and walleye just got to learn how to get them
:angry3:

[nuchamps5]

Thanks! I'll definitely check out some of the pike lakes soon, they're my go to when I'm looking for a good fight. :)

And good tip about Bowness Park, I'd forgotten about that possibility. I assume people fish the river near the bridges and breakwaters (and not the lagoon side)?

[Robmcleod82]

Fish on the bow downstream of policemans flats, don't be afraid to cover some ground. Lots of good trout in that stretch. The sheep is pretty easy to fish right inside okotoks and can be some big bull trout in there. If your not set on fly fishing you will probably have good success with small rapalas in trout patterns. As far as like and walleye go Mcgreggor lake and travers reservoir usually produce. If you have a small boat badger reservoir is a good little honey hole as well.

[Robmcleod82]

Oh and I've never seen a pike that could touch a bow river rainbow for a fight :)

[densa44]

Use and practice with the fly rod. You have landed in a trout fisherman's paradise, some of the nicest trout streams in the world are nearby. I think I went to Fallen timber my first time, but there are lots of others, pretty much any stream than runs east out of the mountains will do.

If you use an Elk hair grasshopper you will be very surprised at the results.

Have fun.