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View Full Version : Bow River near calgary


s_erickson
08-21-2010, 03:10 PM
I'm heading down to calgary for a week long course and figured i'd bring my fly rods along and try my luck on the bow. Anyone have any decent locations i can fish without a boat (i will have my waders with me). I'm not familiar with the area at all so good directions would help alot. Also if you wouldnt mind letting me know what your hitting them on, and dont worry i strictly catch and release so you don't have to worry about me taking away all your big fish. Thanks in advance.

onthefly
08-21-2010, 05:20 PM
Anywhere you can get to the river is a good spot w/ out a drift boat. The well known places are; Policeman Flats, Mckinnon Flats or Fish Creek Park. As for what is working;
- Nymphs seem to be the most productive at the moment, any of your standard patterns (pheasant tail, hairs ear, etc). As for drys, caddis, tricos, stones and hoppers are all appearing along the river at certain times and days right now.

Good Luck!!

Fisher_man#1
08-21-2010, 08:29 PM
I'm heading down to calgary for a week long course and figured i'd bring my fly rods along and try my luck on the bow. Anyone have any decent locations i can fish without a boat (i will have my waders with me). I'm not familiar with the area at all so good directions would help alot. Also if you wouldnt mind letting me know what your hitting them on, and dont worry i strictly catch and release so you don't have to worry about me taking away all your big fish. Thanks in advance.

Anywhere in Calgary and outside will produce well, fish feeding well on tricos and caddis with some also being caught on hoppers this time of year. Some places to try are Fish Creek, policemans, 22X. Look for fish to be in the chop below riffles about waking pace water. Nymphs are a good stand by if no surface activity small beadhead copper johns, pheasent tails and princes imitate the tricos well at the moment. Also try and rig up some san juans and leaches as the fish are in fine condition.
Good luck

Here is a link to a site with current river reports.http://www.countrypleasures.com/river_reports.htm

Cheers.

s_erickson
08-22-2010, 08:48 PM
Thanks for all the info guys. I'll be sure to try those area's around town like you said. I'm fairly new to fly fishing and have heard the bow is one amazing place to fish so i hope it works out well. Any other advice you have is always great.

aulrich
08-23-2010, 09:17 AM
For the love of pete don't leave home without a San juan Worm. :sign0068:

Fisher_man#1
08-23-2010, 11:04 AM
Oh also i recomended that you have a 5W or a 6W as you can tackle some big fish here and are casting some big heavy nymph rigs. Most of the flies and tackle that we recomemded can be purchased at several locations: such as, The Fishing Hole, Wholesale Sports, Country Pleasures and a few more small shops.
Hope you have a blast.

cheers.

s_erickson
08-23-2010, 04:16 PM
I use a 6-7 weight with a reel for sinking and a reel of float line so i think i should be okay that way. Flipping heavy flies isn't to bad with it. I'll have my other rods with me too incase i decide to try a spinner or something to get them biting. Is there some other smaller rivers in the area also, my favourite water to fish is about 3-4 feet deep, and fairly slow. Monsters are great to hook into, but i love hitting them little ones all day too. Thanks guys.

Fisher_man#1
08-23-2010, 06:20 PM
There is the elbow right here in Calgary that is a little smaller other than that there are some creeks about an hour or two's drive north, west and south. To the north Fallentimber, dogpound, little red and stauffer. To the west jumpingpound, smutts, upper bow and upper elbow. And to the south the highwood, sheep, livingstone, catarac, dutch and racehorse creek. All have good populations of varying species of trout, browns, bulls, cutts, rainbows. The streams up north are slower and muddy running through cattle country ect where as the streams to the west and south are freestone mountain streams.
Hope this helps your search.

Tungsten,
08-23-2010, 08:07 PM
my favourite water to fish is about 3-4 feet deep, and fairly slow. Thanks guys.

Mine too, but with a little speed to it.More oxygen.The Bow is full of this kind of water.Drift your flies with out any drag and you'll do fine.