Winter Fishing Bow River
 

Hey all, any tips on flies/lures to use on the Bow in winter? New fishing regulations allow me to fish the Bow in winter in the Cochrane area. I have never tried fishing the Bow in winter and help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks,
Fishing4Trophies

bow river winter fishing
 

The smallest or second smallest buzz bomb. Pull it in close to shore nice and slow.

As for fly fishing I tend use streamers and midges or a San Juan worm.

archerynut- retrieving back those buzz bombs near bottome don't you get that rock snot (diddymo) on the hook?

I find that the rock snot problem is much worse in the summer, especially late summer. My largest fish from the bow came from under centre street bridge in Calgary in the dead of winter on a buzz bomb. He wanted it bad and took passes at it for a good 10 minutes until he finally committed. Measured out at 25 inches. I try to keep my buzz bomb within the top 10 to 12 inches of water. I find that controlling your depth of retrieve with a buzz bomb is pretty easy. Also I always toss the crappy treble hook that comes with a buzz bomb in the garbage and I like to run a Gamakatsu barbless treble. I think not having a barb helps collect less rock snot as well. Just my experience.

Thanks!

Was fishing in cochrane this weekend - make sure you have a small griffith gnat in your fly box (#20 or #22). Really good midge hatches late in the afternoon these days, gets the fish looking up in the back eddies around last light...

Thanks for the info! It's greatly appreciated!

in the cold water trout are much less aggressive than they normally are. I use very small nymphs when fly fishing.

they also congregate in deep holes, especially ones with groundwater inflow where the water can be a couple degrees warmer. Search for them and once you find a spot with fish, keep fishing it.

if I were using a spinning rod I'd fish a small copper john fly and maybe some split shot underneath a bobber

I have had good success winter fishing the bow including one year at least once every month and a memorable super bowl sunday morning in a thick snowstorm. Back then my favourite hole was between calf robe bridge and glenmore where the water is warmed by the treatment plant and usually open. Double nymph low and slow. -5 is my low limit with frequent guide ice cleaning. Oh how I miss the bow now that I live up here in the land of no trout...sk

? There are trout in this neck of the woods, and big ones, just not in rivers close by.