Rum Buddies
Well-Known Member
anybody ever fished the Bow and any of the streams in the calgary area?
alberta fly-fishing
- Thread starter Rum Buddies
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giusti
Guest
i havnt fished the bow, but i live in alberta and will be fishing the bow this summer
Degree of Freedom
Active Member
Crow's Nest Pass...a couple hours from Calgary, but well worth the trip. The Crow's Nest river is phenominal, at the right time. In the summer, the stretch below Frank Lake (a wide spot in the river formed by the slide) can be a fish per cast on a dry fly. The head and tailout of Frank lake have many monster rainbows (if you can get there first in the evening).
Many, many other hotspots in the valley.
Don't hit any of the foothill rivers too early in the season as the runoff can leave you disappointed.
Many, many other hotspots in the valley.
Don't hit any of the foothill rivers too early in the season as the runoff can leave you disappointed.
Rum Buddies
Well-Known Member
nice, I've done a bunch of reading and sounds like some awesome fishing in that area. I'll be fishing with Jim Mclennan on thursday, so hopefully he put me on one of those monster browns.
Degree of Freedom
Active Member
if that's the same Jim M I'm thinking of...you should do fine 
tubber
Well-Known Member
I fished the Bow for 8 years before moving back to BC. I preferred fishing below Calgary in the stretch between Deerfoot bridge and Carseland. A drift boat is best but not necessary. If you are prepared to walk there are several(not as many as there should be)spots to park and walk.
You could also do most of that stretch in a pontoon boat, a canoe or you can rent a nice quality rubber raft from the university. Stop to fish every so often in this case.
Like salmon fishing a new place, going with a guide the first day would really save you frustration of searching out fishy places.
Dry line with nymphs/san juan worms under an indicator, big streamers on a sink tip, dries from evening till dark. There can be dry fly fishing in the day timeale morning dun, blue wing olive, hoppers(August)
Take a 6 and an 8 wt: biggish fish plus often windy.
As mentioned, run-off can impact the colour/height of the river right through June. That said, one June 20th or so evening I caught 15 rainbows and browns to 23in in 2 hours without really moving from my spot except to release them. They will rise to caddis in somewaht cloudy water in certain places.
There is so much river to explore, so many ways to fish throughout the day, plus big fish - I rarely fished the Crowsnest, Oldman, Highwood or even the Bow west of Calgary.
The flyshops should have websites that include the water conditions and the current hatches. That river is the only thing I miss about living in Alberta. It is truly world class.
You could also do most of that stretch in a pontoon boat, a canoe or you can rent a nice quality rubber raft from the university. Stop to fish every so often in this case.
Like salmon fishing a new place, going with a guide the first day would really save you frustration of searching out fishy places.
Dry line with nymphs/san juan worms under an indicator, big streamers on a sink tip, dries from evening till dark. There can be dry fly fishing in the day time
ale morning dun, blue wing olive, hoppers(August)Take a 6 and an 8 wt: biggish fish plus often windy.
As mentioned, run-off can impact the colour/height of the river right through June. That said, one June 20th or so evening I caught 15 rainbows and browns to 23in in 2 hours without really moving from my spot except to release them. They will rise to caddis in somewaht cloudy water in certain places.
There is so much river to explore, so many ways to fish throughout the day, plus big fish - I rarely fished the Crowsnest, Oldman, Highwood or even the Bow west of Calgary.
The flyshops should have websites that include the water conditions and the current hatches. That river is the only thing I miss about living in Alberta. It is truly world class.
Rum Buddies
Well-Known Member
ya its the big Jim M you're thinking of and just as tubber said I'll be going out with him on thursday and maybe going on my own on friday.
Where at the university can you rent a raft? Maybe thats a stupid question but I really don't know calgary at all.
Where at the university can you rent a raft? Maybe thats a stupid question but I really don't know calgary at all.
tubber
Well-Known Member
The university has a large outdoor ed department that rents tents, campstoves, canoes, climbing ropes etc...
They had several nice 3 man rafts that you can paddle or I believe you can even get the apparatus to row. We used to paddle and stop because it was cheaper than renting the whole thing.
The rental shop is between the big skating oval and the gymnasium. It's been a few years, but I believe it is still there. Check the website.
Good luck
They had several nice 3 man rafts that you can paddle or I believe you can even get the apparatus to row. We used to paddle and stop because it was cheaper than renting the whole thing.
The rental shop is between the big skating oval and the gymnasium. It's been a few years, but I believe it is still there. Check the website.
Good luck
Rum Buddies
Well-Known Member
cool, I'll let you guys know how we make out.
I had the pleasure of drifting the Bow in Calgary in July of 2003. I had Terry Johnson of Fish Tales Fly Shop (www.fishtales.ca) as my guide. It was one of the most pleasant days I've ever had fishing. I caught and released 3 brown trout from 3.0 to 3.7 lbs on dry flys (missed a beauty that would have pushed 5 lbs), 4 rainbows (silver bullets) about 18" -20" and a couple of whitefish from 2-3 lbs. Had 22 strikes and bent the hoks straight on some size 16 flys. I would highly reccomend geting in touch with Terry and Fish Tales before you go fishing. Here are some pics.
Rum Buddies
Well-Known Member
tough fishing but I got into a couple of good rainbows, no browns though [V]
