Stream Weaver Flies - Custom Flies, Guide Services, Tying Material, Equipment, Schools

The Bow River is an exceptional fishery that can be fished in a variety of techniques that will produce both good numbers and large fish. The angler must be versatile to be consistently successful on any given day throughout the fishing season. An average day on the Bow River may require an angler to fish streamer and nymphs in the morning/afternoon and some sort of film fly or dry fly later in the day. During mid-summer the most productive (match the hatch) dry fly fishing usually starts at low light and escalates to a climax as the sunsets. In early spring or fall and on overcast damp days the dry fly fishing usually switches to mid-late afternoon. During the early morning to mid afternoon, the angler can generally entertain themselves for hours between hatches by nymph fishing or streamer fishing.

On an outstanding day this river will produce lots of fish and the odd exceptional fish by this we mean a fish 24” or larger. On an average day, the Bow will produce a fair number of fish both rainbow and brown trout in the 16”-20” range. The Brown trout of the Bow can grow to 28” and the very odd one may reach 30” while the Rainbow trout will range between 16”-23”. There is also the very odd Bull trout present in the Bow that can run up to 30” or better. On some years, the dry fly fishing can be fantastic while on other years, it will be spotty and the angler will have to concentrate a determined effort to have consistent success. Regardless of whether or not the dry fly fishing is fantastic or spotty, the nymph fishing remains the most consistent method for catching the most fish during midday.

The Bow is a great Caddisfly river most years and subsequently provides the most consistent match the hatch type dry fly fishing, For more in-depth information on Caddis species that inhabit the Bow River see hatch chart in the website. There are a variety of Mayfly hatches on the lower Bow including March Browns, Baetis, Pale Morning Dun, Pale evening Dun’s and Tricos. There can also be good fishing with large Stonefly nymph and adult stonefly patterns during the Golden Stonefly hatch on the Bow. Terrestrial fishing with Hopper, Ant and Beetle patterns can be productive during late summer and early fall.

The last few years weeds have become a concern for the fishery and fisherman in general on the Bow due to build up of weed beds, weed mats frequently breaking away from shorelines and weeds drifting in the currents. This situation has evolved slowly and the river has reacted due to an uncontrollable cause and effect from a variety of environmental and human causes. These negative impacts have occurred from a combination of outside influences from minimal snow pack, increase in treated sewage and storm drain runoff from Calgary. These impacts also include chemicals and fertilizers from golf courses, feed lots and farmlands that are situated on adjacent riverbanks along the Bow River system. Excessive weed beds and drifting weed seem to have the maximum impact on the Bow River during low snow pack years that result in minimal spring runoff and excessively low flows. The combination of minimum flows, lower current speed, and increased municipal, agricultural and recreational effluent all work jointly together creating a harmful situation.

The Bow River system below Calgary cannot pass or assimilate the suspended solids through the system and excessive weed build up results. By midsummer on a bad year, this weed problem can affect angling success and generally frustrate anglers. Especially when midday releases of water, from dams, increase water volumes, which results in weed mats breaking free and weeds drift downstream in the various water columns.
The rapid increase in Calgary’s population resulting in major increases in cut sewage effluent being released into the Bow River since the late 90’s seems to be the major impact on the river. This circumstance has created a situation where an addition of a new modern sewage plant below Calgary is required. Concerned groups, politicians and city council are presently putting plans together to develop a major sewage plant to properly handle increased effluent. The preferred location seems to be the Pine Creek area located just south of Calgary City limits. With this modern more efficient sewage plants implementation treated effluent would be cut in a major way. Allowing the Bow system to more efficiently assimilate these outside influences and greatly reduce weed beds and drifting weed problems in general. However, for the immediate future, this inconvenience needs to be factored into visiting anglers travel and fishing plans.

If the weed situation begins to have negative impacts on angling success our company, will quickly contact our clientele and make sure they are aware of the situation. Our company will do our best to ensure this will be before your departure from home to discuss other options, alternate booking dates or even possible cancellations. The Bow remains a wonderful fishery even with the outside pressures that are thrust upon it from urban sprawl and industrial growth.

Some of this information may sound negative from an outside perspective when an angler resides outside the local area and doesn’t have the opportunity to fish the Bow regularly. These inconveniences and situations don’t affect only the Bow River in a negative manner. It seems to be affecting all the great fisheries around the world in a similar manner under related circumstances. Serious anglers that travel extensively realize this is part of the course of action in the modern era of traveling to fish the worlds great fisheries.

In today’s changing environmental state of affairs keeping updated on current conditions is basic planning. Specifically when making a booking or prior to departure for a trip, up to the minute reports on conditions are necessary to ensure success and avoid disappointment. Another distinct advantage is to locate and deal with a reputable guide service that always has your best interests at heart. A reputable guide service will always keep you current with and be honest about actual fishing conditions. Our company hopes to spend some productive relaxing time with you on this great river sometime in the near future.

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