Fly Fishing is the pursuit; catching large Rainbow and brown trout is the focus and the guide you pick is the means to accomplishing personal challenges on unfamiliar water. Southern Alberta Canada is the place, July through October is the time and the Bow River is the perfect water. Combine the substantial average size of fish, the variety of insect hatches, the extensive assortment of fishable water types and the diversity of ways you can catch trout on this river and you have a fly fishing paradise.

Over the last thirty years the Bow River has slowly grown in reputation to become world famous as a favourite destination amongst even the most demanding fly fisherman worldwide. Many anglers have fulfilled life long goals and captured on film the trout of a lifetime on this special piece of water. The Bow River has years where the dry fly fishing is unbelievable and some extremely large beautiful Brown and Rainbow trout are taken in sublime match the hatch fashion. However even the odd year when the dry fly fishing isn’t up to the memorable times, the nymph and streamer fishing is consistently productive. Nymph and streamer fishing with effective imitations can produce some exceptional trout especially Browns, this versatility is what makes the Bow River a must stop on most anglers destination maps.

The Bow produces the odd Bull Trout, which can reach over thirty inches as well as brown trout to over twenty-eight inches. The Bow River Rainbows are strong, well-proportioned trout that will run between sixteen to twenty four inches and some larger ones have been reported. The number of fish per mile is relatively good; numbers like 1500-2500 trout per mile seem to be associated with the Bow River. Floating weed mattes have traditionally been a disturbance on the Bow River from mid July, causing problems for anglers until the cool weather of late fall clears the river of weed. The 2007 season was relatively free from weed problems and with the addition of the Pine Creek sewage treatment plant expected soon conceivably the weed dilemma will be much less of a problem.

The angler can expect to stalk, study and cast to large trout feeding at the stream surface in May and early June prior to runoff. Once runoff begins the dry fly fishing is over until the water volumes of spring runoff subside and the water clears in mid to late July when the water temperatures rise and the rich hatches of early summer begin. For the next month and a half the angler will again be stalking, studying and casting to rising fish on normal flow years here on the Bow. The insect hatches range from Midges, Baetis, March Brown, Pale Morning Dun, Pale Evening Dun as well as Trico Mayflies. There is also a variety of Caddisfly Hatches from size six through to fourteen down to size eighteen. There is also Golden Stoneflies, Crane flies and a variety of terrestrial insects present along the Bow River. For more information on Alberta’s insect hatches visit the “Hatches” section of the website.

The Bow River will reliably fulfill most if not every expectation you may have. At the end of the day this very special piece of water will capture both your concentration and energy. Over the long haul it will completely capture your imagination enticing you back time and again.

The main focus of our guiding operation and own personal fly-fishing pleasure is of course the Bow River. Our guides spend over a hundred days a year on Alberta waters and the Bow consumes a great portion of this time. When we aren’t guiding, tying flies or teaching fly fishing programs we’re fishing. We urge you to come and experience the Bow River with our company this magnificent opportunity is steadily coming up just a short cast away.

To get in touch with us visit either the “Guiding Services” or the “Contact us” section of our website.

To get an in depth view of what other great fly fishing waters we guide on in South/Central Alberta and what they have to offer the visiting angler see the “Photo Gallery” section of our website.

During the winter you can get in touch with us at the contact information listed below.

STREAM WEAVER FLIES
3829- 50A street
Red Deer, Alberta
Canada T4P 1E4

E-mail: bedens@shaw.ca

Phone #: (403) 343-8699

In the spring, summer and fall months we will be busy down on the Bow River in Calgary and elsewhere on other special South/Central Alberta trout waters. So book early when we are easier to contact, if not, be a little patient and we will be in touch as soon as we can in the guiding months.

Spring, summer and fall contact information: Cellular phone number (403) 304-8362