Cold weather has brought great fishing to the Bow! Water temperatures have dropped and levels are at a great level for productive fly fishing. All sections are fishing well now that the Highwood has cleared, allowing for great visibility from the city down to Carsland. Recently, some patterns that have been producting especially well are:

 Nymphs: San Juan Worm #6,8; Evil Weevil #14,16; Pheasant Tail #14,16.

Streamers: Black Bow River Bugger #6; Kiwi Muddler #6,8.

Dry Flies: Swishers Dancing Caddis #14,16,18; Hi Vis Para BWO #18; Skid Bitch #6,8.

Remember, don’t be afraid to take off those indicators and look for rising fish tight to the banks on nice overcast days. Identify the hatching flies, make an upstream presentation, and set the hook!

Despite heavy rains last week the Bow is in great shape.

 Visibility is 24″ and clearing below the Highwood and closer to 3 - 4 feet above it. All methods - nymphing, streamer fishing, and dry fly have been productive.

Nymphs: San Juan worm, leech patterns, caddis pupae, Evil Weevil, Prince Nymphs, Rubber Leg Squirrel and other Golden Stonefly imitiations.

Streamers: Woolly Bugger, CH Rubber Bugger, Clouser Minnow.

Dries: BWO’s on overcast days; Tricos (by the millions); caddis like the peacock caddis or CDC and Elk; golden stone imitiations including the skid bitch and assorted stimulators.

Once again, had about an hour and a half before the chores started this morning. Made it out from about 6-7:30. Much less cloud cover and a bit chillier this morning, with a temp of about 14. Like yesterday, didn’t see much insect activity above the surface. A hatch of midges about 7 or so, but that’s it. Visibility was holding okay, at about 2-3′. The still/slackwater has much less visibility. Levels seemed about the same as yesterday as well. Was less productive on the fishing side of things, with 3 in the net 2 browns and a bow. All were taken on a size 14 orange rubber legged copper colored copper john. Also tried brown worm, caddis, black copper john, red copper john and stones. Fish were in mid-deep (3.5-4.5′) riffly water towards middle/end of run. All fish were btw 15-17. Still beautiful colors though!

Went out this AM for an hour and a half before work.  Great cloud cover, no wind, and outside temperature was about 14.  This morning’s information from Alberta Environment shows flow at 86.76 m3/s and water level at 1.175 m.  Information from Banff is flow of 72.70 m3/s and water level of 2.531. Visibility was okay at about 2-2.5 feet.  Didn’t see much activity in the air/surface, but there must have been something nice going on sub-surface.  Hooked into five. Three cookie cutter bows and two nice browns around 21/22.  Bows were caught in medium-depth water (about 4′) that was choppy and slightly faster than walking pace.  All of them took a 14 rubber legged bh copper john.  The two browns were both caught in really shallow, choppy water (about 1-2′).  One took a size 14 caddis and the other took a 14 black rubber legged bh copper john.  Didn’t flip any rocks or run the sieve, as I had to get to work.  The cloud cover was great, as it helped with the early AM glare.  Heard that there are some size 6/8 stones coming up, as well as bwo’s (14-18), midges, and march browns (10-12).

Made it out for 4 hours this AM within Fish Creek.  Outside temp. started in the mid digits and rose to 14. Visibility has remained stable at this spot at 2-3′ and levels have risen about 6″ or so within the last few weeks.  As soon as cloud cover left, the wind picked up-but not bad enough to stop the fishing. There was a tiny midge hatch around 7:45, not prolific, around size 18/20.  Later on, about 9:30 or so, BWOs came off sporadically at size 16/18.  Forgot both the sieve and the water thermometer in the car.   Flipped some rocks and saw some decent size caddis like yesterday (~14), but no large numbers. Hooked into two brown brutes, one took a size 14 ice caddis, and the other a size 16 black flashback midge.  Also hooked into a rainbow, but he shook me off before I could see what he took.  Unfortunately, I ran out of smaller stuff or I think the numbers would have been better.

Tip of the day:  Try sizing down if you’re showing the fish the hatch but not having any takes.

Made it out for a quick 2.5 hour outing this AM in a popular city stretch. Outside temperature started at 7 and rose to 11. Visibility is okay at 2-3′. No wind and some off/on cloud cover. Ran a sieve through the water and saw some midges and aquatic worms. Flipped some rocks and saw some decent size caddis (~14). Landed one brown between 17-18.” Took a size 14 caddis. He was in about 4-5′ of fast water. At about 8:45 lots of insect activity started with a big BWO hatch (size 14/16 or so) as well as tiny midges (~22). Hope folks can make it out today and take advantage of the nice conditions before runoff starts!

Tip of the day:  check and clean your flies often, as the didymo is pretty thick and can be the difference between a take and a shake.

Saturday, May 23  (within city limits)
Clarity, okay (1.5-2.5′).  Outside temp: 14 and rising to 22.  Fished in AM from 6:30-10:00.  Managed 2 rainbows, both on size 14 black rubber legged beadhead copper john.  Also tried aquatic worms, caddis, evil weevil, stoneflies and pheasant tails.  Fish were in medium depth (3-4′) and medium fast (brisk walking pace) water.  There were a number of hard-hitting risers, indicating they were likely taking emergers (alas, I didn’t have any!).  Hit a different spot in the afternoon.  Managed one rainbow from 11-3.  Clarity was improving, (2-3′), but there was no cloud cover.  Fish was caught in deep, slow water with a size 14 red copper john.  Also tried leeches, aquatic worms, stoneflies, AP nymphs, and an assortment of dries.  A few risers, similar to AM.  Turned over rocks in both spots and only saw some worms and stonefly husks.  Forgot the sieve, but will bring next time.   

Sunday, May 24
Hit the river within city limits from 6:30-10:00.  Clarity was good (2.5-3.5′), outside temperature was about 14 rising to 20 and there was good cloud cover in the AM.  There was a mayfly hatch about 8, so nymphing was productive from 6:30-8.  During this time they were caught in fairly shallow (2-4′) and medium fast water.  Small and black was the key then (size 16 beadhead flashback black AP nymph).  After then, it switched over to aquatic worms and they were in slightly slower and deeper water (size 14 beadhead brown tiger worm).  I flipped some rocks and saw some stone husks and midges.  Here’s a pic of the nicest of the day, 22″ brown.  In fact, 6/7 were brownies.  The 8th was likely a brown too, and nice, as he bent my hook when I was trying to keep him from moving upstream into the fast water.  All in all, fun day with productivity good throughout entire morning, but forgot sieve again so can’t report more thoroughly on insect activity.

It’s supposed to be 7 to 10 degrees this weekend - take advantage of the mild weather to get out and fish!  

Try fishing the San Juan Worm with a small beadhead nymph like a copper john, evil weevil, or prince trailing behind it. Midges are coming off in the middle to later part of the day so be sure to watch for surface activity. If you want to throw a streamer try a black and white or olive and white clouser.

The Bow is in great condition. Try adult stonefly patterns like the Skid Bitch or Fat Albert in the early part of the day. Good reports on hopper/dropper combinations with flies like the Evil Weevil, Lightning Bug, or any size 16 tungsten beadhead fly fished 18 to 24″ below the hopper. Clouser minnows and other small streamers like the Geek and Gartside leeches are also fishing well. Small dry fly opportunities include mid-day trico hatches and evening caddis.

 Mountain streams - Green Drakes, PMD’s, and terrestrials are all proving successful.

The Bow River is in good fishing condition with fish being landed on small streamers and large stonefly patterns.  Anglers who are prepared to practice versatility throughout the day will experience the best the Bow has to offer. Don’t be afraid to go deep with the ever-consistent San Juan Worm fished in conjunction with small nymphs like Copper John’s, Evil Weevils, or Hare’s Ears.