Fishing the Bow?

[Koffee Kat]

I'm going to be in Calgary for business in a week (Monday or Tuesday the 28-29th) & I want to get some idea of the best places to fish the Bow River in or around the city.  I won't have a lot of time, so the closer to town the better.  If you South Albertans have any pointers, let me know.  Thanks!

[ULTRAlite]

If you hit the lower bow - from approx. Glenmore Trail south you'll have a much better chance of hooking up.  Where Fish Creek enters the bow - and where the 22X crosses the river are good places to start.  Try bead head nymphs and san juan worms under an indi for guarunteed action.  Stay tight to the banks and have an awesome trip 

here's a link to a nice Bow I hooked into a few weeks back....

http://www.trophy-clips.com/view_picture.php?viewkey=f202f26c1a174c735758

[Koffee Kat]

Thanks Ultralite!  My hotel is pretty close to the Fish Creek Park (booked it for just that reason so i'll be close to the area you mentioned...  Hey?  Are there any fish in Fish Creek?  Last time i was in Calgary for business I hit Weaselhead & Glenmore & basically skunked out (got one bite on the Elbow)...

[ULTRAlite]

Yeah Fish Creek has fish from the bow that swim up.  Better closer to the junction with the bow from what I hear...

[Koffee Kat]

So fished the Bow while I was in Calgary for business.  Hit the river about 5 pm last Monday night & found what I believed was an awesome spot to fly-fish.  Drove into Fish Creek Park & walked in to where the creek enters the river - wonderfully long gravel sand bar with lots of casting room, lots of back-water, several deep holes, some big rocks on the bottom for coverage & some rapids out about 25 ft from the mouth.  Also with a warm creek coming into a cold river with lots of bugs I thought it was prime............  But I didn't hook up...........  I spent a good 3 hours here & basically skunked out.  Now, it wasn't because there were no fish.  I saw at least 4 BIG ONES break out of the water withing 5 feet of my fly and only 15 feet from shore too.  I also saw about a dozen more small jumps in the course of an evening.  I just did not have any chasing my flies.  Bad luck or bad flies I guess.  I had a single bite while I fished the rapids, but it came as I was moving to deeper water & i just did not have enough time to react to the what I call "swim-by biting".  Too bad for me.  I'd hit this spot again if I came back to Cow-town for sure...

[ULTRAlite]

It's a harsh mistress for sure - keep at her... and bring lots of flies.

As vis increases through the summer they definately get more picky.