The lower stretch of the Bow River – the section below the city of Calgary – consists of 55 kilometres of nutrient-rich water that’s renowned for its abundant numbers of trophy-sized rainbows and browns. The Bow River can be fished year-round but is at it’s “most comfortable” from Mid-May through mid-to-late October.
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Where can I fly fish on the Bow river?
A good place to fly fish is Bow River in Fish Creek Park. Just drive all the way to the dead end of Bow Bottom Trail SE and you will see a huge parking lot. You can fly fish there.
How do you catch fish on the Bow river?

Where can I fish the Bow in Calgary?
Some good areas to begin are at the Calgary 22X bridge all the way through to Carseland. The water is shallow enough in many areas where you can wade in the river to get a close up view to spot corners and structures perfect for fish to hide.
Are there bull trout in the Bow river?
The Bow river is home to a healthy population of Brown Trout, other species that one can encounter are Bull Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Brook Trout and Rocky Mountain Whitefish.
What is a BWO fly pattern?
When considering the classical dry fly patterns that define fly fishing as we know it, the Blue Wing Olive is about as iconic as they come. Also referred to as the BWO, this fly is built to imitate the Baetis mayfly, a small mayfly known for its olive body and dun (or grey) wings.
Can you keep trout from Bow River?
Open all year. Trout limit 1<35cm, Mountain whitefish 5>30cm, Pike limit 3>63cm, Bait Ban.
Are there sturgeon in the Bow river?
Numerous fish species live in the Bow River, including brook, brown, rainbow, bull, and cutthroat trout, whitefish, burbot, sturgeon and walleye.
What kind of fish can you catch in the Bow river?
Bow River is a stream in Alberta, Canada. The most popular species caught here are Rainbow trout, Brown trout, and Lake whitefish.
How many fish are in the Bow river?
Based on hundreds of angler interviews during creel surveys on the Bow River and extensive population mark- recapture work by biologists, we estimate that anglers are catching more than 60,000 trout each summer, when there are an estimated 15,000 rainbow trout in the population.
How do you fly fishing nymph?

Where can I fly fish in Banff?
Popular Fishing Locations The upper Bow River, running directly through Banff National Park, is known worldwide among anglers for opportunities to catch brown trout, Rocky Mountain whitefish, and the occasional cutthroat, brook and bull trout.
Is the Bow river catch and release?
New fishing regulations for 2017 made the entire Bow River a catch-and-release fishery, and the province is discussing additional protection measures for the river, including possible new parks and protected areas. The City of Calgary plans to develop 25 new access areas on the Bow River by 2022.
Where can I fish in Bow River Canmore?
Just across the bridge on route to the Nordic trax is a small parking lot in Canmore. The Bow river snakes thru town and at this lot you can park and access the Bow. Parking is free. Walk under the bridge and fish up river towards the hydro plant.
Can you fish in downtown Calgary?
No problem. Just downstream, the Bow River joins the Elbow River at Fort Calgary. The proximity of the river to downtown makes for a one-of-a-kind fly fishing experience, where you can wade into the water and still see the city skyline in the background.
How do you fly fish for bull trout?
A great way to keep your fly moving at a pace that gets bull trout to eat is to tuck the rod under your arm and use two hands to retrieve the fly. Keep it moving. Even if a fish sees your fly from 30 feet away, sometimes they will not commit to eating it until the fly is almost at the boat or the bank.
What do you use for bull trout?
The best lure actions for bull trout are ones that resemble baitfish. Spin casting with jigs, minnow imitating crankbaits, spoons, and spinners are all productive methods of fishing for these trout. For fly fishing, Minnows and any larger streamer type flies that represent minnows.
How do you catch a big bull trout?

What does a BWO imitate?
Sometimes referred to as BWO , a wide array of artificial flies are tied to imitate adult, nymphal and emerging stages of the aquatic insect. While the family Baetidae probably has the most species identified as blue-winged olives, another mayfly family Ephemerellidae also contains some.
What does a Blue Wing Olive imitate?
Because Baetis mayflies are so often called Blue-Winged Olives, some anglers try to imitate them with flies with blue wings and olive bodies. This is one of the follies of common names.
What is an RS2 fly?
The RS2, a very effective pattern and a favorite of many an angler. It can be fished as a nymph, makes an excellent emerger pattern and can even be fished like a dry. It was created over forty years ago by Rim Chung. The RS2 stands for “Rim’s Semblance 2” and will imitate a midge or mayfly.
Can I use bait on the Bow river?
Newly introduced regulations have changed fishing rules along the Bow River between Banff National Park and the Bassano Reservoir. The new regulations, which went into effect on April 1, have changed the entire section of river to catch and release only. A bait ban is also in place.
Can you fish at night in Alberta?
In regards to Fishing at night in Alberta, including ice fishing in Alberta, yes, it is perfectly legal to fish 24/7 around Alberta (during designated fishing dates and as per your fishing license), with the exception of designated bodies of water such as some National and Provincial Parks, where they may have special …
Can you use barbed hooks in Alberta?
In April 2004, Alberta placed a province-wide ban on the use of barbed hooks for angling. In September 2011, Fisheries and Oceans Canada made an amendment to the federal regulations that unintentionally removed the ban on barbed hooks in Alberta.
What is the largest fish in Alberta?
As the largest fish in Alberta, lake sturgeon can grow to be up to 10 feet long!