Important Fly Fishing Resources & Links
Find useful fly fishing resources for your next guided trip or float on the Bow River.
Read More about the Bow River
Bow River Trout
There are many types of trout in the Bow River. These bow river trout include brook trout, brown trout, cutthroat and the beautiful rainbow trout. They are all part of the larger ecosystem that includes other wildlife such as mink, hawks, bald eagles, peregrines, loons, ducks, geese, herons and cranes. These bow river trout are part of Alberta’s sport fish roster and are currently regulated for catch and release only.
Visitors travel to Alberta from all over the world, including the United States, Europe and Australia to experience the beauty and adventure of fly fishing on the Bow. When you’re ready to book your fly fishing trips with one of our illustrious guides, check out our latest guided fishing adventures in Alberta.
The Bugs…
The major trout food groups and approximate feeding schedule is below. Of course, this varies as Mother Nature sees fit on any given fly fishing trip on the Bow River. There are so many flies to choose from, but some of our staples are listed. Keep in mind trout feed BELOW the surface 90% of the time. Read our latest blog post for beginners who want to learn how to fly fish.
| BUG | Fly and Hook Size |
|---|---|
| Caddis (May-Sept) | Elk Hair Caddis, #14,16,18 |
| BWO (Apr-May, Aug, Oct) | Adams, BWO, #18-20 |
| Pale Morning Dun (June-July) | PMD Parachute #16-18 |
| Tricos (Aug-Oct) | Trico Spinner, Black Cripple #18-20 |
| Midges (All Season) | Griffiths Gnat #16,18,20 |
| Stoneflys (June-July) | Big Foam with rubber legs #8,10 |
| Terrestials (July-Sept) | Daves Hopper, Fat Albert #8-10, |
| Nymphs (All Season) | Prince, Copper John, Pheasant Tail, Hares Ear, Evil Weevil #10-20, San Juan Worm #2-8 |
| Streamers (All Season) | Wooly Bugger, Double Bunny, Clouser Minnow, Geek Leech #2-6 |