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Bow River Alberta
~ Frequently Asked Questions ~
 When is
a good time to come to fish?
We
float rafts on the Bow in the spring. Curious. Not really. Drift boats
are beavy and cumbersome. Rafts allow us to access the lower reaches of
the Bow earlier than other boats as the 150 pounds of boat is easily
moved about the ice shelves lining the river in April. And the fishing
in April can often be exceptional. The weather can be suspect some days,
but the fihsing usually is good. From there, the fishing and weather run
an annual cycle. The spring rain historically begins near the end of May first part of
June. The warm weather and rain kicks the mountain snowmelt into high
gear, which in turn causes the river to
rise. The river is unfishable until the river stabilizes mid June. The mayfly
hatches begin during the high water and continue on into July as the
river drops. The golden stone hatch occurs in early July and fishing can
be quite good even in murky waters. From early July onward, conditions
are usually very good and fishing is in its prime season through early
October.
 How
many fish can I expect?
This is a question every guide loves! The answer is "how many can
you catch?". On a serious note, however, trips vary day to day and
fishing conditions and the activities of the fish swing. Experienced
anglers realize this and take things as they come. Directly, we usually
catch 1/2 dozen to a couple dozen trout in a day. Some days we catch
fewer, some days more.
We guarantee you will receive good information and assistance throughout
your day to help you catch trout and use the techniques associated with
the conditions and your ability.
What do I need to bring?
Anglers tend to travel
with a fly rod outfit or two, in 4 to 6 weights with floating and sink
tips lines. Waders and boots are also required ~ please bring no studded
boots. Polarized sunglasses, wide brim hat, sunscreen and insect
repellant are good ideas.
Biting insects may be a nuisance during the later part of the day in
June. Bring
rain gear and a warm jacket just in case a storm blows in.
 Weather
Weather comes and goes along the foothills of the mountains.
Thunderstorms are always a possibility during the day, as is a cold
front moving through or very hot, sunny weather. There are extremes in
the weather. Typically, however, we expect over night lows in the 50F
range and highs in the 70 to 85F range. Early (April) and late (October
- Nov) season fishing can see snow flurries.
Fun
other than fishing?
Calgary is a large, fun, maturing city with excellent opportunities. The
Calgary Stampeded occurs in early July each year. We have a wonderful
zoo, museums, art galleries, excellent shopping malls, accommodations,
sporting events, etc. Many guests travel to Lake Louise and Banff on
site seeing tours.
Accommodations
Accommodations can vary depending on your style. Upscale hotels to bed
and breakfasts are available and there is quite literally everything in
between. We will assist you with this planning if you desire.
Crowding
on the Bow?In
a word - no. Each season there gets to be one or two busy days where
there are always boats in the vicinity. Most days we will not see the
herds of other boats and anglers. Normal days you will see 1/2 dozen to
2 dozen other boats. Considering we are floating a river 60 to 80 yards
wide and enjoying 12 to 22 km of it on our float, there is ample water
to enjoy without much disruption at all.
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