Jan 13

Inner City Bow River Trout Fishing, January 2026

It’s a new year but the same old Bow River trout still need love. My lovely girlfriend and I headed out this past weekend to take advantage of the wonderful weather we have experienced here in Calgary. We woke early and marched off to the river after a nice home-made breakfast.

The nice thing about living in the South-East is that we are close to excellent fishing locations the Bow River offers. In the winter however, the city can get busy with other anglers, so we arrived early to secure a good fishing location.

Once we arrived at the banks of the Bow, we decided to tie on the Robertson Tackle Sunrise Samurai jerk-bait lure. This is my own brand of tackle I created to sportfish all Alberta’s rivers and lakes. To date, it has caught thousands of Bow River trout both personally, and on all my Bow River guided fishing trips with clients!

Charlene fired her first cast out into the frigid flow of the river, and in short order, she was into her first New year Brown trout. The fish were actively eating at 10Am, as it stayed warm overnight due to the chinook earlier in the week. It was not long after her first fish that I latched into another great Bow River brown trout. In total we landed twelve browns and one rainbow. We decided to pack it in at 2PM and get some errands done.

If you would like to pick up some of your own Robertson tackle lures, click the link here and head over to my store.

Thanks,

~Mike

Dec 25

Merry Christmas 2025

Wishing all the readers of the Blog a very Merry Christmas this season.

We wish to thank everyone for their continued support here at the Bow River Blog. It’s hard to believe we are in our 19th year Blogging and sharing information regarding the Bow River with all who wish to read and learn.

From humble beginnings simply sharing stories about my fishing adventures on the Bow, to guiding the river and making/designing my own brand of fishing lures. I feel blessed to continue to write and share with each and everyone of you here.

I thank you all for either joining us here, or out on the river catching fish season after season.

Merry Christmas.

~Mike

Nov 11

Inner city fishing the Bow River 2025

It was amazing to get out inner city fishing the Bow River before it got cold and winter takes its icy hold on Calgary. I was fishing the Robertson Tackle Sunrise Samurai today with great success on the Brown trout that inhabit the Bow River.

I was fishing the lure slow, with several twitches and long pauses in between retrieves. As discussed here in the Blog many times, it’s vitally important to slow down during the months when the water is super cold. This method worked very well for me today.

I was blessed with 7 brown trout, with every fish hooked landed in the net. Such a fun day out there once again.

~Mike

Oct 11

My dearest friend Robert.

Still can’t believe you left us much too early. One day we were talking and fishing and the next day you were gone.

I know everybody has to leave this earth eventually, but my heart is still shattered into a million pieces. We had so many places to fish and so many fish to catch yet.

Even though I never knew you all my life, I’ll never forget the bond we formed from the very day we met at Wholesale Sports in Edmonton. It was like we were brothers, cut from the same cloth! We love the same music and food and we both had a huge passion for fishing. I will never forget all the memories we created with you and your son on the river, laughing and fishing and eating amazing food. From the three day camp trips, to the one day adventures. My heart absolutely breaks for your daughter, your son, and your wife and all the other people who loved you dearly.

You left a huge mark on the fishing industry here in Alberta, with your love of tying flies and fly fishing, to chucking crankbaits with me in the jet boat. Many people loved you and turned to you for advice in the fishing community, and you helped them all with an open heart and a deep, caring passion.

Not many I’ve ever met had the fire burning for fishing like you did!

I wish I could pick up my phone and call you to catch up, to laugh once more or to plan another epic fishing adventure with you. I wish we could get in the truck, crank the Judas Priest and reminisce about all the concerts we saw. I wish I could have said goodbye, even though I never knew it was your time to go. I wish I could have told you “I love ya bro” once more, even though I know you knew that wholeheartedly. I wish I could hear you yell, “HOLY” as you caught another monsta trout. I wish you were here, even though I know heaven is a “better place”.

I hope you save me a spot on the bank up there, or a place in a boat, so when I get there, we can fish together again like the “good ol’ days”. I hope you watch out for us all, and guide us, and help us into the next fish, like you always did when you were here. I hope there was no pain, and God took you softly, gently into his loving arms.

I know you are with God, as you are/were a good Christian man. I pray for your family, that they may get through this very difficult time. I pray for your safe passage to the other side.

With love,

~Mike.