And summer slithers away
It only seemed like yesterday that I awoke to a forecast of raging heat and sweat dripping from every pore of my being. The summer here in Cow-town was a scorcher with temperatures reaching in the low thirties for what seemed like the whole summer. As we turned to corner into mid-September, with the snap of the fingers, we have now dipped to almost freezing temperatures overnight. The leaves that line the banks of the Bow River are now turning dandelion yellow and signs of fall have surely arrived. The beavers have started gathering to pad their lodges and the pelicans have all but left, flying back south west for the winter. The mornings have cooled considerably and water temps in the Bow River have balanced out.
Fall on the Bow River means the Brown trout population will start to feed up with their upcoming spawn coming up within a month or so. This year with the water tables lower than normal, it will be a bit trickier to catch them. With low water, you will need to choose lures that don’t dive too deep; otherwise you will catch nothing but weeds! I am already using baits that only dive two to four feet. Deeper water is scarce, so choosing the right baits will help you find and catch your quarry this fall on the Bow River. I have been doing seminars for both ladies, and men, on the banks of the river the last few weeks. The topic of what lures to use came up in all three seminars. My answer was, choose the right lures for the water depth and clarity of the river that day, or week. It is important to look at the packaging on the lure you want to buy, as it tells you exactly how deep the lure will dive.
As the water temperatures cool down, the fish are now getting active and are feeding all throughout the day. The fish are also moving out of that fast current and are sitting in slack water behind the seams or at the tail outs of the chutes. It is important to remember that trout will only exert so much energy to catch their meal, so slowing up your presentation will be crucial as we enter October and November!
I have been doing some shore fishing at dusk, and into the evening to target big brown trout that will only feed under the cover of darkness. This type of fishing will almost always reward you with the rivers finest specimens of both brown and rainbow trout species. For me, there is something magical about fishing at night! Less pressure on the fish and minimal shore angler pressure is the perfect recipe for success on the Bow River.
In summary, the Bow River has been producing some amazing fish once again this fall season. Choosing the right lures and colors will help you find the fish you seek on your next adventure fishing the river. Remember to check the lure packaging for correct running depth of your baits, and most importantly, have fun out there fishing. Summer has slipped away once again, but good fishing on the Bow River system is far from over!
