This past weekend we headed out with Grey Cup champion Shawn Bane Jr, and his lovely fiance Michelle, to fish the Bow River. We launched from McKinnon Flats in search of the rivers finest Brown …
March 2006 – March 2026 20 years of Blogging I think I have came a long way since those first days of chicken-pecking my way through 200 word articles. I have learned much and have …
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 …
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 …
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 …
This Thanksgiving, I am very thankful to have seen so many anglers fishing with me this season. Despite a pandemic, and having to be more cautious than normal, I was blessed to fish with many people this year. And for that I am thankful.
I am thankful that we created memories, memories that will last a lifetime! We caught and released many wonderful fish. We laughed and joked until our faces hurt. We shared stories and got to know one another on deeper levels! And most importantly, when the world stopped, we never stopped doing what we love. And that is being outdoors in nature, fishing.
So, this is just a short post letting you all know how thankful, and grateful I am to see you on the boat this year. Thank you all for your friendship and continuing to make memories with me year after year. Thank you all for the wonderful season on the Bow River.
As September has now passed, I look back at all the special memories created this month. With many new anglers coming out with me, and many repeat anglers, it was a month to remember. The fishing was fantastic again this season, despite warm temperatures almost daily. It is always wise to get up early and get out there when the water temperatures are cooler! This is especially important for two reasons. One, you beat other anglers and guides to the river, giving you the best chance at a stellar day. I always want to be the first boat to launch for this reason. Secondly, the water temperatures usually cool off at night, so getting out early gives you the best chance at the best fish! Being at the boat launch as the sun is just coming up gives you an advantage on a heavy pressured river system.
As a result of getting up early, and beating the crowds to the river, we were successful in getting both some amazing rainbow trout and some stellar browns as well. Due to the Covid pandemic, the borders to Canada were closed, which meant there were not as many anglers from out of country fishing the river. A little less pressure this year, which lead to a little more fish in the net.
I would like to thank each angler who came out with me this September. Below are some images of the fantastic catches we put in the net this month. Remember, always have sharp hooks and keep the line tight!
It sure has been a funny year in 2020 to say the least! With a pandemic affecting millions of peoples lives, it seems the fish have also been affected. How so you might ask? With many still unemployed, the Bow River has seen way more fishing pressure than past years. License sales have increased, and many more people are heading to the river both on the banks, and in boats. I think its great that people can find peace and serenity along the river as I do, but with increased fishing pressure, and less fish in the Bow River, (50% less rainbow trout) as per the University of Calgary fish population study, it can make for some tough fishing conditions.
Despite all the changes this year, (more people, less fish), there has still been amazing fishing along all stretches of the majestic Bow River. This August was one of the busiest months I have ever had fishing the river. So many friends reached out to me and came fishing with me. There were epic stories told, and fantastic trout caught and released. Despite new regulations as far as Covid is concerned, the rods are sanitized, and I am meeting people at the boat launch instead of driving them to and from the river. Other then a few minor adjustments, nothing has changed.
We have been casting all the same gear as years past, but with the ever-changing fishing industry, including new and improved hooks, colors etcetera, the new gear has been working with great success. Some of the lures we have been using are as follows.
Rapala RipStop Deep. These are four and a half inch baits, and when I tie these lures up, I get some strange looks. Rob Clarke from the Fishin’ Hole Edmonton was out again with me this year, and when he saw me tying up that monster RipStop deep, he was like “What are you going to do with that thing”? I landed a few monster rainbows and made him a believer in short order. Have you ever seen a twenty-inch rainbow cough up a 4- or 5-inch minnow? Well I certainly have! These fish are predators and will eat big baitfish time and time again.
2. Rapala Elite Series Countdown minnow imitations. These are new to the fishing world this season! The Elite series baits have been proven to be a fantastic edition to the Rapala family of lures. With super life like looking paint jobs, these lures have been proven effective for fish that are sitting low in the water column on those hot sunny days. When the fish are taking their mid-afternoon breaks in deeper water, we have been putting these down to the bottom and pulling up some epic trout daily. When you see a fish chasing your lure, and they won’t come up high in the water column to eat, these lures will get you down into the strike zone and put fish in your net!
These are but a few lures we have been using with high success ratios. There are many more new lures for you to try that will work well on any river system you fish. Sometimes it is worth trying new tactics and implementing new lures into your arsenal. One of the main reasons for that is the fish have never seen these baits before, resulting in more and larger fish in your net. I always buy two of something I am going to try, in case I lose one lure along the trip, I have one back-up hook on hand.
I am excited for the fall fishing seasons as water temperatures will lower, and the fish will be aggressive for our offerings. Keep your hooks sharp, your spirit high and may the fish God’s always bless you. If you are looking for a trip, please feel free to reach out and I will get you out on the water and into some amazing trout!
What an amazing month this has been for trout fishing the Bow River. With the borders still closed, the river has seen a lot less traffic then it has in past years. They call the Calgary Stampede “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”, but this year, with the Stampede closed, the Bow River is the greatest outdoor show on earth. Temperatures have been skyrocketing into the 30’s almost daily, so it is important that we head out early and get the morning bite before the heat in on. As the heat turns up, the fishing slows down somewhat, and by 2PM we are back at the boat launch and finished our day.
It is of the utmost importance in the heat of the afternoon, that you don’t fight the fish too long, or you don’t keep the fish out of the water very long. Keep them wet, a quick pic and back they go into the river.
We have been landing some epic fish using different techniques, different kinds of lures, and finding fish deeper into the water column on those stifling hot afternoons. Knowing the river intimately as I do, understanding where to locate the fish has been an integral part of our success.
Have a look at these beauty fish caught and released in July 2020! I hope to see you on the water with me this August.
