Bow River Fishing Report - December 19, 2025
Dec 21, 2025
The weather outside is frightful, so no real fishing opportunities in the foreseeable future. When fishing is possible again the trick will be finding safely accessible open water.
Bow River Flies - Santa Picks
Midge, and Blue Winged Olive imitations will be your very limited dry fly options. Soft seams, and slow backwaters, are prime lies. Risers will be almost impossible to spot, but a super keen eye, and patience, might produce.
Nymphing will be your most effective technique once things resume. Small, heavy, low profile, nymphs will be your best bet, worked through deep runs, and riffles.
Streamers will be effective, if you are able to achieve a deep presentation, through deep runs, and riffles. Using your heaviest sink tip, or a heavily weighted streamer on your dry line, quarter your cast upstream and follow with upstream mends to achieve the deepest presentation possible. Slow your retrieve to compensate for the shorter distance trout will travel to pursue food during the winter.
Spey casting and running a small streamer, or wet fly, through a riffle, or run, will provide quite a bit of winter amusement.
Alberta authors writing about Alberta. Fishing, fish, and conservation from local perspectives.
Please try to keep fish wet and remember to also pinch your barbs. Pinching your barbs will make releasing the fish a lot easier for both you and the fish.
We ask that you handle your fish with care by:
- Pinching your barbs
- Keeping fish wet
- Eliminating unnecessary fish contact with dry surfaces
- Reducing handling time
Wednesday, January 7, 2026 - Lake fishing tactics with Craig Robillard. Join Craig for this session focused on all things lakes. Craig will focus on a variety of topics that could include sink tips, multi-density lines, rod and fly selection, quick-release indicators, and more. Craig will cover topics such as:
- Trout Needs
- Gear
- Aquatic Transportation
- Fishing Depth, Speed and Retrieve
- Fish Food in Lakes
- Fly Tying
January 19, 2026 - Classic Patterns/Updated Materials - Some standard tying materials (like peacock herl) are getting harder to come by so manufacturers are constantly finetuning their synthetics offerings. In this session we will tie a prince nymph and a peacock leech two ways. These are both great patterns for our local waters.
Locally made Fly Displays.
Dries: Midge & Blue Winged Olive imitations
Streamers: Clouser Minnows, Slum Lord Jig Leech, Woolly Bugger Jig
Nymphs: Tungsten Jig Mic Drop, Will's Chai Tea Jig - Heavy, Perdigon Style Jigs, worm imitations
Trout Spey: Soft Hackles, Small Streamers
It's cold.
When you do head out, please wade with caution and use common sense. Ice shelves will often form over deeper hole and backwaters. Felt soles are not recommended for winter fishing. They will freeze to the ice and you are likely to fall while trying to unstick them. Rubber, or studded rubber, are more suited to the ice and snow.
Get out there when you can.
Merry Christmas!
