Bow River Fishing Report - June 12, 2026

The banner is a picture of Carseland Boat Launch.

The river has started to turn around. Things should continue to improve barring any exceptional foul weather events, or flood surprises. 

The forecast, once again, calls for the mixed bag of rain, some sun, and wind. River levels have dropped and clearing has begun. The caddis are still around, somewhere, and the Stoneflies should be well underway. We should be good to go. Should be.

Get out there when, and if, you can. Big water. Big trout.

McKinnon's Flats

Boat Launch Update

The boat launches inside of the City of Calgary are operational.

The road into Policeman's Flats has washed out and the launch is inaccessible.

McKinnon's Flats is washed out and filled with silt. You may be able to drag your boat to solid ground, but river bank is a wet soft silt that could be a nightmare.

Bow River Flies - Staff Picks - Craig

Left to Right from top: Orange/Black Jailbreak Jig, AA Gabriel Leech, Galloup's Barred Micro Dungeon, Werminator, BH Worn Garden Hackle, Ninch's Fish-Finder, TJ Hooker, Jimmy Legs, BH Rubber Legged Stonefly

Bow River Fishing

Dry fly fishing will be hit, or miss, as river levels settle down, and clarity improves. It might be a while.

As fishing resumes you should target walking pace water in pools, and runs, with your heavily weighted nymph rigs. Caddis, and Stonefly nymphs, along with leeches patterns will be good choices while the higher water conditions hang around. This is also the time to go with "red & lead." If you know what I mean. Worms, I mean worms. And lead. Lots of lead.Fish Tales has travel cases, and knapsacks, for almost every fly fishing, or fly fishing travel, situation.

Once levels have settled down a little. with a few less abrupt peaks and valleys, we may still have high water quite some time, but fishing has picked up as visibility increases. If things continue to clear, and the river remains high, the fish will be pressed tight into the banks. Large, heavy flies will be a great option. Swing your flies into undercut banks, and soft seams, and strip them erratically back to you.

Trout spey is a great way to cover a lot of fishable water, while not having to wade as deeply as single-handed anglers. Soft hackles and small streamers are usually a good choice for swinging. As the river stabilizes, a heavy sink tip, and a deep, slow, presentation should be quite effective during the high water.

Pike Fishing

Pike fishing continues to be good. Warmer days have the fish seeking out cooler water and being more active early mornings and during the evening hours. Lake McGregor, Crawling Valley Reservoir, Lake Travers, Little Bow, Clear Lake, Twin, Badger, and Lake Newell, are all great options, especially until conditions improve on the Bow.  Click for tips and tactics for Northern Pike.

Courses

2026 Level One Fly Fishing Course

This one-day session features both classroom instruction and an afternoon of hands-on fly casting. Students with spend the morning in a classroom environment learning the basics about equipment, lines, knot tying, and more. After lunch, (included with registration), students head outside for a dry-land casting session. By the end of the day students will be able to cast 30 feet of fly line.

Click here for 2026 Dates, or to register online.

Thank you for helping to make the Water Not Coal petition to protect the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains a success.

After Hours Seminars

POSTPONED due to high water Bankside bugs with David Blair is the final event in this series of our After Hours Presentations. Join David at Bankside in Fish Creek Park, He'll demonstrate a kick sample and help identify what's in the sample. This event should elevate your nymph ID skills and help you understand what's going on below the water. 

Date to be determined.

Books

Books on the spirit and intent of fly fishing.

Bow River Flies:

Dries: Peacock Caddis, Bloom's Parachute Caddis, Streaking Caddis, Swisher's Dancing Caddis, Silverman's Crystal Stimi, Chubby Chernobyl, True Golden Stone, Extra Chubby Chernobyl, Skater Tot, Harrop's Last Chance Cripple

Streamers: Conrad Sculpin, Tungsten Found Ya Bugger, Clarke's Rat, Gartside Leech, Jig Slum Lord Mini Leech, Bjorn's Sculpalicious, Coffey's Sparkle Minnow, Galloup's Butt Sump, Brown Town

Nymphs: Will's Chai T, T.J. Hooker, Smethurst's Stone Bomb, Stonefly Jig, Rubber Legged Squirrel, SP Tungsten Bead Mop Fly, Werminator, Gummy Worm, Wire Worms, Hai's Jig Leech Bomb, Egg Sucking Leech, Vampire Leech

Trout Spey: She Ra Tungsten Bead Jig, Soft Hackle Hare's Ear, Tungsten Energizer Squirrel Jig, Jerry's WMD Sculpin Intruder, Stu's Mini Ostrich Intruder, Brett's Klamath Skater, Bead Head Perpetrator

Use Textreme Holographic Long Hair to add some dazzle to your streamers and other creations. 

Please try to keep fish wet and remember to pinch your barbs. Keep fish in the water as much as possible. 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:

Bow River Basin

High Streamflow Advisory: Ended

Rob