Bow River Fishing Report - April 3, 2026

All of the launches, except McKinnon's, which opens April 15, and most of the river are open, and ready to go. The recent snowfall will provide more moisture to compliment, and add to, an already significant snow pack. 

As per the Government of Alberta - 

"After several dry years and El Niño producing warm and dry winters across Canada, early findings in 2026 are showing Alberta’s precipitation levels are bringing back needed moisture across all corners of the province. The majority of the mountain snowpack sites surveyed are reporting snowpack levels above or well above normal."

So, things look very promising for the spring, and probably through the summer.

Bow River Flies - Staff Picks - Sasha

Left to Right from top: Galloup's Boogieman, Slum Lord Jig, Coffey's CH Sparkle Minnow, Fool's Gold Salmon Fly, Doug's Gnatty Boy, Brown Stimulator, Dee's Boatman, SP Tungsten Bead Mop Fly, 3.3 mm Hot MFC Jig CDC Pheasant Tail

Bow River Fishing

Very small dries will usually be your best bet for early season surface action, but winter skwala stoneflies, dead drifted, or skittered across the surface, can provoke some very aggressive strikes.

Nymphing will usually be the most productive technique. Deep pools and runs, should be worked deep, and slow, but don't neglect the riffles, and runs. Stonefly imitations, along with leeches and worms continue to be good options.

Spring is the perfect time to get a new fly line. Start fresh.

Streamers are becoming more effective as we head into spring. Smaller streamers should be fished deep and slow, or swung through runs and riffles, on a heavy sink-tip, or dry line and long leader setup. Larger profile streamers become more effective in an high and/or off colour water situation trying to pull fish off of banks, or gravel bars. 

Spey casting covers a lot of fishable water, in a very efficient fashion. Soft hackles and small streamers are a great choice for swinging through runs, and riffles. Larger flies become more useful during high and off colour water, where they should be fished with your heavier sink tips.

Events

Join us Monday, April 13 for Fish Tales Ladies' Night. This is part of our free after-hour events lineup.

Presentations on wader fit and function, fly line tapers, what to wear for certain conditions. Along with, one on one casting tune-ups, and knot demos. Fly fishing travel opportunities, introduction to some cool and helpful gadgets, and more.

Join us April 15 for the final of our Flies and Foam series. Wrapping things up will be Hopper Dropper's with Ray Rowland.

Please purchase tickets and register in advance for each event. Tickets are $25 and include a materials kit for the night, non-tyer tickets are $10. Both receive a $9 credit toward Prairie Dog Brewing food, or beverage. Tying will start at 7 p.m. 

Please Register here

Books

It's almost time to start exploring.  Plan your backroad adventures using the Back Road Map Book's.

Bow River Flies to try:

Dries: Doug's Gnatty Boy, Bi-Visible, Griffith's Gnat, Stillborn Midge, Silverman's Crystal Stimi, Rio's Skater Tot, Dornan's Water Walker, Winged True Skwala, Harrop's Last Chance Cripple, Booty's Cripple, Double Vision BWO

Streamers: Bow River Bugger, Clouser Minnows, Slum Lord Jig Leech, Woolly Bugger Jig, Tungsten Found Ya Bugger, Sparkle Yummys, Galloup's Flat Head Kitty, Skiddish Smolt

Nymphs: Will's Chai Tea Jig, Perdigon, Worm Imitations, Smethurst's Stone Bomb, Goldie Hawn Stonefly Nymph, Tungsten Red Tie Pheasant Tail Jig, SP Tungsten Bead Mop Fly

Trout Spey: She Ra Tungsten Bead Jig, Soft Hackle Hare's Ear, Tungsten Energizer Squirrel Jig, Soft Hackle Prince Jig, Jerry's WMD Sculpin Steelhead Intruder, Stu's Mini Ostrich Intruder 

Locally made fishing themed, bases, fly displays, signs and crib boards. Created by Hooked by Fishing.

Please remember to try to keep fish wet and remember to 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:

River levels have been generally low, but should increase due to melting. The river should remain fairly low until runoff begins in the higher elevations, with periodic increases due to melting, or rain.

Need new boots? Lot's of new, and different, styles to choose from.

When the river clears up, and the weather cooperates, it will be time to get out there and fish before runoff get here. Be careful out there, and avoid walking on ice over deep pools and runs. Watch out for ice shelves collapsing into the water, and floating ice, which may take you by suprise.

Go fishing, if and when, you can. Things will only get better, and then worse, and then better again. Or something like that.