Some great weather awaits us here in Calgary as we slide into October. Autumn provides some exciting angling opportunities on the Bow River as fish begin to ready themselves for winter. Streamer fishing is turning on with streamers of all sizes attracting fish. Small tan backswimmers retrieved behind a streamer or as a double backswimmer rig can be effective in slack water where fish are cruising.

Hopper dropper is still going with the occasional eat on the hopper and most fish being on the dropper. There seems to be a lot of enthusiastic smaller rainbows around below the city willing to eat a dropper. Fish this style for a numbers day and fish streamers to entice the bigger fish out to play. Don't be afraid to fish shallower water as it seems that fish are still holding in these areas.

October caddis have been hatching through the last few weeks and fish have been taking a variety of larger caddis pupae. With the water levels low and clear, green is the best color to try. BWOs are making sporadic appearances and sippers have been common in the later afternoons. Fish small emergers or tiny dries for these fish.

Flies to try: 

Nymphs: Pheasant Tail, Bead Head Prince Nymph, Brown Wagler Boatmen, large caddis pupa patterns, Trina's Bubble Back Emerger BWO

Dries: Morrish Hopper, KB's Hop Zone, Disco Ant, Foam October Caddis, Rusty Spinner, teeny tiny BWOs

Streamers: White Dungeons, Kreelex Minnows, small brown or olive leech patterns