HOPPERS are happening throughout much of the province’s southern waters. We’ve been hearing them along the river banks for a few weeks and fishing them with success for the last couple of weeks…. Our hopper drawer is seeing some action and some new favorite hopper patterns are emerging.

Lots of folks fishing double fly rigs – hopper/dropper or hopper/small dry setups – to increase their chances and effectively fish a couple food sources at once If a fish takes your hopper you’ll see the take. If a fish takes the second fly your hopper will act like an indicator and help you know there’s a fish on.

The voluntary restriction to fishing hours continues to be in effect for ES1 and ES2. This restriction goes back to a July 14 release from Alberta Environment and Parks and requests anglers voluntarily limit fishing hours to between midnight and 2 p.m., fish in stocked lakes/ponds, and minimize handling time.

Bow River Flies to Try:

Dries: White Cloud Hopper, More-or-Less Hopper, Fat Frank, Dunnigan’s Hoppa in Pink, Chartreuse or Tan; Parachute Adams, Swisher’s LLS Chernobyl, Chubby Chuck, Skid Bitch, Trico Spinners, midges.

Nymphs: prince nymphs, copper john, pheasant tail, caddis emergers, SJW, Smethurst Stone Bomb, Strollis’ Shimmer Stone, rubber leg squirrel.

Streamers: Black and white clousers, skiddish smolt, Galloup’s dungeon, circus peanut, Thompson’s Hopscotch Sculpin, Leeches in brown or black: try Aaron’s BT leech, peacock leech, woolly buggers.

Mountain Streams

Dries: Attractors, lime trudes, red or purple Humpy, Fat Albert, smaller hopper patterns.

Nymphs: Rubber leg squirrel, creepy sally, caddis pupa, Better-than-Sex Drake, prince nymph.

Streamers: Clouser Minnow, Clark’s Rat, Galloup’s Dungeon, Silk Kitty, Menage-A-Dungeon, Butte Rat, double bunnies.

Happy Fishing!