Conditions are great and Water Boatmen are now a thing on the Bow River. Swing, or hard strip, boatmen through runs and pools. Slower water, and back eddies, should be targeted as well, and flies should be stripped quickly and erratically.
Hoppers can still be effective. Less eats these days when used in combination with a dropper, but they are still happening. Small leeches are always a good choice for a dropper fished 3-4 feet under your hopper, smaller nymphs should be dropped about 18-24 inches.
Water clarity is good right now. Lots of weeds in the river as a result of our light run off and hot weather, resulting in a lot of bugs! Lots of Tricos, BWO's, and Fall Caddis flying around.
Streamer fishing has been pretty awesome. Give trailing a leech, or water boatman, 18-24 inches behind a larger point fly a try. Results can be spectacular.
Mountain Streams are in great shape with hatches of Drakes, BWO's and Caddis persisting. Water clarity is excellent.
We encourage everyone to pinch their barbs! Pinching your barbs will help ensure that releasing fish is easier for both you and the fish.
- Minimize air exposure
- Eliminate contact with dry surfaces
- Reduce handling time.
It's time to start thinking about tying flies. Start your Christmas list by letting your loved ones know which vice you want to help you indulge in your vice. A new vice could be a game changer. Speaking of which, check out Gideon's one night Game Changer tying class on our courses page.
Bow River Flies to try:
Dries: Hopper patterns like the Juicy Hopper, Dave's Hopper, Heneberry Hopper, and the Morrish's Hopper. Attractor patterns like, Skid Bitch, and Orange Chernobyl Ants are also worth a try. Dead drift, or skitter across pools to provoke strikes. Peacock Caddis, Parachute Purple Haze and Para Caddis are great options for smaller dries. Other terrestrials, ants and beetles, Arrick's Para Ant and Jake's Gulp Beetle are good choices.
Streamers: Small leech patterns like an Aaron's Leech, Hot Head Wooly Bugger, stripped or dead drifted under a hopper have worked great. Kreelex Minnows, Bow River Buggers (both Conehead and OG), Wooly Buggers (Black or Brown), Seasoned Geezer, and Flesh Eating Sculpin are good streamer choices.
Nymphs: Will's Chai T, Kaleidoscope, TJ Hooker, Aaron's BT Rubber Leg, Black Widow Weevil, Tungsten Prince, Copper John's, and Wagler Boatman.
Cool evenings should continue to improve river temperatures. The fish should be strapping on the feed bag before winter, so... Tight lines everyone!
FTFS
