The Bow river has dropped beautifully to good average levels for this time of year (180-190cms) and has cleared to several feet of visibility. We are seeing full-on stone fly hatches daily now but that will likely only last through this coming week. There have been very decent numbers of stones on the banks causing a lack of sleep amongst those who like to chase this hatch. Watching a large brown or rainbow slowly rise to eat your large dry fly is one of the most heart stopping moments you can experience in fly fishing!
We have seen many pictures of very substantial brown trout caught these past few days. Many of us guessed this could be an excellent year for browns over 24” and that seems to be coming true. The rainbow’s that are being caught also seem to be very healthy on average which is great to see.
This week has also seen some excellent caddis hatches which were long overdue!
Flies to try:
Dries: Caddis in #12-16 Bloom's Parachute Caddis, CDC and Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis, Jake's All Season Caddis, Stonefly Patterns in #6-10 Skid Bitch, Fat Albert, Jake's Trigger Belly Foam Bug, Swishers Chernobyl Black
Streamers: Skiddish smolt, Galloup's Dungeon, Bow River Bugger, Black/White Clouser, BT leeches, Kreelex Minnow
Nymphs: San Juan Worm - wire or reese's pieces, chenille stones (Jimmy Legs) prince nymph, Ice Evil Weevil, lightning bug, copper John, peacock leech, Aaron’s Leech
Accessible boat launches: All
Headed to the Eastern Slopes? Many of the eastern slopes streams are now running at their normal levels. Clean water is a joy to fish.
Golden stones are hatching, the start of green drakes, and caddis. The fish are looking up so enjoy it.
Flies to try:
Dries: Micro Chubby in purple or tan, fat alberts, green drakes like green drake west, green drake Wulff, Lucent wing true drake, purple haze, Adams extended body, H&L Variant
Streamers: pink gartside leech, kreelex minnow, muddy buddy white, circus peanut.
Nymphs: Better-than-sex Drake, purple jig head lightning bug, UV Hare's Ear, copper john, prince nymph, jig head pheasant tail, wired stone, evil weevil
Happy Fishing.