Inner City Bow

[fisher26]

I have been fishing the bow in the inner city stretch the last couple days with no luck, not even a whitefish. I am a capable fly fisherman and I have no trouble catching fish on the lower bow but I just can't seem to catch a fish on the inner city stretch. I have fished it in the evening and after dark with no avail. I have tried many nymphs and streamers with a variety of methods and locations.

 

 

Any suggestions or ideas would be helpful.

 

 

Thanks

[Lawrence]

honestly dude I've been going at that stretch for two years now and somedays you get and some days you don't, I've had most success using dries in the evening hours.

[localanglr]

i picked up a 17" rainbow from the zoo saturday morning on a #14 phesant, i was just dead drifting

[fisher26]

What flies would you suggest for when they aren’t rising?

[Lawrence]

right now try using caddis pupa and pheasant tails, cast up stream let dead drift for about half of the drift and you can try emerger lifts through the rest of the drift. Let it hang it hang out in the current as well for a few second's before you're next cast. Another thing you can try is try going a little smaller in you're fly sizes than you would fishing down below the treatment plants. This is a theory that I have as well

[grannyknot]

I've found that SJW's aren't as effective above the weir. (The pattern. I'm sure SJW is effective wherever he fishes the Bow.) It seems the further upstream I go, the less fish I catch on them.

[troutlover]

upper bow and the elbow i find fish alot more like the crowsnest. The lower Bow seems to fish different.

[birchy]

i picked up a 17" rainbow from the zoo saturday morning on a #14 phesant, i was just dead drifting

 

They let you fish IN the zoo?!?!? Jeepers.. most people go there to look at the animals man!!

[Lawrence]

the zoo can be a nice place to spot fish in that side channel. Spotted a few cruisers there last year

[cdock]

I find it's hit and miss as well. I've fished a ton up in the Varsity area (Bowmount Park I think) and I've had days where I'll get like 20 whitefish in 30 minutes and then the next day nothing and then the day after really nice bows and browns and then nothing. It's very unpredictable. I've abandoned the spot for greener pastures.

[WETDUCK]

with the weir comming out id bet the upper will become better + mabe see some more pike ,bulls,lake trout:) just a thought!

[Lawrence]

Yeah it should be some interesting fishing aorund there after everything is said and done

[lonefisher]

Just curious will that change allow you to float that stretch or will the weir area still be impassable. I'm not overly familiar with this hazard

[SanJuanWorm]

I can't stress enough to let your drift swing through a full drift. At the end of the drift give it 2 quick strips, then recast.

[cheeler]

Just curious will that change allow you to float that stretch or will the weir area still be impassable. I'm not overly familiar with this hazard

 

The plan is to make it passable.

[cdock]

with the weir comming out id bet the upper will become better + mabe see some more pike ,bulls,lake trout:) just a thought!

 

Exactly what weir - Carseland or the Headworks Division?

[Lawrence]

it will be the weir downtown ( the headworks )

[Christofficer]

Wrong fly sizes maybe. I never have trouble catching fish on the city stretch except between pumphouse and the weir. My buddy who is a novice caught his first fish near the stony trail bridge for the first time right before the water got all blown out, about 3 weeks ago. Good size for a first fish, 19 inch brown. Whitefish are everywhere as well on the stretch, especially fall, you can catch em nearly every cast.I made a note last time I was out as well, big leeches. BIG leeches lurk the upper stretches.