New Fisher

[Birddog]

Hey guys, new to fly fishing this year,have fished the Bow a few times with little results, I am not asking for anybodys honey hole, but could some reccomend somewhere on the bow where I could maybe get into some fish, would I use Wolly buggers and nymphs?

 

Thanks AL

[Tungsten]

read this if you haven't already.I was out today for a couple of hours and had some success.I was nymphing water that was about 4-5' deep i had a small worm say 10 then 12" back a green caddis larva 16 then a blk midge 18-20.The worm was about 6' from my indy and i had a small shot about 10" up from the worm.Hope this helps.

 

 

[gottalovecutts]

The Bow is a bit tricky to start on, I taught myself how to fly fish on the Bow a few years back, got skunked my whole first year, did okay everywhere else I went. Here are a few suggestions. 1. Buy the book Blue Ribbon Bow by Jim McLennan, will help you immensely. 2. Take the beginner course of fly fishing from Country Pleasures, helped me immensely when I was starting. 3. Buy a book on reading water, use that info to break the bow into smaller pieces, and pay attention to where others are fishing cause there is a reson they are there. 4. Maybe get your feet wet off the Bow. I started out fishing streamers and nymphs on the Sheep, also learned to fish a dry there, uncrowded, close to city, and beautiful spots. Bull trout love the wooly B, and u can get the odd pig out there. Hope this helps, and good luck!

[headscan]

Head down to Fish Creek Park. Lots of decent fishing around there and you'll probably run into other fly fishers. Like gottalovecutts said watch where they're fishing and try talking to them. Most people you meet on the river are happy to help a new guy.

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

it took me all most a year to catch a trout on the bow....man white fish were the only think keeping me going lol. just keep workin at it and find some buddys it help kill the time between the fish lol

[canadagrey]

Birddog:

A river the size of the Bow can be quite intimitating, one of your best investments to shorten your learning curve would also be to hire a guide for the day. It may seem expensive however if you are going to want quick results this is a great investment. It took me 2 years to catch my fish on the fly.

[seby]

I just picked up fly fishing this year, took the begginer fly fishing class with Country Pleasures and was on my way. Thanks to that class, and reading some books on reading water ect, plus some great vids on Youtube (thanks Humblefisherman), i have had an unbelievable first year fishing the bow. At first nymphing was all i could do, but gradually i experimented with dry's, and seem to enjoy both. Have never been skunked yet, but i imagine fly fishing may get tougher in winter?

 

As for places, Fish Creek is apopular place for flyfishers but i feel it gets to much prssure

Southland can be good but it is underconstuction right now

HW 22X bridge and HW 2A are my favorate places to fish, u may need to walk a little to find some good water.

 

Hope this helps

im still a fly fishing newbie too

let me know how you do

 

Troutfisher01

[brownonbow]

I was intimidated by the bow at first, psyched out by all those I knew and talked to about the bow. Really it's not as bad as they would have you believe. Look where others are fishing every time you go out, as already mentioned. Look over every once and a while to see how they are doing.

Streamers are going to be the easiest way to hook into some fish because you don't have to worry about dead drifting it. You can just throw it in and strip it back till you feel the pull of a fish.

Learn how to nymph fish efficiently on another river you know to hold fish, then take those skills to the mighty bow. Try dead drifting a woolly bugger under an indicator. It's great practice because the presentation of a bugger is not critical to it's success. (unlike those little nymphs)

As far as dry fly fishing goes it has been my experience that you rarely can call them up to the surface if they are not already feeding actively. But when you do see them feeding definitely give it your best shot, if your rewarded it is a sublime feeling to say the least. Be prepared to stay late as the fishing picks up the later and darker it gets.

Hope this helps just a little, maybe get you into a few. Anyhow when it all comes together for you be prepared to sell the golf clubs because unlike the golf course there are no bad days on the river.

[bvader]

Have never been skunked yet, but i imagine fly fishing may get tougher in winter?

 

Obviously not trying hard enough...

 

[seby]

I fish the bow on average once or twice a week.

How much harder do i have to try?, it will happen one of these days!!

though i dread the day it does happen.

[maxwell]

keep at is al do a search on here tons of great topics on fishing teh bow , streamer fishing teh bow, nymphing teh bow etc.. the bow is not the easeist of rivers too learn on bt its no imposible either! keep at it do lots of research and you will be rewarded soon enough!

[Goldberg]

Hey guys, new to fly fishing this year,have fished the Bow a few times with little results, I am not asking for anybodys honey hole, but could some reccomend somewhere on the bow where I could maybe get into some fish, would I use Wolly buggers and nymphs?

 

Thanks AL

It's critical to go out with experienced fishers and watch carefully. You can learn so much by watching their every move, especially their approach to mending. Eighty percent of the time you will need to mend the line aggressively upstream to make sure that the indicator leads the way, ahead of your line. If the line is mostly in really slow water, a downstream mend might better produce a truly dead drift. Imagine how the fly must be drifting as it sinks, and do everything possible to produce a truly dead drift.

 

Wait for it - it is truly amazing when that 24 inch bow pulls away line.