How To Fish The Elbow River In Calgary?

[archerynut]

In all my years of fishing the elbow river, probably about 10, I've only ever caught one fish. it was the skinniest most pathetic looking brown trout you could ever imagine right under neath macleod trail by the stampede grounds. i've heard whispers on this board and others about the variety of species and sizes available to those who dedicate the time to fish the elbow river downstream from the city's source of drinking water. I'm just a kid who wants to catch some fish, just broke my curse yesterday with a nice rainbow but I've been trying to catch something for a few weeks now.

 

Andrew

[ffconvert]

In all my years of fishing the elbow river, probably about 10, I've only ever caught one fish. it was the skinniest most pathetic looking brown trout you could ever imagine right under neath macleod trail by the stampede grounds. i've heard whispers on this board and others about the variety of species and sizes available to those who dedicate the time to fish the elbow river downstream from the city's source of drinking water. I'm just a kid who wants to catch some fish, just broke my curse yesterday with a nice rainbow but I've been trying to catch something for a few weeks now.

 

Andrew

Andrew, don't give up.

The strikes against us fishers on the Elbow are the dam, which often needs to allow high volume, and the inner tubes and rafts, which on a day like today will keep you feeling like you are casting in a bowling alley.

Try the late evening. rafters are mostly gone. Sandy Beach is my go to spot.

Caught my one and only after dark fish there by flipping my dry fly out to the slurping noise by a pool.

14" brown.

Have had a few successes in daylight there also, and then just past the stampede grounds, about where 12 Ave (?) bridge crosses the river.

Tight Lines!

[Austin]

In all my years of fishing the elbow river, probably about 10, I've only ever caught one fish. it was the skinniest most pathetic looking brown trout you could ever imagine right under neath macleod trail by the stampede grounds. i've heard whispers on this board and others about the variety of species and sizes available to those who dedicate the time to fish the elbow river downstream from the city's source of drinking water. I'm just a kid who wants to catch some fish, just broke my curse yesterday with a nice rainbow but I've been trying to catch something for a few weeks now.

 

Andrew

 

 

Never fished it dude im only 14 so i haven't been able to get out and fish right now the rivers suck right now do to run off and all the snow but i will get out soon. The evenings is when it's good though from 7:00 till dark is the best fishing. I have caught alot in the evening where ever i go. I haven't caught a fish since june but you just have to find them.

 

Austin, Tight lines

[headscan]

the rivers suck right now

Hmm. Don't know about that...

[Guest Jeremie]

Never fished it dude im only 14 so i haven't been able to get out and fish right now the rivers suck right now do to run off and all the snow but i will get out soon. The evenings is when it's good though from 7:00 till dark is the best fishing. I have caught alot in the evening where ever i go. I haven't caught a fish since june but you just have to find them.

 

Austin, Tight lines

 

Best fishing on the bow is when its cloudy and starting to drop. Go read the bow river reports.

 

I've heard of some big browns in the elbow, i would head to the fishy looking water at night and throw some big dark streamers in there and swing em across. Always produces fish at night for me and on cloudy days (hint hint). If you dont get anything with the first few passes, switch to a smaller streamer, and then smaller and smaller and then move on.

[archerynut]

I appreciate the level and depth of experience on the board so the hints offered have been taken into consideration. at this point in time, the stretch of water near the stampede grounds, although a little murky, is looking pretty inviting so I will head out later this evening with my 4wt. and give it a try.

 

thank you gents and I will post again in this thread the immediate and hopefully positive(with photos)results of my endevours.

 

Andrew

[FraserN]

I have caught a lot of small browns in this stream, and a few good sized ones, as well. The reason for the the difficulty is that the Elbow below the dam is a very technical stream. It requires very long, light leaders (I usually go with 6X) and a stealthy approach. These are small stream Browns in relatively shallow water, and as such, they are super-spooky. But I find that using small nymphs and dries in the summer, and some larger streamers in the fall can get results. Also remember that the river requires a lot of patience to fish, as the trout can be very difficult some days.

[EliteFisherman]

 

 

iv caught alot out of the elbow river from pike , browns to brookies and suckers in between.

if your spin casting use the 2nd smallest rainbow trout pattern and jerk it along.

if your fly fishing iv done well with mirco leeches and a scud. or nymphing youll almost certanly cathc suckers and whitefish its full of it.

by the rapids beside the cycle path cast in those little pockets sometimes only about your hand wide but it should hold fish.

the deep sandy clear bottom where the wood wall is holds some 15+ brookies and some small browns there.

the best fishing is yes when its cloudy and for the elbow its even better when you have limited visablity.

iv put my 2 years every sunday fishing it and once though rafters come they seem to either disapear of sit at the bottom with no movement.

the majority of the fish will come right after a rainstorm. fish the drainages and use SJW. and you can realy sneak up on them because its stained water. dont let your SJW anywhere near the bottom a sucker will grab it. and the trout wont mind picking it up. or cast onto the drainage and let it splash down!

the browns are pretty scrony because theyre spooked almost 24/7. it only worth fishing in fall when the bigger browns move in and after a rainstorm when they gorge themselves on worms

[Guest Jeremie]

^ browns spawn in the fall, i wouldnt think they wouldnt be gorging on worms.

[EliteFisherman]

^ browns spawn in the fall, i wouldnt think they wouldnt be gorging on worms.

 

fully aware of that bud.....browns will eat will eat almost anything that swims by there nose in the fall and im not saying its only browns feeding on the worms after a rainstorm. the little brookies do it too.

i know this because using a SJW in brown in fall by the drainages i hooked into a crazy amount of browns. and it didnt realy matter what we used they ate it.didnt just say fall in summer they love it too

go there after a rainstorm and tie on a SJW in brown and let me know how you do

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

i have not fished it more than 5 or 6 times and i am at 1 14-16" Brown and 1 18-20" Pike

[Guest Jeremie]

fully aware of that bud.....browns will eat will eat almost anything that swims by there nose in the fall and im not saying its only browns feeding on the worms after a rainstorm. the little brookies do it too.

i know this because using a SJW in brown in fall by the drainages i hooked into a crazy amount of browns. and it didnt realy matter what we used they ate it.didnt just say fall in summer they love it too

go there after a rainstorm and tie on a SJW in brown and let me know how you do

 

Its because they are territorial, its aggression. Same with brookies, they are fall spawners. I would like to see proof of big fish coming out of the elbow with consistency after rainstorms, without the fish being stacked up because of a spawn.

[bigjonjon]

Howdy, down from the stampede there a nice pool, even caught a few nice ones all early morning, not rafternoon..but be careful around there in the morning the creatures of the night roam them bushes.

[EliteFisherman]

Its because they are territorial, its aggression. Same with brookies, they are fall spawners. I would like to see proof of big fish coming out of the elbow with consistency after rainstorms, without the fish being stacked up because of a spawn.

 

yeah i know there fall spawners but like i said try it for yourself. after being spooked everyday by the floaters they grab every chance to feed up when there not spooked like on foul days were people dont like to go outside. and the fact that they hold closer to shore when its darker out. all makes for a super aggresive brown in the elbow.

 

territorial? not too much in the elbow if you take your dingy and look around in the deeper pools. you can see them in there holding in groups up to 4. but usaly just 2-3.

the bow theyre pretty territorial.

[mrmomar]

Bow's a better use of your time.

[trailhead]

Bow's a better use of your time.

 

Definitely, at this time of year as the Elbow in Calgary is closed.