hawkeye Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Today I had my first experience on the Bow River and I'll never forget it! I took the advice of ladystrange (thanks!) and went off of 130th street off of deerfoot trail. First go at it I lost a fly in the tree behind me (quite difficult to do on such a large river I should say!) but it turned around from there. Walked a ways down stream and ran into some beautiful white tails, one stood bout 15 yards (13.71 meters ) from me and we had a 5 minute staring contest. Found some real nice looking water and eventually found the right fly and hooked into 3 real nice fish (they all spat - barbless is new to me!). The first one I hooked I got a good look at and was by far the biggest trout I have seen. It took me until the 4th fish (all on the same fly) to land one. So below is a photo of my first trout on the Bow. Later on I saw a bunch of fish hitting the surface but it was getting too dark and I was getting way too cold. Anyone know what they might be hitting? I guess I'm writing this post just to say how amazed I am with this river. Everything I read about it is holding up. We are so lucky to live in this area. I just wish I moved to Calgary earlier in the season! Thanks for all the great info folks! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladystrange Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 glad i could help out. congrats on the fish. i have still yet to catch one from the banks of the bow. almost did the other night, but not quite. no idea what they may have been rising to. hope you enjoyed the walk down to the river. i haven't been down there in awhile, how was the path way? i only ask because a lot of it was washed away a few years ago in the floods and i havent been down since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 glad i could help out. congrats on the fish. i have still yet to catch one from the banks of the bow. almost did the other night, but not quite. no idea what they may have been rising to. hope you enjoyed the walk down to the river. i haven't been down there in awhile, how was the path way? i only ask because a lot of it was washed away a few years ago in the floods and i havent been down since. Path was steep, but not bad other than that. Wouldn't want to try use it if it were wet out at all though. Cya! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crogg Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Welcome to Calgary and nice fish! What did you catch him on? Fishing is good in the winter too! Thanks for posting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigbadbrent Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 rising to blue wings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenbow Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Way to go Hawkeye! Nice job on getting into a few. Good that some advice from the board helped out too, I bet you'll be fishing the Bow like crazy from now on. You can still do quite well in the winter, so no hanging-up the fly rod for a while yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdock Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Great work dude! Isn't great that you can fish this river all year? Check the regs to be sure you are legal, but seriously the fun doesn't have to stop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hydropsyche Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Not many people land fish on their first outing on the Bow, so colour yourself fortunate (or skilled). Good job and welcome to Calgary. Lady, are you saying you've never caught a fish from the bow or just from the banks (walk and wade)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 Hey Crogg, Caught him (and the other 3 I hooked) on one of these little guys right here... (Only in real life its a lot smaller) Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlayDoh Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Nice fish, I must admit I'm a little jelous, yet it sounds like you have some fly fishing skills and experiances already. Unlike myself, I've just started, yet the fish gods smiled upon me last night. Felt so damn good, I'm still gleaming. First go at it I lost a fly in the tree behind me (quite difficult to do on such a large river I should say!) I've snaged so many flies on the bank, far bank, rocks, trees, above and below the water that I'm broke from buying new ones. yet I'm getting better everytime out (fourth so far), and I'm sure I'll get to keep them longer then a few hours. That and I try to stay off and away from the bank, trees, bushes, ect and face the shore. That and using a shorter backcast. I used to hit the water behind me almost everytime, and 'water' if I was lucky. Again, welcome to Calgary and some awesome Bow river trout. You should try east of Calgary near and around Caresland, (30-40 mins straight east). Lots of people drift boat, and theres always someone other then me wading. You won't believe the number of 20" and up trout, its world famous. Guides float by with their customers, and there are a number of locals also, but not enough to bother you. I can't get enough. I can also vouch for the fact that the members here are top notch, and very, very helpful. I'm living proof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ULTRAlite Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Wow - what a great first fish from the Bow... Welcome to the Calgary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
esleech Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Good job man, thats a nice brown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigbadbrent Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Hey Crogg, Caught him (and the other 3 I hooked) on one of these little guys right here... (Only in real life its a lot smaller) Bill lightning bug..good tie too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkeye Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 lightning bug..good tie too Thanks! But I can't take credit - this isn't one of my own. Cabela's purchase last spring! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladystrange Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Not many people land fish on their first outing on the Bow, so colour yourself fortunate (or skilled). Good job and welcome to Calgary. Lady, are you saying you've never caught a fish from the bow or just from the banks (walk and wade)? yep, i suck... the only fish i have landed in the bow was earlier this year just before stampede on a golden stone dropper with a SJW on a drift with a friend. it was quite the fiasco, but i did manage to get my first brown - see avatar. other than that, and being the same day, i managed to hook into 3 or 4 more others but couldnt land them, long distance releases - less stress that way... i almost caught one last week with knotlikely, good hit but didnt set, i think i was more suprised than the fish. he did hit hard and jumped out of the water, i was using one of my own creations. kind of a mickey finn pattern with flat silver tinsle, gold oval rib, yellow and purple squirle tail and a bead head. yet on small streams and rivers i kick butt... on a few occations i have been most and largest fish of the day. lakes - so so unless i'm fishing for pike so, yeah, i pretty much suck on the bow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhuseby Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 If you truly get the flyfishing bug, you might as well learn to tie flies. There's no way I could afford my habit if I bought flies, as I got through a feww hundred every year, between decorating trees and willow bushes, hitting high banks on backcasts, snapping off a few, snagging bottom with nymphs and streams and all of the other ways you can go through them. Have fun everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladystrange Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Not many people land fish on their first outing on the Bow, so colour yourself fortunate (or skilled). Good job and welcome to Calgary. Lady, are you saying you've never caught a fish from the bow or just from the banks (walk and wade)? ok, i have redeemed myself. caught my first walk n wade brown on the bow tonight - thanks Knotlikely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reevesr1 Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 ok, i have redeemed myself. caught my first walk n wade brown on the bow tonight - thanks Knotlikely Ladystrange, Nice job. Let me know next time you guys are heading down. I'd like to fish that side and it is still very close to my house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angler Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 f'slinger: Sorry but I have to disagree about the fly tying and cost stuff. I could probably buy every board member a dozen flies for the money I have 'invested' in tying tools and materials. (and NO I am not offering.) Now, I can sure tie up some stuff not available from any fly shop, and it is another facet of this addiction - BUT it does not make the loss of flies any less painfull to the pocket book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigbadbrent Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 yes, but after all that money is invested, you're only paying for hooks and beadheads after you have everything really.....i can tie up 50 flies (evil weevils, brent bugs, pheasents, pretty much any fly other then streamers..) for close to 10 bucks with all the materials bought brand new..say you're paying 2.50 for a fly, suddenly you're paying 125 bucks for them.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhuseby Posted October 11, 2007 Share Posted October 11, 2007 Angler, I would agree with you if don't fish a lot (that's a fuzzy definition, I know), but when you start going through 50-100 flies a month, you're adding up fast. As long as you don't get stupid about expensive tools and a massive amount of materials right away, you can get started for the price of one season's flies. Since the tools don't wear out, except maybe scissors when cutting heavy materials, they amortize down to nothing over time. If you have very little time to tie, that is another twist. There have been a couple of good threads on the flytying page related to this topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladystrange Posted October 12, 2007 Share Posted October 12, 2007 Ladystrange, Nice job. Let me know next time you guys are heading down. I'd like to fish that side and it is still very close to my house. thanks. PM sent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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