Latest intel on Upper Bow?

[Smitty]

Not looking for anyone's spots, more asking the general question:

How's the Upper Bow been the last few seasons (and obviously this year)?

I ask, cause I had heard years ago now, that a mudslide and flooding did quite a number on the bug life. And then Canmore, Exshaw, Seebe started cleaning up the water treatment, and so the river is less fertilized now? True? 

Might be down there later this month with friends (mostly camping and/or golfing). I am the only fly-fisher. Is it worth my time to re-visit some of the spots I used to fish years ago, poking around Canmore and Seebe and just outside the Banff boundary? Has the fishery "come back"?

Just wondering.

Smitty

[BowLurker]

Hi Smitty,

Hoo boy, depends which 'mudslide' you are speaking of...I can only speak for Canmore and Exshaw 2013. Talk to any guide up there, hey..maybe your spot wasn't touched! 

The fish, in my tiny opinion, have come back in different areas, but the Upper Bow has changed forever.  

Not bad Upper Bow places though, Seebe is weird.

Maybe I know nothing about you! Haha... it's different these past few yrs.

Happy Stampede! 

 

 

[FishnChips]

On 7/10/2021 at 4:59 PM, Smitty said:

and so the river is less fertilized now? True? 

Hi Smitty, yes, there were significant upgrades more than 15 years ago. I have lost track of that time. It has had a direct impact on insect life and the fishing quality. I have discussed this with local COs and they are in agreement. It happened so long ago that nobody cares anymore.

Currently, the river is still blown out and visibility is poor. Wading is treacherous. As of last week the local pros at Wapiti sports in Canmore were not yet guiding. They wait until the Conservation Officers have taken a helicopter ride with Alpine Helicopters down the river to identify jams and areas of risk. If required, Conservation officers then launch a boat and take a ride downstream with chainsaws and clear areas where watercraft may be threatened. Once that happens (it is imminent), guiding will commence, though water clarity may still be poor. I have fished these waters for years and the catch rate per hour is very low. I keep stats and my personal rate is about 0.6 fish per hour. Small to medium sized browns and brookies and the odd RM whitefish. I have to admit, the Wapiti guys know their craft - they get their clients into larger and greater numbers of fish than I get walking and wading.

Something which astounds me is the number of tourists floating the river - the high waters in some ways offer a couple of advantages when drifting at present. The mass flow and velocity are high. Sometime dangerous submerged features are well under water and beyond the shallow draft of most devices. But for my money, I am sticking to foothills creeks and still waters until things become a bit tamer.

The maxim that one nevers steps into the same river twice applies in your circumstance. By all means check out your old spots but you may find them not recognizable by now and do exercise caution.

I hope you post what you discover, without of course disclosing your secret spots! Still lots of French Creeks around