River Fishing In Banff Park?

[streamer]

I'm going to be in banff park with my son, first week of july. Looking for any comments or suggestions for fishing easy-access rivers and streams, or lake fishing from shore. Thinking of trying bow river and tribs like redearth, johnson, as well as bow lake.

Thanks

[rhuseby]

I'm going to be in banff park with my son, first week of july. Looking for any comments or suggestions for fishing easy-access rivers and streams, or lake fishing from shore. Thinking of trying bow river and tribs like redearth, johnson, as well as bow lake.

Thanks

I haven't fished Banff much lately, but I used to have some good luck on cutts at Herbert Lake, right beside the Icefields Parkway, just north of the Trans-Canada. There was a good caddis hatch in August that got them going. Dragonfly nymph were also productive. If you are willing to hike a ways (ie. about an hour) try Cirque and Cephren Lakes. Access is through the Waterfowl Lakes campground north of Bow Lake. Another decent spot in cloudy weather is Consolation Lake near Lake Louise. The only stream fishing I found any good was in Moraine Creek, where the upper stretch is rather meadowy. You have to find parking on the Moraine Lake access road and make a rather stiff hike downhill to the creek, but of course it's the return trip that isn't any fun. I'm not a big river so I didn't fish the Bow much. Hope this helps.

[trailhead]

The Pipestone River is good upstream from the town of Lake Louise. I have also found the Bow is alright for smaller brookies, cutts and bows wherever a creek or smaller river enters. The Spray is good too, if you hike up away from the crowds, as is the Cascade. Good luck and let us know how you do.

[Pipestoneflyguy]

Pipestone R - there is a decent pool by the old pump house - beyond that might be more hiking than you want. (bears up there too in July)

 

I would pass on Herbert and go with Bow Lake - try from shore close to the small stream were all the bus folks walk out to the lake - do not wade, puts em down real quick in that area (even though wading looks tempting, you can reach the shelf easy from shore and fish will often follow into the shallow water before taking a fly or lure) - if your up to a hike take the trail to the outlet - can be decent down there as well.

 

Consider Emerald Lk - very good for kids - trolling with a canoe almost garantees a fish and lots of shore opportunities.

 

The Bow can be pretty demoralizing up here but if you give it a go, try starting at Castle Jct (Youll see an awesome osprey nest in the area) and head upstream - there is a bunch of swampy areas feeding the river which attracts fish so you may have better luck in there. The river has fish in many areas but they are few and far between and the Bow has been hit alot as it has been the only water open up here for the last couple months.

 

For a more intimate experience go to any of the easy small but close lakes (Altrude, Smith, Vista, Copper, Mcnair) they all have fish in good numbers and most are a short hike in and will have seen little pressure for the first week or two of July (in my experience most kids prefer a ton of small fish to one or two biggies) - G- luck

 

Flyslinger - R U in town here (LL)- haven't met to many folks with the resolve to do that Morraine Crk hike.

[rhuseby]

Pipestone R - there is a decent pool by the old pump house - beyond that might be more hiking than you want. (bears up there too in July)

 

I would pass on Herbert and go with Bow Lake - try from shore close to the small stream were all the bus folks walk out to the lake - do not wade, puts em down real quick in that area (even though wading looks tempting, you can reach the shelf easy from shore and fish will often follow into the shallow water before taking a fly or lure) - if your up to a hike take the trail to the outlet - can be decent down there as well.

 

Consider Emerald Lk - very good for kids - trolling with a canoe almost garantees a fish and lots of shore opportunities.

 

The Bow can be pretty demoralizing up here but if you give it a go, try starting at Castle Jct (Youll see an awesome osprey nest in the area) and head upstream - there is a bunch of swampy areas feeding the river which attracts fish so you may have better luck in there. The river has fish in many areas but they are few and far between and the Bow has been hit alot as it has been the only water open up here for the last couple months.

 

For a more intimate experience go to any of the easy small but close lakes (Altrude, Smith, Vista, Copper, Mcnair) they all have fish in good numbers and most are a short hike in and will have seen little pressure for the first week or two of July (in my experience most kids prefer a ton of small fish to one or two biggies) - G- luck

 

Flyslinger - R U in town here (LL)- haven't met to many folks with the resolve to do that Morraine Crk hike.

No, live in Calgary now. Used to do a lot of climbing and ski mountaineering before changing jobs and the knees giving out. Also not thrilled with the increasing cost of getting into national parks, hence the lack of trips fishing there lately. Definitely enjoyed the good times though. Might have to suck it up one more time, just for auld lang syne. An easier but much longer approach for Moraine Creek is down the creek from the lake. Either way, grunt city.

[streamer]

Thanks for the advice, guys.

I'll be sure to post a report when I return.

[streamer]

Well, it turned into more of a scouting mission while hiking and doing other things than a fishing trip - as my son didn't quite have patience to put up with the adversity that obsessed fisherman put up with.

I did see some rising on johnson lake near banff - and other than that bow lake looked like a lake i would very much like to return to with fishing rod and canoe.