Bow River Tips

[TroutRepellent]

I've been skunked well over 100 times there (maybe 150? 200?) and have caught 2 fish in 1.5 years, I can fly fish or spin cast (as ive tried REALLY hard to learn), yet i cant catch fish there.

It's getting a little depressing (lol) and if one of you guys could share some tips or let me watch you fish one day im sure it would pay dividends. i'm also too stubborn to quit because that means my girlfriend was right all along about me needing to quit fishing the bow aha

tight lines, thanks for reading,

TroutRepellent

[Smoky buck]

I your username might be fitting lol

[Scott N]

Even though it's not inexpensive, have you ever considered hiring a guide for a walk and wade trip? A good guide will teach you a lot about the river and how to fish it, and give you some feedback on what you're doing right (and wrong). It might be a good investment considering how many times you mention you've been skunked.

[TroutRepellent]

Unfortunately ScottN, the girlfriend wouldn't be happy about that either

fair enough lads, off to the stupid predator fish i go lol

[oilngas]

Oh boy sorta wondering why girlfriend has anything to do with that kind of decision? Hire the guide, they will help you big time.

[Smoky buck]

Hire a guide if you want but not needed in my opinion

Do you have experience fishing other rivers? If so how did you do?

In my opinion if you can read a river it’s a matter of putting your offering in the zone. Outside of that it’s just a matter of trying a few different offerings and presentations.

As for targeting dumb predators trout can fall under that category

[Crankbait]

Put a white or orange larger mister twister jig body on either a jig head or behind a heavier single hook spinner.

Look for slower water or upswells indicating that you are at the tail end of a deeper hole.

I'll send you some holes to try later.

[TroutRepellent]

I’m a broke AF university student in his early twenties. I’m not being stubborn about the guide thing by any means, I’m just not there yet in my life. Though I will be in a couple years

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by TroutRepellent

I’m a broke AF university student in his early twenties. I’m not being stubborn about the guide thing by any means, I’m just not there yet in my life. Though I will be in a couple years

Hey I am too cheap to spend money on a guide for the bow. For myself I think it’s a waste of money for an easy access river

Honestly a combo of number 15 panther Martin yellow red spots, mepps long cast blue silver, Kamlooper yellow red spots(large size so it is good to cast and jig), cicada red/silver 1/2-3/4 oz, and a rainbow trout pattern little Cleo will do to catch fish on the bow. The trick is you need to read the river and get the lure in their face. Trout in rivers often hold in areas in ambush and if you don’t pick the area a part properly you won’t catch a thing. You could be in an awesome stretch of river and have the right offering without a bit if you don’t put your lure on the x

River fishing is all about reading the river castings to where the fish are holding. Random casting is why most fail

I wade rivers covering ground picking apart the best spots as I go. If you are not loosing lures your doing it wrong. Swinging spinners is great for covering water and provide a slow active presentation. Get your offering right in the structure, pay attention to under current banks, work the seams and get it down in deep holes. Active fish often sit in the top end of a hole or structure but will also feed in the tail out

The fish are in the river you just need to figure it out. Look at the river and break it down to small potential pockets work the pockets in the stretch and keep moving to the next section

Don’t be a quitter just get smarter and adjust.

Most importantly never I mean never let your girlfriend be right or you won’t hear the end of it lol

[HuyFishin]

Say it's either hookers and blow or fishing with a guide. You choose 😃

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

Say it's either hookers and blow or fishing with a guide. You choose 😃

I am having a very hard time not typing a response that would get me a vacation lol

Thanks

[Jigsalot]

Originally Posted by TroutRepellent

I've been skunked well over 100 times there (maybe 150? 200?) and have caught 2 fish in 1.5 years, I can fly fish or spin cast (as ive tried REALLY hard to learn), yet i cant catch fish there.

It's getting a little depressing (lol) and if one of you guys could share some tips or let me watch you fish one day im sure it would pay dividends. i'm also too stubborn to quit because that means my girlfriend was right all along about me needing to quit fishing the bow aha

tight lines, thanks for reading,

TroutRepellent

I can relate. I started exploring the ram system this year and I was struggling. But got the hang of it and I went 14 weeks in a row. You need to get away from the busy areas. Not sure if you are going to places where people are everywhere. That’s not going to produce trout. People walking up and down an area you will find the trout move away quickly. Trout spook very easily.
Look at the area. You see them rising a dry fly is going to work and also if a cast can be made without wading in the water do it. Silt and vibration can chase your trout away.
Don’t give up. Try another area.
Just my opinion and it takes lots of patience but it’s very addicting. I got an invite for a trip this winter but the plague might not allow it. 🥵. Good luck.

[Curado]

A good quality, sensitive rod, a good reel with 4lb test, small lures (Panther Martin, Mepps) early morning, quiet areas of the river & some patience should = success!

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Curado

A good quality, sensitive rod, a good reel with 4lb test, small lures (Panther Martin, Mepps) early morning, quiet areas of the river & some patience should = success!

And I am completely opposite and go with big offerings and run 10lb line. Even fly fishing I run big streamers, a sinking tip and a short leader lol

But a lot of the areas I like you need heavier lures to get down to depth do to current or just shear depth.

It’s more about getting in the strike zone then size in my opinion. Hence why reading a river is important

[CardiacCowboy]

Bow can be a cruel mistress. I have been skunked my last 3 times out but usually go 8/10 with some action. 3/4 with a fish landed and 2/4 for multiple fish

To op please describe what you are currently doing and where and I am sure we can make some suggestions to get on the fish.

[TroutRepellent]

CardiacCowboy

I’m the most fond of using rapalas/spinners under the ivor strong bridge (by the Enmax substation) or sometimes when that fails (as it does, lol) along the pathway in douglasdale where I find foam or some nice looking water.

But also I can fish anywhere with any type of rod/bait/fly people think will work since what I’m doing might not be right (or right for me)

[Jigsalot]

Originally Posted by TroutRepellent

CardiacCowboy

I’m the most fond of using rapalas/spinners under the ivor strong bridge (by the Enmax substation) or sometimes when that fails (as it does, lol) along the pathway in douglasdale where I find foam or some nice looking water.

But also I can fish anywhere with any type of rod/bait/fly people think will work since what I’m doing might not be right (or right for me)

Sorry guy I assumed you were fly fishing mostly. Spin casting will work. Curado had some good advice from a previous post. I have a couple of favorites for trout. Dick nite and a small number 6 bronze Len Thompson. Mepps is good too. Keep trying and let us know how you do.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by TroutRepellent

CardiacCowboy

I’m the most fond of using rapalas/spinners under the ivor strong bridge (by the Enmax substation) or sometimes when that fails (as it does, lol) along the pathway in douglasdale where I find foam or some nice looking water.

But also I can fish anywhere with any type of rod/bait/fly people think will work since what I’m doing might not be right (or right for me)

Don’t be using your bait rig. It’s illegal. Also recommend switching any trebles to singles. Easier to release, safer for the fish and get your casting faster for the next one.

[TroutRepellent]

Hey guys, sorry , no “bait” I shoulda said “lure” (I usually fish with the old man and we call our lures baits) and I can use a fly rod, spin rod, and basically any lure or fly that you guys are fond of

[Jjolg123]

I agree with getting in the zone for lure fishing on the bow. When the weeds are gone or havent grown yet ill run a floating rap in rainbow or brown trout with a weight 1.5 ft up or so letting the weight bounce and do the work. You'll definitely get into your share of snags but it works for me. I saw an older fella doing the same with a coat hanger bent and used as the weight to avoid snag ups but i have not tried it

[CardiacCowboy]

Bait? I hope you have checked the regs before going out lol

I am very familiar with Douglasdale spots. If you have been out upstream of the bridge in the last month you may have seen me there.

At this spot the water is very deep and fairly fast. Pather Martin 4 or 6 spinners work great here try to get them deep and use the current to sweep them across the seams. Retrieve slow or not at all once the current catches it. Rappalas also work well here, I like countdown 7. Try to cast up stream so you retrieve is mostly up or perpendicular to the bank.

I has slowed down in this spot in the last week.

Actually I think I am going to gear up and see if they are feeding after the storms now.

Originally Posted by TroutRepellent

CardiacCowboy

I’m the most fond of using rapalas/spinners under the ivor strong bridge (by the Enmax substation) or sometimes when that fails (as it does, lol) along the pathway in douglasdale where I find foam or some nice looking water.

But also I can fish anywhere with any type of rod/bait/fly people think will work since what I’m doing might not be right (or right for me)

[TroutRepellent]

Thanks for the input folks, unfortunately I didn’t hear back from anybody about letting me watch them. I’ve done everything everyone said here so I’ve just about exhausted all of the resources currently available to me. In like 3/4 years I’ll get a guide and for the time being I’ll just give it a rest.

Thanks for trying, it still meant something to me! Tight lines

[Smoky buck]

When it warms up again post in the looking for a fishing partner sticky and see if you can partner up with a local in your area

If I still lived in the area I would let you tag a long but I don’t fish southern Alberta often now

[TheHotChili]

[/Quote]Thanks for trying, it still meant something to me! Tight lines[/QUOTE]

I cant believe nobody has mentioned using the Blue Fox Vibrax in chartreuse or Copper..

I never really fished the Bow until a couple of years ago, and even then that was down by Mckenzie golf course and never had any luck. Then i discovered these lures, which are absolutely money on the Oldman River...

Theyve work for me on my short fishing trips on the Bow..catching Browns..

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by TroutRepellent

Thanks for the input folks, unfortunately I didn’t hear back from anybody about letting me watch them. I’ve done everything everyone said here so I’ve just about exhausted all of the resources currently available to me. In like 3/4 years I’ll get a guide and for the time being I’ll just give it a rest.

Thanks for trying, it still meant something to me! Tight lines

Time to change things up. Doing the same thing expecting different results, well I'm sure you have heard the rest of it. Keep casting but start moving, if your going to get bit it will happen in the first 10 minutes. If you don't have a bite in that time frame move along. The more you move and try things, the more you will learn. And most of the fish are not way out there, they are closer to the bank. Don't give up, keep trying, but not the same thing!!!!