The Bow river though it has been high on the water level side of things has been fishing excellent! Guides and customers alike have been getting into big trout with multiple people hooking into their new personal bests.

River Conditions:

• Flows: The Bow has maintained relatively consistent flows this week, around 100–120 cubic meters per second (CMS). While these flows are high for the summer, they’ve been manageable and fishing has still been excellent. There was a brief period of higher flow around July 13, but it has since settled back to normal.
  Water levels remained steady after some minor fluctuations from upstream dam releases (Ghost and Bearspaw). Water clarity has been clear throughout most of the river, making it easier to target fish, especially in the early mornings and evenings when the sun is low.
• Water Temp: Temperatures have been quite stable and within a favorable range for fishing. The water temp has hovered between 15–18°C (59–64°F), which is optimal for trout and allows them to be active throughout the day. Water has not been too warm for catch and release fishing.

Hatches:

• Stoneflies (Golden & Yellow Sallies): The stonefly hatches have been quite strong, especially around midday. Large golden stonefly dries are working well, particularly in the faster riffles and runs. Skittering these on the surface has produced solid results.
• Caddisflies: Caddis activity increased over the past week, particularly in the late afternoon and evening hours. The fish have been aggressively hitting caddis dries during the evening hatch, so be ready to switch to a caddis pattern once you notice the rising fish.
• Pale Morning Duns (PMDs): PMDs made a notable appearance, particularly in the early morning and evening hours. PMD duns and emergers have been highly effective when fish are sipping them from the surface. Try parachute PMDs or PMD emergers for best results.
• Mayflies (BWO & Pale Evening Duns): The mayfly hatches continued, especially on cloudy days. There’s a steady presence of Blue-winged Olives (BWOs), and anglers reported some good action on small, dark mayfly patterns. Keep a size 18–20 BWO in your box for these hatches.

Fishing Strategies:

• Dry Fly Fishing: The dry-fly fishing has been excellent in the mornings and evenings. Skittering stonefly and caddis patterns early and late in the day produced some large fish in the riffles. Parachute-style PMDs have been a great choice when targeting rising fish. Fish are keying in on insects that are emerging, so paying attention to the hatch and matching your fly to the size and color of the naturals is important.
• Nymphing: Nymphing has been very productive this week, especially in deeper pools and slower sections of the river. Stonefly nymphs have been the most successful, but PMD nymphs, pheasant tail nymphs, and caddis pupae also worked well. Anglers using euro-nymphing techniques reported solid success by drifting weighted patterns along the riverbed.
• Streamer Fishing: Streamer fishing was hit or miss. On cloudy days, streamers like light olive and black-and-white patterns produced some big hits, especially in the deeper sections and faster current. On bright days, streamer action slowed down, but anglers using larger bigger, articulated streamers and muppet patterns saw occasional big fish take.

What to Expect for the Next Week:

• Hatch Forecast: Expect the stonefly hatch to continue strong throughout next week, especially in the afternoon. The caddis hatch should also remain solid, providing ample dry-fly opportunities, particularly in the evening hours. Look for PMD activity in the mornings and evenings, and BWO mayflies could still be around, especially on cloudy days.
• Fish Behavior: Fish will likely continue to key in on surface insects, particularly stoneflies and caddis in the early morning, with PMDs and BWOs coming into play during the warmer parts of the day. Streamers will be effective during cloudy, overcast weather, but be prepared for some dry fly action once conditions settle in with clear skies.
• Water Conditions: The Bow River should remain clear and fishable as long as there are no major rainstorms in the upstream watershed. Keep an eye on the weather, as afternoon thunderstorms could cause localized rises in water levels. Flows will likely stay steady through the week but check reports for any sudden changes that could affect fishing conditions.

Fishing Windows For Next Week:

• Mornings: Dry fly action early on stonefly patterns and caddis. Watch for rising fish and switch to a PMD emerger if the hatch is coming off.
• Midday: Focus on nymphing, particularly with stonefly and PMD nymphs. Fishing in the faster riffles will require weighted flies or tight-line techniques.
• Evenings: Evening caddis and PMD hatches will make dry fly fishing a lot of fun. Be ready with caddis patterns that can float well on the surface in the evening hatch.