[gbskunk2006]

I'm going to be in Calgary the last week in September and was thinking about hiring a guide for a day. From checking out some of the websites for shops around Calgary it seems like the going rate is $500 per day/drift boat. This is a bit pricy for me so was wondering if you can recommend anyone? Doesn't have to be someone with a drift boat either as I'm use to hiking lots.

Alternatively, if I just rented a vehicle and followed the Bow, would I be able to find any pull-outs/stops where I could get out a find some decent wading water?

Thanks in advance.

 

[professori]

Try just south of Caresland. Follow the highway past Caresland about 2 km and you will come to a bridge. If you go over the bridge you will come to a provincial campground where you can stay and there is access to the river there. If you park just before you cross the bridge there is access to that side of the river that leads down to a sandbar that is quite long. I floated the river this summer from McKinnon Flats down to the Cresland Weir (a very scary place). I don't know how much wadeable water there is on the river. When I was there (July 1) there wasn't a lot, but the river must be down a lot since then. That said, the Bow is a big river. Think Thompson, not Skagit and you get a better idea. Try this site:http://flyfishalberta.com/boards/index.php?. The folks there were quite helpful when I was planning my trip.

 

[stone]

A few years ago I fished the Bow with a guide named Gary Krol. I don't know if he's still guiding, but I would definitely recommend him...not only because of his personality and skills, but because he's a fellow Winston guy. :lol:

Anyway, the last phone number that I have for him is (403) 637-2430. Gary put me in the right spot to land my biggest brown trout ever...

And the rainbows were also spectacular...could hardly land them as they fought like steelhead on 5wt rods. Have a blast!

 

[Nice_One]

Holy Crap!

Good God! STONE that's a massive brown! I'm going to try the Red Deer River next year...there are some big browns in there as well. Cheers man! -Nathan in NW

ps. Was that one caught on a dry?

 

[stone]

Re: Holy Crap!

Good God! STONE that's a massive brown! I'm going to try the Red Deer River next year...there are some big browns in there as well. Cheers man! -Nathan in NW

ps. Was that one caught on a dry?

Thanks, Nathan...unfortunately, that one wasn't caught on a dry. I caught that brown (27" on the tape) on a #18 caddis pupa fishing a floating line on a 5wt.

The thing I like about Gary as a guide is that if he knows you know what you are doing with a flyrod, he is more than willing to pull out several times to get you to wade and stalk rising fish on the dry instead of just sittin on the drift boat all day. That trip was certainly a memorable one and one that I will hopefully do again sometime soon.

 

[straightedgesammy]

Fishing the Bow

Depending on what day you are in town, I might be available to do a float trip. I live in Calgary and occasionally guide on the Bow, although I fish it more just for pleasure. I definitely don't charge as much as the regular guides, but then I don't have to make a living at it either. It isn't a river that I would really recommend wading for a visitor as access to the good water is kind of hard to find and with walking it can be a long way in between holes. I typically float the "blue ribbon" stretch of river from the south edge of town down to McKinnon's. Drop me a line if you are interested.

 

[gbskunk2006]

Hey straightedgesammy, check your private messages.

Cheers