Mountain Fly Fishers
                 (403) 609-7967
        Canmore, Alberta, Canada
             

                                            john@mountainflyfishers.com


                                  

July 1st  - The Upper Bow while still off color as recent heavy rains have supplemented the large inflow of a significant snow melt that  has kept residents of Canmore on their toes for most of June, we have been enjoying tremendous dry fly activity for the last week. To enjoy the best, we naturally must follow natures game, she just will not not adapt to ours, so if you just have to fish during the day then I will tell you that while you will likely see fish and catch some too, the reality is a sundown float likely show you more fish every ten minutes than you will see in 8 hours of daytime floating. 
Current hatches are prolific, just amazing - large Traveling Sedge, Green Drakes, Midges, and as of today a flurry of giant Brown Stoneflies, a smorgasbord and then some.
                                                                                             -Fish hard and live long-
Providing excellence in guiding and instruction on the waters of the Canadian Rockies since 1985. Mountain Fly-Fishers offers guiding and instruction on the waters of the Upper Bow River and the Headwater streams of the Bow Crow Forest preserve. 

"Having guided on the Upper Bow and area for many years I have learned to allow the Trout  to dictate the day, as opposed to simply working out of my same old box, day in day out. Often the best fishing opportunities will occur in some of the most unusual and unexpected places (not all pretty either), however there are so many possible facets to a day outside in the Rockies it would be a shame to not at least make an attempt at being creative, and share some of the spontaneous possibilities created by the Trout of the region.  They (the Trout) are not restricted by the same boxes we build, and so unfortunately if we choose to ignore that, then we will have missed the essence of being a fly-fisher, not to mention often some of absolutely the best fishing to be had." John Samms -Canmore

Bow River - Upper: Canmore to Seebe -
Open year round with. 10km. closure Hwy.1 Bridge to Pigeon Creek
   Size  Mar  Apr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct
                                 Midge  18-20                
                     March Brown  16-18                
             Pale Morning Dun 16-20                
            Blue Winged Olive 16-18                
Blue Dun 14-18                
             Pale Evening Dun 16                
      Western Green Drake 10-12                
Mothers Day Caddis/Tan 8-12                
Caddis -Pencil/Micro 16-18                
Caddis - Sedges Rust 14                
  Golden Stone Migration 8-12                
                                  Trico                  
Ant Migration-Females Blk 14-16                
Ant Migration-Males Red 16                
Upper Bow River Conditions -July 1st, 2007
As predicted earlier, the Upper Bow was higher than it has been in years, and the Brown's swam in parts of the forest they have not seen since 1984.  Today the waters have receded somewhat, however the UBR is still lacking in clarity, but hatches are thick and the fish are absolutely willing.
The last five evenings or so have provided excellent dry fly fishing, with an incredible hatch assortment to truly stir things up. I expect the UBR will be delivering one of its bettert large fish years in 2007, typical of big water years on this grand old river.

Written Back in June-
A big run-off year is definitely in the offing, with Canmore and area on high river flow alerts. Brown trout being the survival opportunists that they are, will be having a "Hay" day in the flooded braids and normally dry side channels. Many small ponds or adjacent still waters will be carrying the largest residents of the system at least until the waters begin to subside-great opportunities for those with imagination, too bad for those moaning about high water. An honest trout still has to eat you know! And so they will. Expect very high river flows on the Upper Bow River and throughout the system including downstream on the Lower Bow in and below Calgary at least until the end of June.
For the Upper Bow this means likely a great year for Great Western Green Drakes (early to mid July), and with luck we will catch a bit of the Golden Stonefly migration (usually kicks into gear 3rd week of June. 


Head Waters: Livingstone & Oldman Area
Open June 16th - October annually
   Size  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sep  Oct
                                 Midge  18-20          
                     March Brown  16-18          
             Pale Morning Dun 16-20          
            Blue Winged Olive 16-18          
                        Grey Drake 14-16          
      Western Green Drake 10-12          
              Assorted Caddis 10-16          
  Golden Stone Migration 6-12          
                                  Trico 20          
                           Hoppers 12-16          
  16          
Head Waters Conditions 
Regretfully have not been able to get back to the headwaters to date, however I do know the clarity is generally excellent and the primaries are fishing well. 

The headwaters are experiencing high water volumes also. Flow volumes on the Highwood River are currently subsiding from a high of 48 m3/s four days ago on the 7th, down to 35m3/s today (June 9th). Given the significant snow pack on the eastern slopes, I would suggest we may yet see a return of extremely high flow volumes before the end of June. The Livingstone and the Oldman Rivers may have peaked for the season, with most of the snow pack in the areas of these streams already consumed. That being said, a period of significant mountain rainfall on the remaining pack could prolong the run-off volumes on both of these beauties.

                         


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