Winter Fly Fishing Calgary

[mihai.bunda]

Hi, have any of you done any winter fishing this time of year on the Bow in Calgary? Next week is looking pretty nice as a Chinook is coming in and im wondering if there are any good areas?

I might take a day off and go fishing

thanks!

[Scott N]

With the recent long-ish streak of cold weather, accessing the river might be difficult because of ice shelves along the bank. It can be pretty good fishing when the conditions are favorable. Be careful though, fishing with a partner is a damned good idea this time of yeear.

[mihai.bunda]

Originally Posted by Scott N

With the recent long-ish streak of cold weather, accessing the river might be difficult because of ice shelves along the bank. It can be pretty good fishing when the conditions are favorable. Be careful though, fishing with a partner is a damned good idea this time of yeear.

yeah I can imagine that its pretty dangerous. I picked up an inflatable pfd that I will wear if I do go fishing in the winter, and i do have a friend that I will be going with me.

[rycoma]

Terrible idea dont do it...........😁

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by rycoma

Terrible idea dont do it...........��

He doesn't want you in the way. LOL

[CraigJ]

This is how you fish in the winter

[mihai.bunda]

Originally Posted by CraigJ

This is how you fish in the winter

I love it! ....he's missing the life jacket! haha

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by CraigJ

This is how you fish in the winter

Just float down the river on that! Who needs to pay $$$ for a &#%$& guided driftboat? LOL

[goldscud]

Hey that's my picture! My buddy is always on the cutting edge of new fads....

[CraigJ]

Originally Posted by goldscud

Hey that's my picture! My buddy is always on the cutting edge of new fads....

It certainly is a good picture, good work taking it. I found it on photobucket.

[biggyJ]

Find yourself a deep slow hole and you will definitely catch some fish.

Use small flies (sz 14 chenille SJW, brassies, zebra midge, green copper johns) and pay attention to the smallest deviation in your indicator. The bites can be very light to very aggressive.

Fish wont move far for your fly, so make sure you are on the bottom. If you are not setting your hook on every drift (hit or bottom) then you need to get deeper.

Good luck, wear extra socks, bring a thermos.

[scel]

Originally Posted by mihai.bunda

Hi, have any of you done any winter fishing this time of year on the Bow in Calgary? Next week is looking pretty nice as a Chinook is coming in and im wondering if there are any good areas?

I might take a day off and go fishing

thanks!

To be honest, this is just unseasonably warm weather. Even Edmonton will be getting positive temperatures. Fishing in an actual chinook can be challenging since they are necessarily accompanied by the 40-60kmh west winds.

But being pedantic aside, fishing can be stellar, but when the weather warms up, after a long cold spell, it takes a couple days for the river to equilibrate. I would expect it to be slushy for a couple of days after the first truly warm day.

I used to love fishing in the winter, but after the flood, the good, deep, slow runs are harder to get to. The good thing about winter fly fishing is once you find one fish, you will usually find many more. The bad thing about winter fly fishing is trying to find that first fish.

Be very, very careful though. The ice shelves along the edge of the river will be quite sturdy after such an extended cold spell, but trust none of them. If you are wading, watch out for the ice floes. My most sincere near-death experience involves being taken out at the knees by an ice chunk. I floated down the river 50 or 60m consoling myself that drowning and hypothermia are supposedly pleasant ways to die. When the chunk hit some choppy water it threw me off into chest deep water. I scrambled to the bank on the opposite side of the river. It took me over an hour to get back to my car. So, be careful.

[goldscud]

Ice shelves are way bigger this year due to the cold weather, and therefore way more chances for dangerous situations. Be very careful. Not many places you can get safely into the water. And if fishing off the ice, and you catch a fish, you have to land it safely somehow.

[rycoma]

The ice is pretty thick today. But that can change in a couple of warm days on a river. Also watch out for ice burgs. A lot of them get all wet and disappear in the water they will take you out uf you dont watch for them. Fishing was pretty poor today as most of the pools are iced over as the ice shelves are massive this year.

[mihai.bunda]

Originally Posted by scel

To be honest, this is just unseasonably warm weather. Even Edmonton will be getting positive temperatures. Fishing in an actual chinook can be challenging since they are necessarily accompanied by the 40-60kmh west winds.

But being pedantic aside, fishing can be stellar, but when the weather warms up, after a long cold spell, it takes a couple days for the river to equilibrate. I would expect it to be slushy for a couple of days after the first truly warm day.

I used to love fishing in the winter, but after the flood, the good, deep, slow runs are harder to get to. The good thing about winter fly fishing is once you find one fish, you will usually find many more. The bad thing about winter fly fishing is trying to find that first fish.

Be very, very careful though. The ice shelves along the edge of the river will be quite sturdy after such an extended cold spell, but trust none of them. If you are wading, watch out for the ice floes. My most sincere near-death experience involves being taken out at the knees by an ice chunk. I floated down the river 50 or 60m consoling myself that drowning and hypothermia are supposedly pleasant ways to die. When the chunk hit some choppy water it threw me off into chest deep water. I scrambled to the bank on the opposite side of the river. It took me over an hour to get back to my car. So, be careful.

Thank you scel for your insight and advice! as well as biggyJ,goldscud and rycoma! You have all made some great points and I appreciate it! I will definitely watch out for myself if I do decide to go out.

Thanks again!
Tight lines!....I think that how people say it!