Date: October 4, 2024

Water Level and Clarity: Flows are doing great, they seem high compared to previous Septembers but they're perfectly in the middle of normal. Water is extremely clear.

Water Temps: Cold.

Fishing Overview: The water temps have been cold enough at night that early mornings and late evenings have been much tougher fishing and warmest parts of the day have typically been fishing the best. We still haven't had a frost yet so the hoppers still have their wings and are still flying around on the sunny days. We're still getting some nice dry fly eats from fish but they are getting to be fewer and fewer and therefore, droppers are taking a higher percentage of nice fish. 

Hatches

What's hatching on the Bow River? And which flies should you consider using this week?

Hatches:

  • BWOs - are the main bug still hatching. Although not hatching in big numbers, you'll see them on sunnier afternoons with happy sipping fish.
Try these flies: CDC Captive Dun BWO, Last Chance Cripple BWO, Mercer's Missing Link (Olive), Trina's BWO Angelcase Emerger
  • Hoppers - As we start to get some hard frost the hopper fishing will slow down even more. First couple frosts of the year will trash the hoppers wings but won't kill them. So you'll still see them on the bank, but if their wings are damaged/torn up, they can't fly anymore and we'll no longer see them.
Try these flies: More or Less Hopper, Streambank Hopper, Donkey Kong Hopper
  • Backswimmers - will start to be more and more effective as they migrates out of smaller bodies of water to bigger bodies of water like the Bow.
Try these flies: Dee's Backswimmer Nymph, Nakoda Backswimmer
Consider these other flies: Reese's Pieces, Prince Nymph, Evil Weevil, Red Wire Worms (deep water), Galloup's Mini Boogieman, Galloup's Articulated Butt Monkey, Galloup's Barely Legal.
You can also check out our hatch chart here.

October 4, 2024

If you have any questions, stop by the shop! We'll be happy to help.