The "Blue Ribbon" Bow is 40 miles of a fly fisherman's dream. It's 64kms (approx 40 miles) between the Calgary's Glenmore Trail access point and the Carseland weir access. It is world renowned for it's large, strong, and healthy rainbow and brown trout. Your average catch of the day is generally between 40 - 45 cm (16"-19"), but don't be surprised if you catch one up to 60cm (24") in length. Hooking a 14" fish typically leads to a great aerial display, even at that size they are very athletic. If you manage to hook one of the huge browns, prepare for a battle of epic proportions as great skill and a little luck are required to bring in one of these monsters.

The terrain along the Bow River valley is quite unique. Outside of Calgary the river valley cuts deep into the landscape. Bluffs reaching heights of up to 80m - 100m (250 - 300 feet) are common. Much of the southern shoreline is steep and covered with Douglas Fir trees. The Bow River was named for these trees by the Indians, as they used them to make their bows more than a century ago. The north bank of the river is a mixture of prairie bluffs and cottonwood poplar trees, during a hot, dry summer it can almost seem desert-like. It's mainly on this side that the grasshoppers get blown into the water on a breezy August day, leading to some terrific dry-fly fishing opportunities.

Public access is quite limited due to the terrain and private ownership of the lands along the banks. Floating the river with Mckenzie drift boats is the best way to access all the good fishing spots. East of the Carseland weir, some guides will use jet-boats and this opens up another 32 kms (20 miles) of fishing terrain. They use the jet boats here as there is no public access along the Siksika Indian Reservation riverbanks. Fishing here can be a lonely experience as rarely will you see several other boats there with you. The fishing is typically less pressured here and can be very rewarding.

Hooking a Bow River trout on a dry fly is a fun and exhilarating way to fish. Getting out of the boat and hunting the fish will be a large part of your Bow River experience. However, you do want to be versatile and be willing to change to nymphs and streamers to ensure success in your day should the fish choose not to rise or conditions on the river necessitate such.

Due to the long hours of daylight in Southern Alberta you can spend as many as 12-17 hours on the Bow River fishing if you have the mental stamina to endure the day. Be prepared for a 16-22.5km (10 - 14 mile) float. Most guided trips average between 7 and 10 hours on the river. A typical fishing day from the Lodge begins with the guides picking you up around 8:30am and returning around dark.

North Bow Lodge is the only full service Lodge on the Bow River and is situated on 1.6km (1mile) of private land, approximately 14.5km (9 miles) upstream from the Carseland weir access. Some excellent walk and wade fishing spots are along our banks. There is a private boat launch at the lodge that is exclusive to the guides guiding guests out of the Lodge. This affords the guests an easy and fast way to get on the river.