Fishing Around Calgary

**Bsmidt7w** · July 8th, 2011, 09:25 AM

Im moving to calgary next week for work gunna be in SE calgary just wondering what there is for fishing up there besides the bow. do they have any lake with big bows or anything around there? not to stoked to have to leave the okanagan and our excellent fishery we have in the interior so itd be nice if they have some big fish lakes there to haha

**sixweight** · July 8th, 2011, 07:52 PM

I live in Saskatchewan, but have fished with several Calgary flyfishers. I hate to break it to you, but the Alberta stillwater fishery isn't what you are used to. You may want to try river fishing more often. I meet Alberta fishers on lakes in Manitoba all the time. The last ones were from Edmonton, however. When you get there (Calgary), go to Wholesale Sports, my current fishing partner worked there and guided on the bow. He says they have a good staff of fly fishers who can help you find the stillwaters you are looking for. He is out of town at the moment, but I will ask him for some guidance. Kananaskis seems to be his favourite area, but usually involves day hikes. Angus... If I forget, PM me...

**Some fly** · July 9th, 2011, 09:24 AM

There is lots of good fishing in Alberta but it is spread out and a lot of fishermen out their won't tell you anything. Not a big fan of rainbows so I spent my time fishing for almost everything else when I lived there. The bow river is a great fishery for both rainbows and browns depending on which stretch you fish. Depending on how far you want to drive I have spots for almost everything out there.

What do you want to catch?

How far are you willing to drive?

**Bsmidt7w** · July 12th, 2011, 11:34 AM

Well I guess since in the interior we have bows and brookies, I would be looking to catch anything really wanna try some pike and maybe some walleye and defiantly some browns in the bow and as far as driving I'd say about a 2 hour drive maybe a little more if i where to camp over. And Sixweight thanks for that I will go to wholesale sports forsure when I get there.

**professori** · July 12th, 2011, 09:30 PM

Don't sweat the driving. Remember you are for the most part sitting and aiming the vehicle down a flat, straight stretch of good pavement. Lake fishing? Not so much. Alberta has something like 540 lakes total. About time you advanced to fishing rivers anyway. Lakes hold some good fish, rivers hold some good fishing. Once you learn how, you'll never really be satisfied with plunking your ass down in a boat all day.

**Some fly** · July 12th, 2011, 10:08 PM

Here are a few things to check out

Canmore area Bow River is good for browns

Carsland weir Bow River is good for rainbows

Lower Kananaskis Lake for bull trout & rainbow

Spray Lake for lake trout

Crawling Valley res for walleye & pike

Badger res for pike

Old man river for cutties and bulls

Chester Lake for cutties and dollies

These spots all treated me well and recommend taking the time to try them out. If you want to try in Calgary it self the bow river, elbow river, and Glenmore res are worth killing time in.

**Some fly** · July 13th, 2011, 09:16 AM

If you are in Canmore and have never caught a grayling there are lots in quarry pound.

If you have any question on other waters ask because there in a good chance I fished them or know someone who has.

**jayhad** · July 18th, 2011, 10:27 AM

Dude, I guide on the bow and the surrounding area, you are in for a world of awesome fishing. I grew up in abbotsford, fished BC a lot before moving to AB, the trout fishing here is heads and shoulders above lake fishing in BC, sure you guys have some great triploid fisheries, but that's one small step above pellet fed stockers. we have excellent bull trout and cutty fishing 1 hour away from the city, lakers and brookies are easy to find and then you have all the brown trout fisherys with in 1.5 hours. But above all you have the world famous blue ribbon bow river. If you want good Bow fishing, don't run to Canmore or carseland just fish here in the city, Fish Creek park is great. Fish tales in south calgary will help you out if you need gear. Start tying stoneflys as they are hatching.
Not much beats drifting the Bow and hammering 20" trout all day long, shoot man with the high water we've had so far this year the bruins are easy to target and we are having bonafide 24"s caught easch couple of dayspiggy.jpg that was this last weekend

**halcyonsancta** · July 19th, 2011, 08:16 AM

Bsmidt7w
Check out:
www.flyfishcalgary.com
It's a good source of information. Welcome to Alberta and the High West - the most beautiful province in Canada. The fishing is harder here in AB, things don't come as easily as in BC (where I was born and raised and learned to fish/hunt/shoot). But, the best things in life don't come easily I reckon. There are some huge Lake Trout in Banff Nat'l Park's Lake Minnewanka...