Big Bow Trout

This Canadian outpost makes dreams come true for those seeking trophy rainbows and browns. Long before I owned my first fiberglass fly rod, I camped in front of the black-and-white Emerson boob tube in my parent’s living room every Saturday morning like clockwork.

My favorite show entailed fishing, with Curt Gowdy as host. It revealed a variety of styles and places I’d never seen, and one episode included Canada’s Bow River with the city of Calgary in the background. I’ve never forgotten that show.

How could Gowdy fish for big trout in the middle of a city, I wondered? Cities involve business, wining and dining, buildings and such, not pursuing big, beautiful rainbows and browns. Even with a plentiful population estimated at 1,800 trout per mile in the Bow River, I still watched in amazement as Gowdy and his guests caught fish after fish.

Fast forward decades later, and I’m living my dream to cast a fly here, although Calgary has grown many times the size of the city I’d seen on TV. Trout were still there, right smack dab in the middle of the fastest-growing city in North America. In fact, I discovered only recently on a return trip that even more spectacular trout water surrounds Calgary on the upper Bow River. This segment, which is seemingly rarely fished by visiting sportsmen, offers unreal mountain scenery, lots of wildlife, a perfect summer climate and big, 20-inch-plus wild fish. Best of all, you own it – you rarely see another angler all day.

Keep in mind that “all day” is a relative term in Alberta’s summer; you can fish in daylight for about 20 hours straight, although only diehards do so.

It’s quite easy to get sidetracked because of all the interesting attractions and activities, the varied wildlife, mountain sports and great dining opportunities – all just down the road from where you fish. Same holds true for the nearby town of Canmore where I love fishing parts of the upper Bow without leaving city comforts.