A drift boat resting on the Bow River near Calgary with the far bank and a bridge in the distance

Fishing Reportgood

Bow River Fishing Report

Week of July 20, 2026

By Dan King · Lead Guide, King Trout Outfitters

Bow River fly fishing conditions in Calgary on July 20, 2026 — clean green-blue summer water running through downtown Calgary past the skyline and Centre Street Bridge, prime guided Bow River trout water from King Trout Outfitters — The Bow River through downtown Calgary on July 20, 2026 — clean, clear summer water at a steady 206 cms. This is prime Bow River fly fishing water and exactly the settled conditions our Calgary fishing guides want to see in late July. (Timestamp shown is from the camera.) Source: Calgary Live Camera (DELTATECH) on YouTube →

Bow River fishing conditions for the week of July 20, 2026 are good. Flow is 206 cubic meters per second and stable. Water temperature is 17°C. No angling restrictions are in effect. Active hatches include Terrestrials (Hoppers/Ants/Beetles), Caddis, Trico, Pale Morning Dun (PMD), Yellow Sally.

206

Flow (m³/s) →

17°C

Water Temp ↑

good

Overall Conditions

None

Restrictions

iFlow context: The Bow's sitting at 206 cms and it's rock steady. Second week running it's held in a tight band, bounced up near 234 after a bit of rain early last week and settled right back to the low 200s. No spikes, no drops, just clean, stable summer water. It's still a touch over twice the 90 cms baseline, but at this level it wades well, it floats well, and it fishes exactly like late July should. This is the pattern we've been waiting all season for and it's finally locked in. Source: Environment Canada

A red FLYPOD drift boat with two anglers on the Bow River near Calgary, ready to launch for a guided fly fishing trip

On the Water

Do You Need a Boat to Fish the Bow River?

You can wade the Bow in spots, but most of the best water sits along banks and seams you can only reach by drift boat. That is why guided trips here run from a boat. It covers miles of productive water in a day and keeps you safer when flows are up, like the 206 cms running this week.

What Are Conditions Like on the Bow River This Week?

“

Dan King

Lead guide at King Trout Outfitters · 15+ years on the Bow River

The river's locked in. We're at 206 cms and it's held rock steady, second stable week in a row. No rain spikes, no drops, just clean summer water. I'm calling it good and I mean it. This is hopper season now. Time to tie on a big foam bug and throw it tight to the grassy banks, especially on a warm windy afternoon. That bank-eat off a hopper is the most fun you'll have on the Bow all year. Evening caddis is still the best bite going, thick in the last two hours of light. PMDs midday, Tricos on the calm mornings for the small-fly crowd. I'm running hopper-dropper most of the day and only nymphing deep in the heavy runs. Here's the one to watch. Water temp's up around 17 now and climbing with this summer heat. No closure on the Bow as I write this, but late July into August is when heat closures start showing up, so check My Wild Alberta the morning you head out and fish early on the hot days. Trout stress in warm water and we release every one, so let's fish them right. July's booked up. August is open and it's setting up as prime. Let's get you a day on the water.

Close-up of a wild brown trout held gently in hand showing distinctive spotted markings

What They're Eating

What Flies Are Working on the Bow River Right Now?

Right now the trout are keyed on Terrestrials (Hoppers/Ants/Beetles), Caddis, Trico, Pale Morning Dun (PMD), Yellow Sally. That is why our guides are fishing patterns like Foam Hopper, Chubby Chernobyl, Elk Hair Caddis this week. Match what is hatching, get a clean drag-free drift, and you will move fish. The full fly chart for this week is right below.

What Hatches Are Active on the Bow River?

Insect	Hook Size	Activity
Terrestrials (Hoppers/Ants/Beetles)	#8-16	heavy
Caddis	#14-18	heavy
Trico	#20-24	moderate
Pale Morning Dun (PMD)	#16-18	moderate
Yellow Sally	#14-16	light

See the full month-by-month Bow River Hatch Chart →

What Flies Are Working This Week?

Close-up of a hand selecting a fly from a well-stocked fly box

Foam Hopper

#8-12dry

Chubby Chernobyl

#8-10dry

Elk Hair Caddis

#14-16dry

Pheasant Tail

#14-16nymph

PMD Nymph

#16-18nymph

Olive Woolly Bugger

#4-6streamer

Pro Tip

No restrictions this week. Fish from dawn to dusk. The best window is mid-morning through late afternoon when the hatches are active and the water has warmed a few degrees.

Where Should You Fish the Bow River This Week?

Upper Bow

Above Bearspaw Dam

Above Bearspaw is fishing beautifully. The Ghost keeps this reach clean and cold, and at a steady 206 it's the best wading on the river. Run a hopper-dropper all day. A foam hopper or a Chubby up top with a Pheasant Tail or a PMD nymph a couple feet down, worked tight to the inside seams and the grassy banks. The fish are looking up. PMDs come off midday and get here early for the Tricos. On a calm morning the spinner fall puts noses on the surface and a #20 fished on light tippet is the finest fishing of the week. Small flies, long leaders, good drifts.

City Section

Bearspaw to Carseland

The city stretch is in full summer form. Water's clean, the fish are settled in the seams and buckets, and the dry game is wide open. This is hopper time. Throw a big foam hopper tight to the grassy banks, especially on a warm afternoon with a bit of wind putting bugs on the water. That bank-eat is how the good July browns come. Dropper a Pheasant Tail off the back if they want a little more convincing. But the evening is still the main event. The caddis come off thick in the last two hours of light and the soft water from Carburn down through Policeman's Flats has fish eating on top. If the day's a scorcher, fish the morning and the evening and take the middle off.

Lower Bow

South of Calgary

Below town toward McKinnon Flats and Carseland is dialed. Full visibility, settled water, and the big browns that rode out the June high water are eating. Hopper-dropper is the ticket down here, tight to the banks. I'm also swinging a Woolly Bugger early and late for the bigger fish holding in the deeper runs. The evening caddis is heavy through the lower reaches too. Just mind the water temp down here. The lower river runs warmer than the city, so fish it early and give the fish a rest in the heat of the afternoon.