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

Fishing Reportpoor

Bow River Fishing Report

Week of June 29, 2026

By Dan King · Lead Guide, King Trout Outfitters

Bow River running high and muddy brown through downtown Calgary on June 29, 2026, during spring runoff, with the Centre Street Bridge and downtown skyline behind it — The Bow through downtown Calgary on June 29, 2026 — high and off-color from runoff. You can see the brown, sediment-loaded water against the skyline. (Timestamp shown is from the camera.) Source: Calgary Live Camera (DELTATECH) on YouTube →

Bow River fishing conditions for the week of June 29, 2026 are poor. Flow is 412 cubic meters per second and rising. Water temperature is 12°C. No angling restrictions are in effect. Active hatches include Golden Stonefly, Caddis, Pale Morning Dun (PMD), Yellow Sally.

412

Flow (m³/s) ↑

12°C

Water Temp ↓

poor

Overall Conditions

None

Restrictions

iFlow context: The Bow blew back up to 412 cms and it's still climbing. That's almost double where it sat on June 26 (226), and more than four times the 90 cms summer baseline. A fresh shot of rain and runoff pushed it hard over the weekend. 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 412 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

Straight talk this week. The river jumped. We were sitting at 226 and dropping on the 26th, then a shot of rain and runoff over the weekend shoved the Bow back up to 412 cms, and it's still rising as I write this. That's more than four times the summer baseline. Take a look at the river cam up top. You can see it's brown and pushing hard. So I'm not going to oversell it. This is a tough window. The fish are pinned to the banks and the soft seams, the middle of the river is dead water, and the dry game is off until this clears. If you're going out, fish the upper Bow above Bearspaw where the Ghost dam settles the sediment. Big stonefly nymphs and worms deep, or a dark streamer on the edges. Go heavy, go deep, fish tight. And be careful. High water is dangerous water, so wade with a staff or stay in the boat. No heat closure right now, the river's too high and cold for that, but check My Wild Alberta before you go. The good news, this kind of bump usually drops as fast as it came up. Once it crests and slides back toward 200 and then 150, the fishing turns on quick. I've got open dates for when it does. Watch the flow and let's pick a day.

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 Golden Stonefly, Caddis, Pale Morning Dun (PMD), Yellow Sally. That is why our guides are fishing patterns like Pat's Rubber Legs, San Juan Worm, Sculpzilla (black) 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
Golden Stonefly	#6-10	moderate
Caddis	#14-18	light
Pale Morning Dun (PMD)	#16-18	light
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

Pat's Rubber Legs

#4-6nymph

San Juan Worm

#8-10nymph

Sculpzilla (black)

#4-6streamer

Olive Woolly Bugger

#2-6streamer

Squirmy Worm (pink)

#10nymph

Golden Stone Nymph

#8nymph

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

Up above Bearspaw is the only reach I'd really call fishable this week, and that's because the Ghost reservoir traps the runoff sediment before it gets here. It clears first and runs lower than the rest. Still up, still pushy, but you can see your fly. Wade with a staff and stay out of the heavy stuff. It's a deep nymph game. A big Pat's Rubber Legs with a worm dropper, bounced through the soft inside seams. Don't waste time on dries with the water this colored. Get it down, fish the edges, and respect the current.

City Section

Bearspaw to Carseland

The city stretch is a freight train at 412 and rising. The Elbow's dumping color in downtown, so visibility is poor and the fish are buried tight to the banks. If you float it, float it carefully and skip the middle of the river entirely. It's all bank work. Big stonefly nymph and a worm pinned right against the grass, deep, or a dark streamer chucked to the edge and stripped back. This isn't a numbers week down here. Honestly, with the water climbing, I'd give it a few days to crest before I'd put a client on this reach.

Lower Bow

South of Calgary

Below town toward McKinnon Flats and Carseland is flat-out dirty. The Highwood adds its own load of sediment, so this is the muddiest, highest water on the river right now. Visibility is near zero in spots. If you go, it's a junk-and-streamer show. Big, dark, and loud so they can find it. A black Sculpzilla on a sink-tip worked slow and tight to the bank. I'm mostly leaving this reach alone until the flow tops out and starts dropping. Do not wade it. The banks are slick and the water's moving hard.