Your Principal Guide, Scott Smith
Growing up in Bragg Creek Alberta, you could always find me on the Elbow River or one of the local creeks, avoiding daily chores and curfews. I can remember using a willow branch, a length of mono and some old flies found in my Dad’s tackle box to fool the trout!
Today, I love to get people out on the Bow river and excited about a sport that has given me years of enjoyment and challenges. (I am still avoiding chores and curfews)
I have been fishing the Bow for a dozen years and learn something everyday I am out. I simply love to fish and any time spent on the river is well wasted, no matter how many fish make it to the net.
Guided Trout Fishing on the Bow River
Rainbow and Brown trout will be our target species. We measure the fish by inches around here and 16 to 20-inch trout are the norm. These fish are powerful and will give you spirited runs into your backing on a regular basis, so be prepared to chase one of these angry beasts down the bank!
Fly Fishing Guide, Kevin Hawes
I grew up on a ranch where the north border was the Elbow River. When I was young, my father taught me how to cast a spinning rod, thread a worm onto a hook, and most importantly, where fish are most likely to be holding. I was always fascinated with the river, and with trying to catch trout. I was always taking my father’s rod and tackle (until I got my own) and would spend days exploring and fishing the river and creeks on the ranch.
My first introduction to fly fishing was in my grandfather’s boat and trolling for trout at Hyas Lake, near Kamloops (which was his favorite lake). Later, one of the camp hosts at Hyas Lake took the time to give me some fly fishing/casting lessons from the dock. After that I was ‘hooked’, and have spent years learning and enjoying fly fishing; even on the days where seems like there was a whole lot more “fishing” than “catching”.
Southern Alberta Fly Fishing Guides
For many years, I have enjoyed fly fishing new waters in Southern Alberta and BC when an opportunity presents itself, however, the Bow River is a constant draw for me, and continues to be my favorite place to flyfish for those wylie, mean trout.
I have enjoyed giving several friends and acquaintances their ‘introduction’ to fly fishing. I like stopping to help people who are struggling with casting, etc. or just meeting fellow fishermen and women on the bank and swapping good stories and bad jokes (mostly the bad jokes). I love it when people make me laugh, and I love hard fighting trout, and the joy it brings to all who take up the fight!
Fly Fishing Guide, Garnet Clews
For as far back as I can remember, I have wanted to fish. In particular I was smitten by the beautiful rainbow trout. I grew up on a southern Saskatchewan farm that was not close to any fishing location, let alone rainbow trout. Anytime we travelled to a place that was fishable, I was armed with my $12.00 hardware-store open-faced spinning rod and tackle. To say that my fishing success was marginal would be an understatement at best. But I happily put in my time, dutifully throwing cast after cast in hopes that a fish would bite. And they did – not often but enough to encourage me to go back out and try again.
Finding Inspiration with Alberta Fishing Guide
When I was in my late 20’s, I had a business opportunity to move my family to Alberta. Not knowing anything about Alberta fishing, I found a copy of Barry Mitchell’s Alberta Fishing Guide. I read that cover to cover, over and over. I consumed every article about gear fishing in that magazine. It was a particularly long winter and eventually I decided to read one of the articles about (shudder) “fly fishing”. I had seen the odd fly guy in Saskatchewan, but they just looked ridiculous beside all of us cool gear fishermen. I only read the articles because I was so desperate for fishing information. Long story short, I wound up meeting Doug Wood who was the owner of the Just Fishin’ store in Red Deer. We eventually got around to talking about fly fishing and eventually I bought a fly rod and my life changed forever.
First Guided Fishing Trip
After 20 years of mostly fishing for cutthroats in the mountains a few days per year, I took my first guided trip on the Missouri River in Montana and began to learn to cast tiny delicate dry flies to picky rainbows. That’s when I decided to buy a drift boat. I still miss more fish than I hook, but there’s nothing like making the perfect drag-free drift over a fussy rainbow’s head, seeing the gentle sip from a nose that barely breaks the surface, and the fly disappearing. It’s the moment of calm before all HELL breaks loose. Even more surprising, I have developed an affection for nymphing, which is the most effective way to fish for rainbows and browns on the Bow River.
Enjoying the Drift Boat Fly Fishing Experience
The other change in my fishing life occurred after buying my drift boat. I find that I enjoy helping other people catch fish almost as much as I enjoy fishing myself. I love to pull the sticks and get the boat into the best spot for my friends to catch fish. Do we catch a pile of fish every day? No, of course not, but that’s why it’s called fishing. If you can enjoy a day on a beautiful stretch of water with good company, regardless of the number of fish to the boat, we will have a great day. Yes we normally do catch fish, but we can not control the fish or the weather. I am looking forward to sharing a day or more with you on the Blue Ribbon Bow.