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You are here: Home / Bow River Fly Fishing Company’s Blog / Bow River / 2025 Year in Review: Fly Fishing the Bow River
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2025 Year in Review: Fly Fishing the Bow River December 10, 2025 / in Bow River, Calgary, Drift Boat Fishing, Family Fly Fishing Trips, Fishing Trips in Alberta, Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing Lessons
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By Scott Smith, Lead Guide Thank you! We had so many great guests and memorable moments on the Bow River in 2025. We saw some amazing trout to hand this season, solidified relationships and experienced new beginnings.
Early Season Highlights: Caddis Hatch and Calm Waters
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Early season gave us amazing conditions for the early Caddis hatch. Guests experienced head hunting the way it should be with big fish on small bugs. Smiles all around and way too much fun for us to feel like great hunters in the wilderness! We could see the Deerfoot Overpass, but still.
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Midseason Challenges: High Water and Heavy Rains So, July was terrible. We had record rains and the river was high, fast and dirty. We ended up rescheduling guests and providing refunds to many others. I pride our little operation in being easy to deal with. I want everyone to have a great experience on and off the water with us. Those that couldn’t reschedule and wanted to brave the high water, fought hard for one fish and I damn near ran out of jokes and stories to tell! We were happy to see the river settle down. However, I would much rather see high, cooler river conditions than the drought we were setting up for. Here’s to a heavy snow pack this winter!
Big Browns and Rainbow Rockets Big Browns? Yeah, there were a few. If you follow any of the outfitters or locals on your socials, you witnessed some healthy fish this year. We had several guests hook up PB’s, which makes me a little goofy every time it happens. I love the mood in the boat when the guest says “Oh, this one’s got some girth!” and then dials into the fight. The Bow River is truly a special place. Just ask me, I’ll tell you all about it! I especially appreciated the guests that needed a minute to stop shaking after the release. The Buttered Beasts are certainly coveted but let’s not discount the Rainbows in the Bow. Guests had so many WOW hits this season! Rainbow Smashes made more than one angler screech a little when these bullets launched into space!
Gratitude for Our Guides and Partners All this serious fishing doesn’t happen without the guides manning the sticks: Garnet, Bryce, Nate, Jason, Peter, Oz, Mike, Gene, Blair, Nick, Trevor and Luke. I am lucky to connect with these great independent guides and fellow independent outfitters. These guys are all true pros and a ton of fun on the water to work with – Thank you gentlemen!
Lessons, Learning, and Collaboration Personally, the 2025 season will hold many memories. I was fortunate to work a little with the great Linda McLennan from McLennan Fly Fishing. Linda helped me modify our lesson program, and taught a “teach the teacher” session that we arranged for several guides. This was a great day of exchanging ideas and techniques with other like-minded guides and outfitters. My favourite quote from Linda, “Always give yourself permission to teach.” No matter how long I’ve been at this, I can always learn. In fly fishing, we’re never at the top of the game.
Looking Ahead to the 2026 Fly Fishing Season As we close out 2025, we’re filled with gratitude and excitement for what’s next. The Bow River continues to inspire us with its beauty, power, and potential. Thank you for being part of our journey. We can’t wait to see you on the water in 2026! Choose Your Adventure! Whether you’re a complete beginner or ready to “level up,” there’s a package tailored for you: from half-day floats, fullday adventures, 2-day boot camps, to corporate and group outings. All trips take place on the stunning Bow River near Calgary, where you’ll float or wade majestic waters and may encounter deer, bald eagles, beavers and more as part of the experience. When you’re looking ahead to 2026 and want to turn your next outing into an adventure, whether solo, with friends or as a team-building day, now’s the time to lock in your date. Visit the booking page to browse our unique offerings and reserve your spot today. Book your next Bow River fly fishing trip today and experience the adventure for yourself. Tags: 2025, Fly Fishing Guides, fly fishing lessons, walk and wade, Youth Fly Fishing Lessons
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