Quick Report - August 28, 2026

by BRT Staff

Water Levels

Bow River Flies

Dries

Pavlovitch's Yellowstoner Hopper

Panty Dropper Hopper

Yeti Hopper

Polywing Spinner Trico

Golden Stone Barred Leg

Streamers

Galloup's Mini Peanut Envy

Brammer's Skinny Dipper

Peacock Bugger

Hale Bopp Leech

Coffey's Sparkle Minnow

Nymphs

Tungsten Bead Copper John

RIO's Tungsten Sparkle Donkey

Tungsten Jig Flamethrower

RIO's Super Pupa

BH Flashback Hare's Ear

Flies for Other Places

Freestone's 3-Tone Ant

Mongo Hopper

Arrick's Parachute Ant

Chubby Chernobyl

Comparadun PMD

Tips for the Bow

After holding at around 90 cms through the week, the Bow bumped up to over 110 and has now dropped to around 85 cms. It's still looking in good condition.
Try a hopper pattern with thick foam and a synthetic yarn wing for visibility and dropper floating ability.
If the fish are consistently swiping at the hopper but hooksets aren't linking up, cut off the dropper and maybe try a slightly smaller and more lower riding pattern, or one with a splayed leg to switch up the profile.
Throw your hopper along the grassy banks but don't forget the riffles, ledges, buckets, seams, and soft water at the top of big runs.
When fishing a sigle hopper, try gently twitching or wiggling it using your rod tip after casting to give it a bit of action. Sometimes this can draw aggressive strikes.
Don't be afraid to fish a long dropper up to 4' when picking apart bouldery pockets along those steep Bow limestone faces. It will make casting harder, so make a big stop on the backcast to let the rod fully load.
Guides have reported luck skating stonefly patterns in the evenings.

Tips for Other Places

Water levels are still looking great across the Foothills streams in ES1 & ES2.
Ants have been the big producer for cutties. Pick 'em off with sniper casts into little deflections or log jams.
Stonefly patterns like Stimulators or Chubby Chernobyls have still been working on streams like the Oldman.
Afternoon PMD hatches are still occurring on brown trout streams. Long leaders and perfect presentations will help your success. Occasional small Drake hatches as well.
Smaller creeks with slow sections are becoming more weed-choked and stagnant as warm temperatures continue. Super stealth is required to fish here.

Bottom Line

Some anglers have been reporting a slow week on the Bow, while others are are catching monster browns on hoppers. It pays be early to the river, and to stay late. Fish are still rising to Tricos. Hopper fishing is still in prime time, carry a wide range of colors and sizes. It hasn't been a great caddis season, but some evening sippers are out there. Get out there and make the most of the nice weather this weekend as rain is forecasted next week.