• Browns are spawning on the Bow. Avoid the nests (AKA redds) which are cleaned patches of gravel in low water on even bottomed riverbed. They're easy to see, don't cast to fish you see there. 
• Get some Waterboatman patterns, then get a few more. Trout love them, and hit them hard. If you want to fish it like a nymph, check out patterns with a bead or epoxy body and hang it off a hopper. If you want to try something different, run one about 3' behind a single hook streamer and fish it like one. Strip, strip, boom. 
• Don't be afraid to strip your Waterboaters fast, because these little alien-lookin' units can really swim. That's why we also love fishing them in tandem on spey rods. We like our custom tied Jeremy's Foam Boatman, because they rise fast through the water column as you finish your swing and the line comes tight downstream, often drawing frantic strikes.
• There are some BWO's about still and while it's been tough to get fish to look up, they have been readily eating small nymph patterns. You might want a 4 or 5 wt rod and a 4X leader for small dries in the fall.
• The Bow is really quite low at around 50 cms so switch out your heavy sink tips for an S3 or intermediate, or perhaps just a floating line with a stout leader and a weighted streamer. 
• Fish are spooky after a season of seeing flies paired with low and clear water. Be a bit more stealthy than usual.
• Give the October Caddis a try. It's the last big bug of the season. Fish aren't always keyed in on them and they'll take a nymph more readily than a dry, but if they're on it you can prompt some explosive takes. We like swinging a collared nymph on our trout spey rods.
• You may need to dredge the bubble lines on seams mid-river with an indicator setup if nothing else works.
• Keep your head up on the water! Rocks are a lot closer to your boat in these low flows. You can still tip a drift boat easily in shallow water if you hit a rock sideways. Some city sections require creative rowing. Skiffs are the ticket for these conditions, as bigger boats may sit too low. 
• A recent conversation with CO's down at Graves Bridge left the impression that poaching on the Bow has not slowed down. In fact, it's getting worse as Calgary's population swells and many newcomers don't understand or respect livin' the catch & release life. If you see someone harvesting fish on the Bow, call their ass in! Alberta Report A Poacher phone line - 1-800-642-3800.

Dries

 Streamers

Nymphs 

Jeremy's Foam Boatman, Any Color, #10-14

Epoxy Water Boatman, Peacock, #14

Lightning Bug, #18

BH Pheasant Tail Half Flashback, #18

RIO's Water Boatman, Peacock, #14-16

Other Waters

• ES1 & ES2 streams close to angling Oct. 31. Get it in before it's all over.
• Bulls will be wrapping up spawning. Don't disturb their mommy & daddy time if you see them on redds.
  
• Cutthroat fishing gets harder as days get shorter and temperatures are lower. The window for hatches is closing each day. You can get to the water a little later and not feel guilty because often the fish might not be active until mid day.
• Midges will be a good morning option. Try a cluster dry size 16 with a tiny dropper like a brassie nymph, or a parachute emerger, size 20.
• Small general mayfly patterns like a parachute adams or comparadun sizes 16-20 may see action if you run into a hatch.
• Love the less likely spots for cutties. Small deflections, skinny riffles, behind a lone pumpkin-sized rock on the flat section in between pools.
• Don't forget to have some terrestrial patterns ready to go. A hopper dropper is still a great way to fish without resorting to full on nymphing. Size down your hoppers for mountain streams from what you might fish on the Bow. 
• You might have to get creative with your retrieve if bull trout fishing. They've seen every streamer sold between Edmonton and Bozeman by now. You'll have to sustain their interest long enough to draw a strike.
  
• Sometimes you just won't be able to make a bull eat. They may have eaten recently or been spooked by other anglers. Keep covering water instead of spending an hour casting different flies to the same lock-jawed fish. 
• Waterboatmen don't just live in the Bow. 
  
• Definitely still pack the bear spray. They're not asleep yet!
  

Which is more unlikely? Finding a parking spot in Banff or a glass day at the lake?

Flies For Other Waters

*some flies may be available in-store only

RIO's Hi Vis Parachute, #18-20

Ritt's ARF Midge Adult, #18-20

Booty's Emerging Midge

Mongo Hopper, Tan or Peach, #12-14

Galloup's Tips Up, White or Olive, #2

Lynch's Drunk & Disorderly, Olive/Gold or White/Pearl, #2

Galloup's Menage et Dungeon, #1/0

TB Balanced Leech, Any Color, #10-14

RIO's Retriever Jig TB , Any Color, #8-10