Fishing Calendar

Fishing Calgary in the Spring

Spring brings warming trends and rising flows on the Bow and Elbow Rivers. Expect cold mornings, clearer afternoons, and hungry post-winter trout.

What’s Hot / What’s Not:

Rivers: Nymphing (stoneflies, worms, midges) and streamer swings for brown & rainbow trout; skwala/blue-winged olive hatches on mild days.

Lakes & Ponds: Stocked trout wake up fast; small spoons, leeches, and chironomids work well after ice-out.

Not Hot: High-elevation stillwaters—ice can linger into late spring.

Prime time on the Bow—long days, stable flows, and consistent hatches. Early and late sessions beat mid-day sun and pressure.

What’s Hot / What’s Not:

Rivers: Dry-fly action (PMDs, caddis, hoppers, ants) for rainbows/browns; streamers at first/last light for larger fish.

Lakes: Chironomids and damsel patterns; trolling small spoons/spinners produces in deeper basins mid-day.

Not Hot: Midday in gin-clear runs—downsize tippet/flies or go subsurface.

Cooling water triggers a fierce pre-winter bite. Clarity improves; fish color up. Some of the year’s heaviest browns come now.

What’s Hot / What’s Not:

Rivers: Streamers (sculpin, leech) and nymphs (eggs/stoneflies) shine; BWOs on cloudy afternoons.

Lakes: Trout patrol edges; slow strip leeches and small baitfish patterns near drop-offs.

Not Hot: Windy bluebird afternoons—go deeper or wait for evening.

Short days, steady action. Urban ponds and nearby reservoirs offer reliable ice fishing; Chinooks can change ice conditions quickly—check often.

What’s Hot / What’s Not:

Ice Fishing: Rainbow/brook trout and pike on small spoons, tungsten jigs, and tip-ups; add shrimp/worm tipping for finicky fish.

Open Water: Select Bow River runs can stay fishable—tiny midges, slow dead-drifts.

Not Hot: Midday under high pressure—target dawn, dusk, or low ceilings.