Jumping Trout 2007

Every year, fly fishermen come from all over the world to cast their lines for the famous Brown and Rainbow trout that inhabit the Bow River from Calgary to Carseland.  Introduced in the early 20^th century, these two species thrived in what are perfect conditions for producing very large trout.  The Bow River populations average 50 cm in length and reach 70 cm.

In the years since, trout fishing on the Bow River has become a multi-million dollar tourist industry and a fly fisher’s dream.  There are over 2500 trout per mile, but the main attractions are the wary and challenging Brown trout, Salmo trutta, and the iridescent Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, which can leap from the water to a distance four times its body length.

These magnificent Brown and Rainbow trout are my inspiration for Jumping Trout.