A change of job had Matthew Van Sickle leaving the trout streams of the US behind, arriving in Austria and the fly fishing opportunities it has to offer
I arrived in Vienna, Austria in May 2013 after accepting a position with the United Nations - an American fly fisherman suddenly lost and confused in the highly regulated environment of fly fishing in Austria. At the time, my German was non-existent, so I relied on new friends and acquaintances that were fly fishermen for some tips as well as what I could find on the internet in English. It became clear very quickly that navigating the waters and rules of Austria would be difficult. Heading out on my first solo outing I was a bit nervous, but when I found myself sitting on the side of the Ybbs river, alone in the wilderness, I knew that I had uncovered something special.
Don’t get me wrong – fly-fishing in Austria is not easy. It is expensive, there are a number of regulations that may differ for each section of a specific river, you will need two licenses and you will likely encounter a questioning river guard. But you will also experience nature and fly fishing in a way that few do, and you will remember these stretches of water for a long time.
There are many places I recommend for fly fishermen venturing to Austria for the first time. We have high alpine lakes, clear mountain streams and large rivers holding beautiful, wild fish.
I made my start in the Ybbs river, which is not too far from Vienna and offers a number of different stretches available from different licence vendors. I began with the Opponitz Hollnestein section (http://www.fliegenfischen-opponitz.at/), which I found to be quiet, breathtaking and full of medium sized rainbow trout and grayling hungry for dry flies.
Later in that first summer, I found my way to Hotel Bräurup, home to 130km of rivers and 8 lakes – and incidentally, some of the best waters in Austria. A highlight of this location is the Krimmler Ache, a high alpine stream surrounded by impressive mountains and reachable only by a special park taxi. If you go there, you will find yourself fly fishing in an awesome environment and will encounter very few fellow fishermen along the route. A stay at their hotel will provide you with a discounted fishing licence, and they can also help arrange a guide and any other details.
Closer to Vienna, the Triesting river is reachable by car in 45 minutes and makes for an easy day outing for those visiting the city. Licences are pretty affordable and available from Active Fishing in Vienna (www.activefishing.at). The river is normally packed with small trout and whitefish but tends to also be full of locals going for a swim on the weekend. Therefore, it’s best to venture out during the week if you have the time.
This year, I became a member of two fishing clubs in Austria: Austrian Fishing Association (www.oefg1880.at) and Sport Fishing Association of Vienna and Lower Austria (www.spofi.at). If you are living in Austria and plan to fly fish regularly, joining a club is a good idea. Through SPOFI, I have made a few trips to the Ötcherbach section of the Erlauf river, which runs through a breathtaking canyon and holds some amazing pools of crystal clear water. A river otter has plagued the fish population this year, but you are still able to lose yourself to the quiet and solitude of the canyon, and the wild fish hiding in the shadows.
Just last month, on the way back from Ötcherbach, my fiancé and I stopped for ice cream next to the Pielach. Never ones to pass up a thorough river inspection, we walked across a near bridge and peered down into the water only to find ten lunkers hanging out in the current. I immediately pulled out my phone and marked the location; I would return. Two weeks later, in the early morning I was back, casting a yellow humpy to that same spot we had scouted earlier…and out they came….one after the other, beginning with the very first cast. Within thirty minutes, I had caught two rainbow trout and two brown trout, each over 50 centimeters. It was a good way to start the day.
You can learn more about fly fishing opportunities in Austria by visiting my website www.flyfishaustria.com. If you contact us this month and mention that you read about us in Eat, Sleep, Fish, we will provide you a free promotional code for our iOS guide for Austria and Slovenia.