Rotgüldensee (Austria)   

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Like the cycling of the seasons, mountain fly fishing on the alps is a recurrence that one cannot miss.


We got up here, at more than 1600 m. asl, aware of enjoying idyllic landscapes, crystal clear air and certainly for fly fishing too. Catching fish considered as option but not as necessary condition or premiss.


In a state of peace and union with the nature, the vision of the many rings that are blooming on the surface hit us like a dream and let us doubt for a few seconds of our eyes.  But it's all real..


The first catch confirms that the trouts are real, wonderful and strong fish.


In some places the banks are very steep, eight or ten meters depth awaits if we were to tumble into the lake. On the other hand, fish are frentically hunting: they circumnavigate the lake, swimming under the water film and rhythmically rising to snatch insects from the surface.


We fish on "trajectories": after having spot an approaching fish, we try to guess where it will be in the next 4 or 5 meters and there we cast our dry fly. If the intuition was right, 2 times out of 3 the fish is caught. We soon begin to catch even graylings. Grayling fries have reached this place several years ago, incidentally placed in a lot of stocked trout fries. Despite the unusual habitat, the grayling has very well adapted to the climate of this alpine lake.


I see now a big grayling swimming about 20 meters from the bank. He is rising rhythmically to sip insect from the surface.
I cast my sedge and he grabs it without hesitation. After a hard fight with jumps in the air and flights into the depth, I can eventually take a picture. Before releasing him I take a mark of his length on my rod, later on I will measure 48 cm. at the tag.


On the west bank of the lake, the water conveyed from the mountains enters into the lake and forms a strong current that wedges in for about 30 meters. No fish is rising here but it looks like the ideal place for a weighted nymph. Indeed, a trout, at least half a meter big, darts on the nymph. Unfortunately he sets him free after a few seconds of fierce fight.


The place by the current holds the prospect and with heavy nymphs, played in the strong flowing water we catches several nice fish , in addition to trout, graylings between 40 - 45 cm. and even a nice char.


As the sun begins to set the fish become more selective and after some more casts, we stop fishing to exchange the impressions of the day and to contemplate the beautiness of the nature.


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