Fly Fishing in the Austrian Alps – A Birthday Adventure

This past August, my wife celebrated a big birthday. She’s always wanted to see the land her grandparents came from—her grandmother immigrated directly from Austria, landing at Ellis Island. So, we planned a trip to Austria to explore the culture, the mountains, and of course… I carved out one special day for us to fish the Austrian alpine streams.

Naturally, I wasn’t going to Europe without a couple of our El Rey G6 rods. I packed up a 4- and 5-weight setup in my carry-on backpack, along with a Versa Packloaded with essentials, and off we went.  We ended up fishing the 4 weight the entire time, but I never travel without a back up rod just in case.

Meeting the “Fish Police”

Through some online research, I connected with a guide named Martin. He’s one of just a handful of fly-fishing guides in Austria and also happens to serve as the local “Fish Police”—essentially the fish and game warden for the region. We had emailed back and forth for months, but it wasn’t until two days before our trip that I believed it was really happening. Martin sent me a photo of his vehicle and promised to pick us up at our hotel in Innsbruck at 9:00 a.m.

As promised, he arrived, and the three of us spent the 90-minute drive up the mountain getting to know each other. Along the way, we stopped at a local grocery store to gather lunch: fresh-baked bread, locally made sausages, cheeses from a farmer Martin knew personally, pickles (“cucumbers,” as he called them), and fresh fruit. I love checking out local grocery stores when traveling abroad—it’s one of the best ways to experience everyday life in a new culture.

Crystal Clear Streams and Native Browns

From there, we wound up into the Alps to find some of the cleanest, coldest creeks I’ve ever seen. The water was so clear it felt unreal. Martin suggested fishing single dry flies, which was music to my ears. We tied on an Elk Hair Caddis in size 16, and I waded into the cold mountain water.

Martin had an incredible eye for reading water. He pointed out where fish would hold, and sure enough, he was spot on. I started hooking into native brown trout almost immediately. My wife enjoyed the day from a few bird’s-eye lookout spots where she could watch the action unfold.

These Austrian browns were lighter in color than ours back home, perfectly blending into the pale rocks of the streams. They weren’t large fish, but there were plenty of them, and they eagerly ate a well-presented dry fly. Stealth and precision were key—when I got it right, the fish were ready to play.

More Than Just Fishing

The day was incredible. It was fascinating to see how Martin and I approached the same fish differently, but with the same shared respect for the water. I picked up a few new small-stream techniques and gained a fresh appreciation for pocket water fishing.

If you think about it, hiring a fishing guide is often better than hiring a tour guide—you see places no tourist would ever get to experience. To cap off the day, Martin brought us to his favorite local restaurant on the way back to Innsbruck, where we enjoyed a fantastic meal together.

This was truly a highlight of our Austria trip, and an experience I’ll never forget.

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Interested in Fly Fishing Austria?

Here’s Martin’s contact information if you ever find yourself in the Austrian Alps:

Fliegenfischen mit Herz

Martin Schoissengeier

Bodensiedlung 35/1

6300 Wörgl

+43-650-919 47 71

🌐 www.ffmh.at

📸 Instagram: @rosswildalm | @flyfish.tirol

Mediathek:

• ROSSWILDALM – Teaser Video

• PURE FILMS – HOME WATERS – Episode 3

• Die Rückkehr der Urforelle – 95% of the waters are wild, without stocking

• The Fly Fishing Cult – by HIGHFLYERS

• Fliegenfischen am Wildalmsee und der Aufstieg zur Rosswildalm

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Gear Callout: What I Packed for Austria

For this trip, I carried everything in my Versa Pack and traveled with two El Rey G6 rods paired with El Jefe Reels:

• 8’6” 4-weight – perfect for delicate dry fly presentations on small alpine streams.

• 9’ 5-weight – a versatile backup rod for a little more reach and power.

The beauty of the El Rey G6 is how easily it travels—these six-section rods fit in carry-on friendly carbon tubes. No oversized luggage, no hassles. When you’re traveling abroad (or just heading into the backcountry), they’re the perfect rods to have with you. 

“Never Fly Without Your G6.”