Fly Fishing in Austria 2.1

In part two of our series on fly fishing in Austria, we’ll take a look at the species the country is perhaps most famous for: grayling.

Perhaps because of its size, or because it is such a selective fish, the grayling is still the fish most wanted by Austria’s anglers. An ambitious local angler has a big dream (much like fly fishermen anywhere, though the nature of the dream varies from country to country). That dream is to catch a grayling exceeding 20 inches in length.

In some rivers grayling can grow to enormous sizes, as much as 30 inches in some cases. But it is also true that 20 inch grayling are quite common. You won’t read about the major catches – those of grayling anywhere between 3 and 4 kg in weight. The reason that neither newspapers nor angling magazines publish this otherwise worthwhile record is quite simple economics. The catches are kept secret because, for one thing, leasing rates would soar. Most of the waters are leased from the Republic of Austria or even private owners for a certain period of time, so broadcasting such impressive catches could mean the waters are lost after the next leasing period; others hearing the news would offer much more money for the beats. of the waters would rise and the waters could even be lost after the This competitive leasing and the already high rates for leasing explains why fly fishing Austria’s top waters can be an expensive proposition.