Fly Fishing in Austria: A Local’s Notebook
Ever watched the Danube glow at sunrise, those first golden streaks hitting the water just as a grayling rises? That’s the magic we get to chase here. Whether you’re picking up a rod for the first time or can double-haul into a headwind, let’s find your rhythm on these waters.
Guiding – More Than Just Fishing
Last season, I had a client from Berlin who swore he’d never land a trout on dry fly. By lunchtime, he was hooked (pun intended) after watching a wild brown sip his CDC pattern near Klosterneuburg. That’s what we do – tailor days to you. Maybe it’s mastering the curve cast around those tricky alders on the Piesting, or just learning why Austrians obsess over grayling. Licenses? We’ll handle the paperwork (yes, even the annoying Vienna district permits).
Courses That Don’t Feel Like School
Theoretical casting drills? Yawn. We’ll cover essentials, but mostly you’ll learn by reading water – like how spring floods change the Traun’s pockets, or why October’s olive hatches make the Ybbs go nuts. (Personal favorite: midge clusters in February. Bring thermals.)
Fly Tying: Winter Therapy
When the rivers iced over last winter, my shop’s back room smelled like a mix of coffee and bucktail. That’s where we geek out over Czech nymphs and debate whether Veniard’s squirrel dubbing really beats local hare. Sessions get lively – someone always drops a bead box.
The Shop You’ll Linger In
Vienna’s oldest fly shop isn’t just about racks of Guideline rods (though we love those). It’s where guides swap stories over Patagonia coffee mugs, and you’ll leave with more than gear – like why that specific run near Melk fishes best after a light rain.
Travel? Oh, We’ve Got Stories
Like that time in Bosnia when a client landed a marble trout bigger than his waders. Or Iceland’s midnight mayhem with salmon. But honestly? Some of my favorite days still happen 40 minutes from Vienna, where the Fischa’s undercut banks hide savage browns.
Species We Lose Sleep Over

Grayling: The Danube’s silver ghosts. Wait for the evening risers near Greifenstein.
Pike: Swing streamers in March at Marchfeld’s backwaters. Heart-stopping takes.
Trout: Wild browns here don’t fall for sloppy drifts. (Rainbows? Try the alpine stocked waters if you must.)

Gift vouchers? Sure, but fair warning – we’ve created lifelong addicts. Ask Matthias, who booked a beginner course and now texts me grayling photos from Norway.
Klejch’s isn’t a business. It’s where your next fish story begins. (And yeah, we’ll judge your knot-tying – but only a little.)