Man, let me tell you about this little gem of a spot up in the mountains - the BachtellachS lake. Now, I've fished all over Europe, but there's something special about this place. It's sitting up there around... what, 1400 meters? Maybe 1433 exactly? Anyway, high enough to feel wild but get this - you can actually take the train most of the way there, which is crazy convenient for mountain fishing.

So there I was last spring, first light, mist still hanging over the water - and bam, first cast with a dry fly and this gorgeous Cherry-Salmon hits like a freight train. These fish, man... they're Europe's best kept secret. Nowhere else you'll find this particular breed, something about the genetics up here just works. And they fight like hell - not those lazy pond fish you sometimes get.

But wait, it gets better. Besides the Cherry-Salmon (which honestly should be the main event), you've got rainbows that'll chase streamers all day, some surprisingly fat Arctic char if you know where to look, and - get this - they've even stocked a few grayling for testing. Caught one last summer on accident with a tiny nymph, thought it was a trout at first until I saw that sail-like dorsal fin.

Here's the thing though - it looks intimidating when you first get there because it's proper mountain water, crystal clear and cold as hell, but the fish aren't as picky as you'd think. I mean, don't get me wrong, you still gotta read the water right, but it's not like some of those technical spring creeks where the fish count your tippet diameter.

Pro tip? Early season, focus on the inlet where the snowmelt comes in - the char love that oxygenated water. Later in summer when the sun's high, work the deeper edges with sinking line. And pack a windbreaker - at that elevation, weather changes faster than a trout spooks from bad casting.

Oh, and if you're coming from Zurich, you'll see this whole chain of lakes as you approach - pretty as a postcard, but trust me, this first one's where the real action is. Just don't tell too many people about it, yeah?