Traun River

The river

The Traun leaves the Traunsee and runs north-east through the Salzkammergut, and the stretch people come for is the 'Traunklamm' and the spring-fed water below Bad Ischl. Much of the flow comes from limestone springs in the Dachstein massif, so the water is cold, hard and remarkably clear — conditions that produce enormous hatches and grayling that regularly reach 45 cm. Most of the best water is leased by clubs and lodges.

On this river

Euro nymphing clear alpine water

The Traun is clear enough that a heavy indicator scares fish. Fish a tight-line rig with a 0.12 mm tippet and a single tungsten nymph, keep the rod tip low, and rely on feel rather than sight. In this water the take often arrives as the nymph lifts off the bottom at the end of the drift.

Twilight grayling on the surface

From June to September grayling rise in the last hour of light and they are far more tolerant of an imperfect drift than trout. Fish a single dry or a Klinkhamer across the pool at 45 degrees, let it drag slightly, and strike downstream. A 45 cm grayling on a #16 dry is one of the best fights in European fly fishing.

Respecting leased water

Almost every metre of the Traun worth fishing is leased, and the boundaries are marked with signs that are not always obvious from the water. Fish only the beat you have paid for, keep the gate closed, and expect a keeper to check your ticket. Anglers who wander upstream onto a neighbouring beat cause the access problems that make this river expensive for everybody.