Italian Fly Fishing pearls: Hoch Pustertal (Alta Val Pusteria)

 Italian Fly Fishing pearls:  Hoch Pustertal (Alta Val Pusteria)

Approaching fly fishing in Ost-Tirol, especially Hoch Pustertal, means facing a really articulate complex of waters: lakes, small stillwater streams, deeper fast water valley floor rivers.
As well, the techniques pnorama is quite various: dry fly, wet fly, nymph (modern or classic), streamer.

Unless you'd like to focus on a single fishing technique ie. dry fly, nymph and so on, and this, may orient you on a specific rod lenght/line size; probably a verstility choice will give you more opportunities to switch technique, being more effective, also more than one time per day.
In first case, or rather focusing on single specific tackles, what I can suggest you is as follows:

-Dry Fly: 7 to 8 foot rods for lines between 2 and 5.
-Nymph/wet: due to the often heavy weighted nymphs used 9-11 foot rods for lines between 3 and 5 (probably a 10 foot for a 3 or 4 line will be the optimum).
-Streamer: 9 foot rod for 5-7 weight lines, both using a full floating WF line or a sinking tip, like a Teeny 130 grains or a 3M sink tip or a Rio sink tip (III-IV sinking grade) line.

Between all of theese choices I adopted productively one of my favourite fly rods: 9 foot for 5 weight line, with a secondary reel in my pocket: this solution permitted a really productive use of all of the above techniques with a minimum compliance level.

Further you have to consider the average difficult access to the river by car (and for this I will later suggest you a very interesting trick) that will probably allow you to park quite far away and then you'll have to walk downstream or upstream the river. This is so difficult if you have in mind to switch your entire rod to another.
Therefore consider the single rod choice and take the other rods ready for days when you wanna focus on single specific techniques.

Let's now speak about the Landlord rights on the waters. Tirol in general, exactly like Anglo-Saxon and nordic countries, are based on ancient property laws and rights that put the waters directly inside the properties by the landlords.
This means that efficient groups of passionate anglers get the management under license of the owners, and they sell daily licenses for them.
Some areas are under F.I.P.S. control that requires an annual card subscription in addition to the purchase of daily licences.
Over all, you'll need a national fishing license, so the documentary steps to fish will be two or three: national license, daily license (every area has is own), F.I.P.S.A.S. annual subscription (in their areas only)

Let's speak now about the main fishing, cold water almost all year long makes the fishes strong and able to feed out and catch flies both on the surface and below water level, even when the weather conditions and low temperatures seem to block and stop their activity.
Logically will be the central hours on spring and autumn the more interesting for the dry fly, when you'll see some mayflies hatches, usually 1,5 to 2 cm length in total (with tails), on really light greysh patterns or light blue and olive tonal shades.

As often happens in alpine valleys that has an East to West orientation, Pustertal, may have some significant insect differences and trees distribution. You will have for sure huge populations especially in the spring-summer months of sedges and stoneflies (theese last ones especially good also in the nymph and imago stages), that will also indicate a low pollution level in the waters.

You will be able as well to use huge selections of terrestrials, because the surrounding woods are reach of: Oedemeridae, Trichodes, flies, Imenophtera, Anthaxia, Acmaeodera.

Blood worms are absolutely a must when you approach these waters, tie them for different sinking ratios, in hook sizes 12-14-16
In the dry flies panorama some light grey open tails parachute models are very productive, in hook sizes 14-16-18, and they help you also with their high floating caracteristic.
Stonefly nymphs are exeptional especially if tied with bead heads.
For streamers, very attractive are the Muddler minnows, both in black-silver and natural-gold varieties, tied on hook sizes 12-10-8.

As well some zonkers and Black Pennell wet/streamer use flies are quite good to move fishes out of their nests.

Let's see finally some nice casts that can help you catching more fishes. As often happens in small mountain streams, downstream fishing may be more productive only if you are seeking the depths, with weighted flies, may be also with sinking leader-line. So try haunting the bottom areas with light tension ever in the line with no slack at all, and being very prompt for bites.

The fishes are often really close to the river edges below herbs and vegetations or behind smal to big rocks, the ones that forms a little pond behind them.
If you are fishing the dry fly, anti drag casts are a must, so, a good knowledge and understanding of casting mechanics and anti drag manoeuvres is absolutely helpful.
A 3/4 angle approach, upstream, is a good one, depending on rocks obviously, try to use a lot of curve pose presentations to avoid drag and being sure the fly stays in place for at least 3-4 full seconds, and mend, looking for the strikes on the surface.
Parachute casts and aerial mends may be further helpful manoeuvres that will improve the fly presentation.

You can also decide (and I love it) that adventure will guide you through, and opt for a MTB/fly fishing adventure, so you'll e able to descend the river with the bike having only an essential backpack that contains all the necessary items to fish and your favourite tackle. In this way you'll have even more fun and you won't have the problem of difficult access to the river segments.

So if you'd like to challenge yourself  and have fun catching amazing graylings (upper reservoirs especially) Chars, Brown and unique Marble Trouts you absolutely have to fish Tirol, and Hoch Pustertal especially.

In general if you wanna discover better these areas my suggetsion is to have a full day guided trip (casting instructor as well) to orient yourself and been comfortable with fishing context, and as well to get from the guide a full support regarding the documents, fishing licenses needed.

So please do not esitate to ask and make questions, hope you like this reading article, see you on the next, stay fly!

P.B. Piter Fly
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