Germany Archives - Flyfishing FWSW

We’ll, I mentioned in my previous HSK report I would do a re-run of the trip if possible.
So I talked to my supervisor at work to get some more time off which was no problem
as it was quiet on the project front.

I opted for the last week of the trout season in Germany, closing oct. 20th.
In the distant past the river I intended to fish would be open after that date
due to the fact that grayling where present.
The grayling season extends normally over the winter but alas not anymore on that stream.

Since the fishing had been slow during the past visit I opted not to buy day tickets for
my travel days .. too expensive for what was offered in my view.
My goal for this trip where to catch some grayling and take pictures of the fall colors.

Since I arrived early on my first day I decided to hike to the viewpoint on top of the hills.
I was not exactly well prepared as I had (in hindsight) the wrong coordinates and
got lost early in my hike … luckily I crossed a hunter who directed me in the right way.
As I went farther and farther up the hill I noticed lots of signs of wild boar tearing
up the soil next to the path.

I was up on the ridge in a pretty dark part of the forest when I heard something
moving in the forest.
The path I was on looked less travelled and it seemed to dead end so I got my
bearing and finally got the correct coordinates for the viewpoint.
Turned out I walked past it as I took a wrong turn.

The fishing, well as previously quite tough … although it had rained the waterlevel
had hardly risen. With the algae bloom ended the water was clear and littered with leaves.
Still the grayling bite was a lot better than a month before and I caught some nice fish.
The brown trout was bite was not as good, had difficulty finding fish and I
did not expect that at the end of the season the fishing club would be stocking new fish.

Having said that I did manage to catch some nice fish and my pb for brown trout.
That pb fish came on a dry fly in a very shallow part of the stream.
I had learned not to ignore the shallows and long casts with sedge pattern often
delivered fish from places I would normally pass.
The weather was usually pretty drab, light rain and fog – overcast – low temps.

On my last fishing day the sun came out and a lot of sedges started to fly.
As it was in the weekend all day tickets had been sold out so fisherman where
everywhere and many spots had already been ploughed trough.
With no fish in the deeper pools my last chance of a good fish was the shallows
and just by luck I spotted a rising grayling and could nail it ending the trip
on a positive note.

Germany 21-09-2025

29 September 2025 admin

A day later, same water but different weather conditions.
Within a day we went from warm and sunny to wet and windy.
The temperature kept falling during the day and wind kept increasing in force.
I was on-site at daybreak and the only fisherman around.

I had hoped to get instant hits but fishing was extremely slow.
Early morning some fish where active and now and then I could see rainbow trout
moving past me. I hooked two fish who skillfully jumped and threw the barbless hook.
I then tried to concentrate on any dace or rudd but nothing hit the fly.

My last resort to get any bites was to fish the deepest part of the mill pool right under the weir.
Fishing a nymph very deep worked for a while and after a roach I finally landed two rainbow trout.
As the day progressed however the bites stopped and whatever I tried failed to get fish.

Although I anticipated the weather change the strong wind did cool me down more than expected.
So late in the afternoon I decided to take a break and get something to eat and drink.
The comforts of the pub and the fact that it was already late kept me from returning to fish.
Have to say I still prefer the flowing stream to the mill pond.

Germany 20-09-2025

29 September 2025 admin

The annual fisher king contest … well, I failed again catching a single trout.
Off course fishing in the most shallow part of the mill pool especially in
these times of low water mean you are without a chance if you flyfish.
Best spots as always the deepest parts of the mill pool under the weir.

In the morning session at the river I was amazed how low the water level was.
Only a trickle flowed and without any deep spots you could only get small dace
and gudgeons.

The afternoon session in the mill pool a waste of time as usual.
With some higher water you would have a chance to find trout in the shallows but
on this day even the shiners where absent.
Still a perfect day weatherwise, very warm and lots of sunshine.
So on this day only dace, rudd and gudgeons for me.

Germany – HSK 08-2025

29 September 2025 admin

Had not much to do at work so I decided a road trip might be in order.
Arranged time off, got the location sorted and went on my way.
Turned out to be a very tough trip fishing wise as the promised rain didn’t came
and the river was on the absolute low point with hardly any flow.
Still, I caught some fish and had a very good time being out and about.

Might try for a second trip before the trout season runs out.
Still have to to better with the big grayling… they eluded me.

Germany 10-08-2025

11 August 2025 admin

I finally found some motivation to visit the chub section.
First stop was along en route to the places I wanted to fish.
Water clarity was pretty poor despite the low water level, nothing to be had.

At the first major bridge I crossed I peeked down hoping to see any fish moving
but again low visibility and no fish.
So I continued straight to the feeder streamer where the fish kills happened to see if the
spill upstream had effected the fish at the stretch I fished.

At the feeder stream you could see how low the water actually was, just inches of water.
I caught some small chub but soon was on the road again looking for greener pastures.
The next hotspot was near a bridge were you could usually see lots of fish.
A peak from the bridge showed some very big chub moving about.

When I tried fishing from the bank the big chub submerged, again spotted.
My last hope for the big one was an open stretch with a mixed bottom of
sand and weeds. Tricky to get any fish but usually big ones present in numbers.
There where big fish around but the combination of high banks, small and shallow stream did not

A change from sedge to hopper did the trick in the end.
I finally found a proper chub on feeding station in the surface.
That fish took the hopper with gusto from the surface and I could actually land it.
It was midday, terribly hot so I called it a day and rested at a pub enjoying a few cold ones.

Germany, 19-07-2025

22 July 2025 admin

This was the first session on the stream since my return from the USA.
I had already gotten a warning about how low the stream was and boy it was certainly low.
Since it would be a hot day I left early and was at the water on time.

When I stepped into the remaining stream I had planned to fish a deeper spot downstream.
What I did not expect was to encounter a fish in the shallow water in front of the pool.
So the first fish of the day was scared away, one of many.

I dropped a nymph in the deep pool and soon was rewarded by a bite.
A solid hit by a nice rainbow trout which I suspected was the fish I scared away.
I checked out some other spots nearby and actually had hits on a dry fly from small dace.

When I returned to my starting point I noticed a trout again in the shallows.
It was clearly a brown trout so that was the fish I spooked right at the beginning.
With the water being so shallow I opted to change to a dry fly as not to scare the fish.
That did not help though … scared away the second time.

I checked out many other spots on the stream but the low water made it tough.
Approach fishing without spooking them was difficult.
Still I had plenty of hits from roach, rudd, dace and the odd gudgeon.
I even had a large perch chasing one of the roach I caught.

The low water meant that you had to fish many spots with deadfalls and debris
as the fish where hiding there.
It also meant losing a lot of flies by getting hung up in the rootwork and debris.

Late in the afternoon the heat reminded me that not taking anything to drink with me
was a foolish decision.
I called it a day and went to one of the local restaurants for something to drink and eat.

The hot weather reminded me also that the season was slowly slipping away and I
had not even been on a proper chub session.
So I chub session is called for in the near future when the weather conditions allow it.

Germany 05-05-2025

6 May 2025 admin

Last Monday was a National holiday so I had time off from work.
Off course I went fishing but I started late as the morning was quite chilly.
We had overcast skies and quite a strong north-westerly wind blowing.

Spring had sprung and the canopy over the stream was now green.
All those blooming trees deposited lots of debris though on the water and
patches accumulated at obstructions of the flow.

There where insects about, spotted some sedges and small mayflies.
With all the debris floating on the surface no action on top.
First fly of choice was a squirmy as it was heavy and went down quickly
before getting snagged in floating debris.

The first fish came pretty soon, a small brown trout.
After that it went eerily quiet and even switching to a more delicate nymph yielded no bites.
I decided to move and noticed a big trout just behind a deadfall.
I though I could sneak up on the fish but I was too clumsy and it bolted.

With the trout gone I tried the less wary shiners in front of me.
Despite having a dozen or more fish right in front of me I could not get solid takes.
The next deeper pool had fish in it, even a trout.
With the drought going on the pool was shallow and again I was spotted first, game over.

Moving further upstream again a scene with lots of shiners and no bites.
But then I spotted fish feeding in the surface which I thought where dace.
I tied on a smaller nymph and with the second drift I hit the jackpot, a nice brown trout.

I was thinking that by now only shiners would be in that pool but again I spotted a rather
violent rise. Another cast and bang, another solid brown trout.
After that the shiners started biting with mostly roach and a nice dace.
Further upstream I scared more trout but also landed some smaller ones.
Best day of the season so far.

Germany April 27th.

28 April 2025 admin

Weather predictions for last Sunday where bright sunny skies with only occasional a small cloud.
Ideal to check if something was going on in the chub department.
Off course way to early again as the bugs that chub feed on are still absent.

With the stream being extremely shallow and lacking cover it was almost impossible to approach the fish.
If the fish spotted you first it was game over for the big fish … they did not grow big because they were stupid.

We had some rain last week so the stream was a little bit higher and clarity was down.
Also the algae mats that had grown on the bottom started to drift to the surface.
Lots of debris on the surface so tricky for fishing.

Looking down from a bridge and was not sure the shapes in the water where chub or just weeds.
I rigged up and checked the spot out, I could spot five big chub hovering in the current.
I tried to coax them up with a spent mayfly pattern to no avail.
Nymphs and streamer also failed and the fish finally disappeared.

The early morning was cold so I went to a shallow wide stretch in front of a weir.
I was hoping the shallower spots would warm up early and hold fish.
Insects where on the water and fish rising but they turned out to be tiny bleak.
Had a few on the dry to get rid of the skunk and then moved on.

The third spot was again near a bridge and there was a lot of fish activity.
The surface was crowded by bleak but deeper in the water column I could see chub.
I opted for the nymph and that worked pretty well on the smaller chub.
The bigger ones where too wary though and soon left because of the racket caused
by hauling in the smaller fish.

The last hope for a big fish was to find some free ranging chub.
I checked out an old hot spot with old meaning it used to be productive.
Seeing other anglers with spinning gear was a bad sign but luckily they went in another direction.
Big chub where present but again I was spotted first so no joy.

It was good to see that some chub are roaming the stream again but to early for productive fishing.
We need some more bugs around and more aquatic plants for cover for improved conditions.
The sight of the first mayfly was promising prelude, we just have to wait a little longer.

Germany, 13-04-2025

14 April 2025 admin

My goal for the weekend’s fishing was to check out the chub section of the river.
The coming Saturday would be the warmest day so far with a whopping 22 degrees C.
Alas a terrible headache kept me from going out.

Instead I went out on Sunday with a 180 degree change in weather.
Light rain showers and a considerable drop in temperature.
My first fishing spot was at the entrance of the stream to a village.
I had not been there for a long time and noticed some pretty drastic changes.

Two of the large willows on the stream where in the process to be chopped down.
No cover thus but access to spots otherwise inaccessible.
And despite the sprinkles and strong wind I could see fish moving about.
Unfortunately they where not in the biting mood and the only bite ended in a lost fish.

I finally ended up in a forested stretch of the stream.
Some of the big trees leaning over the water looked pretty dead and dangerous in these windy conditions.
With the drought going on the water was extremely shallow and I could not see any fish.
Only hits from the tiny bottom feeders aka gudgeons.

Not many insects around so surface fishing still out of the question.
Nymphing was again unproductive so the squirmy came into action again.
Only managed one roach, a dace, a gudgeon and a small brown trout.
Even the spots where I was not supposed to fish where empty…

Around five in the afternoon I called it a day and coincidentally that was precise the time
when you could order something to eat at the pub.
So while it started to rain again I sat inside and chatted with the landlord and the usual suspects.
The landlord provided me with some high octane drink to flush away my fishing sorrow.

Germany 06-04-2025

7 April 2025 admin

During last week the weather was very warm, sunshine and hardly any clouds in the sky.
During the weekend temperatures would drop significantly.
When I went out on Sunday the temperature was about 34 F early on.
Once I was at the water the temperature had risen somewhat so it was not that cold.
A strong easterly wind was blowing over the land.

I was prepared with some heavier clothing as the highs for the day would be about 53 F.
Since my visit to the stream last week the outdoors looked quite a bit greener.
I also noted that the algae mats where growing on the bottom of the stream.
Those mats would die off later in spring when the foliage would block out the light.

My first goal was to catch those trout I missed last week.
Tried the same spots and heck nothing was present, in fact on most spots I got no bites at all.
Finally I spotted some tiny fish moving in a pool.
I order to avoid skunk I tried to get one of those, it was a school of gudgeons with some small
dace mixed in.

I wanted the dace but the gudgeons where more numerous so I caught one of those.
Maybe the trout had moved upstream so I checked any deeper pools there out.
Surprisingly I got a hit from a small trout and it went airborne a few times only to throw the fly.
A pool further upstream the same happened.

Spots where I would normally catch shiners guaranteed where all dead.
Nymphs where useless, I got all bites on the squirmy.
There was one pool that was promising and since access was a bit harder than usual it
could be a bonus for finding fish.

I launched the squirmy in the beginning of the pool and got a hit from a good fish.
Turned out to be a brown trout of a decent size for this small stream.
I fished a light tippet so I had to fight the fish carefully with the chance that the
barbless hook would come out if I did not take care.
Luckily it all went to plan and I could land the fish.

I tried some other spots in a downstream section but although I could spot fish I did
not get any bites. Surprisingly as I spotted a lot more insects in the air than last week.
I blamed it on the east wind.
Spring was in full swing, a lot drier than last year though so again weather in extremes.
Noticed the first swallows in the sky back from Africa, also spotted the first stork.