The Ruetz & the Oberbergbach in the Stubaital (A) - first-class managed fly fishing beat

Admittedly, in Austria it is not always easy to get day fishing licences for interesting fishing waters. Often the fisheries rights are owned by guesthouses and hotels that require overnight stays. In other cases, the prices are so high that they are not affordable for average people, or there are only a limited number of day fishing licences available, in the worst case none at all.

Therefore, it was all the more gratifying to be able to fish a spot last autumn (2021) that does not at all correspond to the common cliché of fishing management in Austria and is also practically around the corner. I am talking about the Ruetz, the main watercourse of the Tyrolean Stubaital, and the Oberbergbach, a small tributary on the orographic left.

1. Why are the Ruetz and the Oberbergbach such interesting fishing waters?

In a nutshell: the area surprised us very much, and in an extremely positive way!

Firstly, it is home to an exceptionally high, high-quality and diverse wild fish population of all ages. On the two days we were out in the district in early autumn, we were able to catch a huge number (no exaggeration) of brown trout and grayling, also some rainbow trout, and in the Oberbergbach numerous wonderfully coloured brook trout. The average size of the fish we caught in the Ruetz was 25-40 cm, in the Oberbergbach around 15-30 cm. In the Ruetz, however, fish over 40 cm are not uncommon...

Beautifully spotted wild brown trout from the Ruetz, fooled with a weighted nymph TCO529

Small brown trout from the Ruetz to be carefully released

Secondly, the fishing beat consisting of Ruetz and Oberbergbach is accessible to practically everyone. The catch&release day fishing licence for the entire beat costs only € 35. The fishing rights are owned by the public sector, i.e. the municipality of Neustift. The Neustift fishing association, represented by the manager Reinhard Siller, is responsible for the management of this beat.

Which brings us to the third plus factor. The Neustift fishing association is characterised by innovative and sustainable management of the fishing beat. As far as possible, they "work" with wild fish stocks, i.e. with the natural productivity present in these waters. And fortunately, extensive stocking measures with adult fish have been suspended years ago. Furthermore, the young committee of the association is very active and especially concerned about the work with young people. About 1/3 of the 120 members of the association are kids and teenager, who are taught sustainable fishing and respect for aquatic life at the association's own pond in Gemoch. In addition, the association sets much importance to teaching young anglers how to fly fish and thus making it more attractive.

Fourthly, with a total beat length of around 28 kilometres, the area is huge and very diversified. In fact, it is so widespread, that despite our two-day stay, we were unable to fish all the sectors.

Fifthly, the very good accessibility also speaks for itself. The lower border of the fishing beat is only a few minutes by car from the Brenner motorway exit Schönberg north of Innsbruck. This means that the area can be reached by fishermen from Tyrol and South Tyrol in a short time, but even from Trentino or Bavaria it is possible to organise a day trip. To be honest, however, it would be a pity to spend only one day at this impressive fishing beat.

Detailed drone footage of the Ruetz above the confluence with the Oberbergbach; the typical watercourse structure of the Ruetz is clearly visible in low water

2. General info about the Ruetz (fishing beat n° 2041)

As mentioned above, the fishing beat (No. 2041) is very extended with a total length of 28 kilometres. It consists of the approximately 19 km long Ruetz stretch from the village of Neder (downstream boundary) to the upstream boundary in Mutterberg (valley station of the Stubai Glacier ropeway) as well as the entire approximately 9 km long Oberbergbach, which flows orographically left into the Ruetz at the village of Milders. We have dedicated the 3rd chapter of this blog post to the Oberbergbach.

The Ruetz is characterised by fast running water in some sections and is quite overgrown in certain places. It is therefore less suitable for absolute fly-fishing beginners. In spring and autumn, the water level is low at 3-5 m³/s, which is ideal for dry fly fishing. In summer, the water level is naturally much higher due to the snowmelt in the surrounding high mountains, so weighted nymphs are ideal. The water width is usually between 8 and 10 metres, except for the restored areas. Along the entire course there are always small parking areas with good access possibilities into the 1-3 m embedded stream. However, you should be sure-footed.

Characteristic picture of the Ruetz at a promising spot near Milders (geodata: 47.099330, 11.289605), with parking possibility

Low water situation in early autumn, ideal for fly fishing. Bird's eye view of the Ruetz about 200 metres above the confluence of the Oberbergbach (geodata: 47.100963, 11.291215)

Some video impressions of the Ruetz at low water, beginning and middle of October 2021, ideal conditions for fly fishing

Somewhat more experienced fly fishers who are used to thoroughly fishing promising spots should definitely take several days if they want to leisurely explore the entire beat. Since the Stubaital also offers great natural scenery to non-fishermen, it is obvious to combine the fly-fishing trip with a family holiday...

We were fishing the beat at the beginning and middle of October, so we had two days to explore the Ruetz and the Oberbergbach. And the time was not nearly enough. Especially at the beginning of October, on a typical Indian summer day, the conditions were ideal, and so in some spots occasionally we were able to hook a fish every fourth or fifth cast. Obviosely, if you have such a high number of catches you do not want to move on fast.

The landing net was practically in constant use, especially during our first day there, at the beginning of October 2021, on a typical Indian summer day

Thanks to the local knowledge of Reini (Reinhard Siller), the deputy chairman of the Neustift fishing association, we managed to fish some of the most representative and promising sections, at least briefly. Only for the upper reaches of the Ruetz or the last 7-8 kilometres time was running out... Reini is also available as a guide and knows the beat like the back of his hand. If you don't have much time, it is worthwhile to be guided by Reini to the most promising spots.

Reini (right) from the Neustift fishing association took the time to show us some of the most amazing spots on the Ruetz and Oberbergbach

Except for the river section presented in chapter 2.5, we fished the Ruetz with the classic weighted nymph, but the Oberbergbach only with the dry fly. Of course, in autumn, when the weather is mild, the chances of being successful with the dry fly (search fly pattern) are also very good in the Ruetz. As I said, unfortunately there was not nearly enough time to test both the dry fly and the nymph in the same spots.

After reading this blog post, you should have enough information and reference points to be able to fish both the Ruetz and the Oberbergbach independently or to explore them on your own. Since the members of the Neustift fishing association are very helpful and obliging, it makes sense to ask Reini or his fellow board members about the current water conditions beforehand.

The division of the fishing beat into the following sections is arbitrary and is not based on any actual internal "boundaries". Rather, they are sections that are quite different from each other and therefore, from our point of view, should be presented separately. Some of them are just interesting spots, sometimes shorter, sometimes longer. Please also bear in mind that due to the size of the area and the lack of time, we have only seen or fished a part of the area. There are many other promising spots that we did not managed to see and fish...

By the way, most of the photos and videos in this blog post were taken by Gabriele (1000Flies-Crew), here on the Oberiss-Alm

2.1 Section 1: The Ruetz from the lower beat border at the "Zeggerbridge" to above the confluence with the Pinnisbach (300 m)

Actually, we did not want to fish this first section of the fishing beat. It is very easily accessible and not overgrown - normally a good indicator of an overfished section. But far from it, even in this 300-metre short section, which is clearly different from the rest of the area because of the lack of riparian vegetation, we were able to catch some very nice fish (brown trout, grayling and rainbow trout).

Upstream view from the "Zeggerbridge", the lower boundary of the fishing beat; the first catch is hidden in the lower left of the picture

The beginning of the beat is not overgrown, which makes casting much easier for fly fishing beginners. View into the valley

Getting into the stream is possible everywhere in section 1 without any problems. Since there is no riparian vegetation on the right, casting is easy even for beginners

Rainbow trout on the dropper nymph during landing. Here the overhead cast is possible without any problems

This short video sequence clearly shows the conditions at low water and the structure of the watercourse in the lowest section of the beat

Beautiful brown trout, fooled with the nymph on the dropper

If you are a beginner and you don't want to get annoyed in an overgrown stream area, neither pedestrian bother you, you should try your luck in this section. Especially the area between a wooden footbridge (geodata: 47.120004, 11.323247) and the confluence of the small Pinnisbach (geodata: 47.119677, 11.323302) is home to very nice wild fish.

Video sequence of the mouth of the Pinnisbach above the wooden footbridge; this hotspot of the Ruetz is particularly rich in fish and very easy to fish

2.2 Section 2: The Ruetz in Neustift - from the confluence of the Pinnisbach to the Hotel Jagdhof (approx. 2.5 km)

If one had to summarise the Ruetz in a nutshell, one would probably choose a picture from this section.

The free car park at the Erler ropeway in Neustift (geodata: 47.111079, 11.312786) is the ideal starting point to explore this rather long section of the Ruetz extensively. This is also where we spent the most time and were able to catch numerous fish.

There are enough access points into the embedded stream. Due to the lowered stream bed, you are practically unaware of the surroundings, even though you are actually in the middle of Neustift. You can fish undisturbed, and soon a pleasant feeling of peace sets in...

In this section you will find serveral good access points to get to the water. View from Neustift in the direction of Lämpermahd peak (2595 m)

Although you are practically fishing "in" Neustift, you are undisturbed when fishing; here a narrow spot with a somewhat stronger current

Dense and less densely overgrown bank sections alternate - in some places the alders also protrude deep into the water. Since the water flows quite fast, you should not be a complete beginner in this section. It is surely an advantage to be able to mend the line in the water and also reach somewhat difficult spots accurately - but long distance casts are neither necessary nor possible because of the bank vegetation.

Very promising site, but under a "tunnel" of vegetation - only a few sections are overgrown like this

This short video gives a good impression of the water conditions at the beginning of October as well as the water body structure of the second section

The best way to offer the nymph is to use the roll cast and its variations - we have had very good experiences with two nymphs on a dropper system. Smaller patterns with tungsten bead on hook sizes between 14 and 16 have proven to be very catchy. Reini, on the other hand, often fishes with only one nymph, but he also knows where every fish is ????!

Observing the strike indicator while drifting the nymph in a little overgrown area of section 2

Of course, a local hero like Reini also knows the best spots of the fishing beat and can seek them out specifically. But even without a guide you can't really go wrong here, given the density of fish, as long as the weather and water conditions are right. We slowly worked our way upstream, following the bank and, with a few exceptions, not more than up to our knees in the water.

Wading is possible without any problems along the bank, the best way to cope is with roll casts

Almost everywhere you would expect to find a fish, there was actually a take - no exaggeration. As I said, the fish density in the Ruetz is amazingly high and the conditions were certainly perfect at the beginning of October! However, it is obvious that sometimes there is little to no fish activity, and Reini also confirmed this to me when I asked for...

It worked out to catch this beautiful and strong rainbow trout

Under this footbridge (geodata: 47.113223, 11.317641)we lost a really big fish

The Ruetz is home to an astonishingly high density of grayling of all age classes

The quite small grayling has been fooled in classic nymph fishing with strike indicator

Careful wading and a certain amount of surefootedness are indispensable. From time to time there are also narrower passages with correspondingly higher current.

When the water is low, as in early October, wading is no problem as long as you are sure-footed

Another good parking option or starting point is the free car park at the Neustift leisure centre (geodata 47.107847, 11.303709). Don't worry, we are already towards the end of the section 2.2 as it is presented by us, but of course the Ruetz can be fished further upstream without interruption - only for us there was not enough time. In the 2.5 km long section of the Ruetz that we fished, you can easily fish for a whole day without getting bored.

Short drone footage of the second section below Neustift with a view out of the valley towards the village of Neder

2.3. Section 3: The weir series of the Ruetz towards Milders (approx. 1 km)

When we drove up the valley by car on the first day, we became curious about a series of weirs for torrent regulation in the Ruetz just after the village of Milders. A closer look revealed that this section (geodata: 47.091190, 11.279982) has a great diversity of habitats, as large armourstones at irregular intervals between the individual weirs provide for different water depths and flow velocities. In addition, the weirs should be passable for adult fish, at least for trout.

The weir series after Milders in the morning, still in the shade. Although obstructed, but with a very interesting water structure, especially for larger fish

Deeper and shallower areas, pocket waters, varying currents as well as pools and riffles alternate between the weirs

More or less large armourstones posed between the weirs provide a varied fish habitat

Well-structured habitat between the weirs. Photo taken in the late morning, now with sunshine

Therefore, in mid-October, on the second day of our stay at the Ruetz, we took the opportunity to make a few casts. To be precise, we took an hour to do so.

There must be a big one here!?

And we really got surprised, for once in the negative sense. Spoilt for catches from our first stay on the Rutz just two weeks before, we couldn't catch a single fish in this section, nada, nothing. We could have sworn that this section of the Ruetz contains the biggest fish of the area due to the characteristics described above. Especially as it is tricky to scramble down the embankment walls and therefore, we can assume that there are not too many fishermen around.

We will certainly fish this stretch of water again and also ask Reini what this section is all about; unfortunately, we forgot to do so during our stay. Who knows, maybe the timing was just not right...

2.4 Section 4: The sediment and log trap of the Ruetz before Gasteig (approx. 100 m)

More than a whole section, this is a classic hotspot. The sediment and log trap built into the Ruetz has led to the development of an interesting widened river area, with lots of fish that are eager to take our fly.

Due to the sediment trap, a beautiful stretch of water has formed on the uphill side. View upstream

The hotspot is easily accessible via a gravel ramp (geodata: 47.077463, 11.261932) and consists of a large pool at the upper end of the widening and the meandering Ruetz towards the outlet of the trap.

Large and partly quite deep pool with brown trout that eagerly took our flies

The pool is very easy to fish, even for beginners, as there are no casting obstacles. Likewise, the Ruetz in the direction of the outlet barrier - here, however, you should be careful not to cloud the water yourself when you switch to the orographic right side (better suited for stalking). In order to not spook the fish, careful stalking is indispensable.

The Ruetz towards the outlet of the trap is excellent for the dry fly

Despite our rather short stay we were able to catch a few brown trout in the upper pool as well as in the outlet in front of the trap.

Beautiful wild fish with particularly striking fins

2.5 Section 5: The restored and widened Ruetz near Klaus Äule (approx. 700 m)

Further up the valley, there is a 700-metre-long section where the Ruetz was restored and widened years ago. As a result, a beautiful river landscape with gravel banks has emerged, which is of great importance in terms of river ecology because it functions as a spawning habitat and nursery for grayling and brown trout.

Beautiful river landscape in early autumn at low water

After parking (geodata 47.055341, 11.241169) and taking a first look at the water, we realise that the dry fly is the first choice here. Especially since we can spot some rising fish in the eddy of the main current.

Fly fishing with a dry fly for rising

No sooner said than done, and the longed-for take comes on the third cast. Strike, and ... it's gone. Too early, probably a nice grayling. Unfortunately... The same thing happens twice more, a little further upstream. Grayling seem to have made themselves comfortable here.

Further upstream, in a slightly shallower area with a prominent deciduous tree on the bank (geodata 47.052874, 11.241001), smaller grayling, around 15 -20 cm long, are seduced by our black sedge dry fly on practically every cast. Further evidence that this section plays an important role for the reproduction of the grayling and for their juvenile stages.

Besides the scenic aspect, this section is also very rewarding from a fishing point of view. The deeper channels, such as in this remarkable inner bend (geodata 47.053390, 11.241718), also harbour larger fish, which can be wonderfully fooled with the dry fly. In short, this section of the Ruetz is an Eldorado for all those who love light dry fly fishing.

No casting obstacle far and wide - ideal for fly fishing beginners. The different water depths are clearly visible

This brown trout was fooled by our dry fly

Drone footage of the widened area at Klaus Äule; extremely fascinating to the eye and ideal for watering the dry fly

This stretch of river is also very suitable for beginners, as there are practically no casting obstacles and there is a lot of space for back casts available. But be careful, the fish are quickly spooked here too. It's best to move forward slowly, minimise your silhouette and keep enough distance from the most promising spots. Slightly longer casts and as few false casts as possible contribute for sure to more takes.

And do it better than we did when graylings are taken your fly: if the strike comes too early, the grayling is certainly not hooked. Reini smiled pitifully when it happened to us a few times...

The stretch following the restored area is also very interesting; view down the valley

3. General information about the Oberbergbach (fishing beat n° 2041)

As already mentioned, the Oberbergbach belongs to the same fishing beat no. 2041, so you can easily switch between the Ruetz and the Oberbergbach, even on the same day.

The Oberbergbach is completely different from the Ruetz. Especially the uppermost section at just under 1800 metres above sea level is very idyllic and nestled in a breath-taking natural setting. This mountain stream with relatively low water flow and a width of 2-4 metres is largely not overgrown and is ideal for dry fly fishing in summer and autumn.

Since the Oberbergbach is not influenced by glaciers, it can usually be fished well even in high summer. After rainy periods or summer thunderstorms, it quickly clears up again.

The forest road, which runs parallel to the Oberbergbach, can be driven on with a normal car without a special permit and offers enough stopping points to be able to access the stream at different points.

In total, the Oberbergbach is about 9 km long. We fished the upper part extensively and the middle part briefly.

Drone footage of the uppermost area of the Oberbergbach, mid-October - winter is just around the corner

3.1 The uppermost section of the Oberbergbach, a natural jewel (1 km)

In about 15 minutes by car from Milders, you reach the car park of the Oberiss-Alm (geodata: 47.092490, 11.192788). Only a good 100 metres away is a natural pearl that is second to none.

The small Oberbergbach stream meanders here together with its even smaller side arms through a flat plateau, embedded in gravel banks and surrounded by a high moor (Geodata: 47.092490, 11.192788). The area, which also forms the upper district boundary, resembles a meandering rustic river landscape in miniature.

The upper boundary of the fishing beat in the Oberbergbach at just under 1800 consists of a fascinating natural landscape

The landscape is beautiful, but are there supposed to be fish in this trickle? These are my first thoughts when Reini gives me the go ahead to try some casts with the dry fly.

Reini (left) from safe distance gives final tips on how to best reach the fish in their spots

As (almost) always, I put on my black sedge and then, from a reverent distance, make a few false casts to finally serve the fly just before the edge of the bank. It drifts off a few centimetres and then "boom", a huge brook trout of around 30 centimetres, at least for this altitude and water flow, takes the imitation impetuously and gets hooked!

The first beautiful brook trout during the fight

...and before it is released - beautiful brook trout with splendid colours, quite huge for the altitude of almost 1800 metres

And it should not remain with this one fish. Practically all the promising spots are inhabited by eager brook trout, between 15 and 30 centimetres in size, all beautifully coloured. What an experience!

Numerous brook trout of all ages couldn’t resist the black sedge search fly

Close-up of the protruding edge of the meadow, shelter for the brook trout, which are still eating their fill before the onset of winter

After the various side arms have merged into a single channel, the Oberbergbach becomes a typical high mountain stream, but with only a moderate gradient. More or less deep pocket waters now alternate and offer the a variety of habitats to the fish with countless shelters (geodata: 47.092490, 11.192788). The most promising spots are sometimes more and sometimes less easy to reach, as partly dense growth of alpine roses lines the course of the water. But with a little scrambling you can get everywhere. And it's always the same picture: where you think there is a fish, there is a fish (and takes willingly your fly).

Around the bridge there are promising locations that need to be carefully and thoroughly fished out

Hotspots embedded in alpine roses in the uppermost part of the Oberbergbach stream

Even this small brook trout did not miss the chance to snatch at our dry fly

If you ever fish here, we ask you to be very careful and cautious with the fish and their habitat. It would be an eternal pity to negatively affect or even lose such a natural jewel.

View from the Oberiss-Alm down the valley

3.2 The middle section of the Oberbergbach

As we head out of the valley with Reini, we stop again briefly to try some casts in the middle section of the Oberbergbach near the hamlet of Seduck (geodata: 47.114141, 11.234401). Here the water is already noticeably larger than in the uppermost section, but still quite small.

In the middle section, the Oberbergbach is already considerably larger and repeatedly offers good shelters, also for adult fish

The varied water structure with partly deeper pools ensures that adult fish find a habitat here as well. Our impression that the Oberbergbach has an extremely high fish density is reinforced once again, as we are able to outsmart the first fish after just a few casts with our highly visible and well-swimming search fly.

Very beautifully drawn brook trout, fooled with the dry fly

This pool also fulfilled our expectation :)

There are always spots that are worth a few casts

Suspicious but peaceful observer on the sidelines

View up to the peaks after sunset, we had already packed our fly rods

4. Technique and equipment

For the Ruetz and the Oberbergbach, a fly rod for line class #4 or #5 with a length of 8 to 8.6 feet, equipped with a floating line (WF or DT) on a simple fly reel is best suited.

For classic fly fishing with the nymph, we recommend a fluorocarbon leader, composed of two parts of different diameters, connected by means of a micro ring (Pitzenbauer ring). The rear thicker part of the leader is approx. 1/3 of the rod length, the front thinner part approx. 2/3. An ideal leader combination for the Ruetz is e.g. 0.22 mm + 0.18 mm. A leader of less than 0.16 mm is not advisable, as the Ruetz is home to numerous wild fish over 40 cm in length, which are very strong fighters. A strike indicator is helpful.

For fly fishing with a dry fly, a conical leader (knotless or knotted) with a length of 2.7 to 3.6 metres is ideal, whereby the tippet should not be less than 0.16 mm for the Ruetz, and not less than 0.14 mm for the Oberbergbach.

As far as the flies are concerned, the fish inhabiting the Ruetz and the Oberbergbach are not very choosy, as long as the size fits reasonably well. Therefore, you don't need to buy new fly patterns. But of course, you can do that here :)

For nymph fishing in spring and autumn, we recommend rather small patterns for the Ruetz in hook sizes from 14 to 16, with tungsten beads between 3.5 and 2.5 mm in diameter. We were very successful with two nymphs (point and dropper nymph). Reini, on the other hand, often fishes with only one nymph. At higher water levels in summer, we recommend larger tungsten nymphs in hook sizes of 10-12 with tungsten beads between 4 and 3.5 mm.

These patterns were recommended to us by Reini, so they are guaranteed to fit (be careful to pinch the barb): TUG001, TUG002, TUG004, TUG010, TUG033, TUG076

In your fly box you should also have some dry fly patterns, from large voluminous search patterns (mostly imitations of caddis flies, but also stimulator flies) on hook size 10 to 12 for faster river sections to some imitations of mayflies on hook size 14-16 for slower running stretches as well as for fishing for grayling, preferably made of CDC feathers.

Reini recommended these (pinch the barb):

• For fast running sections: CAD002, CAD001, CAD012, CAD503, STM527, TER406
• For slow running sections or for grayling fishing: CDC516, CDC023, CDC024, CAD008, CAD503

Decent wading equipment, consisting of at least waist-high waders, non-slip wading shoes and polarized sunglasses, is indispensable if you want to wade in the Ruetz (which makes sense in autumn and spring, i.e. during low-water periods, so that you don't always have to get out of the water when you move from one spot to the next).

The Oberbergbach can also be fished with normal knee-high fishing boots (non-slip!) or with good mountain boots. Here we advise you against chest-high waders, as they are just unnecessary ballast.

It makes sense to use a landing net with a soft, rubberised net to play the fish as short as possible and to gently release it.

INFO BOX RUETZ & OBERBERGBACH:

Rating: 1/5 = lousy, 5/5 = great

• Country: Tyrol (A)
• Place: Stubaital
• Fishing beat number: 2041
  • Ruetz: length approx. 19 km, from 1,000 m – 1,600 m above sea level
  • Oberbergbach: length approx. 9 km, from 1,000 m - 1,800 m above sea level
• Daily fishing licence available:
  • Digital via the portal Hejfish
  • In paper form at the municipal office in Neustift, from Mon-Fri mornings
  • 35 € for the entire area (catch & release)
  • As everywhere in Tyrol, the "Tyrolean guest fishing card" is also required for fishing. It costs € 25, is valid for 2 weeks and can also be purchased online via Hejfish or the Neustift municipal office.
• Fisheries Managers:
  • Neustift Fishing Association
  • Contact person at FV Neustift (also for guiding): Reinhard Siller, Tel. +43 664 48 111 53, [email protected]
• Beauty of the landscape: 4/5
• Touristic offer: 5/5
• Fly fishing season: mid-April to mid-October
• Allowed fishing techniques & lures (for details see website FV Neustift):
  • Barbless fly fishing, max. 2 flies on single hooks.
  • Catch and release (no kill)
• Best techniques:
  • Warm weather in summer and autumn: dry fly
  • Cold weather and whole season: weighted nymphs
• Target fish Ruetz:
  • Brown trout (60 %)
  • Grayling (20 %)
  • Rainbow trout (15 %)
  • Brook trout (5 %)
• Target fish Oberbergbach:
  • Brook trout (90 %)
  • Brown trout (10 %)
• Difficulty level:
  • Ruetz: medium to difficult
  • Oberbergbach: easy to medium
• Accessibility of fishing beat: 5/5
• Accessibility of waters: 4/5
• Wild fish population: 5/5
• Overall rating Ruetz (category medium waters): 4/5
• Overall rating Oberbergbach (category small waters): 4/5