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The Ager - A Winter Tour
In winter the Ager presents us a riverscape with a character all its own. A cold haze hangs over the river, and the snowy riverside vegetation with the ice-covered limbs of the trees offer a picture of surreal beauty. Bizarre ice structures on our well-known gravel beds and dams more than compensate us for the fishless time as our eyes are treated handsomely by the by the natural winter beauty presented by our river. In order to show, let’s say the “cold side” of the Ager, to our fly-fishing friends we have attempted to capture a few impressions along the way.
 
We’ll start our winter tour in the Upper Section of the Ager. Here at the upper Ager bridge in Regau we see the Ager lying in the shadows, stretching out leisurely and bordered by snow-covered trees. The big boulders from the old channel banks are now covered with ice, and their undersides provide the ideal refuge for our fish species. Especially the suckers huddle together in the washed-out holes to wait out the winter.
 
Dry Fly Only – even in Winter
Who doesn’t know this, the access point at the Hessenberger Weir. This place, so popular with our fly-fishing guests, is deserted in the winter, and only a few winter walkers leave their tracks behind in the snow.
 
We are looking upstream over the Hessenberger Weir. This is the location of the eddy with its bragging-size trout. But now, in the cold season, everything is frozen up with ice, and the water flows lethargically over the rocks.
 
Below the Hessenberger Weir the Ager flows on, adorned by a cold haze, past the frozen trees, and all life seems to be reduced to a minimum.
 
The Dorneter Curve, one of the most enticing fishing spots, naturally has its charm in winter as well, and it invites us to take a little rest. Especially after a clear winter night, this spot with its white splendor, takes on an image out of a fairy-tale book. The trout are also happy here in winter, and with a little patience you can observe some rising trout.
 
 The sun gives the snow-covered trees in the Sickinger Meadow a sparkling white, and they provide us a glorious sight.
 
We are looking in the direction of Zeiselau from the Lower Ager Footbridge. This observation point on the bridge is ideal for looking for trout.
 
At the end of our rather frosty walk we are entering the Regauer Meadow. Here at the beginning of the Schlierwand the snow is already starting to melt, and that has us thinking about making our first casts.
 
One of the flat entry points above the Schlierwand. The bank, now free of ice, reminds us with its tender green that spring is just around the corner.
 
In the backlighting of the winter sun, we see the TKV straight stretch so popular with many fly fishers. As you can see, the Ager also has its charm in winter, and one often meets another fly fisherman with whom to chat as they look forward to the coming season.
 
The first harbingers of spring show themselves between the melting remnants of snow, and it is as if their tender blossoms are creating a reception for us into the new season. Our winter tour of the Ager ends here. The Sportanglerbund of Vöcklabruck hopes to have shown a side of this river to our licensees – or those who wish to become licensees – that they have never seen before.
 
Tight Lines

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