I totally believe in the saying: the worst days fishing is still better than the best day in the office !

No question it is always great to catch a nice fish, but for me it is not only about that. I have always loved the outdoors…. hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, picking mushrooms…anything goes. Coming home after a day on the water, having observed the flora and fauna and enjoyed the gorgeous scenery – what could be better ?

Being a flyfishing guide in Switzerland I was able to build great contacts with many of my customers over the years. More than once I have been asked, if I had any interest to guide fishing trips abroad- and honestly – which guide does not dream of taking his guests to some foreign exclusive waters ? So it happens that I have had the pleasure and honor to guide my guests in many different places around the world.

I am also an avid and conservation-minded hunter. I focus solely on our local animals as red deer, common deer, chamois, wild boar and ducks. Unfortunately our laws do not allow for guided hunting in our country….

As the fishing season is relatively short here, we also photograph and organize weddings for international customers. I run those businesses in close partnership with my wife Cindy, feel free to have a look at our websites: www.alpinphoto.com  and www.switzerlandweddingcompany.com

We are also constantly busy renovating our large old house. In 2005 we planned and built a luxurious holiday accommodation in the old barn part of our house. It has since hosted many fishing guests and visitors from around the globe. You might be tempted to stay there a few days during your family vacation in Switzerland…. You may have a look at: www.swissholidayhouse.com

Additionally I work as a ski and snowboard instructor during the winter month

…..but enough of this…..you‘ve come here for fishing, right ?

Your Flyfishing Guide in Switzerland

Nowadays I guide fishing trips during 30 – 50 days per season here in Switzerland and additionally a week or two somewhere abroad.  A big part of this job is to enjoy sharing my experience and knowledge of the local waters and conditions with fellow fly anglers from around the world, spending a day with them and seeing them go home with a big smile on their face. This is one of the reasons I took up being a flyfishing guide in Switzerland.

In Switzerland I offer my fly fishing services from March – October. I have fished pretty much all over Europe, my favorites being Iceland, Sweden, Slovenia and Montenegro.

I have been working in service oriented businesses since 30 years, serving clients from all over the world, multinational companies and the average backpacker.  I communicate fluently in English, French and German.

Fishing Experience:

As many, I have started my fishing career as a kid – dangling worms with my dad. I discovered my love for fly fishing some 30 years ago, during an extended stay in New Zealand. Clueless, without taking any lessons or having a mentor by my side, it took me two frustrating month to land my first fish ! That was a beauty of roughly 10 pounds, and to this day stands as my personal brown trout record…..

In 1999 I participated in a one-week introduction program of the IFFF to prepare for the certification as flycasting instructor…as it was a logistical challenge to follow a course in the USA, I finally decided I didn‘t need it .

I am a very experienced flyfisherman in all kinds of waters, fast flowing mountain creeks, large rivers or lakes. I do not have much experience in salt water flyfishing- certainly something I’d like to invest more time in future. I have had many dozens of guests following my flyfishing introduction courses. I am a good communicator and believe that I am able to offer flyfishing lessons that provide fast results and a great degree of satisfaction.

To this day I am not a certified casting instructor. I achieve results and catch fish wherever I go. I am not on the water to win a beauty competition or to show off my casting skills. Nevertheless I have been able to give some precious input and share my experience with many very experienced fishermen/women. I am a flyfishing guide in Switzerland because I love it and I am good at it. I do not boast with certificates and other useless papers…..

I have a large knowledge of fresh water in general….  I can read currents very well, knowing where the best fish lies are and understand the migratory patterns of still water species.  Over the years I have learned to trust my gut feeling on difficult days, instead of getting into a frenzy of changing fishing spot and technique desperately by the minute. Generally it pays off to observe and evaluate the water first- before casting a line.

Being very interested and quite knowledgeable in entymology and biology, I am well aware of what crawls trough our streams, feeds our fish or grows along the banks. I do not tie my own flies. Some people may say this is not acceptable for a flyfishing guide. My answer to this: I have worked many years as a ski intructor in the Swiss Alps, to this day no one has ever asked me if I built my own skis…just can’t do it all……life’s just too short ! Fortunately I do have several good friends who master the art of fly-tying and I get all my customized patterns from them.

Following the footsteps of my father, I was president of the Fishing Club Adelboden for a number of years, and directly involved in our Club‘s trout hatchery and our national stocking programs.

I can provide restricted access to my private pristine small mountain creek. A gem no one ever fishes. Additionally there is a multitude of public waters accessible.

Since 2014 I own my own boat on the lake of Brienz for pike on a fly.