The Rába: A River of Barbel and Chub

The Rába is for anglers who like a river that's alive: it pushes, it twists, it builds and tears down gravel bars, and after every flood it shows a slightly different face. On its upper reaches barbel and chub rule, while further down asp, pike and zander are at home too. Here's how to approach this moody but very rewarding river.

From the Alps to Győr

The Rába (Raab in German) rises in the mountains of Styria in Austria, and covers the larger part of its journey of nearly three hundred kilometres in Hungary. It enters the country at Szentgotthárd, where the Lapincs (Lafnitz) joins it, then winds past Körmend, Sárvár and Ikervár onto the Little Hungarian Plain, and flows into the Mosoni-Duna (Moson Danube) at Győr. Along the way it picks up the Pinka, the Gyöngyös and, near Győr, the Marcal.

It's worth telling the river's two faces apart. The upper and middle sections – roughly from Szentgotthárd to Sárvár – have a gravel and sand bed, a lively current and plenty of bends, bars, undercut banks and fallen trees. Here the Rába often still feels like wild water. The lower section towards Győr is more regulated and slower, and its fish community looks more and more like that of a lowland river. Weirs, such as the one at Nick, also break up the river along its course.

The fish of the Rába

According to fish surveys, bleak and chub are the most common species in the Rába, but it's the current-loving species – barbel, nase and chub – that give the river its real character. From an angler's point of view:

Species	Where to look	What to try
Barbel	fast, gravelly runs, the tail of gravel bars	feeder, worm, maggot, cheese
Chub	fallen trees, undercut banks, edge of the main current	float, small crankbait, fly
Asp	fast inflows, over gravel bars, at dawn	crankbait, spoon
Pike, zander	deeper, slowing bends, snags	soft plastics, deadbait
Wels catfish	deep holes on the lower section	legering, fish fillet

Many protected species live in the river as well, such as the spirlin, the schraetzer and the Danube whitefin gudgeon. These must be released immediately and gently. At the same time, non-native species are spreading – gobies, Prussian carp and topmouth gudgeon – mainly on the slower lower section.

Barbel fishing: power and patience

The barbel is one of the Rába's most beautiful fish, and anyone who has played a good one in a strong current knows why. Feeder fishing here is no finesse game: because of the flow you'll often need a 60–100 gram feeder or even heavier to hold bottom. Make your groundbait heavy so it doesn't break up at once, and keep feeding steadily so the fish work their way upstream to your hookbait.

Barbel are most active at dawn, at dusk and in a slightly raised, lightly coloured river. A strong hook and a quality hooklength are a must – barbel head straight for the stones. After the fight, don't keep the fish out of the water for long: a big fish that lives by its strength tires quickly, so keep photos short and, when releasing, hold its head into the current until it swims off on its own.

Chub and asp: the angler on the move

Chub are best caught by walking the river. Trotting a float down with the current, or working a small crankbait or a fly along fallen trees and undercut banks, will almost always bring a bite – just don't stomp along the bank, because chub are wary. In summer, fruit and insects dropping from the trees are part of their natural diet, and it pays to imitate them.

Asp are the fish of summer dawns: they hunt over the gravel bars and in fast inflows. Long casts, a fast retrieve and as little movement on the bank as possible – that's the whole recipe.

Safety and rules

Thanks to its Alpine catchment the Rába rises quickly and sharply. After heavy rain in Austria the river can climb and colour up within hours.

1. Before you go, check the water level and the weather on the upper catchment as well.
2. If you wade, take a wading staff, and never wade in high or coloured water.
3. Carry a Hungarian state fishing licence and the local permit valid for your stretch; check closed seasons and size limits in the managing club's current rules.
4. In spring the gravel bars are spawning grounds – don't trample them.
5. Fishing is often prohibited near weirs; watch for the signs.
6. Take line, hooks and packaging home with you.

In the 2000s the Rába made headlines because of foaming caused by pollution coming from across the border – a reminder of how vulnerable this river is. If you see unusual foam or dead fish, report it to the water manager or the authorities.

Summary

The Rába isn't a river for sitting in a comfy chair; it's about moving, reading the water and fighting strong fish in the current. Barbel, chub, asp – each asks for different skills, and each is rewarding. If you arrive prepared and respect both the rules and the fish, the Rába gives plenty back. You can easily find the stretch closest to you in the site's map search, sorted by distance.