Stillwater · Limestone · Bern / Bernese Oberland, CH

Lake Thun

Panoramic view of Lake Thun with Mount Niesen and the Bernese Alps

Large Bernese Oberland lake backed by the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, deep and cold and clear.

Fair · Trout
Pheasant Tail Nymph · 14–18
A respectable few hours, if you choose your moments
Glassy and bright — hard work without a breeze. Hard work without breeze. Look for the dimples.
49% confidence
limited data

Lake Thun is often best in spring through autumn.

What moved it
  • WindNW 2 km/hDead calm · Gusts to 12 km/h
Today's fly
Pheasant Tail Nymph
Pheasant Tail Nymph14–18
Upstream
Conditions on the water
Estimate
Wind
Dead calm · Gusts to 12 km/h
NW 2 km/h
N
NW
from the north-west
WaveFlat calm
Water temp7.8°C
Air temp2°C
CloudBroken
Pressure1019 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

How to fish it · for Trout
When
No strong hatch signals at the moment — general searching tactics should work best. Calm conditions may limit drift fishing — consider buzzers or dry fly if fish are rising.
Where
With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. In the calm, a single dry fly or a slowly-fished nymph tends to out-fish an active retrieve.
The plan
Plan A

With limited drift, anchor or fish static from sheltered positions. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point. In the calm, a single dry fly or a slowly-fished nymph tends to out-fish an active retrieve.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Keep an eye on changing conditions — wind shifts and cloud breaks can trigger short feeding spells.

Bank

Flat calm suits bank fishing near features — points, weed beds, and inflows where fish patrol.

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 2 guilds as a supporter.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Top prey shown — see all 3 as a supporter.

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Through the year
0–3 scale · November highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
CaenisHatch
2
3
3
2
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Trout fly box

A compact but high-quality Swiss box covering alpine streams, mountain lakes, and Jura salmonid rivers such as the Doubs.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Bernese lake under Bern rules
  • Boat hire is widely available, but check the exact cantonal lake permit structure before fishing.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
86%
Cloud100%
Wind65%
Temp100%

Conditions are ideal for Lake Thun — wind, cloud and temperature all line up.

Other water nearby · 4
Gallery · 2
  1. Panoramic view of Lake Thun with Mount Niesen and the Bernese Alps
    Lake Thun, Bernese Oberland
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Lake trout, Arctic char, and brown trout. Trolling and fly fishing from boats—the mountain views are as reliable as the fishing.

  • Lake
  • Limestone
Why this score
  • Cloud cover (cloud) suits the fishery well.
  • Temperature (cool) is in the sweet spot for winter fishing.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 March → 31 December
  • Char varies_by_canton → varies_by_canton

    Alpine char (Saibling) — seasons, minimum sizes, and retention rules are set by the Bern canton's fisheries authority (Amt für Jagd und Fischerei). Different cantons may apply different closed seasons or catch restrictions for char conservation. Always verify locally before targeting char.

  • Lake trout 1 March → 31 December

    Lake trout (Seeforelle) — seasons and regulations are set by the Bern canton's fisheries authority. Minimum sizes, retention rules, and boat permits vary. Check current regulations with the cantonal office before fishing.

Related guides
Booking & contacts
At a glance

Lake Thun is a lake in Bern / Bernese Oberland, Switzerland. The catchment geology is recorded as limestone, and the water sits at about 558 m above sea level. Species listed for this water: brown trout, lake trout and char. The trout season is recorded as running from 1 March to 31 December. The lake trout season is recorded as running from 1 March to 31 December. Best window recorded for anglers: May–September; spring/autumn best. Core methods listed: trolling from boat; nymph from boat; shore streamer. Level and flow data for this water is linked from 1 gauge. Nearby waters in our listings include Lake Brienz at 14 km, Emme at 32 km and Rhône Headwaters at 42 km.