Catfishing on the Po – Andy’s Wallercamp in the Po Delta
Andy’s Wallercamp has been closely tied to catfishing on the Po since 1996. That was the year Andy Gutscher moved with his family from Austria to Italy’s Po Delta and set up his catfish camp there. Today the camp is based in Ariano nel Polesine and brings together local knowledge, guiding, fishing boats and accommodation, with a range of options for catfish, zander and carp anglers.
- Catfishing on the Po: the core of Andy’s Wallercamp in the Po Delta since 1996.
- Guiding: Andreas Gutscher jun. has known the Po since childhood and takes guests out on guided fishing trips.
- Boats & equipment: spacious rental boats with 40 hp engines, fish finders and kit for fishing on a big river.
- More than catfish: zander fishing on the Po and tuna fishing in the Adriatic show the wide range of Andy Gutscher’s fishing.
Andy’s Wallercamp combines in-depth knowledge of the Po with specialist catfish guiding, modern fishing boats and Andy Gutscher’s exceptional experience across several completely different fishing methods.
❓ What makes Andy’s Wallercamp on the Po special?
Andy’s Wallercamp combines experience going back to 1996 with specialist catfishing, guiding and a boat fleet set up for the Po. On top of that come zander and carp fishing as well as tuna trips in the Adriatic. With Andy Gutscher and Andreas Gutscher jun., two generations stand behind a camp that brings fishing, accommodation, boats and first-hand knowledge of the river together.
Andy Gutscher – much more than a catfish angler
The Po and its catfish shaped Andy Gutscher’s path – but his range as an angler goes far beyond a single species or method.
Andy Gutscher is one of those anglers whose experience can’t be reduced to a single method. Alongside catfishing on the Po, he competes internationally in predator fishing with lures from a boat and puts a lot of time into zander, carp and sea fishing.
His documented competition results show that this versatility goes well beyond theory: in 2023 Andy Gutscher and Franz Schuller became world runners-up in predator fishing with lures from a boat in the individual ranking. Add to that fourth place at the Predator Tour 2021 and a win at the Falle Carp Cup 2022 together with Hannes Schebesta.
A life’s work – Andy Gutscher tells the story of his catfish camp
From trained aircraft technician to catfish camp pioneer on the Po: on the Fisch-Ahoi podcast, Andy tells in his own words how an unusual decision turned into his life’s work.
Andy talks about emigrating to Italy in 1996 at the age of 23 and, by his own account, breaking new ground as the first catfish camp operator in the area. He covers how the camp was built up, the devastating flood of 2000 and how methods and conditions for catfishing on the Po have changed.
Carp and zander fishing and his passion for tuna fishing in the Mediterranean are part of the conversation too – and show how many different chapters now make up this life’s work.
Catfishing on the Po – the heart of Andy’s Wallercamp
Current, river levels, side channels and constantly changing conditions make the Po a demanding catfish water – and this is exactly where real knowledge of the river counts.
Andy and his team have spent decades studying how catfish behave in the Po Delta and which methods work at different water levels. Depending on the situation, they use both active and static techniques.
If you want to fish the Po in a targeted way, you need to read the current, drop-offs, side channels, river levels and baitfish movements correctly. Especially for guests fishing this big Italian river for the first time, that local knowledge is a decisive advantage.
Catfish guiding on the Po with Andreas Gutscher jun.
Andreas Gutscher jun. grew up at the camp in Italy – for him, the Po has been part of fishing and everyday life since childhood.
Today Andreas takes guests out guiding and brings his knowledge of the water and his experience with different methods to the trips. Lure fishing for catfish is one of his main specialities, and he is just as much at home carp fishing.
The guided trips last around six hours and are about much more than simply running out to a spot. The guides show you interesting areas of the river, explain rigs and techniques and help with playing and landing the fish. With guiding boats of up to 115 hp, even more distant stretches of the Po can be reached quickly.
Fishing boats on the Po – 40 hp, fish finder & kit for the big river
On a big river like the Po, your boat also decides how flexibly and safely you can fish different areas.
The current rental boats at Andy’s Wallercamp are around 6.20 metres long and powered by 40 hp Mercury engines. They also have a steering console, plenty of rod holders and a fish finder. For drift fishing, an electric motor with remote control can be used as well.
On a river as wide as the Po, range, control and the ability to find interesting features with the fish finder are key to targeted fishing.
Zander fishing on the Po – more than just catfish
If you think of the Po only as a catfish river, you’re missing another strong predator: the zander.
The camp has been reporting strong zander catches for years and relies mainly on lures. Depending on the season, water level and current, holding spots and methods change considerably.
This is where Andy Gutscher’s experience from international predator fishing really comes into play – from finding active fish to adapting the retrieve and technique.
Tuna fishing in the Adriatic – out to sea with Andy Gutscher
From the big river out to sea: another of Andy Gutscher’s main focuses takes him into the Italian Adriatic.
According to the camp’s own website, Andy has been fishing for tuna in the Adriatic since 1998 and offers tuna trips through the camp. Fishing is done from an offshore boat, and groups are deliberately kept small.
Bluefin tuna call for completely different tackle, different techniques and different boat handling than catfish on the Po. This switch between river and sea shows particularly clearly how broad Andy Gutscher’s fishing experience is.
Andy’s Wallercamp – accommodation, pool, boats & fishing holidays in the Po Delta
If you’re fishing the Po for several days, you need a good base – at the camp, accommodation, boat, guiding and downtime all come together in one place.
Depending on how you want to stay, there are different types of accommodation – including bungalows, log cabins, rooms, apartments and camping. The fixed accommodation units have a shower and WC; several of them are also air-conditioned.
The camp also has an on-site swimming pool. On hot days it’s a welcome way to cool off when you need a break between two trips out or after a long session.
Accommodation, rental boat, guiding and other services can be organised directly through the camp. For guests fishing the Po for the first time, that cuts the organisational effort considerably.
Andy’s Wallercamp at Carp Austria – talk through your Po trip in person
The river, guiding, boats, accommodation or the right fishing method: at Carp Austria you can talk through your questions about the Po in person with Andy and his team.
Andy’s Wallercamp exhibits at Carp Austria in the Arena Nova Wiener Neustadt. Find out about catfishing, guiding, zander fishing, rental boats, accommodation, the camp pool and the tuna trips in the Adriatic. Especially before your first trip to the Po Delta, it’s a good chance to talk through travel planning and fishing methods in detail.
The right catfish tackle for your Po trip – rods, reels, rigs and lures – can be compared at the show in the Predator & Catfish Fishing area. All brands and suppliers are listed in the exhibitor directory.
You’ll also find current offers and deals in the Carp Austria Show Deals.
Who is Andy’s Wallercamp for?
The camp is especially worth a look if you want to fish the Po in a targeted way, understand the river better and organise your stay with boat and accommodation from a single source.
Catfish anglers get specialist guiding and in-depth knowledge of the water. Zander anglers benefit from extensive predator fishing experience. If you’re heading to the Po Delta for the first time, you can organise accommodation, boat and support through the camp – and behind it all is Andy Gutscher, an angler whose experience ranges from the Po to international competition and sea fishing.
