Fly Fishing in Slovenia

Slovenias is a true paradise for fishermen of any kind. Both rivers, lakes and ponds in their famous green colours are stacked with many kinds of freshwater fish, with more than 20 species suited for sportfishing.

Most of them can be caught on a fly. It is allowed to take the fish, though Slovenia rather defends a “no kill” policy.

Slovenian rivers are still quiet unpoluted. The surrounding mountains and rocks are rich of chalk, which gives these rivers their attractive emerald clear water, flowing in a unique landscape. In fact, this high level of chalk is a perfect buffer for acid rain, and brings along a perfect pH-value, somewhere around 7 to 8.

Most streams belong to the Danube- or Black Sea-watersystem, while a fourth of all water will mouth the Adriatic Sea. It’s these waters that form the unique habitat for some of the aboriginal species, which contribute to the rich diversity of the fishpopulation, in particular the marble trout or Soča trout and the Soča grayling. Typical species for the Danube-basin are the huchon, ancester of both salmon and taimen, the trout and the grayling.

During this rodtrip we fished following rivers: The Sava Bohijnka, the Sava Dolinka, the Savinija, the Sava aswell as a 20 hectare large reservoir.

We mainly fished for trout (bows and browns), grayling, … and off course we dreamed of catching a huchon!

The Sava Bohijnka

With it’s 31kms in length, Sava Bohijnkas spring lays at an altitude of 805m above sea level, on mount Komarca. From this spring untill lake Bohijn, the river untill  is known under the name of Savina (“Small Sava”). Where the river leaves this lake, it is known as the Sava Bohijnka.

This beautifull river alternates long calm stretches with rapids, which makes her perfect for flyfishing, guaranteeing a large variety in possible techniques.

You’ll find big bows, graylings with their well known yellowish-pinky colour, brown trout, and from time to time a huchon!

Due to the ginclear water the most common technique used is at-sight fishing, wether with nymfs or dries. But also for those who prefer classic nymf fishing there are plenty of opportunities in the big rapids. Of the Sava Bohijnka.

We fished the Bled beat, aswell as the Bohijn beat. Between those two beats lays the beat of the Institue.

At the Bled beat, the Sava is rather large, with a ‘slower’ current compared to the Bohijn beat, which is much more narrow. The used flyfishing techniques are thus quiet different.

During our stay our best catching flies were immitations of caddis, olive and brown shuttle cocks, scudbacks and white bead pheasant tails.

Fish was very active at the time, and when one got himself a good drift of his fly, the chances were very high that the fish would take it!

The Savijna

The Savijna, a north-eastern Slovenian river, is a tributary to the Save. It’s source lays at Rinka, from where the river flows about 96kms untill it joins Save.

The Savijna is much more narrow and fast streaming than Sava Bohinjka. The large currents hold big trout and huchon!

Here aswell a large range of techniques is acquired to catch fish: weighted nymphs or big streamers in the faster water, and sight nymphing or dryfly fishing on one of the few but beautfull slower water stretches.

Also beware eveningrise lovers, this place is where the magic happens!

The Grande Sava river

The Grande Sava river, at the confluence of Sava Bohijnka and Sava Dolinka, is a big and powerfull river where we only fished for some hours. The river stood high due to a lot of water passing the Dolinka dam.

Nevertheless, in these few hours we were able to see the large potential of this majestic river.

Fish were there in large numbers and nice sized, and on top of that the fights are impressive because of the size and power of the river. And so landing the fish is most uncertain!

Cédric