The Fishing

Slovenia is a very small but very diverse country, which offers an incredible variety of waters, from gin-clear alpine and freestone rivers, to mysterious natural chalk streams. It is hard to pick a favourite type of river, since they are all so different. Each has its own characteristics and fish species, making you constantly adjust your fly fishing techniques - and perfecting all the aspects of fishing from casting to fly selection and presentation.

Depending on season and river conditions we either Fly fish from drift boats or walk and wade, the quarry will consist of trout, char, grayling and the “Huchen”, a huge landlocked Danube Salmon that runs in the winter months. This fish is a close relative of the Mongolian Taimen and is very hard fighting.

This land is possibly one of the last areas sustaining healthy stocks of the famous and mysterious “ghost of Soca” the Marble Trout, this unique fish is a must for the specimen hunters among you and can be considered comparable to other isolated trout species such as the Alaskan Tiger or Leopard Trout. Thanks to the European Nature Preserve law, Marble Trout and the other species will be allowed to thrive almost unmolested in the Soca watershed. It is a privilege that our expert Fly2Fish guides can help Fly fisherman work these protected waters and engage in great sport.

Many of the “universal” fly patterns are used such as caddis, various hairwings, royal coachman, pheasant tails, soft hackle wets and dries and the usual tiny emerger nymphs and gaudy attractors. Each river has its own secrets and methods; like down stream fly presentations, letting the line run fly first down current into feeding trout, very effective in the crystal clear waters of Slovenia.

The Rivers

The Soca is probably the most famous alpine river in Slovenia, and rightly so, with its very different tributaries. Set in breathtaking scenery overlooking the St.Julian Alps, it is home to one of the most fascinating and elusive fish species in the world – the marble trout - as well as Adriatic grayling and rainbow trout.

• Fishing season: April – October

The Idrijca without doubt is one of the most challenging of our rivers to fish. A mixture between freestone and chalk stream provides the complex environment for wide ranging and unique aquatic life. This makes the fish very selective in their feeding: every day is a lesson in entomology as well as the chance to stalk the queen of our Salmonoids – the marble trout.

• Fishing season: April – October

The river Sava is the longest alpine river in Slovenia. The upper part is world-famous for its grayling as well as for large rainbows and good-sized browns. In the winter time, it is ideal for fly fishing for our land-locked Danube salmon.

• Fishing season: April – November for trout and grayling and December – February for Danube salmon

The Radovna is a tributary to the Sava near lake Bled. Abundant caddis life feeds the many small wild browns, which are the main species here. Wild brook trout and rainbows can also be found. On a lucky day, you might get into a hard-fighting tiger trout, which is a hybrid between brown and brook trout.

• Fishing season: March – November

The Kokra river is an Alpine freestone tributary, which joins the river Sava near Kranj. This provides near-perfect fishing for wild browns and rainbows, as well as good-sized graylings.

• Fishing season: April – October

The Sora is another tributary to the Sava, and offers excellent fishing for big browns as the principal species, with a good representation of grayling. In the winter time, this river is perfect for catching Danube salmon.

• Fishing season: April – October for trout and grayling and November – February for Danube salmon

The Unec is Slovenia’s most celebrated chalk stream, and like all Slovenian chalk streams, entirely natural, not the result of agricultural techniques. The River is very rich in insect life, with prolific hatches of sedges in the evenings. The Unec is the ideal location for the dry fly fisherman and is famous for its huge grayling, as well as very good size native browns.

• Fishing season: May – November

The Krka is a very interesting and magical chalk stream, is well known for its big browns, medium-sized rainbows, as well as - in the lower section - Danube salmon.

• Fishing season: March – November

The Iscica is another of Slovenia’s hidden and enchanting chalk streams; it will give you testing and challenging fishing. Brown trout are predominant here, with decent numbers of grayling in amongst them. Danube salmon can also be present.
• Fishing season: March – November

ACCOMODATION

The range of accommodation is to suit you: from family run Bed and Breakfast to luxurious 5 star hotels, we can make all the arrangements. If you book longer than three days’ fishing, we suggest two different locations; one near lake Bled or Bohinj; and one on the other side of the Alps in the Soca valley - to minimize morning driving to the best fishing spots.