Journey
Also this year the annual Slovenia vacation was on the agenda. However, the entry became more complicated due to the corona virus. We could only enter the country via the Karavanke tunnel, as Italy was under strict entry conditions. So the journey was extended from the usual 5 hours to a strenuous 8 hours. From a touristic point of view, the longer journey was worth it, as it took us past the picturesquely situated Bleed Lake. Because of the few tourists we had the lake just for us for a short time.
An Introduction to Slovenian Waters
Slovenia is the largest area for fly fishing and is also known as the European fly fishing Mecca. In the region around Tolmin are countless still largely untouched rivers: These include the Soča, Idrijca, Bača, Trebusica, Tolminka, Unica and the Sava Bohinjka.
The waters, which are divided into areas, captivate with breathtaking beauty and a richness of different species, which one searches in vain in other parts of Europe. By acquiring a fishing license, the fly fisherman has almost 160 kilometers of river at his free disposal. The areas are divided into kill and no-kill zones. The standard permit costs between 60-65 euros per day. The waters offer a fly fisherman the unique opportunity to catch capital fish, including Slovenia’s flagship fish, the Mamorata trout! The fishing permits can now be purchased online, look at the Angel Club Tolmin.
Successful Flies
The pinnacle of fishing is, of course, fishing with a dry fly. In this quite demanding fishery, the right choice of fly determines success and failure. The “Red” and “Green Spinner” flies and especially black flies such as the Black Caddis and small black ant imitations proved to be very catching.
If the weather conditions and the resulting higher water levels do not allow for dry fly fishing, the fly angler can resort to streamers. In some parts of the Slovenian riversystems it is important to bring the streamers to depth quickly. Therefore it is recommended to fish especially heavy streamers. Especially black medium sized streamers and light streamers in natural colors fished on heavy sink lines proved to be the most effective.
Fish abundance
The area around Tolmin impresses with an excellent fish occurrence. It is worth mentioning not only the number but also the average size of fish being caught. The rivers are mostly home to sturdy rainbow trout, marmorata trout, brown trout and also beautiful grayling.
How to Catch a Marble
When targeting the queen of Slovenian rivers, the Marmorara trout, it is imperative to know its behavior. The Marmorara trout is extremely skittish. Spot and stalk is the way to go. Therefore, it is essential to cautiously approach them. Often it can be found in calm areas, behind stones or in the back current of the river, waiting for potential food drifting by. Marmorata trout up to 50 centimeters are caught mostly on dry flies. Since it is extremely skittish, an extremely long leader is a must. Often you have only one shot to to make it count. The larger specimen are mainly caught on large weighted streamers fished with a heavy sinker line. The best time for this is after heavy rains when the already high water level starts to drop. So the theory goes.
Hospitality
After several hours on the water, even a hardened fly fisherman sometimes gets very hungry. If, like us, you have little local knowledge of restaurants, it is a good idea to ask locals for advice. That way, you can often find very inexpensive places and be captivated by the charm of Slovenian hospitality.
Conclusion: Slovenia impresses every time anew with its natural beauty and especially with the quality of Slovenian waters. This includes, of course, the beautiful Soča. But not only the Soča should be intensively examined from a fishing point of view. The Idricjia also has a lot to offer and is less crowded on busy days. Due to the extensive stretches of water, a fly fisherman who is looking for seclusion will also find his idyll here. We will probably be in Slovenia again next year. You can also read our other post about Slovenia:Slovenia – 2019 In this regard “Petri Heil” and “tight lines” from your Flyfishing Crew Bavaria.
