Savinja: A Well-protected Slovenian Treasure

Slovenia boasts some of the most beautiful and prolific rivers in all of Europe. And the Savinja River is among its finest gems. Follow Florian Kaiser in his quest to catch trout on this fabled river.

By FLORIAN KAISER

Most of you have probably heard or read about Slovenia: The European country of milk and honey in terms of fly fishing. Some of you might even have traveled to that wonderful country of mountains and rivers just south of Austria, east of Italy and on the north tip of the former country conglomerate called Yugoslavia. And some of you might have experienced the high fishing pressure typical for the famous rivers such as the legendary Soca with its scarce Marmorata or the lovely Sava Bohinjka.

There is one river, in particular, that provides a somewhat more natural and sustainable management.

These rivers run through awesome valleys and - without a doubt - they can provide good fishing. Nevertheless, high fishing pressure and high expectations plus partial catch & kill traditions don’t mix together very well in the long run. The result is a fish population that - termed in a friendly way - could be identified as “stock supported”. If you don’t mind fishing for rainbows with rounded fins all day long, stop reading here. If you prefer a more natural and sustainable approach, read on…

You would think that fishing license prices well beyond 50 € and close to 100€ a day might limit the market demand and fishing pressure. Judging from the number of fly fishers and pressure on the above-mentioned rivers, obviously, they do not. The chance to fish such “trophy sections” and to catch one of those +5lbs rainbows or browns is too appealing to a lot of fly fishermen. It’s fun to do that for half a day but, after that, your appetite should be satisfied and you should turn away and focus on the more natural sections of those rivers.

There is one river, in particular, that provides a somewhat more natural and sustainable management. It provides awesome structure, a good population of locally spawned fish and less pressure due to strict access management, control and limitation. If such limitations weren’t in place, I wouldn’t have bothered mentioning it here. I am writing about the Savinja in northern Slovenia. It runs through one of the most beautiful and amazing mountainous landscapes. Savinja is born in the Kamnik-Savinja Alps and runs in an Eastern direction through a picturesque alpine valley. Tight and narrow in the top section and wide in the sections further down river.

With a fishable section of 29km and a daily maximum of 35 fly fishers that gives you a good picture of what is happening on the river. The whole license-booking system is very convenient and easy to use. That is Fly Fishing 4.0!

What is so appealing, especially about the sections managed by the fishing club Ljubno ob Savinji, is the structure of the river and how careful the fishery is managed. Roadside parking and river access is kind of limited but that is part of the fun and pretty much at every access point you are rewarded with rich, diverse and natural structure. There are deep pools, riffles and runs providing perfect habitat for the various types of fish. You will catch fish, sometimes lots of fish, but luring the big ones is not easy (as usual).

Take your 9’ 5# or a 4#, 0,14 – 0,16mm tippets, some standard dries, nymphs, some specials for grayling such as antand Klinkhamer flies and you are set. Consider some cleats in your non felt soles as the stones are kind of slippery. Park your car and fish a kilometer or two upstream (!) and you are in refueling-mode instantly. The peak seasons are usually from early April – June and late September – October. With high summer temperatures and low water levels, fishing might be limited during the day or even prohibited to protect the population. During summer, the early hours of the day or the late hours with good hatches are the time to be spend on the water. Depending on water levels and -temperatures you can experience prolific hatches and excellent fishing. As usual, catching the bigger ones might put your abilities to the ultimate test.

The river and its rich and varied structures call for exploration. Every corner or section brings a surprise. Some might be more or less interesting but, as always, there is a pleasant surprise behind the next corner – go and discover it!

Once in a while the traveling fly fisher might want to fish specifically for the bigger ones. For that desire Ljubno fishing club has a hatchery and a trophy section as well. Give it a try! The fish are huge and sometimes hard to catch. But do not spend too much time there.

The real pleasure lies off and away from this hot spot. The club strictly manages the fishery with limited numbers of daily licenses, barbless only, strict C&R since 2016 and intense monitoring by 20 voluntary fishing wardens. Actually this club was the first in Slovenia to introduce barbless fishing back in 2004! Soon, other clubs followed. All those rules and restrictions are the solid foundation when it comes to managing the fishing pressure in a proactive way. If the guests cooperate and calmly fish their way upstream, everyone can enjoy their day. Do not jump without asking permission and if you see your preferred spot already occupied, go somewhere else. There are plenty of other spots!

Fishing Savinja might not guarantee the high average fish size, you might experience on heavily stocked fisheries, but the current stock and distribution of fish sizes in combination with the newly introduced and enforced catch & release policy will most likely lead to a very good population within the next few years.

Good fishing is important but only part of the deal, when visiting Slovenia. You and your family might enjoy a break from the fishing. In that case, make your home base the Hiša Raduha in Luce (Hiša means house or hotel).

This place is just awesome – also if you’re interested in culinary experiences. Some of the hotel’s rooms are right on the river front and you can choose between high class (imagine you and your partner in a luxury tree house!) or budget rooms. Martina, the chef is one of the very best in Slovenia. Enjoy a bottle of Slovenian red complementing your dinner and enjoy the delicious flavors of Slovenia. Even if you are not fly fishing, Hiša Raduha on its own would be a reason to travel there. The family of Martina Breznik run the business, and it is just lovely and very friendly – and the staff makes you feel at home instantly.

Close by, there are several other attractions such as a very special alpine village Velika Planina, or the highest and oldest visitable cave in Slovenia: The Snezna Jama (Snow Cave, guided tours during summer weekends or via an exclusive private tour). You could also spend some time exploring the picturesque alpine valleys Logarska Dolina and Robanov Kot.

An hour’s drive to the south you can spend a day in the culturally rich city of Ljubljana. All in all, there are plenty of good reasons to visit with your fishing friends or your family and spend a week in Luce and in the Savinja valley. Ljubljana offers an international airport: Just grab a rental car, and 90 minutes later you are on the river casting your fly. Soca and Sava and all the other great Slovenian rivers are not far away, around 2 to 2 ½ hours by car and you can reach the other famous rivers and possibly combine it in one trip. At the Soca, I would recommend considering Nebesa for accommodation and Hiša Franco for your dinner at the world’s best chef Ana Roš – but that is another story …

If I could, I would instantly pack my gear and would travel to sLOVEnia again – right now!

Fishing Licenses and Accommodation:

“Fishing club Ljubno ob Savinji” www.rd-ljubno.si (if you need a guiding contact ask for Gregor Križnik), further downriver “Fishing club Mozirje” http://www.ribiskekarte. si/en/rd-mozirje and the lowest section mentioned “Fishing club Šempeter” http://www.ribiskekarte.si/rd-sempeter

Accommodation and dining at Hiša Raduha in Luce at

http://www.raduha.com