Slovenia

Slovenia, for us Europeans, it’s often one of the first fly fishing destination we go to, it’s not too far, the fish is everywhere, it’s somtimes cheap, the landscapes are amazing, the people welcoming and… there is fish for everyone !

For many fly fishermen, Slovenia is a dream destination. Flyfishers from all around the world meet there, attacted by the famous “marble trout” or the schools of Grayling wiating for them by the hundred! Hopefully, nowadays, the amount of fishing license on the beats is limited, which allows us not to be 10 people fishing on the same spot!  It’s always better to orgnanize upfront your trip, either with a local guide or by checking the websites of local fishing clubs. But, be warned, Slovenian fisheries are great and numerous and you can be sure to catch fish, many of them, so even if the fish is in the river for a long time, and from the original breeds, it may not be totally wild… especially for the Marble Trout.

The legend says in Yougoslavian times, a minister from Tito’s government was a fly fisher, and Slovenian. He introduced the idea of fishing clubs, and that is probably what made ex Yougoslavia and especially Slovenia, one of the best destination for fly fishing. Going back to the clubs, to belong to one you had to be sponsored by 2 members, and you had to give an amount of hours of free work fot the club, river cleaning, paperwork, whatever. That would allow you, after a while, to fish a certain amount of days a year. And you could only practice catch and release. That’s how started a real fishing economy, something that could be a source of inspiration for many rivers around the world.