Fly fishing on Unica – the queen of Slovenian rivers!
The Unica river, managed by the Fisheries Institute of Slovenia, is considered one of the most beautiful fly fishing areas in Slovenia for my Fly fishing guiding service.
On the Unica River is always something special. The gorgeous scenery and landscape of Planinsko polje, the beautiful sunny weather and the green hue of the river, which is dominated by brown trout and grayling, ensure that you’ll spend a wonderful day fly fishing in Slovenia .
I decided to start mine from the large parking at HASBERG Castle. You can’t miss the well-trodden paths by the river UNICA, as the river attracts anglers from all over Slovenia and world. The water level for fly fishing on the day of my visit was ideal – 32 cm / 4.59 cm3 and the swarming of insects in the air let me know that I’d be fishing with a tied dry fly and my box of heavy nymphs would stay in the bag. And it really was that way. The mowed fields do not pose a problem for the anglers with longer throws, so it’s also possible to approach the secret fish on the other side of the river, hidden under trees and bushes.
Brown trout and trophy Grayling
Grayling, 15-20 cm in size, played in the spring sun and picked up my dry fly as if for a bet. For a start, I used a dry fly, a classic, Fratnik’s FFly in natural colour tied on a hook size 16. The turning point came when I replaced the Fratnik’s FFly hook size #16 in a natural shade tied to hook #14. The fly on hook #14 made my fishing even more interesting that day, as among the many hatches of small grayling there was also a larger grayling that did not belong to the 50+ club, but is still an enviable size between 40-45cm. I did not have any brown trout during all the catches that morning, but that soon changed.
After lunch, which I had in the middle of a Planinsko polje I went to Malenščica. Malenščica, the right tributary of the Unica River, is a smaller and narrower river, overgrown with bushes and greenery, and like Unica River it offers shelter to graylings and brown trout. I continued fly fishing with a tied dry fly on hook #14. Hidden behind the bushes and with shorter throws, I tricked a few more beautiful grayling, who were just competing to see who would be first at my fly. When I saw a one picking up, at first look and estimation I thought he could get close to the 50+ club, I was surprised by a 40+ brown trout from the stream, which bit into a dry fly as if it hadn’t eaten for three days. The fight with the hungry brown trout lasted a full 10 minutes. Finally I managed to get it safely to a shore and catch it in the net. All the caught fish, some after being photographed I returned safely and unharmed to their realm of the depths.
Surroundings
I ended the day with a visit to HASBERG Castle, which in its time on the banks of the Unica River inspired and reigned over the area with its beautiful gardens, staircases and courtyard.
I will definitely be back at Unico this year, if not sooner, definitely in the fall. Or I will visit another beauty Alpine river.
Matej Godec, Flyfishingodec Slovenia
* Unica River – the Slovenian sinking river, which is formed by the confluence of the rivers Pivka and Raka in Planinska jama. Their merger represents the largest confluence of underground rivers in Europe. The overhead stream of the Unica is about 10 km long. It flows from south to north along Planinsko polje.
FLYFISHINGODEC SLOVENIA is a travel agency specializing in the organization of Fly Fishing Courses and Guided Fly Fishing Day Trips and Trips
All information regarding Fly Fishing Courses and Guided Fly Fishing Day Trips and Trips can be obtained at matej@flyfishingodec.com or on the telephone number +38641720888.
