RIVERS
Slovenian waters cover a surface area of 12.000 hectares, around 4.000 hectares are salmonid waters, the rest are mixed and cyprinid.
The watercourses are divided into the large Danube river basin and the smaller Adriatic basin.
Danube (Black Sea) basin
Principle river is Sava with tributaries
Indigenous Species:
Brown Trout (Salmo fario)
Grayling (Thymallus thymallus)
Danube Huchen (Hucho hucho)
Introduced Fish:
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Adriatic basin
Principal river is Soca with tributaries
Indigenous Species:
Marble Trout (Salmo marmoratus)
Grayling (Thymallus thymallus)
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta m. fario) river Rizana
Introduced Fish:
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Brown Trout (Salmo trutta m. fario)
rivers of
the danube basin
SAVA BOHINJKA
SAVA DOLINKA with tributary Radovna
UPPER SAVA (Radovljica, Tržič,
Kranj, Medvode) with tributaries
Tržiška Bistrica
Kokra
Selška Sora and Poljanska Sora
MEŽA
SAVINJA
KAMNIŠKA BISTRICA
LJUBLJANICA
UNICA
RADEŠČICA
KRKA
KOLPA
rivers of
the adriatic basin
SOČA with tributaries
Lepena
Učja
Tolminka
IDRIJCA
with tributaries
NADIŽA
REKA
RIŽANA
VIPAVA
lakes and ponds
JESENICE
JASNA
ADRIATIC BASIN
RIVER SOCA
SOCA & Tributaries, The emerald queen of the Alps, Alpine river, gravel bottom
Opening season: April 1st to November 1st
Tributaries: Lepena, Ucja, Tolminka, Idrijca with Baca
Terrain varies from: deep gorges, shallow rapids, gentle current with wide alluvial gravel plains, accumulation lake
Fish species: Marble Trout, Grayling, Rainbow Trout, Marble Trout Crossbreeds, Brown Trout
Indigenous: Marble (species of European importance), Grayling
Marble Trout Repopulation Project
Snow melt and rain: snow melt starts in the beginning of May, even April and lasts at least till June.
Flies: #8-#20, darker stoneflies, dear hair sedges, cased caddies nymphs, BWOs, F-flies, large stoneflies, hare’s ears, pheasant tails, micro nymphs, perdigones, klinkhammers, large jig streamers, yellow scud flies, gnats. Colors: natural colors, olive, natural hare’s ear, pale yellow, white, orange, red, green hot spots
Outdoor & Tourist Activities: fly fishing, rafting, kayaking, zip line, parachuting, canyoning, mountain biking and cycling, skydiving, hiking, panoramic flights, paragliding, adventure parks, sport climbing, caving, zorbing, riding, museums, oldtimer train
RIVER IDRIJCA
IDRIJCA & Tributaries
Opening season: April 1st to October 31rd or November
Tributaries: Baca, Trebuščica, Cerknica, Kanomljica
Terrain varies from shallow and deep rapids, slower running flats to deep basins
Fish species: Marble Trout, Marble Trout Crossbreeds, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Grayling. Lower part holds Barbel and Chub
Snow melt and rain: usually not a disturbing factor, after heavy rain the river recovers quickly
Flies: #8-#20, elk wing sedges, BWOs, large stoneflies, wooly buggers, march brown nymph, hare’s ear, pheasant tail, micro nymphs, perdigones, parachutes and klinkhammers, scuds. Colors: olive, natural hare’s ear, rusty brown, pale yellow, orange and red hot spots
Outdoor & tourist activities (Link): hiking, cycling, rock climbing, horse riding, mushroom hunting, hunting, museums, lace school, no rafting or canoeing
RIVER VIPAVA
VIPAVA
Opening season: April 1st to October 31rd
Tributaries: Hubelj
Terrain varies: rich vegetation on both banks of the river, fast flowing rapids, slower running flats, deeper basins
Fish species: Marble Trout, Rainbow Trout, Grayling
Snow melt and rain: usually not a disturbing factor, after heavy rain the river recovers quickly
Flies: #8-#20
Outdoor & Tourist Activities (Link): Winestronaut, SUP tours, canoeing, kayaking, paragliding, mountain biking
DANUBE BASIN
RIVER SAVA BOHINJKA
SAVA BOHINJKA & Tributary, Alpine river
Opening season: April 1st to November 14th
Tributaries: Mostnica
Terrain varies: pools, cascades and sandbanks alternate, fast flowing splashing sections, a few dams with deeper pools behind them
Fish species: Grayling, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Huchen, Chub, Barbel
Snow melt and rain: snow melt can affect the water in April and May, after rain river recovers quickly
Flies: #8-#20 Slovenian sedges all sizes, BWOs, gnats, ants, CDC sedges, coachmans, midges, elk wing sedges, hare’s ear, pheasant tail, micro nymphs, perdigones, parachutes and klinkhammers, olive scuds. Colors: black, brown, olive, rusty brown, green, orange and red hot spots
Outdoor & Tourist Activities (Link): Savica waterfall, Lake Bohinj, hiking, cycling, rock climbing, horse riding, other adrenaline sports like Zip line Vogel, Bohinjski Flyer, paragliding, adrenaline park, exploring Govic cave, no rafting or canoeing
RIVER SAVA DOLINKA
SAVA DOLINKA & Tributary, Alpine river
Opening season: April 1st to October 31st
Tributary: Radovna
Terrain varies: large damn, pools, cascades and sandbanks alternate, fast flowing splasihing sections, fast flowing river
Fish species: Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Grayling, Huchen
Snow melt and rain: snowmelt can affect the water in spring, after heavy rain Sava needs a few days to recover
Flies: #8-#20 CDC sedges, coachmans, midges, elk wing sedges, hare’s ear, pheasant tail, micro nymphs, perdigones, parachutes and klinkhammers, olive scuds, Slovenian sedges all sizes, BWOs, gnats. Colors: black, brown, olive, rusty brown, green, orange and red hot spots
Outdoor & tourist activities (Link): Zelenci spring, Triglav national park, Pericnik waterfall, Mojstrana, Slovenian Alpine museum, rock climbing, Lake Jasna, Vrsic pass, Kranjska Gora, Planica the largest ski jumping center
RIVER UPPER SAVA
SAVA & Tributaries, is formed when rivers Sava Bohinjka and Sava Dolinka merge
Opening season: March 1st to November 30th
Tributaries: Lipnica, Tržiška Bistrica, Kokra, Sora, Kamniška Bistrica, Ljubljanica, Savinja
Terrain varies: long rapids, deep pools, wide cascades, Sava is our largest, longest and strongest fly fishing river
Fish species: Grayling, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Huchen, lower parts hold Nase, Barbel, Chub as well
Snow melt and rain: snowmelt can affect the water till summer, after heavy rain Sava needs a few days to recover
Flies: #8-#20, elk wing sedges, BWOs, large stoneflies, wooly buggers, march brown nymph, hare’s ear, pheasant tail, micro nymphs, perdigones, parachutes and klinkhammers, scuds. Colors: olive, natural hare’s ear, rusty brown, pale yellow, orange and red hot spots
Outdoor & Tourist Activities (Link): hiking, cycling, rock climbing, numerous museums, tunnels under the old town Kranj, Kokra canyon, Brdo castle, Plecnik's arcade and fountain, Sum waterfall, Dovzan gorge, Radovljica old town, rafting, canoeing, horse riding, Kropa town, minigolf and golf, lake Bled
RIVER UNICA
UNICA & Malenscica, Chalk stream
Opening season: May 1st to November 30th
Tributary: Malenščica
Terrain varies: Karst terrain, a bit from narrower, shallower upper part to deeper, slower running water down the current, it forms curves with deep pools, usually easy to wade in, some banks can present a challenge to enter
Fish species: Brown Trout, Grayling, lower part holds Pike as well
Snow melt and rain: snow melt doesn't affect it. During prolonged rain it can rise up to a few meters and floods the entire Planinsko Polje area
Flies: #8-#20 mayflies, gammarus, stoneflies, caddis flies, BWO's, Duns, F-flies, Witches, Red tags, Pink flies, colors: natural colors
Outdoor & Tourist Activities (Link): Postojna cave, Škocjan caves, Planinsko polje, hiking, cycling, trekking, bear watching, Prestranek Castle Estate, Adventure park
RIVER SAVINJA
SAVINJA& Dreta, Lučnica, Alpine river
Opening season: April 1st to October 31st
Tributaries: Dreta, Lučnica
Terrain varies from riffles, pockets, deep pools and dams
Fish species: Brown Trout, Grayling, Rainbow Trout, Huchen, lower part holds Nase, Chub and Barbel as well
Snow melt and rain: snow melt can persist till first half of May, after ehavy rain Savinja needs a few days to recover
Flies: #8-#20
Colors: copper and silver toned nymphs, from mayflies, sedges, stoneflies to streamers
Outdoor & tourist activities (Link): Rinka waterfall, camping, Gornji Grad mansion, rafting, canyoning in Cuc waterfall, paragliding, climbing garder, Logar valley, Peca underground mountainbike, caving