Soča and tributaries
SOČA
Running from the hearth of Triglav National Park Soča weaves through tight valleys, box canyons and wide gravel bars. It is a true Alpine beauty that still functions as a wild river. Surrounding high mountains and a large catchment with numerous tributaries make it succeptible to water lavel fluctuation due to snowmelt or rain and fish have learned to cope with it and react accordingly. It is not the simplest river to fish, but it sure is one of the most beautiful ones in the world.
LEPENA
A proper high alpine torrent, Lepena puts fly fishermen in a mountainous scenery. In the hight of summer the air stays fresh up here and the fish can be active even in the middle of the day. There is a solid stock of Rainbow Trout in it and Marbles are to be targeted by the most delicate fishermen.
KORITNICA
A river with deep emerald colour that can easily compete with the Soča. Famous for it’s box canyons (hence the name; korito = box canyon), big grayling and difficult terrain it does not see much fishing pressure. The fish here are plentiful, but very easily spooked, especially bigger Marble Trout.
UČJA
A river in a deep canyon that offers a proper challenge to anyone up for it. Here you will have to put some effort into getting to that special pool and it is fair to be so. True torrent that can provide fishing of a lifetime or just a gruelling hike; either way long lasting memories are guaranteed.
NADIŽA
The only river of the valley that gets comfortably warm in the summer. Nice to fish in early spring and late summer, it’s banks host tons of swimmers in the summer that come here to enjoy the wilderness. Home to beautiful but small Marble Trout, Adriatic subspecies of Chub and Mediterranean Barbel it will sure provide fishing different that on other streams in the valley.
TOLMINKA
The deep blue pearl of deep gorges and inaccessible box canyons offers opportunities for a proper mission with loads of hiking and proper sight fishing in the waters so clear fish seem like suspended in air. Ice cold water holds the fish at moderate sizes, but does not spare with their beauty. This is home to some of the most genetically pure Marble Trout, as they sourced the genotype from which to do the reintroduction from one of Tolminka’s tributaries.
BAČA
A small stream full of big surprises. This little river truly offers everything; a reliable Rainbow Trout stock that is always willing to take an appropriately positioned fly, some hybrids and some surprisingly big Marble Trout at the tailouts of pools. Easy road access makes this river a go to for everyone who is into good but comfortable fishing. Well, but it also has a technical canyon which doesn’t see many fishermen, but holds some stunning fish…
KNEŽA
A tinly little creek so small that you are only allowed to use dry fly while fishing. Perfect for tenkara this stream offers some romantic vistas and a runaway from sometimes busy Soča river and the main tributaries.
TREBUŠČICA
Light green colour of Trebuščica indicates that the birth of this river is surrounded by a different type of geology. According to that it’s population of Marble Trout do tend to look a bit different and are somehow prone to go for dry flies. Small and delicate river that will only handle a handful of fishermen per week.
IDRIJCA
The biggest tributary of Soča which produces the biggest Marble Trout. Deep green pools of Idrijca are full of life; the bioproductivity of this river is obviously larger than any other in the region and due to that the populations of all kinds of fish are also bigger. Amongst them Grayling are still doing good there, a sharp eye will notice big Maditerranen Barbels cruising the bottom and a shy surfacing of a big Rainbow Trout. Simple road access and logistics makes Idrijca very popular amongst Fly fishermen, but there is always an option to find a secluded pool where fish and peace can be found.
VIPAVA
Vipava is a special river. It’s a chalk stream which springs to light under a big limestone wall and then weaves through fertile lowlands of Vipava valley, where it is surrounded by vineyards and orchards. Due to all of this farmland all around it, it has been squeezed into a channel so it can no longer do what it loves most. But nonetheless it is still home to a wide range of fish, in it’s upper part mostly Salmonids; Marble Trout, Trout Hybrids and Grayling. Most of them can reach trophy sizes and it’s no rarity to see a Pike chase streamers offered to big Marbles. Despite not many people are aware of that, Vipava is a tributary to the Soča river; the confluence is in Italy, just kilometers before Soča reaches the Adriatic Sea.