River Soča

Despite fierce competition for the most beautiful and best fishing area in Slovenia, the Soča river easily takes the lead. Boasting a distinctive emerald colour, white gravel and a meandering course through a verdant valley dominated by snow – capped peaks, the beauty of the Soča takes your breath away, no matter whether you are a first – time or returning visitor to the Soča valley. Fishing in this bluish – green Alpine beauty is a great privilege.

The best fishing strech of the river begins in the village of Soča in the Trenta valley and continues to the town of Tolmin, covering a distance of some 50km. The river can be easily accessed from the road almost everywhere along the way. At several places, it works its way through short ravines.

The fishing season is open from April to the end of October and the only fishing method allowed is fly fishing.  The first  days of the fishing season in the valley, in places where traces of winter are still present, demand a great deal of patience on the fly fisherman´s part. But when the sun floods the valley for an hour or two, bringing to life the rich world of waterside insects, this patience is rewarded with a good catch.

The Soča trout, freshwater empress of the Bovec area, was named after the Soča River – a magnet for fishermen from around the world. From April to October, many fly-fishing enthusiasts test their luck and fishing skills on the Soča. Many of them get lucky and catch a trophy, but everyone goes home filled with memories of the beautiful landscape, clear water and fresh mountain air.

Gallery

Rivers Lepena, Koritnica, Nadiža, Tolminka

The Lepena, flowing in the Trenta valley, is a left tributary of the Soča. Although it is mainly a shallow river, it has some larger pools where the trout hides under the overhanging corners. Lepenjica is the water, where it is possible to catch a marble trout at any time, not really trophy size, but big enough that every fisherman who wants to trick a marble beauty with artificial flies, quenches his desire.

A few kilometres further downstream, the Soča is joined with the Koritnica, flowing in from the right. If slightly more difficult to reach than the Lepena, its lower course is fishable. Besides marble trout, there are also Soča grayling which hunt for larvae and airborne food. This is where many fly fishermen have hooked the grayling of a lifetime.

To fish in the Nadiža river, you have to head west in Kobarid towards Italy. Small and warm in summer, this river has a perfectly acceptable water level during the other seasons. It is populated by all the main fish species of the Soča area, including trout and grayling.

Besides the marble trout, the Tolmin Georges are the most famous landmark of the Tolminka river, which flows into the Soča near the town of Tolmin. Its crystal – clear green pools are home to the marble trout and in the lower course also the Soča grayling. Fishing in the upper course of the river entails a good deal of climbing ability, while its lower course is very easily accessible.

Gallery

Subscribe to newsletter

Free guides around Bovec and exclusive offers