Despite its relatively small size, Slovenia is home to a wide selection of fish species, including some rarely found anywhere else in the world. Fishing in both freshwater and saltwater has been rooted in Slovenian tradition for generations. The specimens swimming in Slovenia’s waters are very healthy thanks to the country’s favourable mixture of microclimates which surpass the European average. With the increasingly sophisticated management of waters and catch and release techniques, fishing is expected to flourish even further in the coming years and decades.
Photo: Fishing Guides Slovenia
Fly-fishing in Slovenia
Fly-fishing is the type of fishing Slovenia is most famous for. Its rivers are nothing short of heaven for any enthusiast. There are numerous incredible catches, the most famous being the Marble Trout. In addition to residing in the most pristine and stunning river in Slovenia, the Soča River, this trout species can grow to enviable lengths and can even hit the 10 kg mark – a trophy-sized catch for any fly-fisherman! Our rivers and lakes also provide great Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Grayling and other fantastic fish.
Carp fishing in Slovenia
Carp fishing is very popular in Slovenia, and in recent years, this type of fish species has grown to enviable sizes, as catch and release has been introduced in most lakes, which greatly contributes to the size of carp caught. The current Slovenian record-holder is a whacking 34-kg monster, but this record is bound to be broke soon, as quite a few fish in our waters have already come close to this size.
The main carp fishing spots are Lake Bled and Šmartinsko Lake, where the largest beasts reside. Šmartinsko Lake is especially intended for carp fishing, as parts of its shore have been wonderfully arranged to facilitate carp fishermen. This lake holds the Slovenian record, but there are quite a few specimens roaming around Lake Bled that have likely already tipped over the 30 kg mark.
Spin fishing in Slovenia
Another popular fishing sport in Slovenia is spin fishing because of the remarkable number of elusive predators which can reach record sizes. Catfish grow over 250 cm and can weigh more than 100 kg. The Pike record is 134 cm. Then there’s the lake-dwelling Zander, a tricky yet very satisfying catch. The king of rivers is, of course, the Huchen, or Danube salmon, a fish that is highly regarded in Slovenia, with only a few other countries beating our record in the size of this exquisite species. In autumn and winter, when the temperatures drop significantly, the hunt for Huchen is on!
Sea fishing in Slovenia
Slovenia doesn’t have a large coastline and its territorial waters are quite small, but that doesn’t mean this part of the Adriatic fisherman-friendly. Just the opposite! According to those who have experience fishing in these parts and eaten the fish caught in these clean and calm waters, fishing off the Slovenian coast is placed among the best in the world. Unbeknownst to many, giant 200-kg Tuna can be caught in our sea. Even a shark has been known to hang off a hook and you are most certainly going to catch Dentex, Mahi-mahi, Sea Bass and other equally powerful and combative saltwater inhabitants. An additional bonus of fishing in Slovenia is that sea fishing from the shore doesn’t require a permit.
You can learn more about fishing in Slovenia at Fishing Guides Slovenia.
