Soca near Bovec
Marbled trout
River Soca
Fisheries Research Institute of Slovenia
I was inspired to fish the Soca by a film. A wonderful nature film that showed the most remarkable river and its inhabitants. Top of the list of creatures for me was not the otter, but the marbled trout. It was to be several years before I had the opportunity to visit Slovenia and fish the Soca. But it was worth the wait.
I was working in Austria and took the opportunity to drive south to Slovenia. The drive is spectacular, up and over high mountains, but even this grandeur didn't prepare me for my first sight of the river. It is called, by many, the emerald river but to me it seemed crystal sapphire. The river glows, and so outshines its surroundings. It is quite magical.
The fishing is not easy. The river is fast flowing and a powerful; it requires respect. In the late season many of the fish have seen a wide range of flies and techniques, and can be quite fussy. I fished the upper river which is controlled by the Fisheries Research Institute of Slovenia. They have catch and release sections as well as beats where you may take a fish. The river is famous for its marbled trout, but there are also wild Adriatic grayling and stocked rainbow trout as well as few hybrid marbled/brown trout. So enough variety for any angler.
Soca near Bovec
Marbled trout