HUCHO-HUCHO 2020-2021 Opening – Lock Down not for us – Locals

23/11/202023/11/2020 Matej Gartnar

Dear All! At the moment of this update, we are exactly in the middle of the 2 week lock down, which has started with November 16th – exactly on the Hucho-Hucho fishing opening date! That has of course prevent many of you to come for the opening – we remember – all the hotels and private B&B were and still are closed to host tourists..

But for us, who are in the local fishing clubs, the season has normally opened and we were experiencing some very nice fly fishing days out there on the Sava Bohinjka river.. No very big Hucho landed yet, since we are facing very clear water levels, but several 80-ers were landed and released..

Here a little bit of the summary what is going on down here – to help you following the situation with the covid restrictions and fishing;

COVID NEWS

Hotels, B&B, Apps, Restaurants and Bars remaining closed at least until November 30th. After that date- Government of SLO has not decided yet..
Every entry in Slovenia must have a covid-free test no older than 48h or must go in the quarantine (on his costs).
All retail stores and shopping centres which are not having food, garden or mechanical or construction materials remaining closed at least until November 30th. What will happen after that date the Government has not decided yet…
Online sale of the product can run normally.. ( www.faunaflyshop.si ) deliveries come on a regular delivery time.
We accept provisional bookings to fish Hucho-Hucho in December and later, if the restrictions are off – booking is valid – if the restrictions stay – bookings get “cancel” with no cost.
Fishing on the rivers is allowed and fishing permits can be obtained..
No movement on the rivers or anywhere else due to the police hours from 21.00 – 6.00am. No fishing can be allowed during the Police hours.

Hucho Fishing News

Clear water conditions, no tourist fisherman on the rivers, just few locals… Huchos active but already very careful due to the high transparency of the river.. Some nice ones were already landed by the locals, but we were not able to get images, since you know.. if a local angler releasing the Hucho, usually the place of the release remains secret.. especially if the photo was made during the day time.. Here some images from the river Sava Bohinjka

Some Introduction Video we created for the 2020/2021 Hucho opening day! A bit of happy emotions along with some catches… A warm up for the season we could say

News from the FaunaFlyshop.si

Exciting NEW HUCHO STREAMERS added today!

Now we are PROPERLY LOCKED!

08/11/202008/11/2020 Matej Gartnar

Latest COVID news…. and latest Fly Fishing reports… 1st BAD, second GREAT, choose what you prefer to read first!

COVID:

To enter Slovenia from ANY Country – a NEGATIVE Covid test no older than 48h is needed from today. Yes, even from Austria and Italy and Hungary.. Nobody (but about 10 exceptions listed below) can enter without having Covid free test. If enter Slovenia with no test – 14days Quarantine must be attained.
Hotels, B&B, Life-not essential shops, Bars, Restaurants remaining CLOSED to further notice.
To enter Slovenia with a business reason, if owing an real-estate or needing some medical treatment – covid test is not needed. If you do not look infected of course.
If you are in Slovenia already – or you get yourself the mentioned test – Fly fishing on the rivers IS ALLOWED. Just as in any “normal” fly fishing season.
If you have a residential address in Slovenia – you are restricted to your residential community borders (Obcina in Slovene language). So you can not reach any river in Slovenia

All that mentioned, we will be having OPENING HUCHO-HUCHO Fishing on the Sava Bohinjka, with several bookings made for the 16-19th November – under a big Question… We and the Hucho Guides are monitoring situation daily – the same we suggest to all the groups that booked the trips for the Huch opening! Final decisions will be taken at the end of this week!

Regular fly fishing on the rivers this days was VERY NICE with strong sun at the midst day hours and even rising Grayling! Few images from today Sava Bohinjka

A short slow motion of a Grayling release.. see what speed he triggered once being touched a bit!

Grayling release from Fly Fishing in Slovenia on Vimeo.

More Effective nymphs added to the Faunaflyshop.si! Some models that were sold-out in October are back on the stock!

What`s new with the Fly fishing in Slovenia

06/11/202006/11/2020 Matej Gartnar

Basically nothing is new – it is normally open But everything else concerning it is a bit restricted! Sport shops still closed, as well as Fly fishing shops and any other life-not urgent??? Shops.. Hack – Fly shops ARE life urgent shops? For us who work in them surely Ok, joke aside – Fly fishing season still open till November 30th! But also with November 15th HUCHO season kicks in!

Many things not yet answered regarding the opening visits – several groups had book their arrivals.. But hotels and B&Bs are not allowed to accept guests.. That might restrict visiting anglers to a daily trips.. One solution is that you choose your place of the stay somewhere CLOSE to Slovenian border (Austria) and just drive daily to our rivers. Perhaps the government will release the closing of the hotels and B&Bs until November 15th – but not sure…. we need to have a “plan B”.

INTERESTING: I had notice a car with the Slovak (not Slovenian) licence plates today on the Sava Bohinjka river.. they were FLYFISHING! Unfortunately I could not make the stop to reach them and ask how they arrived here and what was going on at the border..

Meanwhile – we are all stand by for news from the Government. OUR guessing is, that the restrictions will be remaining sharp threw-good November month to reduce the infection rate (in Slovenia is already dropping a bit on a daily basis) and than release some tourism in December to help the Tourism to breath a little… Keep an eye on this to happen, since that might be THE ONLY window of the opportunity to attack HUCHO fishing!!

Perhaps get yourself stock up with some lures, deliveries of the material this year are very unreliable, when the stock is gone – no warranty that will arrive on the next day!

Check what`s going to be needed when the Hucho fishing gets GREEN LIGHTS!

Red finger times are approaching too! Why suffering – grab a pair of those below instead haha… Good grip, warm palms and agile fingers!

November`s great Fly fishing – but we remain closed!

01/11/2020 Matej Gartnar

The action of closing down most facilities in the country – not urgent to a daily life needs has been prolonged for another week – possibly until November 8th! Accommodations can not yet accept any new guests.. Shops like Fauna Flyfishing Bled can sell online only.. quite a nightmare especially when looking how nice November can be now these days out there on the rivers! Fishing is allowed but if you are a visiting fly fisherman – it needs to be a one day stand.. unless you sleep in your car on some unauthorised parking hah… nothing new to say at this moment regarding the covid and the general information.

We shall flyfish as much as we can and post some images for you guys – to help you bridge this “dry moments” while you could be here with us, enjoying November`s sun..

What`s new in the www.faunaflyshop.si Nice and catchy new Nymphs added recently – New TMC hooks added as well!

LOCK DOWN FOR THE STORES BUT NOT FOR THE FISHING!

24/10/202027/10/2020 Matej Gartnar

Well, here we go again – Government of the Republic Slovenia toke severe steps to reduce covid infections amongst them also temporary closing down all the shops except some food and gardening retails stores.. Than means that the Fauna Fly shop in Bled will also be closed preliminary till October 31st. We are of course operating normally online at www.faunaflyshop.si shipping out orders on a daily basis. Also info phone number +38641633147 is open on all times to help you out with some potential questions you might be having.

Here are few facts that are frequently asked by fly fisherman;

Fly fishing on the rivers and lakes IS ALLOWED.
Fishing permit sale is not restricted by any means.
Flyfishing season is open at least until November 15th, on some rivers even till November 30th
Hucho fishing season opens with November 15th (on the big Sava river is already open)
Bookings for the Hucho fishing are normally accepted, this season no booking deposits are required.
For the duration of 1week – until October 31st (for now) no accommodation check ins anywhere can be done – except if you travel for the business and you can prove that.
All restaurants are closed
All shops except gardening centres, mechanics, pet stores – are closed until October 31st with possible extension.
All hotels are closed
Gas stations, grocery shops, banks, post offices, garden centres are normally open.
Fly fishing on the rivers and lakes IS ALLOWED. we must mention this again

Into the week October 19th –>

18/10/202019/10/2020 Matej Gartnar

Here the latest video from Monday morning October 19th – military bridge Bled..

FISHING WEATHER FOR the coming week October 19-25 seem pretty fine and OK! Temperatures shall go up!

COVID-COMMENT With all the different information and fuzzy public available information – here is one update from the “real life”: Two different groups of Fly fisherman visiting us yesterday in the Fauna Fly shop in Bled, one coming from Italy, other from Austria – non had any problems in the borders when entering Slovenia! Interesting, considering that we – locals have restrictions for two weeks not to travel among communities.. (me, being in Bled, can not travel to our coast for example for the duration of two weeks). But the visiting tourists can enter. And travel the Slovenia. Makes some sense? Well, but it seems this is the practice. VERY POSITIVE IF YOU are planing a fly fishing trip. IMPORTANT: Choose a place of the stay where they SERVE MEALS! Restaurants and bars are closed until November 1st! But if your place of the stay offers meals, you can eat there. As long as you are a registered guest at their facility.

The fly fishing season open far long till December 1st – plenty of the time to come and stretch your fly lines before a long dark winter puts us to sleep :-/

Come on .. let us fight this situation with the Fly fishing activity – to make some other news than the one and only TV news – covid graphs and new and new reports about how many dead.. Haven`t seen much of those here in Bled.. 😉

A sunny end of the week!?

14/10/202016/10/2020 Matej Gartnar

Here the latest Video from the Sava Bohinjka- Friday October 16th – Bled fishing club still suffers from strong current, upstream in the Institute and Bohinj a bit better. Saturday will have the 1st fisherman, while Sunday and Monday October 17,18 should be ok for the fly fishing in all 3 sectors of the Sava B. river.

Fauna fly shop in Bled opens daily at 8:30am – welcome to visit

www.faunaflyshop.si open 24/7 – welcome to visit too

Wednesday October 14th – out there on the Sava Bohinjka Bled fishing club;

The awesome year 2020 with the stup.covid situation decided to go in the history in style! Bringing 1st snow down on October 12th! While we should still be casting those dries at pleasant 18 degrees, we needed to put out winter closing instead and switch down to nymph and streamer..

Good news is, that this should be temporary messup and the situation with the weather and warmer temperatures should return in the second half of the month October. Hopefully. Since high mountains have snow now, rivers of the north-west Slovenia should be dropping fast and go clear possibly till the end of this week, October 18-19th. We shall be posting levels on Friday morning, welcome to visit.

Covid-situation: hm… we could say – a bit chaotic when it goes for crossing the borders with Slovenia: I had spoke with few flyfisherman from Italy and Austria – they told me nobody ask them nothing when they crossed the border. Others had to show covid-negative test not older than 2 days.. what we advise – if you go to fish for 1 day, maybe try your luck. But if it goes for a several day visit, make the test and make sure you will have your flyfishing tour a success..

With far less people than normal – you will have a lot of the comfort on the rivers, so is worth making the effort with the arrival.

Here some images of the October 12th – weird fishing weather but… fish were there

Savica bridge - Sava Boh. Oct. 12 — Savica bridge – Sava Boh. Oct. 12

Ian - cold - no problem! — Ian – cold – no problem!

Check out also the late Autumn series of MINI PARACHUTES in the www.faunaflyshop.si! Very effective on Grayling!<<<<

We might have a weekend October 10-11 fishable!

08/10/202009/10/2020 Matej Gartnar

It seems like there might be and OPTION TO FLY FISH on the Saturday and Sunday October 10,11th! River is dropping! The smaller Radovna and Lipnika river might be just perfect, since those two dropping faster than the bigger rivers.

Should we mention that on the SAVA RADOVLJICA (Big Sava river) Hucho-hucho fishing is already open as well as the regular fly fishing. Two methods allowed at the same time on the same river.. One day fishing the Hucho, second day going for the Grayling Very unique combination of the two exciting sports!

Here the VIDEO from the river, taken October 8th on the military bridge, Bled fishing club, Sava Bohinjka

New arrivals also from SIMMS Autumn-winter CAPS AND BEANIES!!<<<<

Here the VIDEO from the river, taken October 9th on the same place – military bridge, Bled fishing club, Sava Bohinjka. You can COMPARE the dropping rate of the river/day!

Get yourself some warm SIMMS GLOVES AND SOCKS! Fishing days are many – health only one! <<<

Here also a short walk-by video of the Moste Lake, Belly boat paradise on the Sava Dolinka.. few of you guys asking for the colour..

20201008_143207 from Fly Fishing in Slovenia on Vimeo.

Rainy week started

28/09/2020 Matej Gartnar

Fishing conditions on Monday September 28th are not nice… Rain and cold temperatures invaded west of the Slovenia.. and north as well.. strong river currents will prevent some reasonable fly fishing at least until Wednesday, the 30th.. keep in touch with the weather reports and plan your fly fishing trip more to the end of the week..

Saying that, FAUNA FLY SHOP in Bled will be temporary closed until October 2nd! For the weekend October 3,4 and onward we are back again! We would like to prepare well, get new stock and Rock `n roll into October`s fly fishing in a style!

Feel free to call us on our info phone +38641633147 if you need some specific info.

Here is the situation of the Sava Bohinjka on September 28th at the SELO bridge – Bled fishing club

Annual inventory and regular disinfection process

25/09/202001/10/2020 Matej Gartnar

Hi everybody! As we are all aware, to keep the fight with the covid strong, this year we had decided to make the yearly Inventory and regular disinfection of our retail Fauna Fly shop in Bled earlier – this week.. Weather is rainy and we do not expect much anglers to seek our assistance…

Saying that, FAUNA FLY SHOP in Bled will be temporary closed until including October 3rd! We would like to prepare well, get new stock and Rock `n roll into October`s fly fishing in a style!

Feel free to call us on our info phone +38641633147 if you need some specific info.

Looking forward to see you with October 3rd!! Matej