Fly Fishing in Europe

Other European Fly Fishing Opportunities

BELGIUM NORWAY ITALY SLOVENIA CZECH BALKANS ISRAEL Hungary

Fly fishing in other European is also possible - exciting and fun, but not always easy to do! Each of the following countries has different rules. We hope the information provided below will help to mitigate the minor inconveniences, and make it easy for you to fly fish some of the best waters in Europe.

Belgium

To fish in the public waters of the Walloon Region you need a fishing license. You can buy it at any post office in the region. The license is good for the year you buy it in, no matter when you buy it.

There are two types of Belgium fishing licenses. A "License A" costs 500 Belgium Francs and lets you fish with up to two lines from the banks. A "License B" costs 1,500 Belgium Francs and lets you fish using up to two lines from the bank, and lets you wade, fish from docks and piers, and from boats.

There are to categories of rivers: Navigable and Un-Navigable. For navigable rivers all you need is the Walloon Region fishing license. For non-navigable rivers you need to purchase an additional permit from the local fishing club or the local water rights holder. How do you tell them apart? Well you need to pick up the fishing map at the post office. Navigable rivers are red, and un-navigable rivers are show in blue!

Generally speaking trout season opens on the third Saturday of March and runs to 30 September. Grayling season opens on the third Saturday of June and runs to 31 December. You can only fish from 30 mins before sunrise until 30 mins after sundown (NO NIGHT FISHING). We strongly advise you to check the existing regulations for the area you are fishing before you start. There are no snag, net landing only, and release rules.

If you happen to be in the Brussels area, you might want to check out a really good fly shop. Maison Sougne is located downtown near the Stock Exchange and Place St Catherine on Rue Antoine Dansaert (No 33).

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Norway

General information. Fishing for spawning salmon (includes sea trout and sea char) and inland fishing is controlled by both state and regional regulations. There are also local rules established by landowners and/or fishing rights holders. Detailed information on fishing regulations are provided by the people selling fishing licenses, tourist information offices and by the county environmental department (Fylkesmannens miljøvernavdeling). You get the regulations when you purchase your license and they are often printed on the back of the license.

Fishing Fees and Licenses. Any person above the age of 16 who wishes to fish for salmon, sea trout or sea char or participate in inland fishing must pay a fishing fee to the state. Fishing fees may be paid at any post office in Norway. Payment of the fishing fee is a condition for fishing in Norway, but does not give rights to a particular area or water. Before fishing, landowner permission is required. Proceeds from fishing fees are used to finance local projects, management schemes and research.

Fishing rights in Norwegian watercourses usually belong to the landowner, a rule which applies regardless of whether the watercourse is privately owned, commonly owned or owned by the government. In order to fish, a fishing license or landowner permission is required. Fishing licenses may be purchased in the vicinity of the fishing locality, from the landowner, or at sporting goods dealers, tourist information offices and campsites. Lists of fishing areas covered by different licenses are available for many counties and municipalities. Information on where, how and when to fish is often provided on the back of the fishing license. There are several types of fishing licenses, with a validity varying from one day, two days or one week, to licenses for the entire season. Sea fishing is free for everyone and does not require a fishing license.

Private Property. About 2/3 of all land in Norway is privately owned. Sales of fishing licenses are carried out by landowners, or hunting and fishing associations which lease fishing rights from landowners.

Common Crown Property. The largest areas of common crown property are situated in mountainous regions of the counties of Nord Trøndelag and Sør Trøndelag, as well as other mountainous areas in southern Norway. Fishing rights in these areas are aEUROinistered by local authorities. Anyone who has lived in Norway for more than one year and who has paid for a fishing license may fish with rod and handline in these areas. Foreign nationals may also purchase a fishing license in most common crown property areas.

State Property. Fishing rights on state property in the counties of Nordland and Troms are aEUROinistered by the local office of Statskog. All fishing on state property in Finnmark county - nearly all of the land in the county - is aEUROinistered by Statskog Finnmark in Vadsø. Norwegian citizens may fish using a rod or hand line in all watercourses . Foreign nationals may fish using rod and hand line in leased watercourses or in inland fishing zones within 5 km of either side of the main roads in the county. A separate pamphlet on fishing in Finnmark is available upon request from the Statskog Finnmark. A fishing license for Northern Norway (Nord-Norgekortet) applies for all state property in North Norway and includes more than 50,000 lakes. The license may be purchased at any post office.

Fishing rights for children. All children under 16 years of age may participate in inland fishing with a rod and handline free of charge from January 1st to August 20th. In watercourses where licenses are required, children are required to carry a license which is free of charge. In areas where fishing licenses are not required, landowner permission is not necessary. These regulations do not apply in watercourses carrying salmons, sea-trout, sea char or crayfish. The regulation on free fishing for children does not apply in artificial fishing ponds, and the county governor, environmental department reserves the right to restrict fishing in particular lakes. Adults accompanying children must secure an ordinary fishing license. Children under 16 years of age must follow all government restrictions, and are not required to adhere to local regulations.

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ITALY

No true national license exists for inland fishing, but each state or county has its own rules and regulations to include licenses. There are two types of state licenses that are normally used. A license "tipo B" is for Italians only. A license "tipo D" (for foreigners like me and probably you) cost 16.500 Italian Lira for three months.

You can buy the State License at the Offices of "Comune" (municipal aEUROinistration) in any Italian city. It's called a "Licenza di Pesca", but when you have it in hand it doesn't necessarily mean you can fish anywhere you want. A special license is required for all or most special regulation stretches of water. In the Friuli Region (north east) an additional regional license is required. You can buy the "water licenses" at local municipal offices or fishing shops. It all depends on the local fishery management.

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SLOVENIA

The Soca River has both private and state controlled sections. You have to buy a separate license or permit for each. The private section is controlled by the local fly fishing organization - Club Tolmin, and has approximately 120-kms of water (including all tributaries). The Idrica and Baca Rivers that feed the Soca may be just as good for fly fishing.

The State controlled section of the Soca River is up river from the Club Tolmin section and is located in more mountainous terrain (Triglav National Park of Slovenia). At only 14-kms in length, this section is characterized as fast and wild. The river is generally between 6 and 10 meters wide. If you like fast water, great pools, fantastic nature, you should give this section of the Soca River a try. The Lepena and Koritnica tributaries are also reported to be very good.

You can purchase a license for the State controlled section of the Soca River and its tributaries at hotels near the Soca and Lepena Rivers, or at the goverment offices located in the small towns in the National Park.

Additional Slovenian rivers include the Unec, Sava, Bohinjka, Radovna, and Krka. My sources tell me that they are among the best trout rivers you can find anywhere.

For more information on fly fishing in Slovenia check out this webpage: http://www2.arnes.si/~ljzavodrib6/

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CZECH

Another great place to fly fish. The really great fisheries are in southern Czech near the border with Germany and Austria. Rivers such as the Vltava and Malse should be the most productive, and are controlled by the Southern Bohemian Board of the Czech Fishing Union.

Both a permit and a license are required to fish these waters. Czech fishing licenses run about 100-200 CZK (200 Koruna equals roughly $ 5.80). Fishing Union permits cost 600 CZK for a day, 1,100 CZK for two days, 2,500 CZK for a week, and 6,000 CZK for a full season. On 15 March 1999, 1 USD equaled 34.53 CZK.

Your best bet to buy a license and permit would be to visit the fishing store in Volary (Just across the border north of Passau, Germany). You can pick up a special fly fishing map of the region there also.

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Hungary

You need both a national license and a local permit to fish in Hungary. In most larger towns the license and permits can be bought at tackle shops and post offices. In smaller towns look for permits in tackle shops and purchase the license at the post office. Upon arriving in Budapest, check in with the "Angling Association Client Service" (Phone: (361) 111-3232 or 131-3199). The Hungarian National Angling Association is also located in Budapest (Phone: (361) 248-5127).

Some Details

Fishers (over 18 years old) can fish with two rods. Under 18 can only use one.

Closed Seasons.

Pike	March 01 – March 31
Pikeperch, stone-pikeperch, bream	March 01 – April 30
Carp, barbel and catfish < 80 cm	May 02 – June 25
Quick and rainbow trout	January 01 – April 30October 15 – December 31
Sterlet	March 01 – June 30

Check with the local permit providers for length limits and special rules. They will vary by location and time of year.

Links for more information?

http://magyarnet.com/fish/index_eng.htm

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BALKANS (MACEDONIA AND KOSOVO)

The following information was gleaned during a recent trip to Kosovo and Macedonia from many first hand sources, and an unusual "fly fishing" experience in southwest Macedonia.

Kosovo (Currently a Province of Serbia)

Fly fishing is rare in Kosovo. Some of the locals know what it is, but not many use it. Fishing is big though. Mostly with bait. The hatches appeared to be mostly Sedges and Caddis type bugs, and we even saw a few small stone-fly looking critters swimming around.

The waters in Kosovo are almost perfect for fly fishing. The only thing missing is a clean environment and fish in some areas. Seriously, there is both some magnificent hatchery waters and scenery in Kosovo. If and when the current troubles end, you will be able to check it out for yourself. Although somewhat polluted to look at in the south, the Beli Drin from its headwaters north of Pec until it leave Kosovo for Albania appears to be a great river. Locals constantly talk about fishing it.

The Prizrenska Bistrica (west) and Lepenec (east) rivers both run out of the Sar Mountains in the south. Headwaters almost meet at the ski resort town of Brezovice. The Prizrenska Bristrica flows into the Beli Drin southwest of Prizren, while the Lepenec turns south and flows into Macedonia (FYROM for all you name worriers). Both appear to be great trout streams with cool clear water and smooth stone beds. Again, the clean environment appears to be lacking, but if you catch and release you should have a fine time.

Fly Shops. Never saw one, but that doesn't’t mean they don’t exist. We would imagine not like you’re use to. Bring your own.

License Requirements. There appears to be no standard licensing requirement to fish most waters in Kosovo. No one in the local population could provide me any information on what, if anything is required.

Macedonia

There are lots of lakes and rivers in the mountainous regions of western and central Macedonia. Lake Ohrid (southwest near Albania) trout tastes great, but don’t expect to catch too many on flies. This is big lake! Its outlet river, the Drim, has some great small stretches as you head north towards Skopje, but two big dam and lake combinations really put a damper on the available water before it turns east into Albania.

North of Lake Ohrid on the way to Gostivar, between lakes Debarsko and Mavrovsko, the Radike river is super! Fast and free flowing, the waters are made for trout and trout fishermen. One can actually see "fly fishermen" when driving through this neck of the woods. The best waters probably lay between, Zrovnica in the north and Skudrinje in the south.

Closer to Skopje, the Vardar river starts its impressive display as it winds its way down the mountains into the valley past Gostivar, Tetovo, and through Skopje. Southeast of Skopje, the Vardar winds through a series of low mountainous areas where lots of feeder rivers and streams meet up with it. Although we haven’t seen them personally, we would expect them to be of high quality.

Fly Shops. There are a few shops that sell flies in and around the town of Ohrid and Struga near the lake. They sell mostly nymphs and wet flies since true fly fishing isn’t that big. Most Macedonian fly fishers use a spinning rod and a water bobber to cast them. We did find one store in the Skopje mall that sold fly rods, reels, and line, but nothing else. Our advice? If you think you might need it, bring it.

License Requirements. There is a license requirement in Macedonia, although I didn’t buy one when I fished there. Locals will tell you not to worry about it down around Lake Ohrid, and one even told me the fine for fishing without it was only 50 dinar (about 1 USD).