Another two excellent rivers for fly fishing in Croatia are the Kupica and Gačka rivers. The Kupica is a 3km long tributary of the Kupa (see previous blog). Operating fully on "catch and release" principles, its banks are lush with greenery, and a must for the keen angler. Brown trout and grayling abound in its waters, and these fish are remarkably tough and strong, making for especially exciting fishing.
The Gačka River is one of the most renowned trout waters in the world. From Zagreb it’s an hour and a half trip by car. This gulf river gently winds down the Gačf1 ka valley plain, from its spring in the southeast, to the gulf in the northwest. It’s a typical chalk stream, rich in flora and fauna.
The river’s best known inhabitant is brown trout. But you can also fish for rainbow trout, grayling and other species, too. The Gačka’s brown trout grow five times faster than in other limestone rivers. The reason for this is that the water temperatures are stable, there is plenty of water and it has a mildly alkaline composition. The 17 aquatic animal communities in the Gačka also account for the brown trout’s rapid growth.
At different points of the river there are different regulations (one area is single fly, another catch and release only, for example). Check the local regulations carefully if you go fly fishing on the Gačka.
