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Fishing Reports

International Waters

Searching for Grayling
January 29, 2004

Posted by Mislav Jukic
Zagreb, 10000 Croatia
Email: mislav.jukic1@zg.hinet.hr

Current Report
My friend Mladen and I planed for some time to go fishing for graylings near the source of the Kupa River, which is located within boundaries of the National park Risnjak. For the long time I was dreaming about visiting that particular fishing spot that I heard a lot of mythical stories about. That foggy September day we met early in the morning in our local bar named Sova (Owl) for a morning coffee. The bar is located above the bank of the river Kupa and from the courtyard we both watched the river slowly runs past. We were both very excited about the pilgrimage we are about to undertake. Mladen has been there before and while we sipped our coffees he inspired my imagination with stories about big graylings he caught there. We took the road along the Kupa River valley and while we drove toward the National park Risnjak, through the windshield we enjoyed in the view of the misty forest and river winding next to us. After driving for fifteen miles we turned left on the small narrow forest road that curve downhill toward the river keeper house where we were supposed to leave the car and buy the fishing licenses. The road in some spots is so narrow that two cars can hardly pass by each other. Fortunately we did not encounter any other car while we descended down the mountainside. After few miles the road abruptly comes to an end and we parked the car on a small meadow. River keeper heard our car approaching so he already waited for us beside his house. While we were buying the fishing licenses the river keeper offered us two small glasses of home made plum brandy. Just for the good luck he said. After we bought the licenses we quickly gear up beside the car, and then continued on foot down the path toward the river. While we were crossing the meadow I could already hear the river’s sweet noise in my ears. We reached the river bank and there she was, beautiful crystal clear Kupa River stretching before us. We continued upstream studying the river course. The fast current suitable for nymphing was followed by slower, wider and shallower parts which almost invited us to try to drift the dry flies across them. We walked the path beside the river for more than a mile when Mladen said we should stop and start to fish downstream. A mile distant from the spot that we were now standing Kupa River springs from the karstic well and continues to flow downstream. That stretch of the river is a fish (game) preserve and fishing is not allowed. The sun already started to scatter the morning mist and we were able to see mountains and the forest that were all around us. Mladen entered into the stream and I walked a little bit downstream from him, and since there was no visible insect hatch yet I decided to try with nymph. I tied the nymph I tied myself on the tippet, a gold head hare’s ear ribbed with copper wire, tied on hook no.14, and cast it up and across the current and let it sink. I mended the line few times so the nymph could drift downstream naturally in the current. After few fruitless casts I saw one good looking spot and since the current was pretty fast I decided to try so called Czech nymphing technique which can be pretty productive in the fast current. The trick is to fish with short line and to hold rod tip high in the air. That way only the tippet and the small part of the leader is submerged in the current so nymph is drifting as naturally as possible. I cast it upstream and followed the drift downstream with rod held high and soon as I reached the good looking spot I felt the tug on the line and instantly I was playing the nice fish that fought fiercely. I heard the whistle, so I looked upstream and saw Mladen’s rod also bending and pumping like crazy and him smiling from ear to ear. A few minutes latter I held in the current, pointed upstream, beautifully dotted 15 inch brown trout. After releasing, trout slowly settled to the bottom beside my wading boot. I didn’t move my leg because I didn’t want to spook him. Trout was steady, in the moving stream, resting on the bottom. I reached my hand to touch him and he was gone, gone in a shadow across the bottom of the stream. Mladen and I worked our way downstream, and until then fishing was pretty successful, but I still didn’t catch any grayling. Moving downstream I came to one deep green pool with slow moving current. But from the left bank a fast moving creek flows into the river from the mountain side, creating a strong crosscurrent. The tributary creek provided plenty of oxygen and additional food that was washed into the river. I slowly approached the confluence of the creek and carefully started to study the pool. Immediately I saw the school of graylings that were hanging steadily in the current pointed upstream toward the crosscurrent. There was between 30-40 fishes in the pool. I was so excited that I needed a few minutes to calm myself down. Although the fishes were not rising I thought that maybe I could provoke the rise by drifting a dry fly across the crosscurrent toward them. I used a dry fly pattern called Witch on hook no.16. It’s a simple gray palmer style dry fly with short red poly yarn tail, which is usually attractive to graylings. I made a few short casts and drifted the fly above graylings without success. I usually have confidence in that pattern but after few more casts I switched the pattern and tied one dry fly with CDC feathers. During the first drift I provoked the rise which surprised me, so I did not set the hook on time. After that first partial success the surface was still and no other fish seam to be attracted. I decided to switch the pattern again. But this time I tied orange gammarus shrimp imitation on hook no.12. Especially in late summer and autumn these imitations can be very successful. Usually I tie those imitations without additional weight, so I put a small split shot on the tippet to help that fly sink faster. I cast the fly into crosscurrent and let it sink and drift toward graylings. I could see the fly sinking and when it came in the vicinity of the fishes, I started to twitch the fly with rod tip and to slowly pull in the line with retrieving hand. Immediately one of the biggest graylings in the school rushed for the fly and took it. Instantly my rod started to tremble like it is alive and grayling started to pump toward the center of the current. He tried to use the current in his behalf and because I like to use light fishing tackle we stood there even, me with my rod bend in half, and he hanging in the current like a log. I didn’t want to force him because I was afraid that I may snap my tippet. I slowly retrieved him toward me and he tried to break free making splendid crowns of water on the surface. Finally I was holding in my hand beautiful silver 21 inch long grayling. His pink colored and dotted dorsal fin was magnificent. I gently put him back in the stream and when he regained his breath he slowly swim away into the deep. After I released him there was sweet scent of thyme left in the air and on my hands. That day on that spot I caught and released 22 graylings and lost 5 or 6 more because they fell off in the process. Later Mladen and I rested for a while in the shade of the oak tree, and we were quietly absorbing nature’s sweat smells, noises and views around us. In the afternoon, after the sun had crossed toward the hills, and the insects started to hatch, we fished the evening rise but this is a different story. When we drove back home that night and the car headlights illuminated silent forest around us, somehow I know that I am lost and found in the same time forever. I knew that sweet scent of thyme is going to haunt me, and the beauty and inner fulfillment that fishing for grayling is going to bring me is invaluable. I can still feel it. For more information about Fly fishing in Croatia you can visit http://www.kupa- flyfishing.com/eng/index.html

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