Explore Mozirje

Fishing near Mozirje: fly fishing on the Savinja and Dreta

• 

  The Savinja at the weir just outside Mozirje, close to Mozirski gaj. Photo: Vidar Karlsen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

If you fish, Mozirje is a very good place to be. The Savinja runs right past town, the Dreta joins it just downstream, and both are clear Alpine rivers known for fly fishing. Creekside House K at Ob Savinji 1 is a short walk from the Savinja, so you can be on the water early in the morning and back for breakfast, or fish the evening rise and walk home.

The Savinja river

The Savinja is the river of this valley. Around Mozirje it has a true Alpine character: clear, cold water over limestone gravel, with fast runs, riffles and deeper pools below the weirs. It is generally wadeable and well suited to fly fishing with dry flies, nymphs and streamers.

The local angling club, Ribiška družina Mozirje, manages a stretch of the Savinja of roughly 15 kilometres, from the weir at Grušovlje down to the bridge at Letuš, so Mozirje sits right in the middle of it. The main species are salmonids: brown trout, grayling and rainbow trout, with the rare huchen (Danube salmon) in winter. You will also find coarse fish such as barbel and chub.

• 

  Fly fishing on the Savinja river (July 2010). Photo: praimann, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Dreta river

The Dreta flows down from Gornji Grad and joins the Savinja at Nazarje, just a few minutes from Mozirje. It is a smaller, more intimate river, and a nice change when the Savinja is high or busy. The club manages the Dreta from its source to the confluence, with brown trout, grayling, rainbow trout and huchen.

Gaj pond for relaxed fishing

If you prefer stillwater, or you are fishing with kids, the club's Gaj pond in Mozirje is stocked with carp and other coarse fish, as well as predators such as pike and zander. It is a calm spot for a few hours with a float or a lure, and it is usually open for much of the year. Check the current rules first.

Further afield: upper Savinja and the Velenje lakes

Further up the valley, towards Ljubno, Luče and Solčava, the upper Savinja and its tributaries are managed by other local clubs, with wilder mountain water. In the other direction, the lakes around Velenje and Šoštanj offer stillwater fishing about half an hour's drive away. Each water has its own club, permit and rules, so check with the club that manages it before you go.

Seasons

As a rough guide, the fly-fishing season for trout and grayling on the club's waters runs from spring (from 1 March) to late autumn, and the huchen season is in winter, from November to mid-February. Each species has its own open season within that, and the rules can change from year to year. Please always check the current regulations for the exact water and date.

Permits and rules

You need a valid fishing permit (ribolovna dovolilnica) to fish in Slovenia. Guests can buy day or multi-day permits for the Mozirje waters online through ribiskekarte.si, or ask the club directly via rd-mozirje.si. Keep a few things in mind:

• Catch and release is the rule for guests on the main fly-fishing waters around Mozirje.
• Barbless or crushed-barb hooks and restrictions on flies and methods apply on many stretches.
• Read the rules for your permit before you start: species, seasons, sectors and methods differ by water.
• Handle fish gently, especially in low, warm water in late summer. Wet your hands and keep fish in the water when you can.

We are not the authority on fishing rules, so treat this as an introduction and use the club's information as the final word.

Why anglers like staying at House K

• River on the doorstep: walk to the Savinja instead of driving to every session.
• Early starts, late finishes: fish the morning and evening, with a quiet house to rest in between.
• A fully equipped kitchen: make an early breakfast or a late dinner on your own schedule.
• Space to unwind: a garden by the creek and a cosy living room after a day on the water.
• Something for everyone: if you travel with family, there is plenty for non-anglers too. See our things to do in Mozirje and family-friendly Mozirje.

Plan your fishing trip

Spring and autumn are lovely times to fish here, with fewer people and good water. Read more in when to visit Mozirje, and if you want a day off the river, try one of the best day trips from Creekside House K, such as Logar Valley, where the Savinja begins.

Tight lines, and book your stay at House K.