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Slovenia 2011
By Lindsay Simpson
 Due to work commitments this report has taken me some time to get to, I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the trip.
The usual crew were all up for a return trip Slovenia, the only change this time was that I was pulling the whole thing together. This is an easy enough job and any like-minded group can do a similar thing. The logistics were a little difficult for Graham L who was travelling from Germany. He was going to opt for the sleeper train to Ljubiana. So while the rest of us made our way to Stanstead by plane and car, Graham L was working a shift for his new employer.
I drove to the airport and left my car with pink elephant - a great service where you turn up and throw your keys to a waiting driver and off he pops and parks your car, perfect! I thought I was going to be a bit early for meeting up with James and Graeme S but I was only there five minutes and they appeared. I had thought I had forgotten my passport for a long and agonising couple of minutes as various bits of tackle, camera equipment and clothing were flying through the air as I frantically searched for it. Luckily, it had simply slipped down the side of my bag, phew. We then went about re-distributing the weight as you are only allowed 20kg on sleazy jet and James, as ever, was over, so luckily Graeme S helped him out.
The flight was uneventful and we arrived in a very hot Slovenia and picked up our hire car. This was a Galaxy type wagon with ample room for the four anglers and kit. I was down as the only driver but as Graham L was to be picked up at 0615hrs on the Friday morning, we thought it best to put Graham S onto the driving role. I drove from the airport to Bled this ensured that I would not have to drive again as I nearly killed us all on more than one occasion. Who knew the Europeans liked to drive on the left! Anyway we arrived at the tackle shop in Bled and purchased the tickets for the next day and squared up the very reasonably priced accommodation. Other than the near death experience in the motor, the trip was going swimmingly.
We enjoyed a grand pizza at a local restaurant and made our way back to the digs. I was sharing with James, as Graeme was to be up early to pick up Graham L. Now what went on next was a bit of a mystery, I got a phone call from GS to say that  he had been at the station since 0530hrs and there was no sign of GL. Ten minutes later a call from GL saying he had been at the station since 0550hrs, no sign of GS. Fifteen minutes later a frantic call from GS saying he must be at the wrong station. Five minutes after that, success, they had met up. I assumed the station must have been huge and they had just missed each other for almost two hours. When I went to delay our breakfast and explain to the staff that we would be eating later than planned they were somewhat surprised and said “but the station is very small”, apparently Cowdenbeath has a bigger railway station than the one the Grahams’ had been waltzing round for the best part of two hours. I made the most of this and the abuse was swift and often.
 I suppose I should mention the fishing. For those of you that river fish, imagine your most ideal water conditions with some of the best scenery in the world and this is what awaited us on the Sava. We had hit near perfect conditions and we did not waste any time splitting up and fishing. Within half an hour I had given up counting and caught a fantastic brook trout (mmmmmm). You can expect to catch Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout and a few course fish on this river apparently no Brook Trout are stocked. The tackle I would recommend would be a 3 to 4 weight rod and you should expect to sight fish for the most part. This is easy in the crystal clear water, although the fish have adapted well to their environment and can be difficult to see. Tactics from heavy bugging to dry fly work well. James was swinging wet flies across the river which also produced a lot of fish. The patterns we used are the same as those used on domestic shores so there is little need to spend a fortune in the tackle shop on flies. As for tippet material you can use anything between .009 and .014, but remember that you will be catching fish from anywhere between 1lb and upwards of 8lb so make sure you gauge the chances of landing that fish of a lifetime. The day was over all too quick and we all met up near the bottom of the trophy section for a dry fly fest. The evening rise on the Sava is like someone  boiling water, the fish are so active.
We retired for the evening and after another hearty pizza, we drifted up to the room to have a dram and discuss the day. We were to be up early in the morning as we had a two hour drive over the mountains to the Soca to try our hand for the famous marble trout. James and GL have both caught these fish on past trips and indeed GL has enjoyed the sweet taste of a marble trout, even though they are protected by law (twas an accident guv honest, I fell in the river and came up with it between my teeth).
This time I had borrowed GLs two weight; it was great fun and as I sit typing I have a big smile on my face at the memory. A three and half pound rainbow on a two weight has got to be experienced, awesome. No marble trout for me again, but GS broke his duck with a lovely specimen.  As I went back to meet up for lunch and to change to a meatier 3#, GL was fishing not far from the car and I could hear his excited shouts. He too had landed a marble trout. The fishing is tougher on Soca but extremely rewarding. We had a late lunch and moved locations to the main river to finish up our day. The weather broke and we received a good drenching for our trouble. GS drove us back to Bled and we enjoyed a hearty meal at a local Chinese restaurant.
The last day’s fishing came around all too fast. We were back on the Sava and spent our day mostly trying new methods and honing our skills. James and I stopped for a while to chew the fat and take in the sights. James had spotted a kingfisher working up and down the river and we watched as a deer swam across the river. After the break, the fish came onto the dry fly and it was great fun. As darkness fell, GL videoed the rise; it is eye-popping! We packed up and went to an upmarket restaurant where we were well and truly ripped off, ‘nuff said bloody salad bowl £5.00.
We got back to the room and tried our very best to finish the malt.
The next day we were going to visit the Skocjan caves, one of the biggest tourist attractions in Slovenia.
We travelled down to the caves and GL explained to us the art of combat tourism. This is foreign to me but as GL (the veteran of many a guided tour) explained, he was bang on the money. We were up against the very best at the game; a coach load of Japanese tourists and another coach of Germans. Although heavily outnumbered, we had a master tactician with us in GL. He had been to the caves previously and knew the inside line. He advised that we would have to be right at the door to get behind the tour guide but to be stood to, as either the Japanese or the Germans could slip past us. GS had the right flank but fell to a furious Japanese tour guide. Our line was broken and the Japanese surged past us. To add insult to injury, GS was nearly stampeded by a German woman who, had she not been of the fairer sex, may have found herself on the floor of the cave getting ten rapid from GS. We had lost the battle but the war was not over. I should mention at this point that the caves are amazing and if you go to Slovenia they are worth a visit. Anyway as the tour drew to a close, GL’s inside knowledge paid off again and we got our heads in front to reach the lift back to the surface level. The race was on to get back to the car park and GS had won, in your face Japanese tour guide lady, all four foot of you. We were pretty pleased with ourselves.
We said our goodbyes to GL at the train station (my word it was small) who was getting the sleeper back to Germany. The rest of us piled on the plane back to Blighty. This was not however, the end of GS and James’s journey. As their onward flights were cancelled, they spent the night in a local hotel and then had to drive to Scotland the next day in a hire car, emotional.
We had all said that this had been the best trip we had been on and we are looking forward to next year, destination to be confirmed. Suggestions on a postcard…
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news
Four of our members are involved in International events this year. Congratulations to Andy Croucher, Paul Kitchen (England) and Jock Kettles (Scotland) on their Loch Style Caps. Also for the first time in the clubs history we have a member of the English National Rivers team in our ranks, well done Graham Lumsden.
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