I dont expect this thread to get much activity, but I will try and keep it alive in the hopes that I get some new ideas.
Anyone been fly fishing in Europe? Share where, when, and your experience. I am always looking for new locations.
So far, in Europe, I have done:
Albania
Bosnia
Bulgaria
England
Montenegro
Scotland
Slovakia
Following--for my husband, although, I may live to regret it.
Lindy, you just need to either get a good book and a blanket to lay on or bring your own set of waders.
There are spectacular waters in Europe and the cost is half of what he would spend in the US or Canada. So demand the savings for your interests.
I am returning to Bosnia in about 30 days. Ive got a great fishing guide. Charges the same for two as he does for one. So tell him you have a good idea for him.
Thanks. I'll check Bosnia. Hope there's lots for me to see and do. I also hope you get some info on your thread. He just returned from bonefishing in the Bahamas and will be off fishing in Alaska in August. In between, we'll be in France. He contacted guides in the Dordogne but never received a response from them.
This will be my third trip to Sarajevo and second for fishing.
For Bosnia (Bosnia & Herzegovina) the plane lands in Sarajevo. There use to be a direct flight from Budapest, but now I have to change in Belgrade (also worth a stay). The cost out of Budapest is about $250 RT. There are direct flight out of Vienna.
Sarajevo is one of the most interesting cities in Europe. Truly where East and West meet. Part Orthodox, part Catholic, part Muslim. Here you find a bar next to a halal restaurant or tea house.
https://youtu.be/udSaIXuM_Js?feature=shared
Then on the trip out of Sarajevo to reach the fishing hotel, you can stop at a few of these.
https://youtu.be/bNsTMjBw8gg?feature=shared
The fishing hotel isn’t too shabby either;
https://hotelkraljevac.com/en/home-page/
https://youtu.be/QNpUWXV3RkI
Fishing (the guide with transportation to the rivers
https://www.fishingbosnia.com/
Close to Montenegro (also good fishing) and Croatia it makes for a good tour of the region. I know a good trip planner in the region that could help you plan a trip to Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia ..... or book the whole trip for you.
9 May: Depart Budapest and arrive Sarajevo - a little sight seeing in Sarajevo.
10 May: morning in Sarajevo then transfer to the fishing hotel (about 3 hours)
11, 12, 13 May: fishing
14 May: morning transfer to Sarajevo (about 3 hours) - a little more sight seeing in Sarajevo
15 May: return to Budapest
Sarajevo Hotel about $150 for two nights
Fishing hotel (4 nights), fishing guides (3 days) and transfers to and from Sarajevo about $900
Flights about $275
In the US or Canada the hotel would be $1200 and the fishing guide $1500. When I was living in Texas I discovered that flying to Europe to fish cost no more than going to Colorado.
The fishing hotel is pretty well located for seeing a number of the sights in Bosnia.
This is great information! I've wanted to go further east in Europe. I'm passing along your information to my husband. Thank you, again.
If you look at my list above (and on my information page) you might discover that I love Eastern Europe
If you want more, just PM me ( i can point you to good tourism too) .
Oh, and husband would maybe love this: https://www.thewanderingangler.com/en/sana-river/
I am too old to stand in a river is sub-freezing weather so I have passed on it. But I am always in the region (live in Budapest) if husband comes east and needs a fishing companion.
Thanks for the offer. We'll be looking at May/June 2025. I might just hit you up.
This mostly for Lindy. I have used this outfit before with good results and am going again in May hoping to be there for the Mayfly hatch. They have many rivers for varying prices.
My wife doesn’t fish either but has a sympathy for it. She’s happy exploring or chilling on the bank with a book too.
I've fished the Test and itchen. Those are the fly fishing holy land. Every fly fisherman is required at least one pilgrimage in their life.
Thank you, Joe. I do love England and have not been to either the Lake District or Yorkshire. I have wanted to see the Lake District ever since the Beatrix Potter exhibit at the British Museum. Yorkshire is a must see having viewed the recent All Creatures Great and Small. My husband can fish all he wants! I'll pass your info along to him.
Circumstances put off my second fishing trip this year, but now its a go. It will be early to mid-October in Montenegro.
That will be my third fly fishing trip to Montenegro. Doing a little less adventerous this time.
Will be staying at Motel MB Tara that overlooks the Tara River Canyon https://youtu.be/5QhSY9uWkrY?si=FJ9HhkHymWXZRv7F . The deepest in Europe and a really, really beautiful place. https://youtu.be/9aGMZB8hB5Y?si=1DhDwMFcrcM3C1xR A little tourism, a few tourist shops that are more like Christmas market vendor cabins. There are a couple of zip lines across the canyon https://youtu.be/OESJTvKpeIc?si=JOXQb6EhM3yP9y_c first zip line I ever did in my life ... many, many years ago. For warmer weather there is rafting in the river below https://youtu.be/rhqtDqoHJbw?si=LZx2qhU8p7b16t6M . Otherwise not a lot to do, but the hotel has this beautiful deck that looks out over the landscape, the food is pretty fair and the beer is cheap.
I fly into Podgorica on a Tuesday (Wizz only flies to Montenegro on Tuesday and Saturday). Unfortunately it is one of those crazy early flights. Takes about an hour and I arrive about 7:30am.
I have a friend that has a tourism business in the Balkans and she is arranging my transfer to the hotel. Normally its a 2.5 hour drive but the short route is closed for repairs, so we go the 3 hour route. Good news is that it goes right past Hotel & Restaurant Sokoline located just below the cliff built Ostrog Monastery. The Sokoline has one of the most beautiful views in the Balkans. https://youtu.be/miNV1FVK7qI?si=lYzjMIA2L-16_hwh so the driver is going to get an early lunch so I can enjoy it. Ive done the monastery before so I think I will skip it this time https://youtu.be/ixrJu6qv46M?si=HXqVEC19Pw0Ow9iY.
Then three days of fishing. There is better fishing to the east, but this is as much about relaxiation as it is about big fish, but we do probalby 2 days on the Tara and one day elsewhere. https://youtu.be/8iuAJb9-dp4?si=B_wLqJiU8Cn7usSg
The flight back leaves at 1pm on Saturday from Podgorica so its another early morning to make the transfer to the airport.
I started fishing the Balkans long before I moved to Budapest. In the US a guide, and you need a good fly fishing guide if you are going to do well, will set you back $500 a day in most places in the US and Canada. Here the prices have gone up. My guide and licenses will run about $160 a day. So, if you fish solo, for a 3 or 4 day fishing trip, the savings on the guide about pays for the ticket over from the States. Factor in hotel and food costs and it costs no more for an American couple to fish here than it does in most good places in the US and Canada. If you want trophies I know a gentleman that will take you for Huchen (Danube Salmon). Its cold weather fishing, but the things run a little larger in size than NorthWestern US Steel Head.
Sounds wonderful! Please post in October. My husband just returned from Alaska, fishing for graylings, chum salmon, rainbows. He just finished showing me photos! I'll share your post. He really wants to fish in Ukraine. . .
I know the place to go in Ukraine. If he wants to go, let me know. We can do it in the Spring.
He says he'll hit you up once Russia has been defeated and you can both add to the local economy!
The place in question is closer to Romania than Russia and the border is open and there reliable means of travel .... just saying.
And I just got an invite to fish Mongolia if anyone is interested.
