In search of chubs

Chubs are excellent opportunity for fly fishing in warm water rivers of Europe, where trout do not live. They are eager to take almost any fly, but the most exciting is dry fly method with big terrestrial imitations. Foam beetles and grasshoppers can be very successful in the summertime, especially in warmest days.

We with friend explored lower portions of the river Skawa. This section looked awesome, with many fallen trees, riffles and pocketwater.  The river was low, 115 cm at Wadowice and flow 8 m3/s.


It looks like a chub paradise. They love to hide under obstacles, and attack any insect swimming by.
But, to our disappointment, there were no takes.


What's happened with this river? Where is the fish? We don't know :-(
No bites on foam beetle. Neither on Czech nymph in the deep holes.

We drove another 20 km to Wisła.  Vistula, or Wisła, is a big river. But I found the place, where is big shallow riffle.  It looks like a good place for fly fishing.  River was low, 156 cm and 22 m3/s.

Once we arrived, the fish started to bite.  My friend caught few small ones, and one quite big chub. Maybe 35-40 cm.

I got few medium-sized fish just near the opposite bank.


Most fish was very small. I increased size of the beetle, to avoid small fish. But chubs do not afraid of the size. 15 cm fish can swallow foam beetle on the hook no. 8.

Attack of the chub is very spectacular, they take fly with big splash.


Interesting fact is that the fish feels warm, when you hold it in the hand. River temperature was nearly + 22 C.

We fished until the darkness came. Fish were still biting, but mostly small ones attacked our beetles in the dusk.


This was the first time I caught some fish in Wisła. I considered it not fly-friendly river. But there are some places, suitable for wading and fly casting for chubs and asps.


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