In search of mighty Hucho

 River San was once a top Polish fly fishing destination. River is rich on grayling particularly, also it has decent population of brown trout and huchen. The main goal of my trip was huchen , or Danubian salmon (Hucho hucho). The huchen is large freshwater salmonid, related to taimen. The native habitat range of this fish is Danube river basin in Europe. But, it successfully planted in few rivers which do not belong to Danube drainage, including Polish rivers San and Dunajec. 

What is known about river San' huchen. Unlike rivers in Austria or Slovenia, where these fish live in deepest pools, which require heaviest lures and flies to reach them, San is a shallow river. It's depth is average 30 cm - 1 m, with rare holes more than 1,5 m deep.  Which means, in San, huchen can be effectively fished with intermediate , or even floating line. Especially now, when river level is 165 cm and 9,43 m3/s at Lesko.

Early in the morning, I started to fish famous Huchen hole #1.  The place is colloquially named as "pod skalką" (under the rock pool). The gear im using is Traper Silence SW 9wt 9' fly rod, and Rio Outbound short intermediate fly line.

I started fishing with intermediate line. After hour or so, I noticed big fish splash on the other side, just under the rock.  I cannot reach far bank with my cast. I slowly walked through the middle of the river, it's above my waist in the deepest part. 

I found the position, where I can hit the opposite bank. Then streamer swings diagonally downstream, until line is parallel to the bank. Ideal combination, that should work, if fish is in the biting mood. By the way, stripping basket is very necessary piece of gear for that kind of fishing. On San river, it often requires deep wading. Without basket, intermediate line would sink or dragged by the current, tangling or reducing casting distance.

After few successful casts, I snagged my streamer on the tree. I torn off the leader, streamer left on the far side. Soon, I snagged second streamer. If this will continue to happen, I will loose all my streamers. I crossed the river to the far bank, and recovered both of my streamers.

Of course, my wading near the bank scared all fish off, if it was there. I made few casts without hope.

Despite it looks good, that hole is better to fish from the right bank, or from the middle of the river, if level is low (as it is now).

After short break, I drove to another location, Huchen hole #2, or "pod lasem" (under the forest). There is fast main current with depth 1-1,5 m and big boulders on the bottom. On the right side, there is pool with very slow water, so-called "frog water".  I believe that fish would hold on the border of fast and slow current. 

I spent 2-3 hours, casting to this hole.  No reaction.    I crossed the river near "Eldorado" flats (famous grayling place), and reached my car parked on the other side. Then I drove further downstream, to the "Prison" site. it's called like that, because there's prison on the left bank of the river.

Below the prison, there's few shallow (up to 1 m deep) runs with fast current and pocket water.   This place would require floating line and long leader.  I tried to fish it with intermediate and had many snags.

On the way back I fished hole #1 until it gets dark.  No reaction, but I saw 3 big fish splashes during the day - one in the morning and 2 in the evening. Which means, they are somewhere nearby. 

After day-long fishing session, I returned to the private hotel "U Mirka and Dorotki", where I stayed. I was tired and felt asleep early.