Adventures of fly angler in Poland

 I didn't go fishing for the most of the summer. There were hiking trips, orienteering competitions, family holidays and other things. So this is my last fishing weekend in the summer. Also, we have trout season closure in Poland from 1st of September.  The conditions were not the best. Raba is dirty, water clarity is 40 cm or so. Level at Dobczyce 251 cm, flow 10,2 cm3/s. The water wasn't very high, actually im very comfortable with 250-260 cm. I don't like when it's below 230, because river is too skinny, and gravel starting to cover with nasty sludge in shallow places. I started in one of my favourite locations, where I got earlier biggest trout on Raba in this year.   Deep places didn't produce anything. But I got small chub and couple of brown trout near the bank, in shallow water. I was sceptical about today because of the weather and water conditions. But, already went out of zero. Both fish on small brown nymph with hot orange head. There were no bites at al...

 Last reports from Raba shown that fish actively taking dry fly. I didn't have a luck with dry fly in this year. April, the best dry fly month, was spoiled my bad weather and snow. My attempts on Dunajec in May were unsuccessful. So Im kind of "dry fly virgin" in this year.  I arrived to the parking, and met couple of fellow fishermen. River is low, 227 cm and 5,74 m3/s. We started to fish slowly moving, flat section of the river. It's often good place for dry fly. After hour or so, I had no takes or nips on my fly. I also didn't see fish rising, despite of caddis flying over the water.  I bored and started to talking over the phone, make videos of my casting, etc, Then I decided to switch gear, and assembled anther fly rod for streamers - Vision Sisu. I rigged it with freshly acquired fly line Vision Hybrid , which is integrated skagit/scandi type line. After 2 or 3rd cast, fish aggressively attacked my streamer.  It was very spirited brown trout, it made a few j...

 Raba is a good location to fish early in the morning, before work. I woke up at 3:25,  packed my things and departed at 3:40. At 4:20 I arrived to the parking near the river in Gdów.   While I dressed up, and prepared my fly rod, another half of hour passed. So I started fishing around 5:00 . River was very low, 227 cm and 5,74m3/s. I usually prefer Raba in between 240-260 cm. Too low water means that some nice stretches are empty, fish avoids shallows during the daylight.  I took only nymphing rod. Rigged it with 2 flies: bigger red tag on the anchor, and small "pojebus" on the dropper. Soon, I got couple of small trout.  That was a good start. Then I got a strong take, and I figured out that fish was big. Whaat, its not just big, it's very strong. It didn't want to come to the surface. I released reel to let fish go. It started to move downstream, and I followed after fish too.  Then I netted it ner the bank. Victory! 53 or 54 cm. Very nice brown tr...

It was 3rd of June, Corpus Christi holiday.  I woke up at 3:00, loaded into the car at 3:10 and arrived to Tylmanowa at 4:15. This is my personal speed record , 93 km for 1 h 10 min with average speed 89km/h.   The river dropped to 204 cm, with flow 45m3/s and temperature +10 C.   I started at the same place, where I got big trout in my previous visit. The story about it is here: https://polishflyangler.blogspot.com/2021/05/pb-brown-trout-of-this-year.html But, due to low water, there were less fish in this place.  I caught 2-3 small trout, nothing really exiting.  Moved to other place, near sawmill. It's the same place, where we had guiding trip with Wojtek and Jaroslav two weeks ago.  I fished the place, where I hooked and lost nase (świnka or pigfish in Polish). It's a waist-deep run with moderate speed, and a lot of rocks on the bottom. I'd call that "boulder garden". It's tricky to fish because of many potential snags.  Soon, I got a big...

This season has not pleased me with big fish yet. In my previous trip, I lost 3 big fish due to negligent handling.  Weather report promised mix of sun and clouds in the morning, and rain in the second half of day. I woke up at 3:15,  loaded my stuff into the car, and headed to Tylmanowa village on the Dunajec river.  At 5:20 I dressed up in waders and started to fish. The river was a bit high , 216 cm and 63m3/s. The small trail between concrete wall and the river was under the water. Water was turbid, but not opaque, with 70-80 cm clarity.  High water means that fish can move from main current to the areas close to the bank, which often has quieter water.  I started with euro nymphing rig, pink silicone worm nymph on the bottom, and small brown one with orange head on the dropper.  Fish were very active. Immediately I caught 3 or 4 small brown trout.  It is good start, but I had a hope for something bigger.  And it's happened.   Immedi...

 On the next day, we booked guiding session with Wojtek Kudłacz, an owner of "Fly Fishing in Poland" hotel and guiding service. Despite of promised rain, the weather was nice, a mix of clouds and sun. The river level raised a bit compared to yesterday, it was 214cm and 60m3/s. Temperature around +10 C, which is very good for fish activity. After breakfast, we boarded to Wojtek's van, and headed downstream to the very end of Dunaec C&R section, near Ochotnica Dolna. The place is known as "Aquarium".   I was fishing in the middle of the river, and got only two small trout. In the meantime, Wojtek and Jaroslav moved close to the concrete wall , and I saw that Jaro is fighting big fish.   I rushed to see it, and here it is - proper Dunajec brown trout.  It took the fly just near the bank.  Then we moved more upstream, and found very nice deep and fast run, "with big fish", as Wojtek promised. But, only couple of small fish were caught there.  I go...