The Unica River is formed at the confluence of two karst rivers, the Pivka, which flows from the Planina Cave, and the Malenščica, a calmer and slower river, which also winds through the karst fields. Unica then winds its way through the Planina Field, where it makes most of its way until it finally disappears in the sinkholes below Grčarevec.
It is the most famous karst river, known beyond Slovenia’s borders because of its beautiful surroundings and rich riverbed ecosystem. Due to the karst soil, rich in nutrients, the fish in the river are healthy and strong, they reach above-average lengths and are therefore a real challenge for fishermen.
Fish: several species of fish live in the river, from pike, carp and chub, but the most interesting and wanted fish species for anglers are grayling and brown trout.
Catching season and minimum landing sizes: Fishing on the Unica River officially starts on 1 May and lasts until 30 November. The different fish that live in this karst river have different catching seasons, and they also differ in their minimum landing sizes. As for fly fishing, the catching season for grayling is from 16 May to 30 November and its minimum landing size is 40cm, and the hunting season for brown trout is from 1 May to 30 September and its minimum landing size is 50cm. The catch limit is 1 grayling or 1 brown trout per day.
A fishing permit for 1 day costs €99, and a 3-day fishing permit costs €247.50. For the lower part of the river (from the bridge in Laze to Ponikve), a fishing permit for 1 day costs €20. Permits can be purchased online or at sales points:
Pub Demšar
Planina 99, 6232 Planina
+386 (0)5 756 50 13
+386 (0)4 174 13 01
Fisheries Research Institute of Slovenia
Sp. Gameljne 61a, 1211 Ljubljana Šmartno
+386 (0)1 244 34 00
Click to purchase online
Fishing district: Fishing is allowed from the spring to the bridge on the Planina–Laze road, but fishing is also allowed in the tributaries that flow into the Unica River when it flows through the Planina Field
Tips for fishing on the Unica River: It is best to go fishing as early as possible to wait for the sunrise by the river and thus have the opportunity to disturb the fish during the morning feeding. As already mentioned, it is possible to catch brown trout and grayling in the river, but any other fish can also grab the fly. Since the Unica River is not too long, if you are fast, you will be able to get through a good part of the river in one day, especially during the day, when the fish are not as active. Towards the evening, choose the spot that seems most promising to you, preferably somewhere in the middle or lower reaches, as fishing is most productive there.
Sunset is grayling time, and if you’re resourceful and patient enough, these river beauties will chase your bait in the fading sunlight. It should be emphasized that the fish in Unica River are picky, but if you offer them the right bait, for example a good imitation of a nymph, you can expect to find a river beauty in your net.
If you want to try your luck fishing on the Unica River, but you don’t have enough information, you can easily contact us or visit the website for guided fishing trips.
