Spring fishing at Vipava

Let’s not start complaining of just another Easter lockdown at Slovenian Rivers… But here comes another Spring, where fly fishing normally lifts off, and here we were - stuck again in space and time. Also, this year’s guiding log looks pretty empty. One reason more, we want to use the spare time at our waters. Guess, that is why the first fishing day at Vipava, a day after lockdown, was so anticipated.

A week ahead the rainy days have brought some water in river systems and already start of the week the water levels were returning to April average. The only reservation I had was: “Where to start the day?” Rather an easy choice, as the lower part of river Vipava, is where I mostly get my fishing job done. Wild trout is what keeps me coming, whether a marble trout, a hybrid or a brown trout, all fit my bill. For those not in a knowing, the Vipava is mid-sized river, flowing through a green Valley, between vineyards with just a tad too much human interference into bank protection, which tamed its former meandering glory.
 
I could get all high by trying to put the mid-April at Vipava, but green is a great approximation of the stream and its surroundings. No early bird necessary, at least that time of the year, so I switched into waders well after nine. First stop at the bridge. One look upriver and already first hybrid spotted, levitating just below surface. Speedily, clipped the light nymph and CDC Baetis emerger on. The water was a bit on a high side still, therefore also the terminal part of leader was lengthened for a third to get slack into drift. It would be easy to exaggerate wildly, how easy it was to put the fly just right for the fish to take. In reality, first few cast were well placed, but the mid current took the line to fast to manage good two seconds of a drag-free drift. Few casts later the trout was down and out of water myself. Trying to spot the silhouette again. Fortunately, fishing gods were with me and fish rose few minutes later, three meters above first spot. This time aerial mending did the trick and two casts’ latter, the fish nosed the fly. The fight was a relatively lousy job, as the fish wasn’t fighting well. One look at it and fins not proportional to the size, gave out its provenience.
 
First Baetis sailboats spotted in the current and a dimple good five meter higher in the back eddy. Few minutes later, few nosing(s) later, the fly placed on right current lane and bang fish darted to the nearest cover. Obviously wild trout on and a good minute to bring it to the net. This time, the hybrid was spot on, good 16 inches of wild hybrid trout. A good mix of marble and brown trout gene pool, and the world was fine with me. Took another 10 minutes, nothing rising and decided to go full-head into dry fly fishing today.