Hundreds of mountain rivers and crystal clear lakes are home for more than 110 freshwater fish species of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Wherever you go, you’re sure to find a fish worth to catch. Have in mind that the fishing permit is required on all rivers and lakes!
Northern Pike (Esox lucius)
Northern pike (Esox lucius) or simply Pike for short – štuka in Bosnian language – grows to a relatively large size, up to 55 cm but with maximum recorded lengths of 150 cm and published weights of 28.4 kg.
Photo Credit: Vanja Hadžiavdić
Northern pike are most often olive green, shading from yellow to white along the belly.
Photo Credit: Jeff Vanderspank
They are typical ambush predators, lying and holding perfectly still for long periods while waiting for prey and then exhibiting remarkable acceleration as they strike.
Photo Credit: Vanja Hadžiavdić
Pike are found in sluggish streams and shallow, weedy places in lakes and reservoirs, as well as in cold, clear, rocky waters. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, you should try your luck on rivers Krušnica, Una, Sana, Bosna, lake Pelagićevo, etc.
Season: 1st of April -31st of January.
Minimum Length to be kept: 40 cm
Grayling (Thymallus thymallus)
Photo Credit: Vanja Hadžiavdić
Grayling (Thymallus thymallus) – Lipljen, lipljan in the Bosnian language – is found in the purest waters rich with oxygen. Characterized by the colorful dorsal fin, silvery-yellow body, and white belly.
Photo Credit: Vanja Hadžiavdić
It grows up to 50 cm and 1.5 kg. It feeds on flies, shrimp, larvae, and other smaller aquatic animals. Grayling prefer to swim in calmer sections of rivers and fishing with the use of an artificial fly makes it a perfect catch throughout the mid-May to end of October season.
Photo Credit: Vanja Hadžiavdić
Season: 1st of April – 30th of November
Minimum Length to be kept: 30 cm
Hucho Hucho – Danube Salmon
Photo Credit: Vanja Hadžiavdić
Hucho can reach 150 cm in length and more than 50 kg in weight but these specimens are very rare. The huchen that holds the world record in weight was 58 kilograms (128 lb) heavy, caught by Bosnian angler Halil Sofradžija at the Dragojevića Rapids on the Drina river, near the town of Ustikolina in Bosnia and Herzegovina in January 1938.
The average catch is between 80 and 100cm. Hucho longer than 110 cm is a real trophy, hucho over 120 cm is a real giant.
People often say that hucho hucho is a fish of thousand casts but if you are not experienced enough you can never catch this beauty. The water level must be a little higher, air pressure must be low or getting lower and lower, rain or snow.
Photo Credit: Vanja Hadžiavdić
Because of its small natural habitat, it can only be found and caught in the rivers of the Danube basin, and some of those rivers are located in Bosnia and Herzegovina such as Krušnica, Lašva, Una, Sana, etc.
Season: 1st of June – 31st of December
Minimum Length to be kept: 70 cm
Marble Trout (Salmo marmoratus)
Photo Credit: Bistobih.ba
Marble Trout (Salmo marmoratus) – Glavatica in Bosnian language – is the largest trout species in Europe. It is characterized by a distinctive marbled color pattern and high growth capacity. The intensity of color varies considerably upon the surroundings.
Its typical size is 30–70 cm but the largest recorded one was 117 cm and 24 kg.
Photo Credit: Vanja Hadžiavdić
The marble trout is piscivorous, feeds mainly on smaller fish and benthic invertebrates. One can successfully fish for it with fly fishing with nymphs and spin fishing techniques as well.
Its habitat is limited to the rivers of the Adriatic basin such as the Neretva river.
Season: 1st of April – 31st of October
Minimum Length to be kept: 60 cm
Common Nase (Chondrostoma nasus)
Photo Credit: Bistobih.ba
Common nase/Nase/Sneep (Chondrostoma nasus) – Škobalj in the Bosnian language – is widespread throughout Eastern Europe and so is in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They inhabit moderate to fast-flowing large to medium-sized rivers with rock or gravel bottom. Generally, these fish grow to 25-40 cm in length, and up to 1 kg. However, the unique specimen is known to reach up to 1.6 kg in weight.
Photo Credit: Bistobih.ba
These bottom-dwelling fish mostly feed on algae and other aquatic plants.
Photo Credit: Bistorbih.ba
Try your luck on the Drina, Bosna Una, Sana, etc.
Season: 1st of June – 31st of March
Minimum Length to be kept: 20 cm
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