Recommendation for the best fly fishing fisheries (streams & dams) nearby the national park Giant Mountains (Krkonoše) in the Czech Republic.
Jizera river
Jizera is a peat mountain river with a bronze tint of water. The upper course of the river is hidden in the beautiful forests of Jizerske mountains. The river here comprises mostly of rapids, rolling between huge boulders and is full of potocni trouts. Recommended techniques at the locations here are dry or wet fly, french nymph and streamer.
After approximately 20 kilometers the river enters an area of vast meadows with an abundance of graylings. Here, the best period for flyfishing of graylings is September and October (and, if there are no freezing temperatures, even November). There is a lack of feed in the water at this time and trophy-size graylings will readily seek your flies. The river is cca. 20m wide here and its depth ranges from 0.5 - 3m. An absolutely unparallelled experience prepared for epicure fly anglers is an evening flyfishing in this part of the river - the moments you will never forget.
Elbe river (Labe)
The biggest (and well known) river of the Czech Republic will suprise you by its natural beauty and abundance of various fishes in its upper course. Crystal-clear river springs high in Giant Mountains (called Krkonose mountains in Czech), the highest mountain range in our country and crosses, among others, Spindleruv Mlyn dam on its course (see Location below).
Elbe starts as a river approximately 5 -10m wide. In its upper course (before the dam), the river is full of boulders and rapids and there are plenty of common trouts, rainbow trouts and brook trouts (Salvelinus fontinalis). The character of the rivers partly changes after few kilometres and the most frequent fish species here is grayling. The best period for grayling hunting here is Autumn. Well-proven flyfishing techniques at Elbe river are mostly Czech and French nymphing and dry fly.
Bedrichov dam
Bedrichov dam - a crown jewel of the flyfishing locations in the Czech Republic - lies hidden high in the mountains, far far away from the bustle and hustle of any civilization and it is surrounded by a natural beauty of moors and moorlands. Its remoteness contributed to conservation of the wonderful surrounding landscape and it is no wonder the dam had been nicknamed Little Canada. Nisa river, the source of water for Bedrichov dam, has an increased content of iron oxides and so the water in the dam is a bit reddish - the distinctive sign of this location.
The most fished and most searched fish here is brook trout. Its population is steadily growing in the dam - a good catch is therefore guaranteed! The selection of a suitable flyfishing technique and optimal fly will be left for you to decide, we recommend to try luring the pugnacious brook trout by using a midge fly.
A visit of the presumably most beautiful flyfishing location in our country will not be an easy titbit, though: the only way to get to the water is by walking and it takes almost 50 minutes to get there! Also, a very strict nature conserve policy around Bedrichov dam restricts flyfishing activities only until August 31 every year. Nevertheless, the reward for everyone will be a ‚once-in-a-lifetime' sight at a nature wonder and a flyfishing experience you will never forget in your life!
Spindleruv Mlyn dam
Stretching almost 20 hectares, Spindleruv Mlyn dam is a private dam at Elbe river in a mountain resort below the royalty of the highest peaks of Giant mountains. Almost all kinds of fishes are to be found in the dam. Due to organized trout and brook trout replenishing programme in the dam it is possible to catch impressive specimens here (e.g. trouts up to 60cm in length!). There are a special set of rules applying at this location, allowing the fly anglers e.g. to utilize the belly boat devices.
Other locations
Among other locations in the Giant Mountains area which I would like to recommend to you are Horska Kamenice, Little Elbe or Upa rivers. The three rivers are not far away from all the above mentioned locations and are within a convenient reach.
The author provides guiding service on the above destinations. More info at: www.flyfishingczech.com.
