Stephen`s day on Ješkovo

Photos and story by special "Fly Fishing Nation" guest star Janko Bartolec
For those who don't know Janko, please read his bio and a story about his Rio Gallegos guiding experience.

http://flyfishingnation.jimdo.com/the-syndicate/janko-bartolec/
http://www.flyfishingnation.de/blog/2015/01/la-gordita-no-1/

Janko Bartolec and his personal best streamer caught pike

Have no idea if season closing for fly fisherman is still and where happening on Stephen`s day (used to be on Gacka or Klokot) but this year decision for my fly fishing buddies was to make our own version of it on Ješkovo. Nearby lake (old meander of Drava river that is couple of hundred meter away) near Gola village, just on the Hungarian border. Following outstanding autumn/winter fly fishing season for pike there were no  other options around. Warm December no snow but Sun on forecast. Perfect!

As it all depends on weather conditions, fishing was rather slow that day with couple of small pikes caught among us. Sometimes they are blasting all over the place, sometimes not, some action is guaranteed for sure. But in the end day was just perfect for me. Nice, healthy, fat, pre-spawn fish made my day.

Not enough room is just no excuse not to go fly fishing there since there can be two of you without problem, if you know what you are doing. Light weight fun for sure. They did not believe it`s possible until they tried.

Main reason for such a healthy population of fish are C&R regulations that allow artificial bait only. Such a regime isn`t much popular among local fisherman but to contradict them guys from ŠRK Ješkovo together with regular ranger controls managed to turn devastated water into a true jewel.

Lovely, barely touched lake scenery fades away as Sun is setting below horizon. This year is almost gone so is the fishing till April unless it gets warm enough during January so the ice melts off.

Main reason for such a healthy population of fish are C&R regulations that allow artificial bait only.

As the weather can be strange mistress in this time of the year so was the day after. Clear night with severe temperature drop surprised fellow fisherman that arrived all the way from Zagreb with not so thick but enough ice on water surface to prevent them from fishing until late afternoon.

the day after - ice on water surface

Cold on the lake

cool photo report from lake Kruscica: Ivan Cvitkovic

Early morning

Huge pikeperch released

Dalien filmed his friend Boris Leskovar with a fat pikeperch from river Sava. Congratulations for releasing this amazing fish for future…

Extreme fishing or insanity?

After driving a boat on the roof of the car for 2,5 hours, and purchasing daily fishing licenses at Perusic, we finally came to the place where we can launch our craft. It was so cold and the river Lika was icebound, but this couldn't stop us to drove aluminum craft 40 minutes downstream, breaking the ice to the lake Kruscica. And what for? For just a couple of perch. Extreme fishing or insanity?

ice on the river

breaking the ice

Small pleasures

Sunday afternoon. Few hours of fishing, 2 lesser pike and 2 happy anglers.

What are we fishing lately?

Daily responsibilities take too much time and little remains for fishing. Still, here are a few photos from our last, rare fishing trips ...

1. Kanji Challenge Rovinj

Sezona ribolovnih natjecanja u punom je jeku. Osim slatkovodnih, gotovo svaki vikend održavaju se natjecanja i na moru. Ovoga puta riječ je o natjecanju u lignjolovu i sipolovu koje se održalo u Rovinju. Zajednički organizatori i pokrovitelji natjecanja su trgovina ribolovnog pribora Garbin iz Rovinja, te tvrtka T.P. Olivari iz Samobora, koja je ujedno i distributor vrlo kvalitetnih i jako lovnih Kanji skosavica. Uostalom i natjecanje nosi naziv Kanji Challenge, a svaki od 40 natjecatelja dobio je na poklon jednu Kanji skosavicu. Odaziv natjecatelja bio je izniman, pa je velik broj zainteresiranih, nedovoljno brzih kod prijave čekao u redu, ne bi li tko odustao i oslobodio koje slobodno mjesto. Kup je internacionalnog karaktera, jer bilo je i inozemnih natjecatelja, a rezultate i službeni izvještaj možete pročitati na blogu

http://ribolovnipriborolivari.blogspot.hr/2015/10/1.html?spref=fb

Sipa ulovljena na Kanji Clicks Pro Spec 2,5 skosavicu

Ukupan ulov svih sudionika natjecanja

Željko Kuk osvojio je prvo mjesto

40 natjecatelja

Vaganje

Sretnici koji su osvojili vrijedne nagrade organizatora natjecanja

4. Oresje Pike masters

10.10.2015 održano je natjecanje u varaličarenju štuka 4. Orešje Pike Masters. 

Sijedi kratak izvještaj iz usta organizatora Daniela Vignjevića. 

"U plitkoj bistroj vodi punoj lopoča, najbolje su radile razne nezakačive površnske montaže. Ukupno je 21 ekipa uhvatila 22 štuke prosječne težine preko 1,5 kg.  Upisalo se 13 ekipa, a gotovo da nije bilo ekipe koja nije prijavila poneko zbivanje sa velikom ribom koje su u teškom terenu lako uspjevale pobjeći. Također je  uhvaćeno puno budućih čonti koje nisu bile iznad 40 cm...

Uvjerljivi pobjednici kupa su ekipa Bumble lure (Brane i Mario Kalinić) koji su u čak 4 ribe imali 11,34 kg. Najveću ribu dugu 94 cm tešku 5,90kg uhvatio je Brane na svoj površinac (model žaba)

Moram se najprije zahvaliti članovima Sloge Orešje na fantastičnom domaćinsvu. Za zanemarivu  naknadu dečki skuhaju, spreme i nakon nas počiste dom i  na najljepši način dočekuju svakog gosta, te čuvaju i unaprijeđuju ribolov štuke na ovom prekrasnom jezeru!
Drže se skupa i složno rade. Neizmjerno mi je drago da im je pošlo za rukom u tri godine napraviti trenutno našu najbolju vodu za ribolov štuke i stvarno se osjećam ponosan biti član tako malog, ali složnog kolektiva.Posebna zahvala Kruni na stvarno fantastičnom gulašu, predsjedniku Peri na sto stvari, Mireku, Hadalu na peharima i naravno mom prijatelju Oktalzu bez koga vjerojatno ne bi niti bio u cijeloj ovoj priči! 

Zatim veliko hvala mojem dugogodišnjem partneru  tvrtki Olivari koja distribura top varaličarske brendove poput Okume, Savage Gear-a Mustada, Gosena i Kanji te  prati moje kupove od samih početaka. U današnje vrijeme nije lako pronaći tako pouzdanog sponzora stoga im se od srca zahvaljujem!"

 Rezultati 4. Orešje Pike masters 10.10.2015

1 Bumble lure - 11,35 kg (4 ribe, najveća riba natjecanja 5,90kg)
2 Overmura fishing team SLO - 5,71kg (2 ribe)
3 Garbolino junior team -  4,50 kg (2 ribe)
4 H&S team - 4,19 (3 ribe)
5 Curice - 3,19kg (2 ribe)
6 Team Kupa River - 3,14kg  (1 riba)

7 Feel Free kayak - 2,22 (2 ribe)

8 Dvije Letve -  1,97kg (1 riba)

9 Kayak fishing FEA SIsak -  1,61 (1 riba)

10 Prazne udice - 1,54 kg (1 riba)

11 Spinnka 2 - 0,91kg (1riba)

12 PONTOON 21 - 0,93KG (1 riba)

13 Spinnka 1 - 0,56 kg (1 riba)