Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 15 May 2026
We have moved to Bovec, Julian Alps, and we are fishing Soca river. We arrived on Monday under heavy rain. Tuesday morning was still grey and rain so we had nap after breakfast. When woke up it weather was starting to get better, no rain and little brighter weather, not sun, yet brighter.
We did shopping and fueled car and during that hour weather truly changed. Sun came behind clouds, or should I say clouds just disappeared. And we got hurry to go fishing.
Tuesday would "rehearsal" day as is totally new river and have to find spots etc. There was lot fishermen in area we planned to fish as rivers on lower part was unclear, you can't say muddy as there won't turn really muddy, water just isn't emerald green clear like crystal clear anymore. And level in down part had rose too much for fishing.
We found some fish and fished those. Good size marble trout, we tried nymphs, dries and even streamers, nothing worked. Fishing around spots as we could find some without fishermen. Tuesday came and gone, now we have plan where we gonna fish on Wednesday, big day, I will finally get my birthday fish.
Four years ago I had great chance for gourami, I barely landed fly in same lake on that time. Could be beacuse jetlag or jungle juice, who knows. Two years ago I lost huge snakehead, burn from line in finger is only visible memory from that birthday fish. Now it will change, beautiful river full of fish.
We had breakfast 7.30 and we were on river just after 9 am. Full day fishing, happy birthday to me.
Satu spotted nice marble right after we arrived and she started to fish that one, I went little downstream which looked good spot. I started to get rods ready and Satu came afterwhile with no success. I told her to fish that spot and I went to try marble we saw. I waded to middle and tried from that direction as it was on difficult place to fish from bank.
I didn't have success either so I went to see how Satu is doing, and she had just released nice marble trout. I was really happy for her as she did grand slam, marble, rainbow and brown trout plus grayling in one trip. Down part was that we couldn't have photo that Satu would be with fish. She only got few photos in net, good enough.
There was still multiple fish in spot so it was my turn to try. I had absolutely no reaction, I tried different nymphs and dries, nothing. We moved downstream to find new spot. There was good looking peace but it was occupied as there was guide with client fishing.
Down from us it looked nice bend and I started to fish with nymph. Satu was wondering if Ismo's pupa would work and I say try as fish don't even probably know that fly. I fished down and looked crossing place so we could continue from other side as our side got impossible to move after faster water.
I went see how Satu is doing and she had just netted rainbow trout. And it was absolutely nice one. I took some photos and I was truly happy as it was awesome catch for her. Satu went back to car have some lunch and I kept fishing the area, I found few marble trout and one even rising. I matched to hatch, tried something out of box and everything between, with absolutely no result. I started to feel hate from river and curse from birthday.
And at that moment I got message from Satu that might be that we have ticket on windscreen. And just few minutes later she confirmed that I got parking ticket even there was no parking sign where we left car. I took risk when driving over bridge which said no driving but there was houses on other side and day before also some cars parked so I thought it will be okay. Obviously it was not, happy fucking birthday to me, fee is 160e. Pay and cry.
We went to look new spot and came back down just on other side where Satu caught rainbow. We had lunch by the river and started to fish again. We were only ones around. Again we found some fish and absolutely no result. This won't be my day, not with fishing. I enjoyed fishing a lot and as there was sight fishing it kept me going, Satu was now just hang round.
We fished until 8pm, suprise, with NO result. On that point Satu checked if there are restaurants open as she promised to take me to nice birthday dinner. Guess what?! All restaurants were closing at 8 pm. We didn't have any food in accomandation except some bread. We drove from river back to Bovec hoping there would any restaurant open. While driving thru village we saw that one seems to be open and if nothing else there was snack bar open and also ice cream bar.
We changed quickly clothes and manage to get in restaurant just 10 minutes before kitchen closes. We had nice dinner in local restaurant. Happy birthday to me.
Thursday started with nice weather and I went fishing for morning. Result, I know allready, nothing. Rain started after noon, not heavy so I kept fishing, everyone else were gone and whole river was mine to choose. I went on spot where Satu caught marble trout. I found some fish there and some of them rising, I went everything from box, except emptying box on river so fish could show which one is right. There was even big fish jumping 50 cm in air, basically laughing and showing middle finger, not like generation X type, sign of love, but like teenager's fuck off mid finger.
I gave up, wet and humiliated. I went to accommodation where Satu had make lunch, ate and had nap. It was still raining when we woke up, I decided to go and fish shortly. Fished one hour, no result. Satu was hanging around, we went to have beer and wine. It is time to give up to Soca river. You won this time. I don't know why but you obviously hate me deeply.
Birthday fishing curse is on and it is even getting worse. It is not only one day... it is now few days around.
It is not raining, time to go one more to fish river which hates me. It is beautiful river with bad attitude.
Have a nice weekend and go fishing
Mika the Legend, from Slovenia
Ps. coming up Dr Jekyll and mr Hyde
And something else