Fly Fishing Jizera River, Czech Republic

Country: Czech Republic

District: North Bohemia

Type: River

Location size
River: 50 km

Distance from
Praha (Prague): 130 km
Berlin: 350 km
Vienna: 450 km

Jizera offers more than 50 km of trout and grayling fishing in the area of Giant Mountains.

Lovely stream-river in the Giant Mountains, Czech Republic.

How To Get There

Jizera is around 100-130 km from Prague, which is less than 2 hours drive. Go either via Mlada Boleslav, Turnov, Zelezny Brod and Semily or you can take alternative route from Prague, via Podebrady, Jicin, Nova Paka and Jilemnice. From Semily there is a road that copies Jizera river up to Horni Sytova. Here you can turn left on the road No 14 and drive along the river up to Korenov. The upper part of Jizera creates the border between Poland and Czech Republic and this stretch is only accessable by foot.

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Location Details

Apart from the Czech - Polish border area where you can only get by feet, Jizera is easily accessable from the road that copies most of the fishing stretches. Either park close to any bridge accross the river or you can easily spot the small parking places along the road.

The stretch between Paseky and Korenov is pretty steep with large boulders in the river and fishing here is bit more demanding but beautiful.

During the summer river is low and clear and you must be extremely careful not to spook the fish. Usually the best fishing is after the rain when the water goes back to the normal level.

Species

Upper Jizera is full of brown trouts, lower streches (from around Ponikla and downstream) have good population of grayling. Lower parts (around Semily town) hold some corse fish as well (including nice chubs).

Equipment

For nymphing the best is 10 ft rod aftma 2 or 3. Dry fly fishing is another good method for Jizera and again lighter rods are recommended. You will need chest waders as some parts of the river have deep holes - however in most places the Jizera is easy to wade. Some fisherman who mainly fish with the long nymphing rod take their Tenkara rod with them for cases when the fish start to raise on dry flies.

Flies

Most successful method on Jizera is French nymphing and some of the most used patterns are smaller tungsten nymphs with golden, silver, copper or metalic pink beads. Sizes between 10 and 16 - depending on water level. Larger flies are usually used during the spring or after the rain. When the water is low, sizes 14 and 16 are the best choice. As on any rivers in the Czech Republic you can try original Czech nymphs or any other general nymph patterns.

From the dry flies we recommend smaller CDC flies - e.g. F-Flies, smaller sedges, duns or midges.

Practical Info

There is plenty of accomodation around Jizera. You can choose from basic rooms to modern hotels (especially in the Giant Mountains which is popular ski area for locals). For lower streaches of the river stay in town Semily (or near this town), for the upper streaches you can find plenty of accomodation around Jablonec nad Jizerou, Rokytnice nad Jizerou, Korenov or Harachov. There are couple of camps in the area as well.

For fishing in the Czech Republic you will need a yearly state ticket (Rybarsky listek) and the fishing permit (weekly or yearly). Czechnymph offers guiding service on Jizera river (see next tab for more info) or you can get your fishing licence in the fishing shop in Vrchlabi (Hobby G). We recommend to sort out the state ticket and fishing lincence prior your trip as it might be difficult to get it immediately.

Guiding

Flyfishingpoint offers guiding service on Jizera river. The service includes the full trip organisation including accommodations recommendation and booking, purchase of the fishing licence, tackle renting, full day guiding etc. Our guides are experienced fly fisherman with excellent fishing skills and local knowledge. Contact us for more details.