Location
Northwest region of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 2 hours ahead of GMT.
Spring
The River Unac starts as a Mlinski Creek at 876 m from the slopes of Mount Šator and flows through the municipality of Drvar and finally flows into the Una River in Martin Brod.
Characteristics
Main tributary of the Una river. Depth varies from 20 to 250 cm. Width varies from 15 to 30 meters. Danube Basin.
Description
This exceptionally pure river is Una’s first main tributary. The lower course of the Unac River and its canyon are included in the Una National Park. The Fly fishing Only zone is around 4/5 km long. Rainbow trout hold an abundant population in this river. There is a fishery from where huge numbers of trout manage to escape and then spread in Unac waters. You can catch a few dozen fish with ease varying from 20 to sometimes 40 cm. Although this river is most popular among beginners, some advanced anglers can target huge rainbow trout. These big fish are not a bite for everyone and can provide a challenge even for experienced fly fishermen. Water temperature varies from 5 to 7 ° C and is completely drinkable throughout the whole river stretch. An interesting fact is that the Unac River is an influent stream, which means that it loses water as it flows downstream. The water infiltrates into the karst recharging the local groundwater. In summer parts of the river can dry out, due to the reduced inflow of water from the surrounding forest streams, leaving behind small lakes with water full of fish.
Fish Species
The river Unac has turned into the perfect fly fishing school due to its predominant population of rainbow trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss) which are fairly easy to catch. There is a huge number of rainbows in the river coming from the massive fish farm. The native brown trout(Salmo trutta) and grayling (Thymallus thymallus) are also present in the Unac water but are much harder to catch simply because the rainbows are much more competitive and outnumber them.
Type of fishing & equipment
Rods AFTMA 3 to 6 can be used from 9 to 10 ft and longer if you are practicing high sticking techniques. For dry fly and nymphs, a WF floating line to match the rod size will do ideally. Tippet shouldn’t be smaller 6x (0,12) as there are huge trout in the river and the current is really strong. When fishing streamers rods from 6 to 8 weight are recommended and much stronger tippet material- minimum 2x (0,23).
Any attractor patterns will be good for the rainbow trouts, and more natural match the hatch patterns of nymphs and dry flies will be effective to catch the native fish in the river.
We have large selections of flies to match the hatch throughout the whole season and the fly tying equipment is always ready on the desk so we guarantee to provide you with the flies for the very moment if necessary.
All the equipment necessary for up to 6 persons can be provided by us. Long fishing boots, rods, reels, lines, flies, etc. The cost is 15 euro for rod and reel, 15 euro for high waterproof boots and 20 euro if you need both. The prices are for one day only. The Check-clean-dry regime is followed strictly.
Season and regulations
Brown trout- 1.03 to 30.10
Grayling- 1.03 to 30.10
Fly Fishing Only! Catch and Release only! Every caught fish is gently released! Having a net is obligatory! Single barbless hooks only!
The best season starts in June and ends in September. For dry fly fishing after the middle of July until the end of September.
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Season Top Season
Capacity
Maximum 6 persons per trip.
Safety
The river Unac at Martin Brod is relatively easy to wade in when in normal water flow.
Sunglasses, hats, sun lotion, mosquito repellents, waterproof clothes, and a wading staff are recommended. We can always provide them, but you might prefer to take your own.
Nearest airports
Zagreb in Croatia (3 hours and 10 minutes drive to the town of Kulen Vakuf), Sarajevo in BIH (4 hours and 50 minutes drive to the town of Kulen Vakuf).
Lodge
When fishing the Unac river we use the guest house in Kulen Vakuf Seosko Domacinstvo Una- Ostrovica. It is just 10 minutes drive downstream and gives the perfect opportunity to fish both rivers Una and Unac. The hosts are really friendly and kind people and the local food they prepare is brilliant.
What Else
There are numerous sights and places to be visited when staying in or near Martin Brod. It is considered as part of the Una National Park. Beautiful waterfalls, the Unac river gorge, and an orthodox monastery are just some of the places nearby.
For all those who want to experience peaceful and pleasant recreation or adventurous excursions in the canyon of Una river, we offer some unforgettable rafting experiences as well as tailor-made trips to different natural and cultural phenomena in the area. Bihać is only 20 km from Croatia’s most famous national park – Plitvice Lakes National Park, which means you can see two parks in two countries in one day if you are a keen traveler. In addition to all this natural wealth, there’s also a fascinating cultural-historical side to Una National Park and its surroundings. From archaeological sites and several fortresses to various religious buildings and medieval towns.
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