Freestone · Mixed · Primorsko-goranska / Gorski Kotar, HR

Kupa (Upper / Risnjak NP)

Kupa spring (Risnjak national park) 2

The Kupa rises as a powerful karst spring at the foot of Risnjak near Razloge, and the national-park water runs from there.

Today · A proper day on the water
Czech Nymph
Forecast · Today
A proper day on the water
A proper day for it. Work the seams with an upstream nymph, switch to the dry when they show.
72% projected
Today's fly
Czech Nymph
Czech Nymph
Conditions on the water · Today
Live gauge
Level
Rising
5.14 m
Lifting fast
Water temp6.9°C
ClarityVery coloured
Weather2°C
WindN 15 km/h
Pressure1025 hPa
Rain · recent163.0 mm
Rain · ahead4.0 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Hucho
Cool — slow
7°C est.ideal 8–14°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Hucho
When
Late May to September for trout, with grayling extending into mid-October on the park section
Where
The Kupa rises as a powerful karst spring at the foot of Risnjak near Razloge, and the national-park water runs from there.
Why this works
Poor — barometric pressure is working for you, but water clarity is the limiting factor today. Autumn/winter hucho conditions — active but not peak.
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 11am

12pm(now) — Autumn Needle Fly

Stage: Creeping nymphsApproach: Heavy nymphActivity: 20%

Peak activity at 11am — Autumn Needle Fly

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 4 guilds as a supporter.

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · November highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
1
Grayling seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
1
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1
Iron BlueHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Blue Winged OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Hucho fly box
OB
Olive Baitfish Streamer
10–14cm · Fly
Olive, tan, and natural-toned baitfish imitations match the primary prey of huchen — dace, juvenile chub, and grayling fry.
NR
Natural Roach / Cyprinid Streamer
8–12cm · Fly
A precise imitation for selective conditions on clear rivers such as the Una, Dunajec gorge, and Kolpa.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Croatian fishing licence plus local permit
  • Risnjak park section is catch-and-release, fly only, single barbless hook, no boats, and no night fishing
  • Park entrance also applies.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Fishing better nearby · 5
River Kolpa
22 km
74
Brown trout · Grayling · Hucho
Kupa (Upper / Risnjak NP)
< 1 km
Brown trout · Grayling · Hucho
Kupica
14 km
Brown trout · Grayling
Curak
16 km
Brown trout
Bloško jezero
35 km
Carp · Pike
Gallery · 3
  1. Kupa spring (Risnjak national park) 2
  2. Kupa (Risnjak National Park) — IMG 20180713 163857(fixed)
    IMG 20180713 163857(fixed)
  3. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

Strict conservation fly fishery within Risnjak National Park — catch-and-release only, barbless hooks, no boats, no night fishing. The upper Kupa flows through dense Gorski Kotar forest with brown trout and grayling in classic upland freestone water. Good hatches of olives, caddis and stoneflies through spring and summer. Euro nymphing and dry fly both productive. Deeper stretches also hold huchen — strictly regulated trophy fishery in winter.

  • Mixed
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Good
  • Chemical: Unknown

WFD classification · HRCSRN0481_001

The full read · show the working · for Hucho · confidence 40%
How the 20 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature74 × 30%22.2
Flow80 × 25%20.0
Clarity10 × 20%2.0
Feeding Time50 × 15%7.5
Pressure85 × 10%8.5
Limiting factor: Water is unfishable — too coloured for Hucho= 60
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
What would change the calculation
A drop and clear would lift the flow and clarity scores.
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 16 May → 30 September
  • Grayling 16 May → 15 October

    Conflicting sources for Kupa grayling season: Risnjak National Park (upper Kupa, C&R) lists grayling 16 May – 15 October; Kupa Fly Fishing operator lists 1 April – 15 October. Use the stricter May window until the specific beat/concession confirms otherwise. Croatian national rule: one rod, artificial fly or lure only in permanent grayling habitats.

    Prime sport 1 August → 15 October

    • 16 May → 15 Oct · Artificial fly or artificial lure
  • Hucho 1 October → 28 February
Related guides
Hucho / Danube Salmonspecialist apex-predator guideGrayling Playbookgrayling tacticsEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts
At a glance

Kupa (Upper / Risnjak NP) is a freestone river in Primorsko-goranska / Gorski Kotar, Croatia. It sits at about 384 m above sea level. Our data lists brown trout, grayling and hucho here. The trout season is recorded as running from 16 May to 30 September. The grayling season is recorded as running from 16 May to 15 October. Best window recorded for anglers: Late May to September for trout, with grayling extending into mid-October on the park section. Core methods listed: Upstream nymph; Dry fly. Level and flow data for this water is linked from 1 gauge. Its Water Framework Directive ecological status is recorded as good. Nearby waters in our listings include Kupa (Upper / Risnjak NP) at < 1 km, Kupica at 14 km and Curak at 16 km.