The Visocica is the central river of the Balkan Mountain massif in Serbia. It is created from several strong brooks which have their sources in the area on the altitude of over 1700 m. Two strongest sources are named by the villages they flow through – The Dojkinacka River and The Jelovicka River. Both sources with their tributaries have length of over 40 km, where they have mostly brown trout andbullhead population, with occasional groups of brook barbel. To the contrary, to the Temstica, which flows on the other side of the Bratkova Strana Peak, Visocica and its tributaries goes through sandstone, slate and limestone, and its morphology depends on those formations. The sources meet at the place called The Vrelo, where they also receive waters from two strong limestone springs, which results in stronger flow, deeper pools and bigger trout population. The Vrelo area is well known as a natural breeding place for trout and in the autumn there is plenty of mature trout which are preparing for spawning.
After a few kilometers of flow through pastures the Visocica enters its first gorge – Boboviste, which is cutting through limestone of the Vildic Mountain massif. This part of the river is a fly fishing only zone, where it is allowed to fish with the fly fishing tackle and the legal size of the two trout that may be taken is 30 cm. The average size of the fish is around that size, while larger fishes are rare. Fish diet is mostly water insects and gammarus, while bigger specimens also eat small fish.
After 4 kilometers of flow through the next valley and the villages called Visocka Rzana and Rsovce, the Visocica is returning again to the limestone massif, cutting it in the gorge called Vladikina Ploca, its biggest and most famous canyon, which is not passable in many places. All through its flow there is trout, chub and brook barbel, and the conditions for fly fishing are excellent. Flowing out from the Vladikina Ploca the Visocica again flows through picturesque valley to the village Paklestica where it enters the Zavoj Dam. This is an area with richest fish population. In May the river is full of chub that is going upstream for spawning, while in autumn there are many large brown trout which enter for the same reasons, sometimes staying in the river until spring.
All flies are useful on the Visocica, from nymphs to streamers. With better management it might became one of the best trout rivers of Serbia. It may be reached from Pirot, across Vidlic, near the Rsovci village (22 km) and further upstream to the Vrelo, or to the Zavoj Dam, where after the right turn on the place called Koprivsticki Krst (10 km from Pirot) the Paklestica village can be reached after 7 km. The housing capacities are not big – the Mountaineer Home in the mountain and hotels in Pirot, but also in the private houses in the villages. There are also many fine places for camping near the river.
Trout from Visocica River
