Gacka River

Gacka is one among the three best known trout sites in the world. The beauty of this surrounding nature, the ambiance, and the fishing opportunities are able to capture the hearts of all those lucky enough to ever come and visit the worldwide known beauty.

Gacka has a powerful source - the Tonkovic vrilo. Knjapovac, Begovac and Malinisce constitute the tributaries upstream. Downstream is the "strongest" brooks: Sinacka pucina and Kostelka. It springs surprisingly quietly below the canyons of the hills spreading behind Mount Velebit.

Its soft current meanders through the Gacka Valley, from its spring in the southeast, to its gulf in the northwest. Only some eleven kilometers from Sinac to Vivoz have remained out of its original 32-km long flow.

Further down, it has been tamed by canals and directed by a tunnel to the Gospic polje artifical lake. Through yet another tunnel, Gacka reaches the turbines at St. George's and finally meets with its sea. Until recently, Gacka was flowing freely by its south arm towards Svica, first to the Upper Svica Lake, and then, passing through the mill-wheels, cascaded down to the Lower Svica Lake.

There was one of the three pondering spots. The other two was in Gusic polje. It used its final strenght to flow down Kompolje and leave the above-ground world in Hrvatsko polje. Gacka is extremely rich in both flora and fauna. The vegetation is abundant owing to the favorable water temperature, conveniant chemical structure, silty bed, and moderate flow. Submarine vegetation grows throughout the year, but is growth is nevertheless more pronounced in the warm seasons. As many as 25 plant species have been identified: Algae, Bryophytes and woody plants.

As regards the fish species, Gacka is famous worldwide for its brown trout. Apart from Salmonidae (brown and Californian trout), the following other species can also be found there: Thymallidae (grayling), Cyprinidae (roach and tench), Esocidae (pike), and Cobitidae (weather-fish). The following species have also been spotted in Gacka: carp, European eel, chub. Brown trout in Gacka grows five times faster then in other carstic rivers, owing particulary to the optimal water temperature with only minor ascilations, plenty of oxygen and the water's mildly alkaline chemical structure. Gacka's "secret" lies in the rest of the fauna is abounds in. There are 17 water animal communities i.e. organisms spread throughout the river's entire course, constituting the basic nourishment for the brown trout to which it owes its unusually rapid growth.

Sports fishing in the River Gacka has some limitations conditioned by the river's capacities. Before the Patriotic war, about 4000 permits were issued anually to foreigners and another about 6000 to local fisherman, depending on the management of the various river parts. The fishing season lasts from the beginning of April until the end of September. Total annual sports catch amounts 1000 - 1200 kg from the spring to Oriskovic most in Prozor i.e. 450 kg from Oriskovi most to Vivoz. Throughout its entire course, Gacka constitutes a natural nurcery ground. In addition to that, the river is being stocked with trout fry every year.

The beauty of Gacka is eternal, and that is why it is well loved even by those who only saw it once. The "European beauty's" pristine nature offers particular pleasure, along with the possibilities of active, quiet and healthy rest in nature and the fresm mountain air, walks, hunting, and fishing of the autochthonous brown trout. ( source Licko-Senjska Tourist Board :http://www.lickosenjska.com/ )

Gacka River Related Topics:

Croatian Rivers include: River Sava | River Drava | River Neretva | River Cetina | Zrmanja and Gacka River