In the waters of the Ljuca river, Plav lake and Lim, the competition part of the jubilee twenty-fifth European championship in fly fishing began, which is hosted in Montenegro for the first time.
President of the Association of Sport-Fishing organizations of Montenegro, Omar Basic, said that everything went well and that the host cities Plav, Gusinje, Andrijevica and Berane did their best to show our country in the best way possible.
"There are about a hundred contestants from twenty teams and states from across Europe. These are the best fishermen in fly fishing in the world. Their criteria are very high, but I think we have met the same. Already on the first day of the competition, we have great catches and even more impressions of nature and Montenegrin rivers," Basic said.
He reminded that the European championship in fly fishing is taking place in five areas - on the river Ljuca, in the territory of the Gusinje and Plav districts, then on Plav Lake, on the route below Plav, in Andrijevica and Berane.
"Local self-government in all municipalities has helped us prepare both financially and mechanically in preparations. The Ministry of Agriculture also assisted with the organization," Basic said.
He recalled that fly fishing is one of the oldest disciplines in sport fishing.
"Some even call it royal fishing and it is very popular in the world. In addition to a special accessory, it requires creativity and craftsmanship. You catch the fish in clear waters and gather a large number of nature lovers who, over time, have been promoting the technique," Basic said.
According to him, the goal is not to eat the fish - but to return it to the water so it can continue living, extend the life of the species, or gratify another fisherman.
"It is too much to emphasize how much this technique contributes to the conservation of fish stocks, and the participants in fly fishing enjoy adrenaline, competition and unique experience. For this most human aspect of fishing, it is often said that it is about life philosophy," explains Basic.
The zone of fly fishing in Plav is one of the best and most diverse offers in Montenegro, and tourists are equally attracted to the fly-fishing zone on Lim.
"We expect the European championships to promote these terrains significantly and to contribute to the development of fishing tourism, which is very popular in the world," Basic said.
The European Championship in fly fishing on the fields of Gusinje, Plav, Andrijevica and Berane will last for the next three days.
All of the one hundred competitors, judges and controllers who came from twenty countries are accommodated in hotels in Plav.
Text by Tufik Softic, on July 3rd, 2019, read more at Vijesti
