On February 5, 2022, we set off on our mission “Huchen Fishing 02/2022” to Slovenia. In a way, it was a journey into the unknown, as neither of us had ever been huchen fishing outside our home waters before. After a deeply relaxed drive with a short tourist stop at Lake Bled, we arrived at our accommodation one day before the start of fishing. There, we were warmly welcomed by Velibor and part of his team. We received a brief introduction to the contactless check-in at the guesthouse (“Penzion Kovac”) and were able to move into our rooms.

In the evening, we went out for a joint dinner, followed by the “mission briefing.” What initially sounded very unfamiliar and extremely structured (almost military-style) proved the next morning to be exactly the right approach. You start before dawn and have to stalk through the forest to the water (without headlamps, almost 30 minutes) without drawing attention. Any other plan or approach is doomed to fail.

Due to the lack of visibility and orientation, there is no other option than to implement the learned lessons exactly as instructed. The tips were briefly reiterated at the water by our guide Markus before he assigned us to our spots. However, he already mentioned that there was a good chance we wouldn’t even make it to the next spot, as strikes often come within the first few casts.

So we dropped off Christian first and were about to sneak on when we heard the splash of his lure, followed by a loud “glub.” A few seconds later, another loud splash was heard, and it was clear: fish activity! We hurried back and asked Christian if he had actually hooked a fish, but he was already too focused on his adrenaline level and the fight.

Time and again, the huchen tried to escape toward the bank, but the tips from our guide Markus and Christian’s skill gave the predator no chance. After about 15 minutes of fighting (we were lucky due to the low water level), we were able to land the fish successfully: 1.22 meters long and over 20 kg in weight! Handling proceeded exactly as instructed the evening before, once again under Markus’s clear guidance. The fish was carefully unhooked and always remained in its element. The king of the river and a truly majestic creature!

For everyone involved, the most beautiful moment was witnessing how strength returned to the fish and how it disappeared back into the deep darkness with two short but powerful strokes. Thus, the mission objective for Christian was achieved with his very first cast—an unforgettable experience, especially since it was his first huchen ever.

All of this worked solely because of:
– the absolute know-how of our guide
– strict implementation of what we had learned
– complete trust in the guide
– respect for nature and local conditions
– the appetite of the huchen 😉

Since the last point was somewhat lacking during the remaining days of the trip, I would like to conclude by commenting on the general conditions. The town of Radovljica itself is well worth a visit even without huchen fishing—the location and charming old town alone attract countless visitors every year. The accommodation was well maintained and clean, and the quality of the included breakfast, which we huchen anglers perceived more as brunch, was outstanding and always lovingly prepared by the guesthouse owner.

Despite some COVID-related restrictions, we were always well taken care of in the evenings and went to bed with full stomachs.

But most importantly: the team! This was not “team” in the corporate sense (“T”ogether “e”veryone “a”chieves “m”ore). Rather, it was genuine camaraderie—respectful and considerate. Among anglers, everyone is always the better one who has caught bigger fish, but in this group, that wasn’t the point. It was simply about fishing for huchen as effectively as possible and ensuring that everyone had the best possible time on the water. Everyone shared the same mindset, and communication on the water worked almost instinctively after the first day.

As guests, we didn’t really know (apart from the target species, huchen) what to expect from this trip. But we were pleasantly surprised—our expectations were exceeded by far. Even in my personal case, without landing a huchen but with a missed strike and a fine rainbow trout, it is clear that this trip was not a one-time experience.

In the end, it was perfect: a perfect location, a perfect team, and perfect guiding. As a huchen angler, you really couldn’t spend your vacation any better! The next dates have already been requested and will hopefully be confirmed.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Velibor and Markus, the Cast & Believe team, and Lazy Frogfish! Keep it up, fight for the preservation and connectivity of the Sava and all flowing waters—“just flow means life – no flow no life”!

Warm greetings from Bavaria from Christian and Stephan!
Short report: fishing trip February 2022, Sava, Slovenia.

After two days, I am allowed to call myself a huchen angler. 😊 Thank you, Velibor, for the perfect instruction and motivation. You always said that you build us up so that we are fit and strong at the right moment—and it worked perfectly. My huchen was just a teenager; I am small myself, so he was perfect for me. The days were demanding, but flew by quickly amid a wonderful landscape and very pleasant people all around.
Thank you, and until we meet again.

Heidrun Schiele

At the end of October, the team of Global Angler magazine was a guest of Velibor Ivanovic and his partner Markus Schmidt. We were deeply impressed by the quality of the guiding and the opportunities on Slovenia’s Sava River. It is already certain that we will present our “successful” visit in words, images, and an exciting film in the upcoming spring issue of Global Angler (www.globalangler.de).
Conclusion: Rating “Highly Recommended”!

Peter Wahl

Beautiful days at a beautiful place are behind me. The nature and scenery along the Sava are simply unique. Velibor is a top guide who is always there with professionalism and passion. He knows every stone in the river, and his experience in huchen fishing is second to none. Our trip was crowned with a beautiful huchen… the next trip is already being planned.

Thank you for everything.

Thomas Gebauer

My first trip to Siberia with the Cast & Believe team was already perfect, but this current trip to the Sava exceeded all my expectations. Dreamlike landscapes, one of the most beautiful rivers I have ever seen, and outstanding service made my first huchen adventure in Slovenia perfect. Unfortunately, I lost two large huchen and had three missed strikes… BUT NO MATTER—I will be back and am already looking forward to the next trip with the Cast & Believe team and Velibor.

Live your dreams.

Tom Senftinger

Cast and Believe is the motto! On a fishing trip, there are many variables at play and few certainties. One of these is that the guide truly makes the difference. Knowledge of the spots and regulations is important, but it’s not everything—a good guide must also be an expert angler and know how to motivate and advise the fisherman. Velibor undoubtedly embodies all the qualities of a perfect guide: a great connoisseur of Hucho hucho rivers (and beyond), an excellent angler, a motivator, and a provider of outstanding advice and fishing strategies. A guaranteed reference for the Balkans and beyond.

Giovanni Stifani

Velibor’s incredible wealth of experience, combined with a wonderful family-like and friendly atmosphere, creates the trust needed to pursue the dream of catching a huchen on some of the best and most beautiful stretches in Europe.

An absolutely recommendable and truly unique fishing experience.

Markus Leutner

Hello dear Cast & Believe team,
I would simply like to say thank you for the past years spent together hunting huchen in Slovenia. For me, you are the best guiding team I have ever had the pleasure of getting to know. Whether it was advice on equipment or choosing the right lures, I never once had the feeling that it was just about making money.

What was most important to me, however, was the guiding on the water—in or along the river. What I have been able to learn over the days from the team or personally from Velibor is priceless and cannot be measured in money. No matter what questions I had, everything was always explained to me clearly and understandably, including practical lure presentation. Whether wobblers or streamers, I always received valuable tips.

Thanks to this great support, I was already able to outsmart two beautiful huchen with a double strike in January 2020. Personally, I can only say—and write—if I can recommend anyone for all-around guiding, then it is the Cast & Believe team.

I am already looking forward to the season opening on October 1, 2020, and to November 2020, as I have already booked.
Many thanks to the Cast & Believe team, Velibor and Markus.

Dickes Petri
Edgar Wolf
( Edi ) Team Bayern
Mia san Mia

Velibor Ivanovic—a great guide and organizer and now also a good friend. For many years, we have been planning new fishing adventures with him time and again in pursuit of huchen and taimen. As a guide, he is one of the top experts when it comes to huchen and taimen, always ready to help with advice and hands-on support. As an organizer, he is extremely reliable, offers excellent planning, and always has an ace up his sleeve in case something doesn’t work out or goes differently than planned—which can easily happen in fishing due to water levels and other unpredictable factors. We can only recommend that anyone who wants to get up close with these fish get in touch with “Caki” (as he is known among friends).

The Fishing Brothers Dennis und Sebastian Kieker

I would like to take this opportunity to especially congratulate my friend and partner Velibor on the 15th anniversary of his agency. His tireless commitment to river conservation, environmental protection, huchen conservation, tourism, and many other projects he takes on is absolutely unique, and for that reason I have the utmost respect for him. I wish him continued maximum success in all the tasks he approaches and masters with his positive attitude and 100 percent determination.

We have been traveling together for 12 years now, and I have been able to accompany Caki almost from the very beginning of this journey. As a child, I dreamed of the waters of the Balkans, which I knew only from films, but I never thought it would actually be possible to one day have the opportunity to pursue giant fish in crystal-clear waters. By now, we have already traveled countless waters around the world—especially throughout the Balkans—and many more are yet to come!

Markus Schmidt

A phenomenal fishing trip. Everything was perfectly organized, we were very well taken care of, and we were able to fish at fantastic spots. For the senior of our group—our father—it was a dream come true at the age of 83: to fish for a huchen once in his lifetime. Thank you, Velibor, for this unforgettable experience.

Tanja Medick

Josef Heisl

Olaf Gehrlhoff

Thank you for the perfectly organized trip and the competent support. You can truly feel the passion and expertise behind everything. Absolutely recommended.

Thomas Kindel

As a guest and guide, I came to know Velibor “Caki” Ivanovic as highly competent, exceptionally helpful, and consistently professional with a strong commitment to sustainability. Through his warm, family-like manner, our shared values, his straightforward approach, and positive vibes, we became friends and business partners.

Stephan Wolfschafnerl

Velibor Ivanovic guarantees a perfect fishing experience in dreamlike locations. A trip with him is unforgettable and worth every cent—whether in the Balkans, Mongolia, or Siberia.

Robert Korn

Dear Velibor,
As an organizer: you do outstanding work—organizing, taking care of people, and fostering togetherness. You are a good person.
As a guide: you are very helpful, you know your way around on the water, you know what you’re talking about, and you have an incredible wealth of knowledge.

Bernd Ranacher