Ribiška Družina Barje (RD Barje).

Founded in 1955 (with sources indicating earlier activity as early as 1952), Ribiška Družina Barje (Barje Angling Club) manages waters in the Ljubljansko Barje (Ljubljana Marsh), south of Ljubljana.
The club has around 240 members, including about 40 junior members, and places strong emphasis on knowledge-based fisheries management. Around 50 members have completed professional fisheries-related training, including fisheries management, aquaculture, fish guarding, or instructor qualifications.
Originally formed in part around fish rescue efforts during dry periods on intermittent waters such as Lake Cerknica-style marsh systems within the Barje environment, the club has evolved into a broad management organization focused on conservation, angling, and stewardship of one of Slovenia’s most distinctive wetland landscapes. Unlike the alpine trout clubs of northwestern Slovenia, RD Barje oversees a mixed lowland and karst-influenced system where salmonid waters occur mainly in smaller tributaries and upper reaches.

Regulations.

• Fly fishing and spin fishing permitted, depending on the section
• Barbless hooks only
• Only one artificial fly or lure may be used
• Special rules apply in designated Catch & Release sections
• Check the permit for section-specific restrictions

Fishing season.

• General season: 1 March – 30 November.
• later opening on some rivers.

Rivers managed by RD Barje.

RD Barje manages a diverse network of waters in the Ljubljanica basin, ranging from marshland rivers and channels to smaller trout streams. While several waters are mixed fisheries with strong cyprinid components, the district also includes tributaries with notable salmonid fishing.

• Iška – The Iška is a torrential river flowing from karst headwaters through the scenic Iški Vintgar gorge before entering the marshland. It is the club’s best-known trout water, offering fly fishing for wild Brown Trout, along with some stocked Rainbow Trout. The river is technical and often best fished during stable spring and autumn flows. Fishing is closed above the confluence with the Zala, where a reserve protects the upper river.
• Želimeljščica – A smaller tributary flowing from the Turjak area into the Iščica, the Želimeljščica is one of the club’s key salmonid waters. It supports native wild Brown Trout and Grayling, with occasional stocked Rainbow Trout. This is intimate, technical fly-fishing water and one of the strongest native trout streams in the district.
• Ljubljanica – Known as the “river of seven names,” the Ljubljanica is the main river of the district and primarily a mixed fishery, valued for cyprinids and pike. However, the system also holds Brown Trout, Grayling, and some Rainbow Trout. While not a classic trout river throughout, it adds an unusual mixed-river salmonid element to the club’s waters.
• Iščica – A small karst river flowing from Ig into the Ljubljanica, the Iščica is another mixed fishery with cyprinids and predators, but also supports Brown Trout and Grayling. It offers a transition between lowland marsh water and smaller salmonid stream habitat.
• Mali Graben – A managed channel of the Gradaščica system, Mali Graben supports mixed fish populations including chub, barbel, pike, and rarer Grayling, Brown Trout, and Rainbow Trout. It is a more unusual urban-influenced water compared to the club’s more classic trout streams.

Licenses.

Fishing permits for RD Barje waters can be purchased:

Summary.

RD Barje represents a distinctive form of Slovenian fisheries management centered on wetland and lowland river systems rather than alpine trout waters. With roots dating to 1955 and earlier beginnings tied to fish rescue and conservation, the club combines strong tradition with an unusually high level of fisheries expertise among its members. Through management of tributaries such as the Iška and Želimeljščica, alongside the broader Ljubljanica marsh system, RD Barje offers a unique combination of trout fishing, mixed fisheries, and wetland stewardship in central Slovenia.