River San · access
Podkarpacie, south-eastern Poland · Poland
- SanokThe practical base, with PZW offices and tackle shops in town.
- Lesko / SolinaBelow the Solina reservoir, where the river is bigger and cooler.
- Zwierzyn / Bieszczady reachThe wild upper river inside the national park; a park permit is required.
Licence and rules
Licence and rules. Poland requires a fishing licence from the Polish Angling Association (PZW), and visiting anglers can buy a temporary licence plus a day permit for the specific water. The upper San above Sanok has fly-only, catch-and-release sections for grayling, and the national park section requires an additional park permit. Local permits are sold at PZW offices in Sanok, Lesko and Solina.
Season
Grayling 1 May to 31 October; brown trout all season; barbel and chub in high summer
Flow
1,000–5,000 cfs; the upper San is a spate river and rises quickly
The upper San is a spate river fed by Carpathian rain, and it can be unfishable for a week after a wet spell. The Solina dam on the middle river moderates flows below it, so the reach at Lesko is usually clearer and more stable than the wild water above. Summer low water is the classic grayling condition, and the fishing is best in the two hours before dark.