Our friend and legendary guide Vladi passed away 21st of July 2026. Here are some memories of him from his friends:
- Mirek Wnuk (former Tatra Fly Fishing owner):
Our Vladi has passed away – a legend in his lifetime and simply one of the finest people you could ever meet
I was introduced to him in 2018, and despite the 48-year age difference between us, we quickly became friends. It wasn’t just because we worked together at Tatra Fly Fishing – Vladi was simply the kind of person who was impossible not to like.
After their trips, our guests would often write that Vladi was a true gentleman and they loved listening to his stories as much as they loved the fishing itself.
Among fly anglers in the United States, Vladi was something of a celebrity. Many guests would ask if he could come down to the river just so they could meet him and take a photo, even if another guide was leading their trip. And Vladi would come, happily pose for the picture, then pick up a fly rod and show everyone his masterclass.
Every time I visited his home, he and his wife, Sylwia would always invite me in for something to eat or drink and a chat. Sometimes those conversations lasted for hours. And there was something truly magical about sitting in the kitchen of his traditional wooden Highlander home – it was an atmosphere impossible to describe or recreate.
One of those conversations became a two-part interview published in the Polish magazine Sztuka Łowienia (The Art of Fishing). I’m grateful we captured at least a small part of his incredible life and wisdom on those pages. It’s a memory that will keep his voice alive for many years to come.
I’m deeply thankful to Mr. Władysław for all the time we shared during the last eight years of his life. I’ll always remember him as he is in this photo from our fishing trip to Dolný Kubín in 2020- with a glass of wine in his hand, smiling, full of energy, and enjoying time on the water with friends.
Rest in peace, Władysław
- Jeff Currier (Vladi’s friend, former USA fly fishing team member) An article on Jeff’s blog about their shared adventures and extraordinary friendship -> https://www.jeffcurrier.com/remembering-legendary-angler-vladi-trzebunia/
Text itself from the Jeff’s blog below but we recommend to go to his blog and read the story with photos there.
Fly fishing lost a legendary angler last week, Vladi Trzebunia from Poland. While most don’t know Vladi, he was well known throughout Europe for winning the World Championships of Fly Fishing in Finland in 1989. Vladi and his five member team showed up to the competition with meager bamboo and fiberglass rods, Rimfly fly reels, cracked level tapered fly lines and old tippets. But their woven nymphs and Vladi’s famous, Trojan Worm, now called the “Vladi Worm”, were lethal. Team Poland took home the Gold Medal and Vladi earned the individual Gold and won it by the largest total points in the history of the event. It was the first introduction to a technique Vladi simply called, “Polish Nymphing”.
In 1998 I found myself in Poland fishing on Team USA with Jay Buchner, Gary Willmott, Walter Ungermann and Ken Holder. Gary and I were sponsored by Walter under one condition, we head to Poland two weeks before the World Competition and learn this deadly nymphing technique from no other than Vladi himself (hired by Walter). Despite controversy from his fellow Poles who didn’t like the idea, Vladi agreed to teach his craft. To settle the minds of his fellow anglers, he convinced them that Team USA would never be a threat. Deep inside Vladi knew with his guidance this would not be true. He would be correct!
I remember well the first day I met Vladi when he picked me up at the bus station in Krakow. I was a rookie traveler and flew into the wrong airport. I had to take a full day bus ride from Warsaw. Vladi took off his cap when he shook my hand and introduced himself. Next, he could see I was starving and he took me right to a pub for a kielbasa and a Żywiec beer. His English was poor but I spoke zero Polish and had already tossed my Polish dictionary. My pronunciations were so bad I canned it earlier in the day. About then, Vladi said, in broken English, “I want to learn English”. My response was, “I want to learn Polish nymphing”.
Gary and I still cherish those two weeks with Vladi. Vladi stood between us and coached us. Jay Buchner arrived a week later and soon Vladi was teaching his craft to all three of us. I’ll give you the short story, at this time in the history of the event, Team USA had never finished better than 28th out of an average of 32 teams. No individual American had scored better than 80th out of an average of 170 anglers. Well, thanks to Vladi we improved. Team USA finished 13th. I finished 18th individually and Gary finished 22nd. Jay was respectably in the 40’s but unfortunately Walter and Ken didn’t catch on to Polish nymphing as quickly as we did. They both finished in the upper 100’s.
That improved finish in Poland was the start to good things for Team USA. Vladi continued to coach me, Gary, Jay and upcoming US anglers both on the Men’s and the Youth teams. Scores got better and better. So much so that in Spain in 2003, Team USA finished in 5th place and I took home the first ever medal for Team USA. Vladi was with us in Spain and if it wasn’t for his guidance, this never would have happened.
Our performance in Spain was the first step in changing the view of competitive fly fishing back here in the US. Sure, I know some still hate it. But Spain showed that years of hard work and learning new techniques from around the world was a good thing.
Jack Dennis became involved and his notoriety brought more attention. Jack organized national competitions in the US which brought the “cream of the crop” to the World’s US Team. It was the beginning of fly fishing companies providing sponsorships which led to a younger team that could now afford to compete.
Jack Dennis became involved and his notoriety brought more attention. Jack organized national competitions in the US which brought the “cream of the crop” to the World’s US Team. It was the beginning of fly fishing companies providing sponsorships which led to a younger team that could now afford to compete.
The beautiful thing is that my relationship with Vladi went far beyond competitive fly fishing. Vladi was like an older brother I never had, my teacher for more than fishing but also life, a mentor and truly one of the best friends I’ve ever had.
You would think it would be difficult to keep a strong friendship being we lived 5,000 miles apart, but we found a way. We talked often and every summer and fall we fished together at least once if not twice. I traveled to Poland four times between the year 2000 and 2010. Vladi traveled to the US and stayed with Granny and I at least four times. Often for a month at a go. When he visited me in Idaho, I was able to return the favor of him upping my game in nymphing by helping him up his game in dry fly and streamer fishing on the great western rivers such as the Henry’s Fork, Madison, Green, Snake and South Fork to name a few. And yes, he learned to row a drift boat!
Some of the most memorable trips of my life were with Vladi. Three truly stand out. In 2004 I flew to Krakow and we drove through Eastern Europe for three weeks. We fished the famous River San in Poland, I caught a Huchen on the River Vàh in Slovakia, there were lots of European grayling on his worm fly in Czech and we caught chubs on lakes and ponds in Hungary. We even explored some of the stunning landscapes of western Ukraine (We got skunked there).
In 2010 Vladi invited me to travel Norway with him in his camper. In the early 80’s he was an Atlantic salmon guide there and we visited his old friends. It was the ultimate cultural experience and I landed my first Atlantic salmon.
In 2013 Vladi picked me up in Vienna, Austria and we fished our way through Slovenia, Croatia and Italy. That trip I realized Vladi spoke seven languages as well as just how famous he was in Europe. Every river we fished, someone noticed him and came for a visit. I also caught my first ever marble trout (Salmo marmoratus) that trip.
I have so many memorable stories about fishing and traveling with Vladi I could write a book. He was a true gift to me. Not only our incredible relationship but we hopped in his car and traveled to parts of Europe that few Americans ever see. And best of all, I was able to do the same from my stomping grounds. I took Vladi fishing in parts of Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Yellowstone that few Europeans will ever see. Looking back I realize just how incredible our run together was.
Vladi’s stories of growing up in Poland just after World War II were compelling. As a kid, a teenager or a young man, Vladi never imagined being able to travel the world. But it was that one amazing display of angling skills in Finland that changed his life. It led to new friends from all over the world and a chance to visit amazing places.
Vladi’s stories of growing up in Poland just after World War II were compelling. As a kid, a teenager or a young man, Vladi never imagined being able to travel the world. But it was that one amazing display of angling skills in Finland that changed his life. It led to new friends from all over the world and a chance to visit amazing places.
Vladi passed away last week at the age of 80. He had a truly extraordinary life. Vladi was one of the most incredible trout fly anglers of all time. Vladi, my mentor and great friend has moved on to greater waters. RIP my friend. Spoczywaj w pokoju Vladi..
