Nettle, the left tributary of the Parsęta together with its right tributary of the Ponik river are probably the most beautiful watercourses of the entire Parsęta river basin. Pokrzywnica flows from a small lake near the village of Rybitwy, in the vicinity of Świdwin, and it flows into Parsęta at a distance of approx 4 km upstream from Karlino. The total length of the river – 27 km, and the area of the river basin – 172 km2, the average slope of the river is 2%.
In the upper course it is a very narrow and regulated river. Only in the vicinity of Sławoborze, the river is fed by two small tributaries and drainage ditches, slightly widening and deepening it. Below Sławoborze, the river flows into a large forest complex and turns into a beautiful, typical trout river. The current becomes faster, sandy bottom, gravely, and rocky in places. The water in the river is very clean and cool. The shores are covered with alders, and in the depths of the forest various mixed trees – both deciduous, and coniferous. There are many fallen trees and large stone boulders in the river current, perfect hiding places for fish. The depth of the river to the mouth of the tributary Ponik is small, you can wade almost anywhere. Only in some bends and under tree stumps there are larger depressions. Pokrzywnica is famous for numerous excellent spawning grounds for sea trout and brown trout. In long stretches of the river, its bottom is lined with coarse gravel and stones. Local large drops, a strong current of crystal clear water creates ideal conditions for the development of salmon fish eggs. Trout from the Parsęta River grinds annually at these spawning grounds. Unfortunately, fish poaching, especially during the spawning season of sea trout, is common here. It causes enormous losses in the economy and for these reasons it should be fought with all severity. The most beautiful part of Pokrzywnica, it is its mid-forest middle course. Especially since it joins the Ponik stream, the river is beautiful and unspoiled. There are no human settlements anywhere, or even individual buildings. Several dozen meters below the mouth of the stream, the river rushes with a roar under a high railway bridge. Continue for approx 2 km flows through the primeval forest and is unregulated. AC, very fast in places, the depth of the river varies. The shores are swampy in places, and there, where the river cuts deep into the terrain, the edges are harder. At the end of the forest section, the river meanders and has several deeper pits in meanders. Then it flows out into wild meadows, where the traces of the old river regulation are visible. But here, too, it is very interesting. We meet a few more bends and narrowings with crazy fast current.
A small stream flows into the right, where small ponds were built in the past, now ruined. Gradually, the forest moves away from the banks and is visible only on the left side of the river. Behind the village of Garnki, the river is still regulated and flows through marshes covered with wild meadow and reeds. It falls to Parsęta around 3 km beyond the village of Garnki.
Ponik and Wilcza
Wilcza river flows from forest areas east of the village of Krzecko. In front of the asphalt road, connecting Sławoborze and Białogard, it joins a small tributary without a name and takes the new geographical name from there – Ponik. Behind the junction, the river flows through a picturesque rocky waterfall. Then it flows under the bridge to the above-mentioned. along the road and continues through the forest area to the junction with Pokrzywnica. The total length of the section from the road to the estuary to Pokrzywnica is approx. 4 km. The river is narrow and of medium width 2-4 m and quite shallow. In places, however, it has considerable depressions and numerous meanders, inhabited by brown trout. Graylings can also be found in larger holes. In some places, especially under the high voltage line, where the forest is cut, the fallen trees lie densely next to each other in the river current. The shores are generally very marshy and covered with trees and bushes. The bottom is mostly sandy, gravely, swampy in places. Clear water, well oxygenated.
Pokrzywnica ichthyofauna, it is mainly brown trout, less often rainbow, grayling, trout (during the journey), burbot, there is also a pike. There are also white fish in the lower reaches.
The best fishing season in the fishery – spring from April to the end of summer.
Recommended fishing methods: upper and middle section - spinning.
Lower section – spinning and artificial fly.
Tactics: fishing upstream against the tide.
The basin belongs to the waters of the land of trout and grayling, artificial lures and fishing with spinning are prohibited from 1.09. into 31.01.
Access to the fishery: the main road from Sławoborze towards Białogard, behind the village of Sidłowo, after crossing the bridges on the Ponik stream, we are going a few hundred meters further, then we turn left into a beaten forest road, leading to two aggregate extraction plants and we arrive at the connection between Pokrzywnica and the Ponik stream, about 5 km from the main road.
Accommodation: in the hotel in Białogard or in the hotel of Zakłady Drzewne in Karlino.
