Heddonist, thanks for the reply and great photo, that's very nice collection.
Yup, these are kind of flies the oldtimers used to ty on the spot, without vise, just using hands. The knowledge of successful imitations has been passed through the generations, so we owe them quite a lot.
Also, it's very true that 40 years ago, fly lines were very hard, if not next to impossible to find in the Eastern Bloc, so all kind of alternatives were used.
Regarding the rivers, Una, Ribnik and Pliva are safe, for now. Ribnik and Pliva are doing great since they are under Fly only regulation and catch and release is mandatory.
Others, such as Sana, Neretva and many others are in danger and it's hard to be optimistic.
New generations are coming and the most important thing for them is smartphone, and they have to charge it twice a day.