Yesterday morning started with thick fog and yet, as can often be the case up here, by lunchtime it was the most beautiful day. All of the carefully assembled layers of clothing were thrown to one side and everyone was trying to find their sun cream.
You might expect such changeable conditions to have a detrimental effect on the fishing - it was clear from the radio calls with all of the camps that this was not the case.
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| A happy scene on Generator pool at Middle |
At Kitza the 8 rods had 42 fish for the day which was a superb start and very encouraging. The water temperature has risen to 8 degrees and it would appear as if this is what the fish were waiting for. Rob W had 8 fish from Rock pool and I understand that Deluxe and Sascha’s were also very productive, demonstrating that the fish were in all parts of the river.
They are still fishing with sink tips and weighted tubes but on the rest of the river we are now on floating lines with the odd person trying an intermediate tip. Fish are now coming to the skated fly but the most productive method has been straightforward doubles in size 6-8 and shrimp patterns appear the most effective.
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| Bob C with one from Moskoi yesterday |
At Pana, our group of 8 had 43 fish for their opening day including a superb fish of 20-22lbs for Antonio B . Domingo P was the top rod with 8 fish and the overall opinion was that they were catching bigger fish as a rule. Most fish were over 10lbs and there were 3 or 4 up to the 16lbs mark.
Middle Varzuga had 144 fish to their 12 guests with Stephen C leading the charge taking 20 fish to his rod. Alan S had a day to remember with an extraordinary tale of a 14lbs pike. He hooked a grayling which he was busy hand lining in when the pike came from nowhere and swallowed it. He then proceeded to play the pike and the grayling and got them both in the net whereupon the pike promptly spat the unfortunate fish out – effectively making it one of the first fish we know of to have been landed without ever having a fly in its mouth!
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| Dinner last night - picture taken at 10pm |
Here at Lower Varzuga our 10 rods had 55 fish for their day with Jeremy C and Mark M showing the others the way. My father is out here this week and we spent a very happy afternoon catching fish, catching up and generally enjoying this very special place. Dinner last night was great fun with a room full of beaming faces and it was hard to see how the day could have been improved for anyone.
Charlie White
