Changeover day is always a busy one but it was made much easier by seeing so many smiling faces –those arriving had eager grins and those departing had some wonderful memories to take home with them.
Last week was one that will live long in all of our minds and it is impossible not to be astounded by the total number of fish that Middle Varzuga produced. 1,345 salmon were landed to 12 rods which we believe makes it the highest number of fish we have had in one camp for any week we have run out here. It is important to note that many of the rods have fished the beat for several years and know exactly what to do and where to go whilst at the same time fishing very long hours.
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| Nick T with a typically strong fish |
It is great to see that this wonderful resource maintains its ability to surprise us and we all know how precious it is. Catch and release is mandatory and all of the guides are given strict instructions as to how to handle the fish. Employing local guides is vital to the success of our programme and whilst not all of them are experts, the way that the whole village protects the river is great to see.
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| A bear I saw from the heli on Friday |
At Lower Varzuga, we started the week with Michael E and his team before they went over to Kitza on Tuesday evening. The 9 rods landed 261 fish for their week with many rods shattering their own personal records. Ken H, Philip V, Sue C and Eric W all had days where they caught more fish than ever before whilst JP M landed several decent fish and his 20lber will be one he remembers for a very long time.
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| Hippo Rock at Pana on Friday, this was invisible on Tuesday |
The team who started at Kitza had a harder time of it over there as the river was very high when they arrived. However, they hit Lower Varzuga just as it was fishing perfectly and for their 6 days, the 10 rods landed 339 fish. The week finished on a high with Joe M landing 6 yesterday morning before jumping into the helicopter to go to Murmansk. Bill P had his best ever day of 22 fish whilst Greig T finished his week with over 60 salmon to his rod.
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| Our new team last night |
This week has started in a very similar fashion with Jeremy C and Mark M landing 7 and 8 fish respectively last night from the Lower home pools. At Middle the team was straight out on to the river and they took 89 fish in the evening which was added to the 36 for the day that were landed by our client who is out here for two weeks. 124 fish before the guides turn up is not a bad start to the week. Alan S landed 9 but Rob H was the top performer with 15 out of the top of Generator.
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| Lower Varzuga guide, Sergei, meeting his new rods this morning |
At Kitza, the team enjoyed being in camp after a long day of traveling and whilst I could not hear the name of the successful rod, I know that at least 1 fish was landed by our Spanish contingent at Pana, just outside of the camp. We would expect them to have to boat down river a little way before finding the first fish that have managed to get up there (it is 80 miles North of us here at Lower) and to land one outside the camp on the first evening is a very encouraging sign.
It is crystal clear and very bright this morning and all of the rods have set off with high hopes that the fishing continues in this style.
Charlie White
