Have faith

It doesn’t matter how cool you try to be or how many times you look at the statistics of the river over the years, there is always an underlying doubt as to what you will find year on year. Will the fish run, will they be there in the numbers you hope and more to the point, will they play ball?

The answer is that we should show more faith in the river. Yes, one year will be different from another and catches may vary but the remarkable thing about this river is its underlying consistency.

Ken B on Moskoi Island

Yesterday was a case in point. We started with the brightest of bright sunshine, then had some really cold showers combined with a pretty unpleasant upstream wind, none of which seemed to make much difference.

Here at Lower our nine rods (John, you are much missed) put 95 fish in the book. A very good day by any measure but we lost twice as many more and the action was fast and furious. Michael E demonstrated his knowledge of the beat by landing 20 to his rod and Mark E made the most of an afternoons session on Moskoi to finish with 16 for his day.

Craig P on Bear Island

At Middle Varzuga, the 12 rods accounted for 76 more, with fish being landed from Birthday pool all the way up to Korevi Pots. Given that Lower’s most productive pool has been at the bottom of the beat it would indicate that the main run of fish is only just starting and it seems likely that the catches at Middle have just begun the upward curve that we are so used to seeing.

Michael E with one of 9 he took from Larder

Kitza has started really well and they accounted for 32 fish with Graham J the top rod having landed 8 fish from Spey Pool. Ollie reported a very happy camp with fish landed below and above Clay View.



Sue C on Bear Corner - one of the 11 she landed yesterday

Today is grey and cold but that did not deter Sue C who went out this morning and landed 6 fish from Heli pool in an hour and a half. Craig P joined her and took 3 fish on his spilt cane rod – not a bad way to start the day.

Charlie White