The River Settles Down

Tuesday was always going to be a tricky day, a rising river, cold and windy and just not ‘fishy’; yesterday was much more settled and the guides felt confident we would do much better than the 49 salmon landed the previous day.

Jana and our three camp dogs who keep the bears off our island camp

And so it proved. The team recorded 79 salmon, with all the beats fishing well. Of note were 10 salmon of over 10lbs, the biggest of 14lbs landed by James G who had an excellent day up at Scott’s and Pasha’s. Ollie L and Freddie P also had a cracking time with 28 between them and Mark de G had his best ever day with 13. A very good result and, with a banya to warm us up on return, we had a very content and happy team here last night.

Peter D and Sasha with a chunky salmon from Party Pool yesterday

Most evenings we take the big boat down to Party Pool after dinner for an hour or so experimentation. It is an easy option and great fun; we take two guests who can fish in their shoes, no waders needed, just a warm top in this weather. We drop the boat down the pool on the anchor rope slowly, the purpose being to try different flies, something unusual normally and then we see what happens.

Mark de G with one of his 13 for the day

Last night Ollie L fished a Green Machine right on the surface and James F a traditional #8 Cascade. It was really cold, 3⁰C, and we felt we would struggle with the Green Machine. We rose a few to it, and James F had a few plucks to his Cascade, but it was not until right at the tail of the pool both of them hooked and landed fish within a few minutes of each other. It just proved that even if the air temperature is significantly colder than the water temperature salmon can be caught right on the surface, albeit not in the same numbers as in better conditions.

Ivan, James F, Freddie P, Hugh S and James G - salmon BBQ up at Yovas

Kitza had another good day with 65 salmon landed including a further 20lber from Beaver Pit. Pana too did well with 54 George S leading the way with 14 caught between the Tail of Lagoon down to Lunch Pool.

It is cool and grey again today, with a very strong downstream wind which might make things difficult up in the Yovas canyon where the wind can swirl about and make casting frustrating. I’ll let you know how we get on tomorrow.

Christopher Robinson

Skaters

It was uncomfortably cool and wet yesterday and the river rose a couple of inches. Unsettled fishing conditions. Father and son, Peter and James D, remained out all day but the rest returned for lunch by the sitting room fire. The morning was tougher fishing while the air temperature remained depressed at around 4⁰C. The rain and drizzle eased in the afternoon, it was never warm, but certainly better than the morning, and the fishing picked up.

Hugh playing his first salmon on a skater

Fresh grilse were splashing through and I took Hugh S off in the afternoon to try and get him his first salmon on a skated fly. It is, by far, my favourite method to fish for salmon. It is ‘visual’ fishing, you can see the fly skating steadily across the pool, the take can be aggressive or sometimes like a lethargic trout taking a mayfly. It is also a winning way to learn fly control, and that was part of my aim with Hugh. Because the fly wakes across the surface you soon learn the effect that a downstream or upstream mend has on the speed your fly fishes at, and you can experiment lifting or lowering the rod to increase or decrease the speed.

 

Fresh grilse

Hugh soon had two fresh grilse on the bank, both classic surface takes on a glassy ‘tail out’ above Madonna’s. His smile said it all and we headed home to warm up in the banya. Our nine rods at Middle landed 49 salmon yesterday plus a pike. At dinner we thought we ought to make it 50 so Freddie and James came with me in the boat to try Party. The odds were stacked against us, it was raining and the air temperature 3⁰C – they rose a couple of uncommitted salmon but it was pretty dead really – as I was lifting the anchor for home Freddie hooked and landed a perch on a half inch skated tube. Not a salmon I know, but one of those minor fishing triumphs that we felt meant that we had not blanked on our mission.

The Perch

Pana too had a slower day, the water rose and it remained quite cold up there. They finished with a round number of 50 fish, 11 coming from the float trip. Kitza has again benefited from the lake system above, their water height has been stable now for three days and the water temperature also stable at a perfect 12⁰C. The Spanish team of nine had another cracking day landing 81 salmon, 10 of which were caught from well below camp in Long Pool as they continue to pour in from the sea.

We look forward to welcoming our new guests on Saturday – the weather looks, at the moment, a bit more settled next week. I suspect it will be the usual mixture of floating or intermediate tips and a range of flies from skaters, conventional double hooked flies of #6 - #10, or small’ish heavy tubes if you want to fish down and slow. Please remember that the weather conditions vary from really cold and damp to shirt sleeves in 24 hours – best to come prepared!

Christopher Robinson
 

Rain

It started raining last night about midnight and this morning it continues wet and cold. The air temperature is 4⁰C and in the steady drizzle it feels cooler than that. Our guests lingered over breakfast, no one was in a rush to get out on the river and we decided that lunch would be in camp today. The fire in the sitting room will remain lit all day and Misha is firing up the banya to revive the team this evening and to act as a drying room for 9 sets of damp clothes and kit.

Casting practice with Terry last night

Quite a contrast to yesterday when we had a glorious Kola afternoon; a blue sky and high, puffy white clouds contrasting with the vivid green of the silver birch trees and the bright yellow buttercups along the river bank.

Up river at Pana they had another excellent day recording 64 salmon including two of 20lbs, one to Charlie McV from the tail of Lagoon and the other for Willie G from Ponzoi. Boating down river to Ponzoi has become a little more tricky now and they are walking the boat through the rapids below Lunch Pool.

Fishing Green Bank up at Yovas, under a Kola sky

Tom and Ura at Kitza are also just beginning to adjust the boating regime. They are getting through to Third Island and walking up from there. The nine rods had 63 salmon yesterday with the third 20lber of the day falling to Emillio R G from Third Island. Fresh fish are continuing to run in and they picked five silver bars out of Sasha’s in the afternoon session.

Middle Camp had 65 fish for the day. Top of the leader board was James D with 14, closely followed by Freddie P with 13. I joined Ollie, Freddie and James F up at Scott’s after lunch and then guided Freddie down the wonderful streamy water of Yovas, through Tiffinie’s and Slabs. We have so much water to fish up there that some pools do not get fished at all in a week, and there is a real sense of anticipation as you swing a fly down a pool that may not have been covered for days.

Tiffinie's

We fished late and on the way back I stopped off at the tail of Robinson’s Folly (so named because some years ago I discovered the pool by running my jet boat, full tilt, onto the gravel bar from which we now fish it). A new gravel bar has appeared just above Upper Fortress, as the water drops so the whole river is forced through this classic glide and into the V of the tail. Freddie tried a Green Machine fished right on the surface; smack in the middle of the V he was rewarded with a wonderfully aggressive ‘head and shoulders’ take from a strong fish which we netted and estimated at 10lbs. A memorable end to an excellent day.

 

Success with the Green Machine

This rain will raise our water level over the next 48 hours, good news for those coming next week although I suspect that a rising river may depress our catches for a day or two. But hey ho – it will still be amazing fishing by any other standards.

Christopher Robinson

Of Mice and Men

We have had a mouse invasion here at Middle Camp. Donna hates mice and has a real phobia about them, consequently some meals have been delayed while we shoo’d one of the little fellows out of the kitchen and declared it safe for her to venture back in.

I ordered mouse traps from Murmansk last week; Sasha kindly offered to send three cats on the helicopter on Saturday which she thought was a thoroughly practical, Russian solution to the issue. Last night one of the mice ate a huge hole in the landing net on my veranda and by some unfortunate quirk of fate managed to get its head stuck in the mesh thus strangling itself. One down.



One down

Of men – Freddie P is, without doubt, our most enthusiastic guest of the season. If he could have changed into his waders at Murmansk airport he would have done so. He was in them before the helicopter left, and has not removed them since. Such is his infectious, boyish enthusiasm Donna has shelved the ‘No Waders in the Dining Room’ policy. Mrs P (Emma) is well advised to acquire a pair of those heavy duty scissors you see the nurses in A&E using to cut patients out of their clothes – we are pretty sure Freddie will arrive back in UK in his waders and will need cutting out of them.

Ollie L with another fresh salmon from Birthday Pool

On to the fishing – Kitza had a great day and our Spanish friends landed 90 salmon in their first 24 hours on the river. Francisco had the largest fish so far from Kitza this year, a silver 21lber from Beaver Pit. Tom reported the water level still slowly dropping, the boating is fine at the moment but in a day or so they may leave a boat upstream of Third Island and walk up to it past the shallows below.

Bear Pool yesterday

The Pana team did not quite equal the amazing numbers of last week but had a great day of 84 salmon to eight rods with Alexander M-B landing a 20lber from Inspectors. Here at Middle Hugh S waded boldly, got wet and made the most of the fishing up in the wonderful Yovas canyon recording his best day’s salmon fishing ever with 12 landed and quite a few lost. All were very happy to see 66 salmon in the book yesterday plus 19 landed on Saturday evening.

Hugh S drying out after his 12 fish day

The weather looks on the cool side for this week, possibly with some rain. Good fishing conditions. The water temperature is back to 10⁰C and although the river continues its slow drop to summer height we are getting the boats to all the beats and should be able to do so for the remainder of this week.

More tomorrow.

Christopher Robinson

Jack Frost Makes a Return

Friday saw the helicopter buzzing about the camps re-supplying us for the coming week whilst our guests made the most of their last day on the river. The Pana team of eight landed a further 133 salmon for the day to take them comfortably over 800 for the week. I am sure that Anthony T who, after fishing with us every year since 1991 has now handed the reigns over to Charlie T, will be chuffed that Charlie and the team made the very best of what has to be one of our finest weeks on Pana.

Sonya and Danya moving supplies from the helicopter

Kitza too had a remarkable week, Richard G and the team of seven caught over 390 salmon for their week – they may have made the 400 mark, but with poor radio reception this morning I cannot be exact on the score.

Our team at Middle also made the most of it with 813 in the book to 12 rods. I mentioned last week just how perfect the conditions were – we landed at least 2,050 fresh, silver salmon to 27 rods. I’m sure you can do the maths; it is ‘quite a few’ per rod.

James D with one of his five salmon from Gennerator last evening

I arrived back in Middle Camp with our new team of nine rods at 5 p.m. Donna’s tea and home made cakes were ignored as our enthusiastic guests tackled up and decided to ‘have a quick cast’ in Generator before dinner. Terry and I dragged them out eventually and we had 19 salmon in the book before canapés. Up at Pana Rollo reported the same problem – they had a very late dinner, but had 25 salmon on the bank.



The view from Middle Camp last night

Last night the air temperature plummeted, James F went out to Bear Pool after dinner but was soon back in by the fire reporting the air temperature to be -2⁰C. Donna, Julia and Luda started early in the kitchen as usual this morning, I joined them at 7 a.m. to find our water system frozen up, the normally warm kitchen was freezing cold and the girls were well wrapped up as they prepared breakfast. I went to look at our water height marker and the margins of the river had a rim of frost. The water temperature was back down to 9⁰C, no bad thing really as the last conditions we need this week are a repeat of the 2013 heat wave.

Donna, Luda and Julia well wrapped up in the kitchen this morning

I look forward to updating you tomorrow on the first full day of fishing this week. I do not expect we shall repeat the extraordinary bonanza of last week, but I suspect it will be pretty good.

Christopher Robinson

Managing Great Expectations

Gradually the sky clouded over yesterday and the afternoon session proved far more productive than it had the two previous days under the bright sun. We lunched again at Snake Pit, Olivier D skipped out of his boat whooping with joy, he had had a remarkable morning wading the mid river bar in Snake Pit and Bomber Ally landing 14 salmon including a wonderfully deep cock fish of 13lbs.

The fly of the week - a Percy Special tied by Ian S

Across the whole river it was another remarkable day; at Middle Camp we landed 154 salmon. Pana had 126 with Michael C landing an 18lber in the Camp Pool. Over at Kitza Arthur J also had an 18lber, from Beaver Pit and the team there put a further 58 in the book.

We have a nice cloudy morning today, the team at Middle Camp set off early to make the most of their last 24 hours here in salmon heaven. I suspect some might get onto the departing helicopter tomorrow in their waders. The forecast indicates rain this evening, but I suspect not a great deal, and into next week it looks like it should remain reasonably cool.

Olivier with his 13lber from Snake Pit

We have been recording some extraordinary numbers of salmon in the past few weeks and inevitably the expectations of each new group are high – very high. We chatted again last night over drinks on the veranda about the consistency of some fishers’ scores and why that should be. How experience counts, how some fishers have a six sense, and above all how some fish unnervingly well in all conditions. Hugo M and Ian S stand out for me this week, each fishes a different style, Hugo with a single handed and Ian with a 15’ double handed. Ian wades boldly, but Hugo is an extraordinary wader – he took on Eagle Rock this week, in quite high water, and lived to tell the tale. But what sets them apart is not just that they cast long, but each cast lands straight and the fly fishes immediately. Combined with an innate sixth sense as to where in the pool to concentrate their efforts they top the leader board almost every day.

Rob McK - a study in concentration

What has been also notable this week is the lack of competition and indeed the congratulations for those who have done well. Everyone has had a less productive session or two and rather than blame the beat or the guide there has been a shrug of the shoulders and the odd mutter about ‘not having fished well’. The Varzuga is unique in that takes the luck out of fishing, it is not the salmon lottery that it can be elsewhere; it really is not a numbers game - you have to consider Varzuga a salmon river where you can, if you want to, improve your skills and be rewarded as you do so.

Middle Camp

Next week we have 26 fishers in three camps, Pana, Kitza and Middle – all have fished the river before and we look forward to seeing them in Murmansk tomorrow. We should be onto true summer fishing conditions, floating lines and small flies, and a chance to try fishing Bombers and skated flies. However many salmon we land next week I know it will be great fun and highly rewarding fishing as we approach mid-summers night on the edge of the Arctic Circle.

I go to Murmansk tomorrow to meet the new arrivals, so I will update you on Sunday morning.

Christopher Robinson

Sun and Salmon

Another really bright day yesterday, we had some puffy clouds in the afternoon for a few hours to give us the odd bit of duller light, but overall our guests fished under a harsh, glaring sun. Not ideal for fishing, but after Monday morning’s return to almost winter conditions no-one was too fussed.

Today has dawned very bright too – not a cloud to be seen – sunscreen was slapped on after breakfast and, the team undaunted by the conditions were in the boats and out of camp before nine (great to have such a keen group here).

Doug U in action below Clarke's

To date the myriad of small streams and springs that feed the Varzuga from the tundra bogs and taiga forests in this huge watershed have kept the river water temperature pretty stable. Slowly they are reducing their flow and their influence as summer approaches. Yesterday we started to notice the change, the water level dropped 3" and under the sun the water temperature rose during the day from 11⁰C to 16⁰C by close of play. Changing conditions; and that probably accounted for our slightly reduced catch.

Arriving at Snake Pit for lunch

All things are relative on Varzuga and the team were delighted with their score of 104 salmon here at Middle Camp. After a tough day for some reason on Tuesday Rodolphe C landed 16, doing notably well in Birthday which continues to fish well, better than Party Pool at the moment. Gregoire de S had an excellent morning but then lost five in the afternoon – not content with a blank session he asked for a late dinner and fished around the Island, landing three grilse to earn Donna’s delicious Tai Prawn Curry.

Olivier and Donna at lunch

Pana continues to excel and the eight rods landed 141 salmon for the day, the largest, at 15lbs, taken by Charlie T on the float trip. Kitza too is proving remarkably consistent even under these bright skys and they put a further 68 in the book yesterday, their largest also weighed 15lbs and fell to Arthur Jardine.

Sun and salmon

On any other river we would be praying for some cloud cover, however we have a huge head of salmon here and although the fishing might be tougher than it was at the beginning of the week it is still more than excellent. Raphael C put it well at dinner last night, "What a privilege to be able to enjoy both sun and salmon".

Christopher Robinson

Master Class

Yesterday I mentioned just how wonderful were the fishing conditions on Sunday and Monday. Tuesday proved trickier. We had bright, bright sun all day and in the afternoon, with the sun heading around to the North West and lowering a bit, it was straight into the eyes of the salmon.

That said, at Middle we landed 145 salmon for the day, Hugo M was top of the board with 35 fish, and the team were rightly pleased with a well-earned result. Jean V, here on his first ever fishing trip, kindly poured me one of his famous gin and tonics and we sat on the veranda in the evening sun discussing the day. An inquisitive learner Jean wanted to understand just what made the difference and why the scores between the rods varied so widely. Even with only three days fishing under his belt he had quickly understood that all the beats are loaded with salmon at the moment and that it was the way people fished that made the difference.



Terry annd Raphael C in Madonna's

The Varzuga really is the place to learn fishing, Terry is a wonderful instructor and I guess I can add some help as well after one or two years up here. And there is also a vast pool of experience amongst the team to glean nuggets of advice from. It is really rewarding for Terry and I to have fishers like Jean who do not blame the guide, their kit, the weather or the beat rotation but who simply want to improve their fishing skills.

Even the best ask for advice, I guess that is why they are the best. Hugo M is by nature a single handed rod fisherman, he his always top rod and is vastly experienced. Yesterday he took out his new, light #7 double handed rod and fished well enough but was frustrated with his casting. He asked Terry to watch him after lunch and quickly Terry had pointed out a minor fault in technique that Hugo soon corrected.


Anticipation

Pana had another excellent day, inevitably less productive under the sun, however 122 salmon was not in any way a disappointment. They are still fishing right down to Ponzoi and should be able to do so for quite a few days yet.

Over at Kitza Richard G and his team had another excellent day landing 60 salmon with Charles W accounting for 15 of them. Benefiting from the lakes upstream the water temperature at Kitza remains stable at 12⁰C; the height has dropped some 6" this week and last night the guides marked the route through the shallows at Tricalore. We should be able to get the jet boats to all beats on all three camps into the beginning of next week at least; a day or two of rain would be handy and would probably see the current water height maintained until late June.

Dominique M with a 10lber from Robinson's Folly

It is another bright day today, a little more hazy than yesterday – but with few mosquitoes, the wild flowers coming out and the river full of salmon no one is complaining.

Christopher Robinson

Recognizing Good Fortune

Sometimes, but only sometimes, does a dedicated salmon fisher find him or herself presented with totally perfect conditions. When it happens some recognize it, others do not. We are lucky this week to have 27 fishers with years of experience, many of those years here on Varzuga, who recognize the current conditions are as good as they possibly could be.

 

Dominique M with one from Pasha's Rest

The water height is about one foot above summer level and dropping slowly. Summer level is a somewhat subjective judgement so I can best describe the current water height for you as being over the grass edges by a foot or so. The water temperature is ideal and steady too, between 11⁰C and 15⁰C, this morning we have started with 11⁰C. The winds have been light and the weather kind to us albeit on the cool side.

Combined with the perfect river height, and the stable temperatures and weather conditions, we have had a really strong run of spring salmon this year, and now the grilse have arrived in big numbers too. It just does not get any better than this and the three groups, realizing that Nature has gifted them a unique chance, are making the most of it.

Gregoire de S in action with the single handed rod in Simmons

Currently an intermediate tip is the best bet, it is still a tad too high to do well throughout the river with a floater.  Flies in the size 6 to 8 range are doing well, or a 1” tube. Colours tend to be combinations of red, orange and black. Personally I do not think the colour is that important, fishing the fly well is the key to success.

If you are coming out on 14 June I would recommend you bring a floating line with a selection of tips, most likely you will use a floating or intermediate tip. Bring good selection of flies; no doubt conditions will have changed by then, most likely it will be warmer and we can try more fishing right on the surface.

The colours of choice

The teams fished hard yesterday, and with remarkable results. Kitza landed 80 salmon; Sasha’s Pool fished really well in the afternoon as another big run of fresh salmon came steaming through from The White Sea.

Here at Middle Camp we had 168 salmon and grilse, all the beats are in perfect order at this height and the only real problem is knowing where to start!



Ian S with another from Pasha's Rest



Pana had a bonanza with 184 landed by Charlie T and the team of 8. Paddy V led the score board with 30. We are now just over 800 salmon to 27 rods in two days. For me the statistics matter much less than watching everyone making the most of our very good fortune to be on the remarkable Varzuga this week. 

Christopher Robinson

Summer postponed

Yesterday I thought that today’s blog would be about summer salmon fishing - surface flies and all that. This morning it is 3⁰C, windy and grey; we lit the fire early and pre-breakfast coffee and the usual discussion on daily tactics took place close to the warmth, not as yesterday on the sunny veranda.

 

Tactics by the fire

Although the summer fishing blog has been shelved for a few days the water temperature yesterday was 15⁰C and a few rods tried fishing flies right on the surface with encouraging results. Overnight the water temperature has dropped back to 12⁰C and with the cold air and a chilly feel to the day almost everyone has opted for intermediate tips and a fly that will get down a bit.

We had an excellent day at Middle, Jean V is our new rod this week and Terry soon had him casting well, he lost three salmon almost at the net before landing his first. A cause for celebration last night, not that we needed any excuse as we landed 143 fish for the day which in itself was reason enough to raise a glass or two.

Jean V and Terry with Jean's first salmon

Hugo M and Gregoire de S are dedicated fishers of a single handed rod and yet again showed us that you need not be intimidated by a large river. They landed 32 between them, all on single handed rods. Top scorers for the day were Doug U and Ian S who had 49 between them by dinner, with Clarkes Corner yielding the lions share. Getting to the 50 milestone became important so after dinner we took the boat down to Party Pool where I have to admit we struggled a bit to get that last salmon as the air temperature at that point had started to drop like a stone. Doug finally picked one up right on the tail of the pool and we motored home a happy and content team.

The 50th fish for Ian and Doug

Over at Kitza Richard G and his group of seven had a cracking day with exactly 70 salmon on the bank, Ian B had his best day ever with 19. Tom reported the water temperature at 11⁰C and intermediate tips are the setup of choice at the moment on Kitza.

Pana exceeded all expectations; Charlie T and the team of eight had a bonanza landing 141. The salmon are now spread right through this long section of river and on the float trip David C and Paddy V caught 26. The salmon are continuing to pour through here at Middle Camp and prospects for Pana, some 60 miles above us, continue to look encouraging.

Christopher Robinson

Half Way

Last week the whole river really settled into wonderful fishing conditions. The water height was perfect, the water temperature varied between 10⁰C and 15⁰C, and the run of fresh salmon steadily built up. It was perhaps a touch bright - and Murmansk airport yesterday was full of well-tanned fishermen’s faces with ‘panda eyes’ – but it was a joy to enjoy both the good weather and phenomenal fishing.

I need only say that we landed just shy of 2,100 fresh, silver salmon to 39 rods in six days. With our fishing curtailed to six weeks by the late snow melt we are now half way through our season and with over 5,100 salmon landed so far and the run still coming in we seem set for a very good result.
 

Bill Drury with a real cracker on Friday

All camps fished exceptionally well last week; the fish arrived into Pana in force on 1 June and the eight rods there had 332 for the week. The run got stronger as the week progressed and their last day accounted for 87 fish. I dropped the incoming party off there yesterday afternoon and the anticipation of the fishing was self-evident as they landed and walked (very fast!) to look at Camp Pool and rig up their kit.

Over at Kitza, between several legendry Kitza ‘birthday parties’, they landed 407 with one extraordinary day of 92 salmon. Julian P reported the water level getting better by the day and possibly the best yet to come; we had to drag the team onto the departing helicopter.

Lower Camp yesterday

Middle Camp, of course, did well and at dinner on Friday night they were at 993 salmon landed. John C, who likes neat statistics, took upon himself the arduous job of rounding up the number and by 1 a.m. had landed seven to make it exactly 1,000 to 12 rods.

So often fishing courses or casting instruction take place on rivers at a time of year, or on beats, where there is precious little chance of actually catching any salmon and putting the theory into practice. For the third year Eoin Fairgrieve joined Bill Drury at the Lower Camp on a week designed to provide the finest instruction on the finest salmon river. Besides learning a great deal and taking their casting skills to a new level the 11 rods landed 319 salmon - that really is putting it into practice!
 

Lower Camp guests and staff on Friday evening

The new teams arrived in really warm weather yesterday, 22⁰C here at Middle Camp, luckily today has started much cooler and overcast, good fishing conditions, and it looks as if we should maintain this weather pattern for a few days. With the Lower camp now closed we have 27 fishermen in three camps, Kitza, Pana and Middle; of those 27 only three have not fished here before, and with the river in perfect order we ought to be set for another excellent week.

Christopher Robinson

Lower's last day

It seems hard to believe that only 4 weeks ago we took the sad decision to cancel the first week of the season due to a late ice break.  During those 4 weeks, the river has risen over 20ft as the snow and ice melted as a result of an extremely early heat wave and since that peak, it has dropped over 25ft – all of this on a river that is around 250-300 yards wide. 

Summer levels on the Varzuga

Whilst it is undoubtedly true that most people come here to catch more salmon than they can dream of, it is the whole experience of being in such a harsh and wild environment that tends to draw everyone back.

The team at Lower finished with a further 46 fish recorded yesterday.  Douglas B showed the younger members of the team how to do it and landed 7 whilst still finding time to allow his guide, Roma, to fish for a while who also landed one.  Jim C had 6 to his rod and in the evening Bill and Eoin took our cook, Maryke, to fish in front of camp and she landed a lovely fish from the boat.

Maryke in the midnight sun

Kitza continues apace and they added 60 to their mounting total.  They are averaging over 40 fish per rod with a day to go which is a great weeks fishing.  Malcolm K and Julian P were the top scorers with 16 and 14 fish respectively whilst Chopper Island and Goldmine were the most productive pools.

Success for Jim C on Duck

Pana is beginning to move through the gears and they had their best day of the season so far with 54 landed to the 8 rods.  As is often the case, Jack M was the top rod with 14 from Ponzoi and Lunch.  Their water is not falling as fast as it is here and boating remains very doable across the whole beat.

Middle Varzuga carries on racking up the totals and an additional 130 fish were put in the book yesterday.  This takes them to a weekly average of 65 fish per rod – exceptional fishing and Terry reported a very happy camp.

Ditch W with a chunky one from the Wires

I am returning to the UK tomorrow so this will be my last blog and Christopher Robinson will take over for the rest of the season.  Whilst always great to get home, it is a difficult place to leave and as ever, my huge thanks goes to all of our Russian friends who make this work so well and I will look forward to seeing them all in September when I return for an exploratory trip to find the Autumn run.

Charlie White

Up to Middle

Every season it seems as if we close the Lower camp too early but this year it will be especially true.  As we stood on Beach yesterday, which is at the bottom of our beat, watching fish after fish head and tail and jump clear of the water, it was clear that there are still a huge number of fresh fish coming in and to close this camp on Saturday will be a real shame.

Jim C on Wires in the morning

After fishing, I went up to Middle Varzuga to see the team there and they are making the most of this year’s very strong run.  A further 158 were added to their total which now amounts to over 650 fish to the12 rods over the past 4 days.  JP Camozzi landed 17 of those and his father, Achille, had a great fish of around 17-18lbs which was yet another one of these bigger fish that we have enjoyed seeing this season.  As ever, Clarkes has fished really well and the home pools of Generator and Bear are wonderfully reliable.

Matthew R at Middle

After a delicious dinner we boated back in the midnight sun and I arrived to find the camp pretty quiet as the previous night’s activities had eventually taken their toll.  We finished with 44 for the day with Jonathan K having a great couple of sessions and he landed 12 to his rod.  It has been great to see the improvement in everyone’s casting and fishing ability as they pick up tips from Eoin Fairgrieve and Bill Drury.  Eoin and Bill have an uncanny knack of diagnosing faults and seem to be able to put them right with just one or two small adjustments.  They are great people to have around camp and the chance to actually catch fish whilst also benefitting from expert tuition does make the week a lot of fun.

Douglas B with one from Feorder's Place

Pana had another very good day and had another 39 to the 8 rods.  Jack M was the top rod on 9 fish and they also reported losing roughly the same number again.  We have had days like this all season when fish just don’t seem to stick, you can’t win them all is probably the message.

However at Kitza, winning practically everything appeared to be the order of the day.  The 8 rods landed 92 fish between them with top scorers being Julian P, Chic McS, Robin B and Malcolm K with 18,15,11 and 11 fish respectively.   As if their day could not get any better, they then saw 3 bears just opposite camp which hung around for 10 minutes to thrill everyone and to round off a memorable day.

Martin F on Duck

Almost inevitably it is another very hot day today but just as inevitably Glynn D has landed a fish before breakfast and with a slightly steadier night behind them, all of the rods were on the river at 9, conscious that the week is going far too quickly.

Charlie White

A trip to Kitza

It is not every day that one of our cooks celebrates their 40^th birthday so yesterday saw me going over to Kitza for Kate’s big day.  To get there from Lower requires a combination of two boat trips, a walk and a 40 minute drive along the White Sea coast – it was probably one of the most beautiful journeys I have ever taken.

It was great to catch up with the team over there and a combination of wonderful fishing and practically perfect conditions led to a very happy camp.  They landed 68 fish to their 8 rods with Julian P accounting for 13 of those.  Chic McS had 11 to his rod whilst Malcolm K had a cracking fish of around 17lbs from Boggy Bank. 

Douglas B on the Wires

I got back to Lower at around 3am expecting everyone to be in bed but a few hard core souls were still putting the world to rights and this morning is a little slow in camp.  We put a further 45 fish in the book yesterday with catches evenly spread across the rods but Ditch W landed 5 fish which was comfortably his best ever day.  Tom S and Jim C hit gold at Feorder’s Place and had a very busy afternoon as did Martin F on Beach where he had 4 fish in a frantic hour. 

Joe E on the Beach

The 8 rods at Pana are making the most of the main run of fish getting to them and they landed 53 fish.  Alan M, on his first trip up here, landed a 20lber from Ponzoi which is the biggest of the season so far whilst Jack M had a great session on Ivan’s and landed 9 in just two hours.

The fishing at Middle Varzuga continues apace and 141 fish were put in the book.  Normally two or three rods do rather better than others but yesterday was  a very even day and the highest individual rod catch was 14 which demonstrates that fish are equally spread across all of the beats.

Martin F on 39 Steps

Whilst some struggled to get up this morning, Jonathan K was on the river at 7am.  3 fish before breakfast showed what was possible and on a day where we have yet more clear skies, even the most tired of rods have gone out with a determination to make the most of the river whilst it is in perfect shape.

Charlie White