Same again

Yesterday was pretty much exactly the same as the day before although with the weather changing every five minutes, nothing feels stable or settled.

Vito with one of Alan S's fish from Middle

We had a tough day at Lower and landed 10 fish but the way those fish were spread meant that everyone felt as though as they were in with a chance.  We have a really fun team here at the moment and last night descended fairly rapidly into a vodka vortex.  Whilst everyone was physically at breakfast this morning, there was quite a lot of vacant space and today will feel like a long day.

The guides at Lower - Sergei took the photo so is missing

Kitza again was the best of the camps with 27 fish for their 9 rods.  Brad B had his best day on the river landing 8 of those from Spey Bank and Beaver Pit whilst Jamie K continued his good week by landing 5 more.

At Middle Varzuga it was more of the same with 22 fish landed.  It is a bit odd in that they are not finding nearly as many fish as we would expect but equally their numbers are not decreasing at all – you would expect one or the other.

Bob C on Heli

Jack said that they saw a lot more fish yesterday which chimed with our experience here but it does feel as if they are running very hard in this low water and they are more difficult to hook than they have been at other times of the season.

Andy P with another

Pana also surprised us in that they had 7 for the day.  Matt reported a bitterly cold day up there (it is 80 miles north of where I am sitting) and he felt that this sudden change had affected them adversely.  You would expect their number to increase every day and it will be interesting to see how they get on today.

We woke to bright skies and now it is raining – you can certainly never got bored of the weather up here! It is up to Murmansk tomorrow and so there will be no blog until Sunday when I will round up the week.

Charlie White

In haste

Apologies for a short blog but today is the first day of no boats here at Lower and whilst we have done it loads of time before and everyone knows what they are doing, being in the office whilst everyone else is putting on rucksacks and carrying bags, is not the place to be.

Fred G

Kitza had a fantastic day yesterday but it was tough elsewhere.  36 fish at Kitza was the final score with fresh fish coming in all the time and a lot of action had by everyone although Geoff F was the top rod with 9 whilst Philip B had 6 of them.

At Lower we had 7 fish but in truth the day was rather dominated by other events and we wish Hamish M well on his long journey home.

Andy P 

Middle had 20 – not good by our standards but having snow, sleet, rain, sun and hail all in the same day probably didn’t help.

Pana finished on 14 with Ponzoi the most productive pool as we would expect.

Now back to packing that drinks bag…

Charlie White

“Little problem”

The Lower and Kitza changeover is a pretty straight forward exercise.  Everyone packs their bags in the morning so that the girls can clean the rooms for the new guests, we fish until 6pm and then we have a few drinks in our waders before getting on the helicopter and swapping over; simple stuff usually but not yesterday.

George S on Beach

An almighty and very impressive lightning storm put an end to the fishing at 5pm but it also blew the power in the village and the surrounding area.  Not a major deal although it certainly made it harder for Ceri to prepare dinner in the gloom before we could set up the generator.  The helicopter took off at 6:15 to be refuelled and we waited for it to come back and pick us up.  It was then I heard the dreaded phrase “Little Problem”

One for Keith Liddle - the old generator still works when needed!

A “Big Problem” is normally trivial stuff but “Little” indicates a degree of severity that means you should take it seriously.  It transpired that with no power, the fuel pump in the village for the helicopter wouldn’t work and therefore it was stranded until the electricity was restored which could be in any time frame from 30 minutes to 12 hours.

We decided to call it quits there and then and it was out of waders and everyone stayed in their existing camp for another night.  Fortunately, power was restored at 5am and we have just flown to Kitza to swap over this morning.

Philip B about to land one just outside of the office

We have picked up a really happy team who landed 22 yesterday with John D having a great day with 7 fish.  I did Fred G an injustice on Monday.  He has actually fished for 4 weeks in Scotland but this was the first time he has landed anything – hopefully many more to come.

Hamish M on Kitza

Middle had a very slow day – just 20 to their 12 rods.  Hard to work it out as we had a good morning at Lower followed by a very slow afternoon.  We finished with 23 here and it is not very usual for Lower to outfish Middle at this time of the year.  We are seeing pods of fish come through which provide instant action but then it goes quiet – just have to hope for more pods.

Kitza this morning

Pana landed 13 to their 7 rods with Alvaro S landing his first Russian salmon from Rockface followed by a second at Ponzoi.  Domingo P and Carlos M had a good morning on Ponzoi landing 6 between them.

We are going to be late on the river today given the changeover and I think this may be the last time we can use boats to any great extent here at Lower, despite yesterday’s rain.  It is very bright this morning but with a really cold wind and I suspect a banya may be called for tonight.

Charlie White

Up to Middle

Wow, who pulled the plug? I went to Middle last night and I have to say that the journey up there was dicey at best.  There are some rapids above the village which always prove tricky but the ice this year appears to have moved huge amounts of rock and rubble and the whole landscape has changed, making driving the boats interesting to say the least.

Michael G on Bear Island

I got up there to find a few people still fishing which is often the case at Middle.  They had a tough day with 31 landed to their 12 rods.  Paul C and Chris C had a more “normal” afternoon, landing 4 each but it was hard work for everyone else.  As has been story all season, bigger fish were to the fore but the prolific grilse run does not seem to have come yet. 

Paul C with pretty much the first grilse we have seen at Middle

Whilst I was eating a delicious dinner thanks to Millie, I got a message from Pana - via the satellite text service we have set up – which gave great news.  Javier S caught his first Atlantic salmon whilst fishing Ponzoi with his father Jaime.  They landed 4 from there as well as the team landing a couple from the home pool and also lunch pool.  10 fish for the day is not breaking any records but the way the beat is fishing gives us great hope for the season ahead.

Jamie K - a very sunny day yesterday

Kitza was slow in that they also landed 10 fish when we would expect more.  It sounded as if Sunday night took quite a lot out of many people and I am not sure everyone felt on top form yesterday.  Having said that, after fishing they all went down to the White Sea for a barbecue on the beach which was a huge success.  There are very few places that give you “the end of the world” feeling but the beach down there is one of them.

Midnight at Lower last night

I got “home” at around midnight and quite often the camp is very quiet then – not last night.  A very good party was in full flow and whilst I valiantly tried to catch up, I was always slightly behind the curve.  That appears to have worked in my favour as I can walk and talk this morning which puts me in the minority. 

We landed 19 yesterday which was disappointing but again, we lost so many fish it was almost embarrassing.  Sandy S was the top scorer with 7 for his day.  Difficult to tell who will be top rod today – probably the one who stays awake for the longest..!

Charlie White

Summer levels

I have been fortunate enough to have been coming to this river for 16 years and yet, every year it still surprises me.  We have essentially gone from some of the highest water we have ever seen to summer levels in less than two weeks.

It is difficult to explain how much it changes and the only way to really do it is by photos - even they don’t really do it justice.

Lower this morning - 2 weeks ago the water was lapping at the yellow bin

All of which is a heads up to those coming later in the season that we may not be able to access all of the beats all of the time with the boats.   I am going up to dinner to Middle Varzuga tonight as I think this could be the last day of the week that I will get up there.

The fishing yesterday was remarkably similar to last week with some individual highlights thrown in.

Shark's tooth rock. Fully under water 6 days ago, now stranded

At Kitza they landed 16 and Ollie tells me that the party over there really enjoyed their day.  No doubt bolstered by the fact that Fred G caught his first ever salmon and then went on to land another one – not a bad way to start your career with your first day on a river!

At Middle, the 12 very experienced rods recorded 37 with catches very evenly spread.  This team would expect more than that and it will be interesting to see if today is a better day given slightly kinder conditions.

Generator - falling quickly

Pana landed 9 for their day which is about what we would expect for the first day of their season given the ice break date.  They only landed fish of over 10lbs and their run will steadily build and build.

Jamie K on Bear Corner

At Lower we landed 22 with Brad B having a great afternoon on Bear Corner landing 5 of those.  The big discussion this morning amongst the guides was the route they need to take down the rapids and I have a suspicion that Glenn, our resident mechanic, may soon be rather busy dealing with rock damaged engines.

A much brighter day today and warmer conditions give hope for a better day and with water temperatures at around 12 degrees, we look set fair.

Charlie White

464 fish for the week

Last week was a lot of fun in all of the camps with many returning guests and a smattering of new clients keen to see what the Varzuga can offer.

As is often the case, the returning clients had a bit of a head start knowing the river as they do and there is no doubt that at the start of the week, all of the beats looked quite intimidating with high water.  With temperatures into the high twenties and not a drop of rain, the river has fallen hugely and whilst still wide, it now looks more than approachable.

Anders H with a good one from Bear Corner

The 12 rods at Middle finished on 229 beautifully fresh salmon for their week.  If you have not been out here I appreciate that this sounds practically easy fishing but I can assure you that this is not the case.  All of the rods worked hard for their rewards and there were some happy but very tired faces in Murmansk yesterday.

Sean O'D

The 8 rods who started at Lower and then went over to Kitza for their final 3 days landed 109 fish whilst the “opposing” team landed 128. 

Perhaps the best comment I heard yesterday was from Alex A who landed his first ever salmon and then went on to land and lose several more.  With a foreboding tone he acknowledged “I am afraid you have me hooked now”.  After several fruitless outings in Scotland, just to be in touch with fish has turned his salmon fishing world upside down – just what we hope to see.

Roddy C on Beach

After a rather disjointed journey all of the new guests were in camp in time to have a bit of fishing before dinner and several went out this morning before breakfast.  Fish were landed across all of the beats and in that I include the first fish of the season from Pana – a stunning 13lber for Hans K just outside of the lodge.  The Spanish team had a tough time last year with very high and very cold conditions and we wish them well this week as I think they could have a really good time.

Middle Varzuga in the sun yesterday

For the first time this season, it is bitterly cold this morning and I think we will be having lunch back at camp rather than our standard picnic on the bank.  With 5 fish being landed before breakfast here this morning, the guides had to make sure they were on time as everyone was pretty quick to eat and get into their waders.

Charlie White

Different day, similar outcome

At the risk of being unoriginal, I must admit that I could pretty much “cut and paste” yesterday’s blog and put it on here today with a few different photos.

Bursts of action followed by fallow periods with very fresh fish being landed.  The water is dropping away nicely and it is now 12 degrees on Varzuga whilst it is at 8 degrees at Kitza.  On Varzuga we are fishing floaters and intermediates but they are still fishing T-10/14 over on Kitza.  Small aluminum tubes and doubles in sizes 8-10 are now the most common.

Roddy C on Mall

Lower Varzuga landed 29 yesterday with Anders H responsible for 9 of those from Bear Corner and Green Bank.  Jamie H and Roddy C had a really busy session on Bear Island which resulted in 3 double hook ups but sadly the final photo was missing as the vital one was lost each time.

Jamie H on Bear Island

A trip to the village after fishing was a great success and was fascinating as per usual.  It is difficult to comprehend how tough it must be in winter here and leaving a very comfortable lodge to get a small insight into our Russian friend’s lives is always worthwhile.

It was steady away at Kitza with 14 landed – all the way from Deluxe to Third Island.  Joan G was the top rod as is often the case but it was all a bit slower than we would hope.

Sean O'D with one from the boat up at Middle

Middle Varzuga had a carbon copy day of Wednesday but instead of landing 41, they landed 42.  Pretty evenly spread across all of the beats and you just needed to be there when the pods ran through.

Mark J with another

It is a really warm morning today and I have a feeling that it might be more productive to come up the water column a touch.  Over breakfast there were several people keen to try a skated fly and we hope that is productive. 

As per normal, there will be no blog tomorrow as we fly to Murmansk to change over guests and I will round up this past week on Sunday.

Charlie White

Lynsey Mair, take a bow

I am not quite sure what to make of yesterday.  We landed 79 salmon across the camps to 29 rods – sounds good I know but there is a nagging feeling that it should have been more.

Jack, Ollie and Bill all reported that fish were running hard through their respective beats and it was more a question of being in the right place at the right time rather than fish being in all beats.

Lynsey on Green Bank - still high water as you can see

Here at Lower we had 25 of those but perhaps the 2 most important fish were landed by Lynsey Mair.  Whilst Lynsey has landed fish before, these were the first “unassisted” fish she has caught and for someone who has barely fished before it was a great achievement.   Anders H landed 6, whilst Jamie H and Bill McS had 5 and 4 respectively.

One from the boat 

Kitza landed 13 fish to their rods with Marc W and Graham J at the top of score sheet once more.  Ollie reported seeing many more fish in their lower reaches but for whatever reason, they were difficult to connect with.

Jamie H on Bear Corner

Middle had 41 and it was very much a case of everyone chipping in.  They are seeing pods of fish and having action for a bit and then it goes slow again.  It is strange in that we are now picking up masses of kelts which we would have expected to have been gone by now – maybe it is just a later season than we would expect given the conditions.

Mark J 

After a curious case of the home pools not really producing so far at Middle, they have landed 8 fish this morning before breakfast and Jack reported that everyone was in their waders in record time as the rods are keen to make the most of what we hope may be a better day.

Good to see Big Misha guiding again, looking healthy and well

It is the same here with Jamie H landing one from the Heli pool before coming in for his cooked breakfast and despite a fairly heavy night; the team are raring to go.

Charlie White

Pana set up and Kitza changeover

As anticipated, yesterday was a busy day.  It was also extremely hot and blindingly bright which was fine for those of us flying but not ideal for those fishing.

The Pana renunion

After seeing the clients off at 9am this morning we started to load the helicopter with the first tranche of the Pana provisions and then flew to the village to pick up the Russian team.  As ever, there were huge hugs, smiles and perhaps a small shot of vodka to mark the reunion and it was lovely to see them all again with Dima still the head guide which is great news.

Hippo Rock well out of the water

After a stifling flight we landed to find the river looking practically perfect.  For those of you who know the beat (there are not many who come into that bracket as only 32 people fish it every year) Hippo Rock is well out of the water.  It looks stunning up there and I think our Spanish friends should have an excellent first week.

"How did you get on"? Lower and Kitza clients swapping stories

It was then back to Lower in order to get things ready for the 7pm changeover with the Kitza clients.  It was a frustrating day that the rods had here at Lower in that we landed 17 but lost 42 more!  Nice to see all of that action but it was very puzzling as to why so many fish dropped off and the book could have told a very different story.

Middle also had a bit of an odd day.  They landed 35 fish which is obviously a great days fishing but this team would expect more than that. 

Graham J on Lower Sviats

I just wonder if we are being conned a bit by the weather and the fact that we started with such a high river.  It feels to us as if the river has dropped by miles and that we are in the middle of June because of the high temperatures (it was 27 degrees yesterday with the water temperature at 11 degrees) but the reality is that we are still faced with a big river and it is only just late May. As ever, time will tell.

Mark J with one of 5 he landed yesterday

Kitza landed 10 yesterday before we went to pick them up and swap over the clients.  The team had really enjoyed their 3 days over there and were full of praise for Ollie and Lucy. 

As soon as the helicopter landed at Lower, Anders H looked at the river and decided it simply had to be fished.  3 fish in just over an hour was more like it and despite another cloudless morning with very strong winds, hopes are high for a more “normal” day.

Charlie White

Off to Pana

We had a really fun day yesterday here at Lower with Alex A landing his first ever salmon in the morning followed by two more at Beach in the afternoon. 

Bill Drury having guided Alex A into hooking his first salmon

Peter V also landed his first Russian salmon and as a result there were many celebrations on the river as well as a very good party last night.  A total of 24 fish were landed but perhaps a better example of the action we were having was that Marc W landed 4 in the afternoon as well as losing 8 more.  It was the first time that we have really seen Beach come alive and it felt very much as if the grilse run had arrived.

Jim A with a lovely fish from Beach

At Kitza they landed 22 and it is encouraging to see their scores heading in an upward direction.  Ollie said that the river is dropping nicely but then said they have still hardly been able to properly wade so I guess it must still be very high.  We are flying over there at 7pm tonight for the weekly changeover and so I should be able to get a better handle on things.

Matt and Beanie - manager and cook at Pana

Many of you who have been out here or have spoken to the office about coming out here will have, at some point, dealt with the legend who is Lynsey Mair.  She handles all of the administration of everyone’s trips and is entirely unflappable.

Lynsey getting ready for a boat trip to Middle

She has come out here this week to refresh her memory of why this place is so special and last night we both went up to Middle for dinner.  A beautiful, warm and sunny evening was the perfect time to do it and we had a stunning boat trip up there. 

John R with a "half a fish"

We found a very happy team of clients but they had had a rather difficult day of fishing compared to the norm up there.  29 fish were put in the book and a combination of a building run of fish, very high winds and simply “fishing” were to blame for their slightly disappointing numbers.

Today we are off to Pana to set up that camp for the forthcoming guests whilst also swapping the Kitza clients with Lower this evening so it looks like a busy day in the helicopter – I hope when I get back it has been a busy day on the river.

Charlie White

An odd day

Yesterday was a bit strange.  Bright sunshine in the morning meant we all packed suncream and were looking forward to a picnic lunch.  By the time lunch came, it was pouring with rain accompanied by a cold upstream wind.  Almost as soon as everyone had eaten their rather soggy quiche, it brightened up again to lead to a lovely afternoon.

Joan G with one of 3 she landed yesterday

I am not sure if that is why catches felt a bit flat all day but I doubt it helped.  At Middle they landed 53 fish for the day with catches fairly evenly spread although Julian T was perhaps the standout rod with 8 from Upper Fortress and Beach. 

Regular blog readers will know that we have a very hard working rod at Middle and he had 18 for the day which is perhaps the best indication of the run of fish that we have this year.

Graham J on the Mall - despite dropping water it is still a high river

At Kitza I know that they landed 14 for their first full day of the season.  Whilst communications are improving daily here on the tundra, I still could barely make out what Ollie was saying and so I don’t know the breakdown of that or how far upstream they were fishing – details for this evenings catch up I hope.

Jim A who may just have enjoyed his day...

At Lower we totaled 24 for the day with Graham J the top rod with 6.  I know that sounds pretty good fishing to 8 rods but in truth, I thought we would catch more than that.  Water temperatures are now at 10 degrees and my suspicion is that a lot of fish are running the middle of the river which we can’t quite reach yet. 

Marc W on Heli

This is a week which is normally hosted by Michael Evans and he always reckoned that there were always a few days when the river hadn’t quite dropped enough for the fishermen but had for the fish – it would seem that yesterday was one of those days.

However, as I am typing I have just seen Sue C land a fish from Larder and as she said over the radio, “normal service is resumed”

Charlie White

A round up

Last week was a classic opening week.  High water with catches improving every day and bigger fish being landed. 

So bright it dazzled him...

Lower fished well on Friday and we finished with 91 for the week.  Not epic by Varzuga standards but still a great week.  Middle had another very good day but fell just short of the 400 mark.  392 really good fish to 11 rods was a fantastic result and it was clear in Murmansk that they had all really enjoyed it.

One from Peartiha

It was very smooth through the airport yesterday and everyone was in their respective camps by around 2pm.  After a very early morning start in Helsinki, many were quite tired but most had a crack at the river.

Jonatha B on Moscoi

At Kitza, the first 5 fish of the season were landed whilst at Middle they had 11 for their short afternoon.  At Lower we had 5 on the bank as well as a rod broken whilst playing another fish.

Fish have been landed this morning across all of the camps although a very cold morning probably didn’t help productivity and it was ones and twos rather than more than that.

Rob T with another lovely fish from Clarks

It was very bright first thing but it is now rather overcast and so we hope that the first day of the week is set up nicely.

Charlie White