Up and Out

Yesterday was a starkly contrasting day to Victory day. The Russian team arrived in a whirlwind of boats, engines and fuel cans. Not long had they arrived and Glenn was at work checking the engines over and assessing any repairs. Luckily these seem to be minimal after last season's high water.

Boat preparations

Millie and I then prepared for a 3pm helicopter out to middle camp. We loaded our supplies into the helicopter, said our goodbyes and made our way to the village to collect staff and more supplies and luggage. 

Glenn replacing starter rope

Above the village, the narrow neck of the river was full of ice but I had a chat with Bill last night who said they were having a lot of ice flowing down the river past them so we can only assume that this has broken up.

Up to the village to collect supplies

Arrival into middle was very easy as the young security guys had cleared off most of the walkways. I helped Yura and Vova to finish much of what they had started and then engines were loaded into boats and sledged to generator. Bear pool and the usual boat parking bay are essentially an ice jam. We will have to work with what we have for the first few days and above all, stay safe as there will be quite a bit of ice still along the banks and therefore coming down the river.

2018's first Helicopter arriving at lower camp

The good news is that there is more of the same weather today. Yesterday was warm and the sun did a great job of melting the snow. We had a slight frost over night but the sun is now back out doing it's work.

The river between Varzuga and Middle now open

We are hoping to get all the water reconnected today. The generator is up and running and seems to be working fine. We have found all the things we need from last year's team and all the missing picnic equipment too.

Sun set over middle camp last night

It's still a bit early to risk wetting a line but I can certainly say I'm eager to give it a go once the ice flow has lessened. For those travelling out today, safe travels. Pack for warmth and very early spring conditions.

Jack Selby (Operations Manager)

A warm start

As predicted, this morning is much warmer and last night was nowhere near as cold. We have a sunny outlook and everyone is up beat. The river is high and bringing with it large chunks of ice.

Engines on and boats to the water

Yesterday we got the last of the printing and organisation sorted. We saw Mischa in the evening who let us know that the helicopter was due to arrive today at lunchtime ish...

Evening sky over the Heli Pad

This morning we are getting boats checked and in the water. Millie and I are heading up to Middle Camp after lunch and have everything packed and ready to travel. Bill and Ceri are set for Lower next week and also ready to accept the Kitza cook and manager as they arrive on Saturday.

Blue and high river this morning

The river is looking blue and beautiful with ice chunks flowing down it as we would expect. In all truth everything is looking pretty good and we are ready. It will be a cold start to the week and careful wading will be essential. Layers and fleece will be mandatory. However everyone here is bullish for a good season ahead and we are ready for some guests and lots of fish!

Jack Selby (Operations Manager)

Victory Day Today

It is Victory day today which means we have only the international team in camp. Up in the village our team are preparing themselves for this afternoon's celebrations. Last night Millie asked Bill if there was a big meal involved in the celebration. Bill's reply: "Only to line the stomach!"

Victory Day

Sergey and Max left the camp yesterday to get some last minute supplies in Murmansk and to be ready to greet incoming fisherman on Saturday. The ice track between us and the village is beginning to get quite chewed up and poor Sergey had to pack his things into the sledge and then run up the hill after the skidoo.

Sergey before the 200 yard dash up the hill

It seems to be a breakfast thing but each time we settle in for breakfast another raft of ice arrives. This morning quite a large raft slipped gently down to us and began to break up on the shallower water in front of us. It is clearly from close to the village because there were snow mobile tracks all across it. For a time things plugged in our narrow channel but the river came up and forced it to break up and flow through.

Bill is ready!

Last night we had news from Middle Camp that the ice was breaking up around the island. We expected to see this reaching us but it must still be built up behind the village. Tomorrow the forecast is for 11 degrees C and no frost at night so with luck this should trigger things.

Heli pad cleared for tomorrow

Millie and I have been told that we might be heading to Middle tomorrow by helicopter. If this is the case I will hope to be sending Friday's blog from Middle with images. We are both very eager to get up there and get things prepared for guests as soon as possible.

A large raft of ice

Jack Selby (Operations Manager)

An encouraging sight

We all dashed outside last night to see a good built up raft of ice pushing into our section of open water. Having broken away from above the wires there was naturally quite a bit of excitement from the camp. It all began to build in front of us and then stopped. Our open water had been filled! This morning however the way cleared and we have quite an expanse of open water in front of the lodge and below the lodge a narrow channel.

On the move

Yesterday was a hive of activity. We shocked ourselves with how quickly and easily we got things up and running. Ceri and Millie did an excellent job of splitting the dry food order and making a list of things still to acquire. All the new camp equipment is also now parcelled up and ready for the off. We had a warm hearty supper last night and Bill joined the kitchen in trying on the new aprons...

Bill and Millie choosing aprons

We were joined by more and more of the Russian team yesterday. It was Banya Sasha's birthday yesterday and he was on very good form chatting to "Fred" (Glenn to us). Christina made her way to camp late last night from Umba and everywhere was busy with set up week chores.

Camp supplies all divided and ready

Overnight we had a little rain but it was quite cold again. It was disappointing to see the ice blockage was still there but as we sat down to a scrummy breakfast the landscape started to shift to the south. We now have quite a section of open water. As we have learned from experience though what we see here and how close the river is to breaking are two very different things.

My temporary quarters

The Russian team arrived this morning over the snow mobile track through the woods as there is now no way to get to and fro by river. We had an international inspection of the river and are now setting to work to get the Bill Drury rental sets replenished and up to scratch and the girls are busy in the kitchen prepping for the week ahead.

Feoder and Bill discussing movements over night

Having discussed the current situation with Charlie last night it has been decided to go full steam ahead for week 1 and work with the conditions as we find them. We will keep a close eye on the weather and the river over the next couple of days. It is overcast today but there is talk of 11 degrees C in a day or two giving us hope for that much needed lift in the water height to clear the ice and banks. Fingers and toes crossed.

A bit more open water post breakfast

Jack Selby (Operations Manager)

Here we go!

After arriving in Murmansk on Thursday evening we have busied ourselves with the usual supply purchase and logistics planning. On Sunday morning we packed everything into the vans and set off for Varzuga village. The travel was smooth and the last section of dirt road was remarkably well kept meaning arrival into the village around 7.30pm.

Arrival into Lower Camp

We got all the supplies and luggage into the lodge and found a delicious soup and pasta dish waiting for us care of Sousha. Millie (Middle Camp cook) and Ceri (Lower Camp cook) set to work to get the cold supplies into the fridge and after everything was in it’s place we sat down to a civilised supper. Someone even managed to find a bottle of red wine.

Division of supplies

Now to the most pressing matter. The river. It’s certainly a lot thinner and there is far more open water than this time last year. We arrived and were a little down cast but a light rain had began and the forecast is for nights to remain above freezing. Even as Bill and I made our inspection there were small rafts of ice coming down stream from above and this was the tell tale last year that things are starting to move. Unlike last year they are breaking up and carrying on down stream. Last year the chunks were busily freezing up against the blockage. It would make everything complete if we woke up to a broken river tomorrow.

First night inspection

For now we have bluebird skies and warm sun to transfer snow melt into the river, then under the ice and then to carry it away. The change from last night is highly encouraging with a nice blue channel opening down the true left bank. Everyone is jolly and refreshed this morning and as ever we have a focused and driven team helping us both Russian and British.

Bluebird Sky this morning

More camp detail tomorrow as people and the tundra starts to wake up.

Jack Selby (Operations Manager)

2017 season review

2017 will go down as the most extraordinary year that any of us have seen on the Varzuga and to a wider extent on the whole of the Kola Peninsula.

Our advance team "on the river" on May 6th

Over the past few years the trend of the ice break date had been very much veering towards the season starting earlier and after 2016 there were a few calls to start the season in the first week of May and perhaps think of dropping the last week of June – this is not a conversation we expect to have again soon.

River ice beginning to break

Our advance team of staff got to the river on May 6th and the very first call back to the office was bad news.  The river was totally frozen over, to the point where the locals were still using it like a road for the trucks and skidoos.  We have cancelled the first week of the season before and whilst it is never something any of us like to do, we had experience of it as had the clients we needed to ring.

Snow at Kitza

On May 6th, it was very clear that there was only one option in cancelling the first week but none of us could imagine that winter would cling on and we would need to cancel the second week.  Almost unbelievably and for the first time in our 26 year history, sadly we had to do just that.

Igloo building was the most productive thing to do for a while

It was simply staggeringly cold and even though we were very reluctant to cancel the week it was a very good job that we did.  The river did start to clear during the second week but it was only really when our first clients got there on May 27th did the river look fully fishable.

Snow storm on our first morning of fishing

Even then, winter had us in its grip.  Our first fishing day started with an epic snow storm which lasted until lunchtime and the reality is that this set the tone of the first two weeks of fishing – very high and cold water, very cold fishing conditions and a sense that all of us simply wanted to see summer and break out the floating lines.

At last, what we came for

Of course we caught fish – this is the Varzuga after all.  In the first week the 4 camps landed 539 fish between 37 rods – not fantastic but given that we were in flood condition, it was extraordinary that we caught that many at all.  Sadly the fish were not as spread out as we would have liked and Middle Varzuga accounted for the majority of them.

All of the fish were in great condition

The stand out feature of the opening week and that of the season was that we hardly caught a small fish at all.  The Varzuga is predominantly a grilse fishery and  we would expect quite a few 5-6lbs fish but we were catching fish over 8lbs practically the entire time and landing a fish of 12-14lbs was not only unremarkable, it became usual.

A nice fish from Middle Varzuga

Whether this accounted for what happened as the season went on we cannot say but the upshot was that we ended up landing very few small fish and the big “push” of the smaller, summer grilse that we normally start to see in the first week or so of June never arrived.

With the river so high we fished from boats more than normal

The weather Gods simply never gave us a break all year and every time we thought the river was fining down and becoming readable, we would get another dump of rain, snow or hail – it was quite extraordinary.  This not only put the fish off but it put the fishermen off as well as the reality is that when the river is that high, it becomes very difficult to find places to wade and the taking spots for the fish are few and far between.

A good one from Kitza

It is testament to the staff, the locals, the lodges and the all round experience of the trip that in a year where everything seemed to conspire against us, we saw endless smiling faces, had some of the best fun we possibly could have done and had so many people say “see you next year”.  It really is a phenomenal place to fish and we are very lucky to be able to go there year after year.

Food of the highest standard

We landed just under 2,000 fish in our shortened one month programme to 140 rods which gives us the lowest average catch per rod of our whole history on the river but that has to be set against the coldest winter for 100 years and simply terrible fishing conditions throughout the whole season.

Increased comfort in the lodges - all rods have single rooms

I believe that more than ever, a result of around 14 fish per rod per week in a year like this reinforces what an amazing resource the Varzuga is and we look forward to fishing it in more “normal” conditions next year.

A rounded experience with fishing, wildlife and fun

Thank you to all of our clients who came this season and who all, without exception, gave it their all and were determined to enjoy everything that the river and the whole week has to offer.

The sun sets on another season

A final thank you to all of our staff and particularly to our Russian partners without whom none of this would be possible.

Charlie White

Mixed day

Firstly it seems there is an issue with the BGan or the operator/instructor. Either way we are unable to receive images from middle camp. Luckily everything else seems to be running very smoothly. I was talking to Toby late last night about the all important close down notes. What a contrast from last year. Toby reports that all the new engines are in very good condition and no chips or dings. "The big boat needs a starter motor" is about all he needs to note down.

Yesterday morning turned bitterly cold and consequently the morning's fishing was slower. Around lunch time the sun came out and the clouds cleared entirely. This time last year I was where Toby is now praying for overcast conditions to cool the water temperatures. None the less the warmer weather had a good effect and the team managed to land 19 fish. Without exception all the rods took to the Generator pool after supper and Dominic M managed to entice 2 more to the bank.

The other thing that is astounding is the mosquitoes have arrived. As Toby said "seven weeks in the Russian tundra and they only show up on the very last day." That is pretty good going although I think I would happily swap 2-3 weeks of mosquitoes for the 2 weeks watching a frozen river at the start.

This morning there is a little cloud but mainly blue sky and warm. Stewart S had an early start this morning with the intention to catch his first fish on the hitch. He achieved this with ease so big congratulations. Once hooked on the hitch it's very hard to go back.

I guess this is my last report until the season round up. It has been a strange and wonderful, interesting and emotional, challenging and enjoyable year. You cant just go back to Russia with a thought, the only way to relive that moment is to go back there every year and experience it. It does not matter how many people ask me about my trip, no one who has not experienced that amazing environment can truly understand the draw and the appeal.

Jack Selby

Short takers

Yesterday the weather never really changed. There was heavy rain forecast but this may have remained inland of Middle camp as they enjoyed overcast and light showers only. However either rain in the tundra or Tuesday's rain meant the river was up about 4-5 inches. This did not hamper fishing particularly although might have had something to do with the short taking. The team landed 25 fish.

Paul R and Gordon B were up river and Paul estimated he had hold of or offers from 30 fish for the day and only landed 7. He lost quite a few and had quite a few tugs and then nothing. Whether this was down to fish running hard on the rising river or maybe a bit of cooler water coming in making them less aggressive we can only speculate.

Dominic M had another lovely day landing 7, 6 of which were landed from Peartiha. He told Toby that he had caught more by the end of Tuesday than any other week he has fished. I'm very pleased for him indeed.

Last night Paul R decided that enough was enough. Inspired by the Bear and at one with nature and the animals he stalked and caught a fish with his bare (Bear) hands. Quite why it let him do this I'm not sure but he was jolly pleased. I've not heard what the Salmon thought of the whole thing.

Toby is in the process of sending me images so I will update when they arrive.

Jack Selby

2 Day Catch Up

Having thought we had the satellite data sorted out yesterday saw heavy rain and wind and Toby was unable to get a decent connection under cover. His test emails would come through but any detail or images failed. I have spoken to him this morning so am updating two days in one and have finally managed to receive some images.

Nice smaller fish for Paul R

Monday was over cast with showers. However the river was still good to us and air temperature stayed warm. The team landed 22 fish for the day. Richard G got his first fish in Generator which was alive with fish on Monday night. He was jolly pleased that it was bigger than any of his fishing partner's fish.

Sunsets are always utterly wonderful at this time of year

Gordon B fished down through Fortress with a bomber and nearing the bottom he raised a fish off the rock. It came several times for the fly but never committed. Just about to move away to snake pit he popped on a hitch and the fish smashed it straight away. So glad there is finally some surface action.

Lovely fish released

Yesterday was heavier rain and a cold wind. None the less the river has not risen but has stopped dropping. Our intrepid team put in the hard graft and landed another 22 fish for the day. Gordon B and Paul R are now fishing exclusively full floating lines and having the same success as before.

Camp from the air, still very little green

Last night a bear visited the island in search of some scraps. Mischa chased it away, a spectacle in it's own right, and the dogs were active in keeping it at bay until the early hours. Today it is grey and overcast with light rain so far. There are still no Mosquitoes with 2.5 days left of the season. Staggering!

Jack Selby

All but the tech

This morning my images are going to be a medley of the season so far right from the really cold early days. Toby is struggling to get a decent satellite data connection at middle. I'm hoping we have found a way to sort this but for now I have no current images to report.

Right at the start this was all that was not frozen

However the fishing has been jolly good. Including the first night the party have landed 42 fish. Yesterday was lovely sunny weather and the water temperature was around 11 degrees. Thus where the river is deep and fast the heavy tips still won the day purely to counter the flow of water but where it is a bit slower intermediates have been the order of the day. On top of this Paul R landed a fish on a full floating line in Generator.

Toby and Matt back from the first few casts

Last night Paul R caught a very respectable fish. Toby pressed him for an estimate as he was not overly keen to put a figure on it but guessed around 16lbs. Paul tends to be pretty honest if not a little modest about these things so this could well be accurate. He has a picture I believe so lets hope it gives some perspective.

Slight set back in week 1

Stewart S and Dominic M both had good days yesterday which I'm really pleased about. Last year they had tough fishing because the water was too low and they fished really hard and well. I was out hosting them and really felt their pain. This year Dominic M has said to Toby that he has seen more fish moving, landed or lost in one day than in 2 weeks over previous years. I hope he keeps up with his great start.

Last week on Kitza with the green finally pushing through

This morning the weather is overcast and light rain. There is murmuring from the guides that tomorrow it will be heavy rain. Having said that we had some good days last week at Kitza even on a rising river and one thing I know about the team at middle is they will work hard what ever is thrown at them.

Jack Selby

A pretty lovely week

Yesterday was pretty full on. I was awake at 4am when the Russian kitchen party broke up. Breakfast was over in a flash and we were loaded into the helicopter on the way to Middle camp. We had a good flight to Murmansk and after a slight delay said goodbye to Russia.

Richard G fishing beat 5

 Middle on the other hand is still at it. After all rivers reporting a slow afternoon on Friday, yesterday the three chaps still at middle landed good numbers of fish with Paul R and Gordon B sharing 10 between them. Coupled with an early helicopter arrival yesterday was a good day at middle and with a fast dropping river things could be very promising today.

Kitza team photo

Last week at Kitza we landed 80 fish which considering the water rise was pretyy good going. Middle landed 182 and Pana 171. All very respectable figures and with very few grilse being caught it begs the question what would Pana and Kitza be like next week?

James D hoping to get a nice fish to the net mid river

Toby reported in this morning that the weather is fine and river dropping. Coupled with some dedicated fisherman today should be good.

Jack Selby

What a day

Whilst yesterday was not spectacular in terms of numbers it was a stunner for George L. He was equal top rod with Gordon B and they landed 3 each. George returned from the river as if he owned it and celebrated well at supper. The team had landed only 3 by lunch and no one expected much for the afternoon but we ended on 11 fish despite only 6 rods venturing out.

George L at 3rd Island

Pana is still rising but despite this they managed to land a very respectable 19 fish for the day. It’s nice that after a tough season Matt gets to see the river performing at least somewhere near it’s potential.

George with a lovely fish from Sashas

King of the river

Middle had good fishing with their intrepid anglers putting in serious out of hours fishing. They landed 44 fish for their day with Craig C landing 14, Geoff and Findlay F landing 10 between them and everyone reporting a really strong showing of fish throughout the beats. Really encouraging for next week. Luckily my Visa allows me to stay… Maybe I should do a further week from Middle.

James D with a properly fresh fish

It seems almost ridiculous that 8 weeks ago I landed in snowy Murmansk to start the set up process and here I am a day away from heading home and it’s still only 4 degrees outside. Yesterday we clad Lucy in full waders and goretex jacket to brave the wind and rain and try for a salmon on Heli pool. Amazingly within 45 minutes she was shooting line with a perfectly executed double spey and by the end we had her firing out a long line with a snake roll. I could not have been more proud.

Lucy wadered up...

Perfect double spey

Here at Kitza we are finally on a dropping river and soon we will be back to where we started at the beginning of the week. Middle has now plateaued but they are at the same height as they started the season and Pana reported the river was still rising. We can only play with what we are dealt but it’s sad that we don’t have a few more weeks ahead to really see how the fishing fares once the rivers define themselves.

Seal damage

This is my last post from here and on Sunday morning I will be reporting remotely from home with updates supplied by middle manager Toby. It’s almost frightening to think I will have to readjust to “normal” civilisation and not travel everywhere by jet boat. It’s been emotional and quite educational this season and I will truly miss the camp, guides, staff and river here at Kitza. However I am no longer sure what “normal” means. I have heard this word used many times by repeating clients to describe the pools and where they have traditionally fished. This has not been a “normal” year on so many levels but we have all had a blast and really made the most of the opportunities we have been presented with.

Master of all he surveys

Lucy is once again wadering up and we are heading to Heli to try and get her a fish. She might even give me a casting lesson.

Jack Selby