Last day of the week

It shouldn’t come as a surprise by now but time really does fly up here.  It seems minutes ago that we landed with our first clients of the season and were faced with a very high river. 

The ice break date was about perfect but warmer temperatures than we would expect in early May led to all of the snow in the tundra melting into the river over just a few days rather than just a few weeks.

Ken L with a cracker from Upper Sviats

It is difficult to tell as there are so many ways to measure the river but when I look out of the office here, I would reckon that the river beside the camp has fallen by about 15 feet over this week – things really do happen quickly in the Russian summer.

Robin M on Beach

All of which has led to an improving situation day by day and I had hoped that yesterday would be the first day that Lower would really get in amongst the fish.  It didn’t happen quite like that although I am not sure why.  We saw plenty of fish and an awful lot were hooked but in the end only 20 were put in the record book.  Jonathan B had 6 of those whilst Tim T had 5 for his morning session and then called it quits on the basis that 5 was enough for a day.

Jonathan B on the beginnings of Bear Island

I went up to Middle Varzuga for dinner and found a team reveling in the conditions.  They had landed 71 for their day taking them comfortably over the 300 mark for the week – 400 is the target for today.   Brian M had a stunning day landing 15 fish with 8 from Peartiha and 7 from Birthday. 

A happy team at Middle

Oddly, not many fish are being caught from the home pool so practically all of the fish that have been recorded have been in “office hours”.  I suspect it is still a bit high and lower water should bring Generator and Bear into order.

Andrew T with yet another for his week

It is a very warm and very bright day today but everyone is determined to make the most of the last day and breakfast was a pretty short affair.  No blog tomorrow as we fly to Murmansk very early but I will round up all of the scores on Sunday.

Charlie White

Kitza set up

Yesterday was very warm and very bright – perfect flying conditions if not quite so conducive to fishing.

We flew over to Kitza to start setting up the camp over there.  Loading up the helicopter looked as if we were trying to resupply Ikea and a huge supermarket.  Table cloths and cushions jostled for space with mustard and tomato ketchup alongside satellite phones, boat engine parts, vodka and bananas! 

Kitza camp

Somehow we got it all in and flew the short distance to see our old friends at Kitza.  We were treated to stunning views of the White Sea and when we landed, it was no surprise to see a very high river.  It will drop as quickly as it has here and Ura, the head guide, was unusually upbeat about our chances for the coming week.

Looking upstream from the camp

On returning back to Lower Varzuga it was encouraging to hear that they had been catching fish and a final score of 24 was very much the right direction we want to be heading in.  Richard M landed his first ever salmon on Tuesday and went on to land 6 more yesterday, a great effort.

Sergei and Ken L on Beach

Most of the fish were caught at the very bottom of our beat but Bill Drury wanted to see if some of the smaller “pots” where now producing and 3 fish in 20 minutes (not counted in the official scores) proved that there were fish all the way up to Bearlets. 

Andrew T on Generator

We are just beginning to see the “road” where the boats are tied up - this would usually be our high water mark to give those of you who know the beat some idea of how high it has been.

At Middle there was a very productive morning followed by a slightly slower afternoon, attributed to the very warm, still and bright conditions.  However, none of it can have been too slow as they put 66 fish in the book to their 11 rods. 

Rob T with one from Clarks

It was the usual suspects of Donald and Andrew who lead the charts but Hugh L and Brian M landed 7 and 6 respectively to keep them on their toes.  As Hugh had lost 10 yesterday, each one practically at the net, this was a welcome turnaround.

It is much more overcast today and things look good.

Charlie White

As we hoped

Yesterday was confirmation that this year is, as the Russians say about everything, “normal”.

A dropping river, fresh fish, conditions improving rapidly at Lower and a great day at Middle.

Rob T

The 11 rods at Middle Varzuga landed 95 fish for their day.  Seriously good fishing by any measure and when you learn that they all thought that they had lost more than they had landed, you know how much action they had throughout the day.

Simon R with a bar of silver

Gareth C was responsible for 14 of those, Andrew T had 13 and Simon R landed 11 from Fortress and Clark’s.

The river is falling pretty rapidly - probably about 2 feet at Lower yesterday – and it is warming up, currently it is 6 degrees but we have a really bright day today and I would expect it to be a touch higher by this evening.

Ken L on Beach at Lower

Tactics are being altered appropriately with tips of T-14/17 being replaced with T-6/10 and intermediates are coming into play.  A lot of fish were caught on shrimp type colours but dressed on 1-2 inch tubes.

Gareth C - you can really tell how well the fish have done at sea

At Lower we landed 10 fish.  Not a bonanza I know but such an improvement and it really feels as if we have a chance here now.  That was further backed up by Ken L going out before breakfast this morning and landing 1 before breakfast.  It still needs to drop off to open up more of the river to us but things are going the right way.

Jonathan B on Moscoi

A short blog today as we are jumping on the helicopter to fly to Kitza to take Ollie and Lucy over there to set up for the first clients of the season for that camp who will arrive on Saturday.

Charlie White

Encouraging signs

Yesterday was a beautiful day to be on the river – quite cold in the morning but with bright skies and a relatively benign wind, it felt more like June than mid May.

It is hard to comprehend but the river here at Lower has now fallen 8-10 feet since we first landed on Saturday afternoon.  What is even harder to comprehend is that we probably still need it to fall a further 3-4 feet before we really see the river as we would expect in the opening week.

Tony C at Clarks

The water is not only falling but it is clearing rapidly and most importantly, we are beginning to see stretches of water that we can get in and fish rather than finding the odd spot in amongst the trees.

Whilst we only landed 2 fish at Lower we started to see a lot more and rather counter-intuitively, it was encouraging to see a seal at Beach - the bottom of our beat – knowing that it wouldn’t have bothered to come up river without something to chase.

Gareth C with a lovely fresh fish

Perhaps the most important information from yesterday was the fishing at Middle.  I went up there for dinner in stunning sunshine and saw the first Arctic Terns of the year – a sure sign that spring is here.

The rods there were clearly having a great time which is not surprising given that they had landed 57 for the day.  They all had similar tales of quiet periods followed by intense bursts of activity which is just as we would hope as it means that the fresh fish are running in pods and the run is just building.

Lucy from Kitza getting ready for a boat trip

Clarks, Peartiha and Birthday were the most productive pools and now that the ice has gone from Bear, quite a few fish were caught from there as well.

Simon R on Bear

This morning is again bright and I know that at least 5 fish have been landed on the home pools of Middle before breakfast.  It feels like our turn to catch the fish that are clearly running past us and with this dropping river, our chances are improving hourly.

Charlie White

Getting there

Yesterday was a tale of two halves with Middle starting well but Lower was a struggle.

It really reminded me of 2014 when we had a huge river for the first week of the season as a result of high temperatures.  Pretty much all of the snow and ice has now gone and the tundra water is starting to be released into the river with all of the feeder streams really pumping water in.

Andrew T

Middle Varzuga is above a lot of those streams - particularly a smaller tributary called Sergo which can be very dirty when it starts to run - and as a result, in these conditions, they have much cleaner water to fish.

They landed 35 for the day which is more than a solid start.  Gareth C landed 5 from Clarks (a classic high water pool) whilst Neville A landed 4 on his first day on a Russian river.  Andrew T was the star of the day though landing 9 from Generator and Party - he was also clearly the only man to take a camera with him!

In the withies

At Lower, Jonathan B saved our blank by landing 1 whilst we also lost a couple of others.  I would tell you where he caught it but frankly there is not a definable beat at the moment and it is just a question of trying to find places to get in where we can wade for a bit.  Fishing from boats is the obvious answer but the current is too strong to risk a decent anchor hold so we can’t quite do that at the moment either.

One from Generator

The good news is that it is dropping very quickly.  It dropped around 8 inches last night which is a vast amount of water off it given how wide it currently is.  As it drops it will clear and the beat will open up which will give us a decent chance of covering the fish that are obviously running through here.

Heading out this morning - still very high

2014 was our record season in 26 years of operating up here and so we hope that the replication of the first couple of days will continue through the next 6 weeks.

Charlie White

And we’re off

As ever, it is great to be back on the Varzuga and to catch up with old friends.  Friday night in Helsinki is one of the best of the year with anticipation levels off the charts and a bubbling cauldron of excitement.

Getting on to our new heli

After a very early morning start, it was onto the charter and a smooth passage to Murmansk.  With only Lower and Middle Varzuga up and running, there were just 20 of us and so it was a very quick in and out of the airport meaning we were in the chopper by 11:45 - a record I do not expect to be broken any time soon.

Lakes still frozen but most of the snow has gone

As we flew over the tundra it was noticeable that there is very little snow left but that most of the big lakes are still covered in ice.

It was very encouraging to fly over Middle Varzuga and see that most of the banks are fairly free of ice and Generator looked fishable in more than a few places.  There is still a huge ice wall at the top of Bear which will make that difficult to access for a day or two.

Generator pool at Middle

At Lower the river is pretty much bank high and we decided to save our powder for today as wading was not a good idea with the trees and branches that you would have to walk through to get to the water.

Andrew T with the first fish of the 2018 season

However, the team at Middle went out and landed 4 fish with Andrew T being the first to kick off our season.  There are limited places at present to really access the water but with nearly all of the snow gone and temperatures around the 12 degree mark, it will drop rapidly. 

The water temperature is 4 degrees and now that most of the ice has been dragged off the banks, the river is clearing nicely. 

Donald S on Generator

We are probably within 36 hours of the “perfect” ice break and opening week river conditions and as all of the boats set off this morning there was a palpable sense of anticipation.  After months of looking forward to it, we are off.

Charlie White

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)