Saturday 27 June 2015

Weekly Report

Date: 20-27 June

Air Temperature: 8-21C
Water Temperature: 11C-21C
Water Height: -8cm to -21cm
No of rods: 16
No fish: 83
Biggest fish: 34lbs Soren Celinder
No of fish 30lbs+: 1
No of fish 20-29lbs: 14
No of fish 8-19lbs: 66
Grilse: 2

Weather: A particularly sunny and windy week, firstly upstream and then downstream for the last few days. With it came warm summer temperatures.

Manager's comments: Conditions were far from ideal for fishing but Yokanga certainly looked her beautiful best with water at a perfect height and every beat and pool fishing well with all features well defined.

The week had a great start but bright and sunny weather definitely hampered fishing and wind made for tricky casting at times. Dull conditions on the last day saw the fishing results pick up but it was definitely a week for perseverance.

The week did produce some quality fish with every fifth fish being 20lbs or more. At one stage of the week Colin J had 5 fish averaging 22lbs. There were some exceptional salmon in the high 20s. Straight in from the sea these gave people some great battles, some of which were won and one notable one which was lost. These encounters leave us all wondering what could have been and I suppose is part of the reason that makes Yokanga so unique and keeps us coming back hoping that we might be the lucky one. The fish of the week was a bright silver 34lb fish caught by Soren C.

The river is in good shape and if mother nature gives us some decent fishing conditions we should see catches increase week on week. We are seeing a few grilse entering the system so watch the space for updates in the coming days and weeks.

Friday 26 June 2015

Final Flurry

Date: 26 June

Air Temperature: 16C-10C
Water Temperature: 15C
Water Height: -21cm
No of rods: 16
No fish: 20
Biggest fish: 28lbs John Horlock
No of fish 30lbs+: 0
No of fish 20-29lbs: 2
No of fish 8-19lbs: 17
Grilse: 1



Weather: A cloudy start to the day with occasional broken sunshine and gentle rain. A downstream wind with a dropping temperature through the afternoon.

Manager's comments: It was a final flurry to the week with sea-liced fish being caught as far as Sand Island.


Colin J lost a fish estimated at over 30lbs after it ran a rapid and tangled his line around a rock. The whole flyline was lost as a result. John H landed a super fresh cock fish of 28lbs from Pump first thing in the morning, a small consolation having lost something enormous the previous day.

John's Hog

To further expand on John H's epic battle here it is in more detail:

Previous Contact with Hog Salmon

John H hooked what seemed like a very good fish in Poachers which refused to move before tearing down the rapids. Rod and guide followed in the boat with line fast disappearing off the reel. The fish then held behind a large boulder in the rapid allowing John to catch up, retrieve a lot of backing and get some flyline back on the reel. He fought the fish there for a time trying to bully it towards the bank but the fish refused to budge and kept firmly down. Having rested up, the fish again headed downstream, this time nearly emptying the spool of backing. Again John and his guide were forced to follow in the boat. Once the fish was out of the rapid, the problem was now to get backing onto the reel fast enough. The boat was fast floating down the rapid with the fish in the pool below so inevitably they lost touch. Fearing that the fish would be gone, John wound in as fast as he could and miraculously the fish was still on. In a pool where fish can easily be landed, they were now in a good position to land whatever they had on. Thinking the fish would now be exhausted, John kept up the pressure only for the fly to come out for no particular reason.


The entire episode lasted 20 minutes and at no moment did the fish seem to tire and they never once got a look at it. John has had over a dozen fish in excess of 30lbs from Yokanga and said he had never experienced strength like that. The fish was in control all through the fight. One wonders what sort of size it could have been.

Running Fish

Date: 25 June

Air Temperature: 19-21C
Water Temperature: 14C
Water Height: -19cm
No of rods: 16
No fish: 8
Biggest fish: 17.5lbs Chris Agar
No of fish 30lbs+: 0
No of fish 20-29lbs: 0
No of fish 8-19lbs: 7
Grilse: 1

Weather: A cloudy start with light rain that cleared to broken sunshine. Light breeze building to strong downstream wind and a sunny evening.



Manager's comments: A few more running fish were seen today and a number of the fish caught were sea liced. Rae B and Peter F both caught a fish from the neck of the pool below Lyliok rapids, the first time this has produced this week.
John H hooked what seemed like a very good fish in Poachers which refused to move before tearing down the rapids and remarkably stayed on. But sadly came unbuttoned in the calm water.


Thursday 25 June 2015

Cliff Double

Date: 24 June

Air Temperature: 15-19C
Water Temperature: 13C
Water Height: -17cm
No of rods: 16
No fish: 8
Biggest fish: 26lbs Colin Jones
No of fish 30lbs+: 0
No of fish 20-29lbs: 2
No of fish 8-19lbs: 6
Grilse: 0

Weather: Mostly overcast with sunny spells and a light downstream wind. With a southerly wind it felt hot and at times humid.



Manager's comments: The results were no better with the improved fishing conditions. Fresh fish were seen running through Home Pool and Beach in the afternoon and it could well have been from them that Chris A took two fresh fish from Poachers weighing 12lbs and 16lbs in the closing minutes. John H then lost a larger fish which came unstuck after it wrapped the line around a sub-surface boulder in the middle of the pool. The prize of the day has to go Pete W and Colin J who landed a 24lber and 26lber respectively up at Cliff.


Arctic Sun

Date: 23 June

Air Temperature: 6C-18C
Water Temperature: 12C
Water Height: -12cm
No of rods: 16
No fish: 10
Biggest fish: 21lbs Christoffer Celinder
No of fish 30lbs+: 0
No of fish 20-29lbs: 1
No of fish 8-19lbs: 9
Grilse: 0

Weather: Cloud cover to start which cleared to yet more bright sunshine and an equally strong upstream wind. Where did the forecast rain and cloud go?



Manager's comments: A very tough day on the river. The Yokanga looks stunning in Arctic Circle sunshine but the sporadic pods of fish are tough to catch under the conditions. After dinner Pete W was rewarded with a 14lb and 15lb fish (both with sea lice) from Lyliok left bank. With the river still bathed in sunshine after dinner, many of the party chose to enjoy some Russian beverages and rest the river for tomorrow!




Tuesday 23 June 2015

Three Four

22 June

Air Temperature: 10-20C
Water Temperature: 11C
Water Height: -9cm
No of rods: 16
No fish: 16
Biggest fish: 34lbs Soren Celinder
No of fish 30lbs+: 1
No of fish 20-29lbs: 1
No of fish 8-19lbs: 14
Grilse: 0

Weather: Another day of sunshine with one or two high clouds. A strong upstream wind made for very difficult casting.


Manager's comments: Given the less than ideal conditions it was a slower day on the river with a couple of beats blanking. It is a question of hunting the resting fish as with the current water height there are plenty of good holding spots.
Chris C had been deposited on a rock mid river to have a few casts while his father, Soren C, fished one of the 7 Islands. Soren hooked a good fish which having jumped a few times then took off downsteam and they had to follow. Chris had to wait 45 mins on his rock while Soren landed a stunning mint fresh 34lb cock fish, the best of the season so far.


Many people are now using doubles, sizes 6-8, on intermediate and slow sink tips. On occasions using heavier tips and a bigger fly (snaelda being the favourite) on the deeper/streamier sections.

Monday 22 June 2015

Old Guard

Evening 20 and 21 June

Air Temperature: 12-15C
Water Temperature: 11C
Water Height: -8cm
No of rods: 16
No fish: 21
Biggest fish: 28lbs, Colin Jones
No of fish 30lbs+: 0
No of fish 20-29lbs: 8
No of fish 8-19lbs: 13
Grilse: 0

Weather: The team of regulars arrived in camp to wall to wall sunshine which persisted all through Sunday. Ideal fishing conditions these were not but did not dampen resolve.



Manager's comments: After the usual early dinner on arrival, the party set about the task with enthusiasm and landed 4 on the first evening with another 3 lost. John H and Colin W had a 20lber and 21lber respectively from Pump. The sunshine on Sunday did not stop the party getting stuck in with high expectations. Every beat produced at least a fish which was encouraging. Pete W and  Colin C decided to persevere on the main draw at Poachers for much of the day and landed 3 fish weighing 20lbs, 22lbs and 28lbs. Quite some avererage! All in all a great start to the week and much to look forward to.