Sunday 26 June 2016

Week 18-25 June

Date: 18-25 June

Air Temp: 8C to 24C
Water Temp: 13C-15C
Water height: -15cms to -8cms
Number of rods: 14
Number fish caught: 119
Biggest fish: 38lbs John Horlock
No 30+: 5
No 20-29: 26
No 8-19: 83
Grilse: 5

Weather: A wildly fluctuating weather week going from hot to cold and back again.

Manager's comments: The final score may not be as impressive as the previous week but the quality of the fish caught has been incredible this season and it has continued into this last week. There has hardly been a fish under 10lbs all season.
 
Guests and guides about to hit the river on the first day

The many fish in the 10-19lb bracket can strip backing off your reel in the blink of an eye which has had many people running down the stones in pursuit of a fish that has run into fast water.
 
Fresh fish from Crows Nest

To have 26 fish falling into the 20-29lb category is extraordinary when you compare it to the other rivers around the world. Almost everyone in the party has had a fish over 20lbs in fact so hopefully a fish to remember. Added to that there have several personal bests and a total of five salmon in excess of 30lbs.
 
A personal best of 34lbs for Michael

The fish of the week has to be John’s 38lber. The measurements were simply enormous. It was a fish caught in an unusual sort of a spot and then gave John a really good tussle before it was netted. Without wishing to pass by the other wonderful big fish (30lbs Jonathan, 31lbs Helmut and 33lbs Valery) the other outstanding fish was the stunning and heavily spotted 34lb hen caught by Michael.

Helmut with his 31lber from Beach

The group got on famously and there have been a lot of laughs from start to finish. Yes we are privileged to fish the Yokanga but it is the company that we keep that makes it so enjoyable.
 
Switzerland v Northern Ireland in mini pingpong

As I waved the party goodbye on the helicopter this morning we were basking in 18C weather with blue skies and sunshine. As I sit here typing, the rain is belting on the roof and I have put my fleece back on. Such is life in the far north! Maybe a splash of cold rain will razzle the fish up for the coming week. Watch the space.

Henry Mountain
 
Heading back to Murmansk

Gremikha Camp, Lower Yokanga

The party at Gremikha landed 41 fish to 8 rods this week, the largest being 25lbs. That is a decrease in numbers from the grand total of 68 that they posted the previous week. Conditions, for whatever reason, seemed less favourable so that could have been expected but matters were certainly hampered by three seals taking up residence in the beats. Unsurprisingly the day the seals were not there was the best of the week with close to a dozen salmon to the net.
 
While the height of the river was almost identical to the previous week, the water has been a lot warmer. With sea liced fish being caught well upriver, the fish would appear to be charging through without stopping.