Friday 23 June 2017

Hardly Summer

Date: 22 June

Air Temp: 5C to 2C
Water Temp: 5C
Water height: 1.9m
Number of rods: 13
Number fish caught: 4
Biggest fish: 24lbs John Horlock
No 30+: 0
No 20-29: 1
No 8-19: 3
Grilse: 0

Weather: Rain in the morning, upstream wind and cool air temperatures.

Manager's comments: The weather was looking pretty grim this morning and it was decided that we should have a more relaxed start and so left at 10.15am instead of the normal 9am. Similarly everyone was picked up at 5.30pm instead of 6pm. Thankfully the rain eased off at lunchtime. Thank the likes of Simms and Patagonia for modern fishing clothing! We are eternally grateful on days like this!
 
 Can you see it? Camouflaged willow grouse

The best fish of the day went to John H who landed a 24lber from below Pots. On hooking the fish it was happy to fight in the heavy water of a rapid. It put up a seriously good fight in the current and John had the drag set tight and the rod bucked double to the point that his guide feared he was going to break it. Roberto T had a nice fresh 15lber from Lake, the same place that he caught one the day before. Matt H had a 15lber from Poachers and Jonathan Murray a 17lber from Waterfall. Of the four fish caught, one was fresh and the other three were osankas, last year’s autumn fish that will spawn later this year.
 
John H with his 24lber from below Pots

Below is some encouraging news from James Beaumont fishing the Lower Yokanga from the Gremikha Camp.

I had a truly amazing afternoon yesterday. There were 7 fish caught by the camp. I had 4. 18lbs, 18lbs, 20lbs and 29lbs. I lost another 3. One was lost after a few minutes, another after 25 minutes and another after 45 minutes which we never even saw. I spent 4 hours playing fish between 2pm and 7pm...only spent about 15 minutes casting...the remaining 45 minutes was spent watching Arni play a fish. It was only a 20 yard pool! I connected with another 10 fish, almost a connection with every cast. Quite simply the best afternoon's fishing I have ever had. I actually got cold because I spent so long standing still playing fish! Crazy to think that, in years to come, when someone asks me about my bonanza day and where was the lie, that I am going to have to point 10 feet up the hill to dry land!
 
James with one of his four fish from the Lower Yokanga

The good news is that there are clearly fish waiting to run the Yokanga but they have just not put in their usual appearance on the middle river as yet. They will surely come soon.
 
Snake Pool, Lyliok, June 2017
 
I will sign off by posting photos of Snake Pool on the Lyliok river, taken within days of each other this year and last year.

Henry Mountain

Snake Pool, Lyliok, June 2016