Fresh Fish Landed at Sand Island

Date: 8 June

Air Temp: +2 > +8 C

Water Temp: 6C

Water height: +8cm

Number of rods: 8

Number of fish caught: 4 (+sea trout and ++kelts)

Biggest fish: 26lbs Eric B

No 30lb+: 0

No 20-29lbs: 2

No 8-19lbs: 2

Grilse: 0

Weather:

Slightly softer wind around 3-5m/sec but still cold.

Manager’s Comments:

The final day of Week 0 and hopes were high after hearing of decent catches at the lower camp yesterday.

Charlie and Jake headed down to Waterfall, Eric and Alan to Home/Lyliok, Dean and Chris to Poachers. Pete and Michael decided not to worry about targeting new fish and wanted to see a nice stretch of the river, therefore we dropped them at Sand Island with a view to collecting them at Island or Norcamp at 6pm.

Waterfall saw no action, the same for Poachers other than a 120cm kelt! However, Eric landed the fish of the week from Boris’ rock (Home Pool) – a stunning 26lb fresh fish and a first fresh Atlantic salmon for the delightful Bozeman resident.

26lb salmon for Eric in the Home Pool

The story of the day was really the action at Sand Island and 7 Islands. Michael hooked three fish in the small (left) draw at Sand Island landing a fresh 23lber, losing a similar fish and then, after a long fight, losing a fresh fish of 45lbs+. This fish jumped several times, cartwheeling along the back of the draw in full view of Michael, Pete and guide Old Sasha who said it was by far the biggest fish he has ever seen on the river. Sasha has guided fishers to several fish in the high 30s and early 40s. Lets hope someone lands that fish in the coming weeks!

Michael F with one of his fresh fish

They then dropped down through Cliff and onto the top island of 7 Islands where Pete landed a stunning 13lb fresh hen and Michael a further 18lb fresh fish. The first wave of fish clearly slipped past the lower middle river heading directly for the upper beats. Good news.

Stunning fresh Yokanga salmon

Further good news from down below at Gremikha Camp. James reported the first two groups in and who had landed six fish on the less productive beats,. I am yet to hear the final tally for the day/week but await with great interest.

Gremikha Camp, Lower Yokanga

The leaves are still not out but surely the forecast of a couple of days of greater than 5C will force their hand and with that the next wave of big fresh springers will be here for the rods arriving tomorrow……..hopefully!

Peter Rippin

Fresh Fish on the Lower Yokanga

Date: 7 June

Air Temp: +2 > +6 C

Water Temp: 5C

Water height: +11cm

Number of rods: 8

Number of fish caught: 1 (++++kelts)

Biggest fish: 12lbs Pete W

No 30lb+: 0

No 20-29lbs: 0

No 8-19lbs: 1

Grilse: 0

Weather:

Very cold and windy morning, milder afternoon.

Manager’s Comments:

Today we were reaping the results of the super cold conditions of the last 48hrs. The river temperature went down and the fish hardly showed. Pete W landed a lovely sea liced fresh fish of 12lbs down on Waterfall and otherwise all was quiet other than a vast kelt that would weigh close to 30lbs landed by Alan M!

Less than ideal conditions for a photo!

The good news of the day was from the lower camp where reports of a decent push of new fish was encouraging. Of a dozen or more fresh fish hooked they landed six by late afternoon, and saw a good deal more. I am sure the evening would have accounted for a few more. All Gremikha Camp fishers have now landed fresh fish for the week. Let’s hope this is the beginning of the main spring run.

Eager to see what tomorrow brings, the last day of Week 0 tends to be the most exciting!

Signs of spring

PS. The birch buds are trying desperately to open, not quite there yet but the warmer weather forecast for the weekend should help them along,

Peter Rippin

First Fresh Fish

Date: 6 June

Air Temp: -2 > +2C

Water Temp: 6C

Water height: +13cm

Number of rods: 8

Number of fish caught: 5 (++++kelts)

Biggest fish: 22lbs Michael F

No 30lb+: 0

No 20-29lbs: 1

No 8-19lbs: 5

Grilse: 0

Weather:

Snow blizzard all day, very cold and 25m/sec wind.

Manager’s Comments:

The first fresh fish of the 2018 season!

I must admit I did not hold out much hope of results today. The weather was so brutal. However most of our team went out and late morning we had news that Michael F had landed a brace of stunning, fat, fresh fish from Pump, one at 14lbs and the other 22lbs.

Needless to say this reinvigorated the mood, and further so when Peter W landed an equally lovely fresh 18lber from Lyliok in the afternoon, soon followed by a third fish for Michael, a 15lb overwintered fish. Alan M had a well conditioned overwintered fish further upriver but no one else connected other than kelts.

Snow all but gone

On the subject of kelts (not typically my favourite subject but bear with me), there is a veritable army of kelts heading down river. Lots of well mended fish of all sizes Alan had one enormous fish! Of course the weather and late spring of 2017 made for an awful fishing season but some might have been concerned by the lack of fish being caught through the middle weeks of the season, albeit some very nice fish were landed in early August. Judging by the number of kelts heading out now, I can only conclude that the 2017 run did come in pretty decent numbers but either those fish headed up tributaries or went off the take before the huge water subsided or some such reason for us not getting hold of them. Here’s hoping a good number of these kelts survive to return to Yokanga another year.

Signs of spring

As I am writing this the weather looks to be calming somewhat, but it is still incredibly cold. I fear the water temp will drop tomorrow and the fish will run slower and take less. Bit of a 'baptism of spring fishing fire' for first time salmon fishers Eric and Jake, but wow - they aren’t half casting well now!

PS. Supper was enjoyed by all. Salmon sashimi on the bar (one of Michael’s fresh fish took very deep) then shrimp salad, roast duck leg and chocolate cheesecake and ice cream.

Peter Rippin

Snow Wind Snow Wind

Date: 5 June

Air Temp: 2-6C

Water Temp: 7C

Water height: +11cm

Number of rods: 8

Number of fish caught: 0 (++++kelts)

Biggest fish: -

No 30lb+: 0

No 20-29lbs: 0

No 8-19lbs: 0

Grilse: 0

Weather:

Snow, wind, snow, wind, snow, wind, ………..more snow, more wind!

Manager’s Comments:

Four seasons in one day. Well three actually (no summer!) We knew today would be tough, so Dean, Chris, Dean’s son Charlie and son in law to be Jake decided to fish together on Home and Lyliok and have a big fire and LONG bankside lunch. The feeling is that the kelts are really leaving now, there are lots of takes and nudges from them and plenty being landed now on the lower beats. In a week they will be gone.

The fresh fish are still not here, but the good news of a few really stunning fish landed on the lower river and several lost, along with many more seen running than early in the week has everyone excited for the second half of the week here at the lodge.  Pete W lost a large fish at the net at Beach yesterday, but couldn’t be sure if fresh or overwintered. Other than that, the team valiantly swept thousands of square metres of water with Snaeldas, Cascades and the like, knowing that sooner or later the prize we are all waiting for will show up.

 

An apres fishing drink served by Den

Generally speaking, it was insanely cold today. No respite whatsoever, just wind and snow. Luckily when we all re-convene back at the lodge barman Den ensures everyone is well ‘watered’ and Yuri cooked a mean fillet steak which we washed down with plenty of Chianti. The music came on, and everyone agreed that when the fresh ones get to us they will be all the sweeter for it!.......I have a small bet on that we get the first fresh one(s) tomorrow!

Peter Rippin

Brutally Cold

Date: 4 June

Air Temp: 2-8C

Water Temp: 6C

Water height: +15cm

Number of rods: 7 (Pete W rested his shoulder.)

Number of fish caught: 1 (+ a few sea trout and plenty of kelts)

Biggest fish: 10lbs Alan M

No 30lb+: 0

No 20-29lbs: 0

No 8-19lbs: 1

Grilse: 0

Weather:

Brutally cold first thing with an upstream north east wind. Warming up into the afternoon to become a really nice period on the river with a gentler breeze and sunny spells.

Manager’s Comments:

Well, we’re still waiting! Well mended kelts continue to pour out of the river and the buds are yet to open. Charlie M and Jake C fished Waterfall and saw a couple of fresh fish running, but didn’t make contact. Alan and Eric fished Lyliok and Crow’s Nest landing an ice fish fish of 10lbs and some huge kelts. The water temp is up a degree as I write this so here’s hoping the fish begin to push into the river as of now.

Charlie M relaxing at Waterfall

Important to note that spirits are high, plenty of fun is being had and all the fishers understand that we are on the brink of seeing some huge fresh fish roll in.…

Peter Rippin

The 2018 Season is Open

Date: Evening 2 and 3 June

Air Temp: 2-5C

Water Temp: 6C

Water height: +30 > +25cm

Number of rods: 8

Number of fish caught: 4 (+7 sea trout + kelts)

Biggest fish: 21lbs Charlie Mansfield

No 30lb+: 0

No 20-29lbs: 1

No 8-19lbs: 3

Grilse: 0

Weather:

Very chilly generally, light upstream breeze, intermittent showers, sun breaking through at points.

Comments:

In past years we’ve often felt we should/could have arrived a week earlier. I think we can say with some confidence this year that we are here before the bulk of the fresh fish! Clearly there was a decent run of autumn fish last September/October as there are ice fish/osankas (over wintered fish that will spawn this autumn) in a number of areas which are taking despite the cold water temperature.

 

The team assemble before fishing on Sunday

It’s been a useful day for the less experienced salmon fishers, Jake and Eric, to get familiar with double handed rods, meanwhile the old hands put to work on some of the better early season pools. Despite seeing a handful of fresh fish move, none have been contacted yet. Peter W, Alan M and Charlie M open the lodge account with 4 overwintered fish.

 

Anatoly, one of the old hands on the guide team

So to summarise, we’re here, we’re ready, we’re waiting. The water temperature should rise a degree or two in the next days and that will bring them to us.

News from Gremikha Camp, who fish the lower river, in due course. They have been picking away at fresh fish with a couple landed and a couple lost but have not seen a large number yet.

Peter Rippin