Date:
22-25 June
Air
Temp: 2C-10C
Water Temp: 9C-8C
Water height: -2cm to +35cm
Number of rods: 15
Number of fish caught: 39
Biggest fish: 37lbs Matt Harris
No 30lbs+: 3
No 20-29lbs: 9
No 8-19lbs: 27
Grilse: 0
Weather:
The
cold weather clung on for the first couple of days with Tuesday being the first
warm day at 10C. Winds have been changing from upstream to downstream if not by
the day then by the hour. Heavy rain on Saturday night pushed the river up for
Monday morning but the clarity has remained good.
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| Late night view from Yokanga Lodge |
Manager’s Comments:
Saturday
evening and Sunday put 19 fish in the record book which was a very encouraging
start to the week.
Paddy
Feakins landed a 15lber in the Pump but his fishing partner, Alistair T, landed
a 22lber in Pump and a 22.5lber from Heron Point. Other 20lbers on Sunday were
also landed by Robert B at Beach and Colin R-W at Crow’s Nest. Colin followed
his 20lber with an 18lber shortly after.
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| Colin with one of his two |
The
star fish of the day was landed by well-known fishing photographer Matt Harris.
He was nearing the end of the day coming down the Pots and got into what was
clearly a large salmon. For those that know the Pots, there are a lot of
boulders and a series of white-water sections. The fish dragged him downstream through
rocks and fast water but finally in the last bay before the cliff area just upstream
of the lodge he landed a huge 37lb cock fish. Matt has visited the Yokanga
every year for 18 years and this was his personal best. His previous biggest of
35lbs was also landed on the Yokanga but 18 years ago!
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| Matt and guide Eduard with the 37lber |
Monday
dawned with the river up over 35cm but full marks to the team who set off full
of hope for the day. It was a day to celebrate for Martin V with both his birthday
and a hard fighting 26lber from the left bank of the Hourglass, one of the
first we have had so far this season from there.
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| A Happy Birthday for Martin V |
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| Happy Birthday to you! |
Bill
B had an 18lber from Lower Norcamp. His brother Robert B hooked a fish in the
left draw of Sand Island and which took him down the rapid. The fish was out of
the water eight times, once just before they about to net it. It turned out to
be a magnificent 31lber. This monster salmon was celebrated at the end of
dinner in Yokanga style with a shot of vodka, a well-deserved grey 30lb cap and
the now traditional blast of the Queen hit ‘We are the Champions’. Given the
regularity with which I have been handing out the caps I have found myself
humming it most days on the river!
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| Young Vova with Robert B's fish |
Phil
T took a brace of fish for the day. A 19lber and 12lber from Lower Norcamp. It would
appear that we are beginning to see some of the main run. Just as I was heading
towards bed there was one final highlight to Monday’s activities. One returning
fisherman was coming up the hill shortly before midnight and it became clear
that there was need for a weighing scale as someone had hooked and landed a
large fish by the blue container in Home Pool. It transpired that it was Matt H
and this time it was a hard fighting 32lber adding to the tally of 30lbers
landed in our Home Pool this season. Speaking to Matt afterwards he described it
as one of the best fights he had ever had with a salmon. When he first made contact
with the fish it appeared to not know it was hooked and carried on running
upstream porpoising as it went! There are no major obstacles in Home Pool if
you hook a good fish there so he was able to sit back and enjoy playing it
while it gave him a good run for his money.
Ian
R got off to the flying start on Tuesday when he hooked and successfully landed
a salmon within a few casts when fishing his line out first thing in the
morning.
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| Ian R keeping the insects at bay |
Patrick M also had a great day with a 20lber from Lower Norcamp and then
finished with a 22lber from Poachers.
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| Patrick M with one of his 20lbers |
Relative
to what the season’s weather has been so far, it has warmed considerably over
the last day and the forecast is for it to remain that way. The riverbank is
beginning to bloom and there are now definite signs of summer. Walking from the
lodge to Crow’s Nest I stumbled upon two wagtail nests for example.
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| Wagtail nest under a rock overhang |
While on
the subject of wildlife there was a bear sighting on the opposite bank at Beach
this week and Alistair and Paddy watched it for an hour while it fed on the new
growth. Bill and myself also saw evidence of the bear on the far bank of Crow’s
Nest as the photo below shows. It was still warm!
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| Bears do indeed s**t in the woods |
With
the unhelpful rise of water most people are fishing a heavier sink tip at the moment.
15 foot of type 3 seems to be a popular choice combined with a tube. The water is
now dropping back so we will soon be back to 5-10 foot tips and doubles
hopefully. As if ever the case, the fly you have on and have confidence in seems
to be the one that works rather than any particular pattern!
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| Every salmon is a great reward on Yokanga |
It is hard to draw conclusions given that we are looking for a needle in a haystack in the high water. Certainly we are not catching huge numbers of fish but the quality remains excellent and when you see how fat these salmon are. Each and every salmon is hard won and so rewarding when you land them.
