Yokanga 2022 Season Cancelled

With recent events we have taken the decision not to run our 2022 season on the Yokanga in Russia.

This is of course a blow to all of our clients but also to our great friends and partners in Russia who have no influence on worldwide politics.

We can only hope that things change and we can be on the river in 2023 - it has been far too long since we were there and we look forward to a long overdue reunion.

Yokanga 2021 Update - Looking Forward to the 2022 Season

Looking ahead to the 2022 salmon season, we are delighted to confirm that Roxtons remains the exclusive agent for the Yokanga in Russia.

With a very limited number of rods fishing the Yokanga this year, the river still produced more than ten salmon over 30lbs and there were a further three leviathans that broke the magical 40lb barrier – there really are very few rivers in the world that hold fish this big.

One of over 40lbs from Yokanga in 2021

The Yokanga is now owned by passionate fly fisherman and conservationist Alexey Strulistov. Over the last two seasons he has invested huge amounts of money into the programme and made enormous changes to every aspect of the lodge, much improving the standard of bedrooms and bathrooms as well as the dining and bar area. All guests will now have single bedrooms and an ensuite bathroom.

Huge lodge improvements

Single bedrooms and ensuite bathroom for 2022

Considerable new equipment has been purchased including a fleet of new Solar 450 jetboats for improved river access, helipads for the two Eurocopters to land on, tundra trucks to supply the operation in winter and other less visible items such as brand new and huge generators. Significantly there has also been a 15-man antipoaching patrol on the river for the last two seasons and everyone can be very confident that there is absolutely no illegal fishing on the river.

Eurocopters already in use in 2021

Yokanga Lodge itself will be for just 12 rods over 6 beats (as opposed to 16 rods as it was in the past) and guests will move down one beat each day. Gremikha on the lower Yokanga will become an exclusive fishery for a maximum of 6 rods, rather than 8 as in the past and guests will stay up at the main Yokanga camp flying in every day with a schedule designed to maximize the tide times and run of the fish.

Another big one from Yokanga in 2021

The Yokanga has always been up there as one of the best rivers in the world to catch a big Atlantic salmon. However, with the investment and river protection of the new owner, the Yokanga can now offer the best chance of a fish of a lifetime while staying in the finest accommodation - not just on the Kola Peninsula but anywhere in the fishing world.

New Yokanga bar

Please email Henry.Mountain@roxtons.com for the Price List and current availability for the 2022 season

View from Lyliok towards Crow's Nest

2019 Season Review

Sadly, the Yokanga 2019 season has already come to a close.

We did not have the bigger numbers that we sometimes get on the Yokanga but the three-week season will go down in the record books as having one of the highest percentages of big fish that we have ever had. In the first two weeks the average weight was over 20lbs. The quality of the fish was undeniably excellent.

Another quality salmon from the Yokanga

The weather was unusually cold for the most part and unusually wet too. Just as water levels were getting to an ideal fishing height for the beats, rain each week pushed the height back up again. Looking for a needle in a haystack was the expression used by many of our regulars!  

A rare sunny day at Crows Nest pickup point

Despite less than ideal conditions, a total of 41 fisherman landed the following large salmon over the three weeks:

50 salmon of 20-29lbs

17 salmon of 30-39lbs

1 salmon of 43lbs

Matt H with a 32lber from Home Pool one evening

Barely an evening went by without someone being given a grey 30lb Yokanga cap and there were many delighted guests who landed their largest salmon ever. Congratulations to Colin J who landed his personal best which was a monster 43lb fish measuring 46.5 inches by 26.5 inches.

30lb and 40lb caps at the end of Week 2

As many will have heard, there was a tragic accident in the second week when head guide, Red Sergei, drowned in a boating accident. With 25 years’ experience on the river and a favourite guide among fishermen, he will be much missed. Our thoughts are very much with his family. Following the accident, the police have opened an investigation and have effectively closed the season prematurely after just three weeks.

Red Sergei will be much missed

Farewell to the 2019 season

We will much look forward to being back there again next season. If you are considering fishing the Yokanga in 2020, please do register your interest now. 

Henry Mountain and Peter Rippin