No Fly

Date:  13 June

Air Temp: 5 > 12 degrees C

Water Temp: 8

Water height: -12 cm

Number of rods: 15

Number fish caught: 43

Biggest fish: 30lbs Jack Meredith

No 30+: 1

No 20-29: 9

No 8-19: 33

Grilse: 0

Weather: Very thick fog until 3pm, cold and windy with it. When the fog cleared the wind dropped and the weather warmed significantly.

Manager's comments:



Considering we could not fly in the morning, and that most fishers only walked to the river at midday, this was a remarkable day. 43 fish landed between Poachers and Crows Nest!

Bankside lunch prep!

Jon and Stephen landed 12 from Lyliok and Crows’ with Guide Sergei “Science”, Sam and Andy landed 2 from the bank opposite Beach with “Young” Sasha, Heikki and Carl landed 5 from Home’ with guide “Young” Vova and Jack and John landed 7 from Lake and Pots with “Old” Vova, including a fantastic super fresh 30lb fish for Jack from the tail of Lake.

 

Changing tips for a change in the weather.

Incredible start

Date:  Afternoon 11 and 12 June

Air Temp: 8 > 12 > 6 degrees C

Water Temp: 8

Water height: -8 > -10cm

Number of rods: 15

Number fish caught: 41

Biggest fish: 35lbs Sam Amos

No 30+: 2 (Sam Amos x 35lbs, Jonathan Murray 34lbs)

No 20-29: 12

No 8-19: 27

Grilse: 0

Weather: The wind dropped on Saturday evening, and warm sunny weather continued until Sunday lunchtime when the cloud rolled in on a cool upstream wind.

Manager's comments: What a day! (…and a half including yesterday evening.)

New guests meet their guides for the week

All beats other than Upper Norcamp fished well and produced good quality salmon. The water is now VERY clear and smaller flies with nice movement definitely have the edge over Snaeldas and the like. We fished Sand Island/Cliff, 7 Islands and Crows Nest for the first time this season. Sand Island produced 4 fish, Crows Nest a couple but 7 Islands was definitely the stand-out with Sam and Andy landing 7 fish including a double-hook-up with Andy landing a 22lbder and Sam a magnificent 35lbder, measuring 109cm!

Dean and Dan landed a number of fish from Nahodka/Golden Reach including 3 of 25lbs and over.  Erik and Edward were at Sand’ landing fish to 27lbs and the largest fish at Crows’ was 25lbs. The water at Crows’ in reality is still a little higher than optimum but should “come-in” nicely over the next days which is exciting as when in good shape it is such a stunning beat.

Large cock fish from Heron Point

Just when we thought the action was over for the day, Jonathan, Stephen and Dan decided to give Home Pool and Heron Point a run and coincided with a nice run of fresh 10-16lb fish landing 4 of them, capped by a phenomenally fat fish for Jonathan measuring 107cm – a cock fish conservatively estimated at 34lbs that has been in the river a couple of weeks and fought incredibly hard ‘cartwheeling’ several times.

As I said earlier in this report…what a day!

Peter Rippin

News from Gremikha Camp, Lower Yokanga

First evening...6 caught, 4 lost. All the action in Golden Pool & 18 on the right side, Home Pool on the left side. Biggest fish 18lbs, with the others in 10 to 14lb range. Great start...an excited camp!

A very strong day today...15 caught, biggest of 34lbs and 3 others at 20lbs. That takes us to 21 for the week so far. Remainder all in the teens bar one. A few big ones lost and many other fish lost. Water lower than I have ever seen it, but fishing beautifully, particularly the Loop pool on the right hand side...we can actually wade into the river, which is a first. Fish being seen from top to bottom (right down to Zaborka). A few commenting on how well the fish look...in particular, the depth is staggering. I should think this is as good a chance of a 40-pounder as any of us will ever get!

Gremikha first week

Date:  4-11 June

Air Temp: -2 > 10 degrees C

Water Temp: 9 > 7 > 8 degrees C

Number of rods: 7

Number fish caught: 52

Biggest fish: 32lbs Henry Gregson

Weather: Generally fairly-to-very cold! With medium to heavy wind and two days of rain.

An extremely honest 28.5lbs

Group Leader’s comments:

We ended this wonderful week with 52 salmon (2 over 30lbs) landed and a large number of fish, some of them HUGE, lost in the aggressive Lower Yokanga water that is fished from Gremikha Camp. These fish were super fresh and super fat, amazing quality in fact.

The stunning Pulanga tributary
 

Everyone landed fish during the week, although Henry G took the plaudits with two fish over 30lbs, one of which, along with an 18lb fish for Mattt, was taken in the small pools of the Pulanga tributary – a truly amazing fish to land in such a small stream.

 32lber from the Pulanga

As we leave, I can report that the Camp is working well under Dima’s management, good food and great fun…..and hardcore walking and fishing as always!

Week 4-11 June

Date:  4-11 June, Week 0

Air Temp: -2 > 10 degrees C

Water Temp: 9 > 7 > 8 degrees C

Water height: -12 > +3 > -6cm cm

Number of rods: 8

Number fish caught: 66

Biggest fish: 37lbs Chris Ballard

No 30+: 5

No 20-29: 22

No 8-19: 39

Grilse: 0

Weather: Generally fairly-to-very cold with medium to heavy wind and two days of rain.

Manager's comments: Really a great week, with fishers all returning to Yokanga Lodge and making it feel like a house party! When we arrived the leaves were half out, but the weather froze them in time. It will take a few days of sun for spring to appear in full.

Another beauty landed from the left bank of Lyliok

The lodge team and guides were ready to go to work and provided great service on and off the river. Russian chef Yury is doing well and Icelandic chef Andri (seconded from Sela lodge in Iceland) is helping bring up the food several notches and there are now two waitresses, Nada (from 6 years ago) and Ana.

 

Good grub on Yokanga 2016

In terms of the fishing – we could not really have asked for any better. Yes it is spring fishing so searching for fish all day long and many, many casts. However when connected these fish have been of a fantastic average size and the best condition I have ever witnessed on the river. You will see from the numbers that a staggering 40% of fish were over the 20lb mark. Brutal fights have led to a fair number of fish lost down rapids etc. However, every fisherman has landed a number of memorable fish in a mixed walking/helicopter week.

Biggest fish of the week. A cracking 37lber

All in all a great start to the season, it will be very interesting to see what the first normal week of operations brings (11-18 June) when we fish beats like Sand Island. Cliff, 7 Islands, Crow’s Nest etc – all of which are as yet untouched since the ice broke!

Peter Rippin

Still blowing

Date:  10 June

Air Temp: 2 > 5 degrees C

Water Temp: 8

Water height: -6 cm

Number of rods: 8

Number fish caught: 7

Biggest fish: 22lbs Anders Romson

No 30+: 0

No 20-29: 3

No 8-19: 4

Grilse: 0

Weather: Still very windy and cold, sunny spells in the afternoon but no warmth to combat the brassy wind.

Manager's comments: Way too cold an air temperature for really good fishing. Lots of fish were lost after short and non-committal takes. If only the air was warmer we probably would have another 10 in the catch book for today with several teams losing 2-3 fish during the day.

A good effort in tough weather for the last day of Week 0. There will be a party tonight to celebrate what has been a great opening week. Those fishers staying for a second week (Dean, John and Dan) will no doubt be looking to give the early rising departing rods a hangover to cherish!

Upstream Wind

Date:  9 June

Air Temp: 3 > 0 > 10 degrees C
Water Temp: 8
Water height: -3cm
Number of rods: 8
Number fish caught:5
Biggest fish: 21lbs Dean Mansfield
No 30+:0
No 20-29:1
No 8-19:4
Grilse: 0

Weather: Heavy east wind blowing upstream in the morning getting extremely heavy (approx. 50mph) in the afternoon and causing waves on even the calmer areas of the river. Some sunny spells during the afternoon before clouding over in the evening when the wind died down a bit.

Manager's comments:Really tough day for fishing, incredibly difficult to cast in some areas. "Hats off" to the fishers who persevered, the group on Lyliok rewarded themselves after a nice 21lb fish with a long bbq lunch of Salmon cooked over an open fire in the shades of the birch trees. Michael F had a particularly unusual experience on upper norcamp when a salmon attacked his joint between mainline and tip, becoming wrapped momentarily in the line. A few seconds after freeing itself Michael cast to the flat area where the comossion had just happened and a very aggressive 16lbs hen fish grabbed the Snaelda and took off.

Down Below

Gremihka Camp:

7 rods

Saturday 4th - Wednesday 8th June:

Approximately 35 fish landed and many lost also. Biggest fish 31lbs to Henry Gregson, lots of fish in the 15-25lbs range. All very good condition fish. No net marks, no poachers with good estuary guarding and inspectors with assistants patrolling

Hena, Robert and Spencer all scored nice fish, Alan lost a huge fish in "Ponds" after it took all his line running upstream! Robert hooked 5 on Wednesday and landed 3. Eric hitting fish here and there. Matt has scored well with some lovely fish also. Golden Wave pool just coming into shape as the water drops a little but "18" getting a little too low to work well. Home beat producing nicely although still a touch high for the "Boobs" to produce.

Most fishers using sink tips and tubes with Snaeldas or Cascades also large Golden Gunn doubles. Camp running well under Dima's management and with the addition of further comforts and connectivity Gremikha Camp is becoming a very comfortable adventure camp from which to enjoy hardcore spring salmon fishing.

Many Thirties?

Date:  8 June

Air Temp: -2 > 0 > 8 degrees C
Water Temp: 7
Water height: 0cm
Number of rods: 8
Number fish caught: 11
Biggest fish: 32lbs DanChristensen
No 30+:1
No 20-29: 5
No 8-19: 5
Grilse: 0

Weather: Today was a little warmer in general with wind from the South West at around 6m/s and sunny spells in the afternoon.

Manager's comments: Some really lovely spring fish landed today, this year they seem especially fat and muscular. Dean and Chris had an excellent day starting at Poacher's and ending at Pots - landing two fish each over 20lbs. Lyliok itself was not on fire, but Anders hooked and landed a remarkable fish of 26lbs in the Lyliok rapids (small window in true right bank of the rapids) Dan stole the limelight for the second day in a row by hooking an incredibly strong fish half way down the true right bank of Nahodka (Small lake pool at the bottom of lower Norcamp and top of Golden Reach.) which fought for over an hour and weighed in at 32lbs, measuring 104cms x 59cms.

Rapid Runners

Date:  7 June

Air Temp: 2 > 0 > 8 degrees C
Water Temp: 7
Water height: +3cm
Number of rods: 8
Number fish caught: 15
Biggest fish: 31lbs Dan Christensen
No 30+: 1
No 20-29:5
No 8-19:9
Grilse: 0

Weather:The wind had dropped a little by this morning and although still cold, small periods of sun made it feel like spring rather than winter.

Manager's comments:With the dropped wind the leaves have further unfuled and the fishing was a little more enjoyable. John M landed a personal best 26lb fish from Island with guide 'Elephant' Sasha and in the evening Dan hooked a fish above Lyliok creek that headed out into the middle and then on down the rapids and on down... and down... and was finally landed in the top of crows nest beat weighing 31lbs.

After Supper

Date:  6 June

Air Temp: -2 > 0 > 7 degrees C
Water Temp: 8
Water height: +1cm
Number of rods: 8
Number fish caught: 10
Biggest fish: 34lbs Dean Mansfield
No 30+: 2 (Dean x 34lbs, Jon Thor 32lbs)
No 20-29: 4
No 8-19: 5
Grilse: 0

Weather: Really cold and bitter wind in the morning, plenty of snow and hail flurries, small spells of sun in the afternoon and wind dropping in the evening after dinner.

Manager's comments: Another really interesting day – pods of fish in various beats, although some beats really tough to fish in the morning due to the wind. Michael and Anders hooked 7 and landed 4 on Golden Reach, nothing was landed on Norcamp. As the weather slightly improved during dinner, Dean and Jon went down to Lyliok for an hour and a half and landed 3 fish for a total weight of 86lbs! Dean landing his personal best salmon – a stunning 44”x22” cock fish of 34lbs (left bank), and Jon Thor a very deep and handsome 32lb cock fish (right bank), having landed a 20lb cock fish a few casts earlier. A really nice finish to a day that also saw Dan land 3 fish to 20lbs. The meals are proving very good with our new chef Yury being coached for the next weeks by Icelandic chef Andri (of Sela River Lodge.)

Amazing Start

Date: Evening 4 June and Day 5 June

Air Temp: 0C to 5C
Water Temp: 9 to 8C
Water height: -12 to -9cms
Number of rods: 8
Number fish caught: 17
Biggest fish: 37lbs Chris Ballard
No 30+:1
No 20-29:4
No 8-19:12
Grilse: 0

Weather: An amazing array of snow, hail, rain, more snow and more hail. All driven hard upstream by a fierce northerly wind!

Manager's comments: An amazing start really. There are clearly plenty of fish here already and a good number of pods of Salmon pushing through each hour. Lyliok has been very productive, especially left bank as it's more sheltered. Chris Ballard landed one of the fattest fish we have ever recorded - by length it would have seemed more like 30lbs but weighed in at 37lbs. Nearly all fish are sea liced. With better weather we will really see what is in the river.

Weekly Report

Date: 18-25 July

Air Temp: 7C-17C
Water Temp: 10C-12C
Water height: -21cm to -28cm
Number of rods: 15
Number fish caught: 208
Biggest fish: 22lbs Kim Waters
No 30+: 0
No 20-29: 5
No 8-19: 35
Grilse: 168

Weather: Other than a sunny first evening and a sunny last day, I don't remember many such near perfect weather weeks for fishing. It has been just about ideal. Temperatures have been cool and days have warmed up. Skies have remained essentially grey with good cloud cover and wind speeds have been enough to keep the insect life at bay without hampering the casting.

Manager's comments: The last week of the season has produced more fish than any other week of the season. There have been a lot of grilse which has kept morale going with sporadic bursts of activity. There has been contact with fresh fish up to 20lbs but the biggest fish have been elusive with the stable weather conditions. Certainly the fresh fish have been charging through the water we fish from the lodge and fish with long tailed sea lice have been caught up as far a Upper Norcamp.

It has been a fun week at the lodge with guests from England, Scotland, Wales, Spain and Sweden. The group got on famously through a shared passion for salmon fishing and there were plenty of laughs around the bar in the evening. It is a great sadness to be finishing the season with fresh fish still entering the river in good numbers. The fishing can still remain good until mid August and we will be looking at ways to keep costs down to extend the season a little longer.

It seems like only yesterday that we were looking forward to the season with great anticipation and now here I am signing off on the last blog posting. It is an opportune moment to thank all our clients for their loyal support during the course of the season and to thank the guides, lodge team and helicopter crews for making it all happen. Roll on 2016!

Fish Lost

Date: 24 July

Air Temp: 11C-15C
Water Temp: 12C
Water height: -28cm
Number of rods: 15
Number fish caught: 16
Biggest fish: 16lbs Anders Romson
No 30+: 0
No 20-29: 0
No 8-19: 5
Grilse: 11

Weather: A grey start turning into a blue sky day with a strong upstream wind.

Manager's comments: The last days fishing was in fact the hardest and least productive of the week. Many fish of all sizes seemed to be lost. Geoff lost four on the trot but he was not alone in the numbers of fish he lost. Is it the bright sunshine which is somehow affecting the way they take? The week seems to have disappeared remarkably quickly.

Long Tails

Date: 23 July

Air Temperature: 8C-11C
Water Temperature: 12C
Water Height: -26cm
No of rods: 15
No fish: 24
Biggest fish: 17lbs Jose Miranda
No of fish 30lbs+: 0
No of fish 20-29lbs: 0
No of fish 8-19lbs: 2
Grilse: 22

Weather: More of the same on the weather front. A coolish start and warming up. Grey skies and a gentle upstream wind with a brief period of light drizzle.

Manager's comments: Grilse continue to run the Yokanga in reasonable numbers giving guests some good sport. They must be running hard, in what are ideal running conditions, as another one with long tailed sea lice was caught at Upper Norcamp.
Jose M caught the biggest of the day, 17lbs from Lower Norcamp. Jim F changed his fishing tactics to Scottish style cast and swing with no stripping. He had a slow, deliberate and positive take and found himself into a good fish. Guide, Vova, remarked "Big Fish" a remark he tends to reserve for fish of an exceptional size. After a good fight the fish was nearly done and both rod and guide had a good view of the fish when for no apparent reason it just fell off. It would undoubtedly have been the best of the week by some considerable margin and possibly could have been a personal best for Jim who has previously landed a 32lber on Yokanga.

Spruce Moose

Date: 22 July

Air Temperature: 8-10C
Water Temperature: 12C
Water Height: -25cm
No of rods: 15
No fish: 35
Biggest fish: 22lbs Kim Waters
No of fish 30lbs+: 0
No of fish 20-29lbs: 2
No of fish 8-19lbs: 2
Grilse: 31

Weather: Much the same as previous days! Overcast, little to no sun and a light breeze. Ideal!

Manager's comments: The grilse are giving people plenty of action. Most are being caught right in the very tail of the pools. Tackle is varying from sink tips to full floaters and flies are generally doubles and smallish tubes. Congratulations to Kim W for landing a well deserved 22lber from Lyliok and to Jim F for again breaking the 20lber barrier. One of the days highlights was seeing a moose at Upper Norcamp.

Surprise Visitor

Date: 21 July

Air Temperature: 12C
Water Temperature: 11C
Water Height: -23cm
No of rods: 15
No fish: 43
Biggest fish: 21lbs Jim Ferrie
No of fish 30lbs+: 0
No of fish 20-29lbs: 1
No of fish 8-19lbs: 5
Grilse: 37

Weather: A cool grey day with the occasional sunny spell. A light upstream breeze.

Manager's comments: The big surprise of the day was a seal that was seen in Lyliok at 11am. Three further sightings followed on beats upstream with the seal last seen as far up as Island.
Congratulations to Lucas R for catching his fourth fish of the week on a hitched fly. Jim F had a mint fresh 21lber from Lyliok after dinner which was kindly tailed by brother Alan. Only 24 hours after commenting on the good value for money of Shakespeare rods and two of them broke in one day!

Silver Bar

Date: 20 July

Air Temperature: 12C-8C
Water Temperature: 11C
Water Height: -23cm
No of rods: 15
No fish: 41
Biggest fish: 17.5lbs Matt Harris
No of fish 30lbs+: 0
No of fish 20-29lbs: 0
No of fish 8-19lbs: 9
Grilse: 32

Weather: An ideal overcast day with a light upstream wind. The temperature started dropping quickly in the afternoon.

Manager's comments: Again, the morning was generally quiet with the vast majority of fish being caught in the afternoon. Matt Harris took the largest of the day 17.5lbs from Lower Norcamp. Michael F lost a bar of silver that could have taken the honours but unfortunately it came unstuck having behaved like a tarpon, jumping ten times and head shaking.

Lyliok Pots

Date: Evening 18 and 19 July

Air Temperature: 8C-17
Water Temperature: 12C
Water Height: -23cm
No of rods: 15
No fish: 49
Biggest fish: 20lbs x 2, Martin Webster, Jose Miranda
No of fish 30lbs+: 0
No of fish 20-29lbs: 2
No of fish 8-19lbs: 12
Grilse: 35

Weather: A cooler start to the morning, getting warmer through the day. Sunny spells and little wind.

Manager's comments: The cool morning meant no action for anyone until 11am. First time Yokanga visitor, Jose M, landed a 20lb fish at Cliff and Martin W took a 20lber from the Lyliok pots.

The grilse seem to be running in good numbers. As ever we see very few fish move on Yokanga and always seem to catch more than we ever see. Either way the grilse are giving us plenty of action. No sign of the really big Yokanga salmon but they always seem to put in an appearance at some stage.