Russia.....Middle Varzuga

[jimthefish]

Just returned from Russia having fished the Middle Varzuga from 2nd to 9th June. Bad start with the helicopters being unable to fly on the fist day due to heavy rain and low cloud. This gave us a rising river for the first 2 days with heavy peatstain which put the fish off to an exent. High pressure moved in for the rest of the week however and the 12 rods managed to land circa 530 salmon. The fish were fresh, aggressive and acrobatic so there was a high incidence of loosing fish on the barbless hooks. In my own case I reckon I lost about 50% of what I hooked but still managed to net/beach 102 salmon including a personal best day of 27. It is a tremendous river with a huge run of fish. Fantastic sport in a wild place but a bit surreal.
My immediate problem will be adjusting my expectations to Scotland starting with Carron Beat of the Spey next week.

[jimthefish]

One from a new stretch called "Maddona"

Another gets his freedom

[wilbert]

Jim what was the average size of the fish? That is serious fishing by any standards but thats what you pay your money for. Which operator did you go with?

[jimthefish]

Went through Roxtons. I was fortunate and picked up a last minute cancellation from a friend who had to pull out to conclude a business deal.
I was there 3 yers ago and caught 101 but the average size then was smaller. This year the average would be about 8lbs with a good niumber of 9, 10,11 pdrs with my best at 12ish. Some of the other rods had 15, 16 & the best I think about 17lbs. The thing about these fish imho is that they fight above their weight. One ran out about 100+ yds & when I got it in it was about 11lbs. This was in a fast shallow pool called Bear Pool where they have plenty of scope to goooooo. Brilliant sport.

[Fruin]

Sounds like you had a great time. I imagine that you will be thinking about that week for a long time.

[tyneandrew]

Jim you are a fortunate boy ;D

Here is a small extract from the Varzuga's season so far...

"Gerald Kaye and his group of eight took a staggering 1,154 fish from Middle Camp, again eclipsing previous records. A point of note is that in two weeks of fishing at Middle Varzuga, Neil French landed 481 fish, setting a new record for the river and most probably anywhere for Atlantic salmon"

Yes.........481 fish to one rod???

[easky]

absolutely unbelievable, 481 fish - that's more than most people catch in a lifetime If I ever win the lottery its a place where I would be headed

[jimthefish]

Yes Neil French was there the 2 weeks before me and apparently had perfect water and conditions. He is said to fish 18 hours per day & wont even stop for meals !!

[storlaks]

I've got to say that catching 481 fish in a week or 2 does nothing for me. Where's the challenge or the sense of acheivement? That magic feeling would some how not feel as magic when you've just hooked your 250 fish....and it was another 8lber. I know it sounds impressive, but I'd prefer to catch a dozen fish in a week and have to earn them.

I suppose you can experiment a little when you are catching such numbers which migt be interesting.

[tyneandrew]

2 weeks he was there for

[imb]

no time for any vodka,no good to us highlanders then!

[tynetraveller]

I just got back from fishing Kharlovka the same week as Jim. unfortunately Kharlovka is a lot farther north and spring just hadn't arrived, with river temps holding at 2-4 centigrade and sea temps at 5 plus, the fish weren't running in any numbers- There was the odd fish about though, and we picked up 27 for the week, Mikael Frodin accounting for eight of these.. I just had the one, from Military pool on the Litza- see below, 19lbs wearing long-tailed sea lice. A slightly disappointing week, but the rivers were massive and awesome, the sceneary, still half covered in snow and ice was an experience, and the fish we did catch were the ultimate salars- Average 20.8 pounds, best fish 32, 29,27.




Caught on an Ian Gordon fast sinking line and 2" black and yellow copper tube, 2ft 30LB fluorocarbon leader.

[macd]

i would love to have a go there. Sounds thrilling. What did Frodin catch his fish on- hairwing rapala ?

But I have to agree with storlaks here- in order to truly enjoy fly-fishing for salmon one has to endure a certain amount of abject failure in order to properly enjoy success when it comes. ;D

481 in a fortnight.....thats obsessive. Yes Im jealous...

[tynetraveller]

Frodin was catching on black bear green helmet ( black and green templedog,) Phatagorva and scierra gorva (black and brown/orange templedogs) with his new turbo cones on the front. His flies have massive ostrich hackles at the front that cover everything apart from the wing.

I don't think it was the flies though- he was single speying his power taper shooting heads into position and then overhead casting them maybe 50 yards. He can cast and wade like a machine- It was truly impressive to watch. He was also fishing very deep- His comment was if you are not hooking bottom all the time, then you are not fishing deep enough..

[macd]

turbo cones- conjures up the very essence of fly fishing for salmon

i still think stripper's tassles is a better descriptor.

Frodin's 'innovations' aside, I like his patterns. Had a nice fly in T&S last summer- thunder spey- i think it was called.

;D

[jimthefish]

The degrees in latitude between north & south Kola makes a huge difference. On Varzuga we had a water temp. that averaged 48F. A 5' slow sink polytip on a 85' head Carron Jetstream was all that I used. Size 6 & 8 (or better still 7 & 9 salars) worked best with top patterns for me Carron Shrimp, Mediator, Katy D & Kylie Shrimp .

I agree that 481 in a fortnight is excessive & hardly a holiday..... believe that Mr French loses about 2 stones in weight & comes home like a ghost.

The official tally for our party has just come in at 517 for the 12 rods. Some say that Russia is easy but while I cant say we faced the challenge of Tynetraveller (lack of stock) I can say that I worked for every fish & a lot of them involved brave wading and long casting.
Most experienced salmon fishermen will agree that the moment of the take is the drug & it is no different in Russia. So no, I did not get bored.
I was brought up on Scottish day ticket waters & club water such as Rome Croy, have known & enjoyed hard Scottish spring weeks for 1 fish & yes there is a great joy & satisfaction of conquering adversity.
So yes I appreciate how lucky I am to have experienced a wild remote place with abundant stock.

[macd]

I need to lose a couple of stone- im going to tell the wife of my new diet- 2wks on the Varzuga.

It sounds great jim and I would love to have a go at it. I saw paul young on the yokanga the other day- it looks like a tremendous experience. But until i get the ££ ill settle for being dismissive........


did you get any use out of the hooks i sent?
Ross

[Fruin]

I know what two stones I'd lose if I told my wife I was spending the money required for a weeks fishing on the Middle Varzuga

[macd]

;D

[jimthefish]

Yes thanks Ross, I used some of the Size 9 salars. The slight upturn of the Salar works well when fishing barbless.

Jim.