THE ATLANTIC SALMON RESERVE
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Seasonal River ConditionsLate May - Early JuneThe early season probably carries with it both the greatest risks and the greatest rewards. The surrounding tundra will have a significant covering of snow, the rivers will be extremely powerful and the water temperature wavering around the 3-5 degrees mark. These weeks do carry a certain amount of risk. On a late year the fish will not have filled the length of the river so the fishing will be concentrated around the lower sections. Conversely, if it is an early spring the conditions will be close to that on the prime weeks and you can have exceptional fishing. What is guaranteed is that all the fish will be tide fresh and the average weight will be close to 20lbs. The heavy water will mean that once a fish is hooked you can expect a monumental battle. During these weeks anglers can expect to be spooled by hard running fish heading at speed back for the ocean.  Early weeks are about being prepared and half the battle is about being well dressed. Thick thermals, multiple layers, gloves and woolly hats are essential. A range of medium to fast sinking lines are essential and the modern multi-tip shooting lines are a godsend for this type of fishing. Gone is the need to try and lift 40 yards of double taper sunken line with a large copper tube. Weight forward floating body shooting head lines, such as a Rio Skaggit line are custom designed to be able to cope with extremely fast sinking heads and very heavy flies. Mid June - Early July These are the prime fishing weeks. Summer comes quickly in the Kola Peninsula and with a rise in air and water temperatures the Salmon will be flooding into the rivers during this period. The running fish of the early season will have filled all the pools from the main waterfalls on the Kharlovka & Litza and now the fish will be piling up from the top down. Good conditions at either of the falls pools during this period can result in some spectacular hauls of truly huge fish. The snow banks will be in full retreat and the scrubby birch trees which line the river banks will over a period of two to three days burst into life. Water levels will have dropped and the river will look much more manageable, pools appearing magically out of the faster stretches. During this period the Salmon will still be bright silver and will typically take a fly without hesitation. Intermediate and/or floating lines are going to be the most popular methods and the fish will start to take flies fished on the surface. The weather will be no less unpredictable but on the days when the sun is shining it can be very warm. If there are any mozzies they will be very few and far between.  Gordon Sim with a bright silver Salmon from Kharlovka Home Pool Mid July - Early August The last of the snow will have disappeared and the rivers will be dropping away to normal summer levels. On the Litza it is quite likely that the fish that initially filled the falls pool will have dropped back whilst on the Kharlovka the river will have dropped to a level where the Salmon can now jump the lower falls and make their way further upstream. Although large fresh fish will still be running there will be now be a higher proportion of grilse with the earlier running bigger fish settling into the best lies. These fish, having been in the river for a few weeks, will not take a fly as cleanly as before, however at the same time it can be the most exhilarating period of the year. Dry flies, Bombers, hitched, dead drifted or skated are the order of the day. The surface action can be simply phenomenal, even if it can at times be frustrating. It is common to raise a fish 2, 3, 4…6 times before getting some sort of hook hold…and if you do not hook it on the first series of passes it is very likely your fishing partner will sweep up behind you. Although catch numbers will start to drop off, the action anglers experience will be at its peak. It is a very exciting time to be on the rivers.  Salmon Leaping the lower Kharlovka Falls in late July With the full onset of summer will come the mosquitoes and the reindeer. To have the later appear en masse and without warning whilst you are fishing in silence and solitude is a wondrous event. Rather like an approaching army you will first hear the rumble of the hooves followed shortly after by a scouting lead male and his accompanying herd. Less majestic are of course the former! To the uninitiated they can be oppressive but do not worry. It is no coincidence that the reindeer migrate to the northern coast of the Kola Peninsula, as it is here the mozzies are the least numerous, kept in check by the onshore winds. Leave herbal remedies at home and on windless days ensure a regular application of a strong deet based insect repellent and your bites will be few and far between.  Mid July Summer Conditions Mid - Late August This is late-summer on the Kola Peninsula and although the rivers can get a rise of water at any stage they are likely to be at or around there lowest levels. It is the time to get creative and the ‘salmon stalkers’ out their will have a fantastic time. The low water conditions mean the fish will be spread all over the river holding both in the main lies but also seeking out tiny pockets of faster oxygenated water. Long powerful casts to cover the river’s width have had their day. Although the double-handed rod remains invaluable, most of the pools can be covered with a single. Clever wading followed by a trial-and-error assault using a multitude of different flies, ranging from heavy Snaeldas to size 14 micro flies will all produce results. When the take comes, even if it starts as the slightest sip, do not be surprised if you find yourself attached to a leviathan. The big cock Salmon will be getting territorial and aggressive and without the heavy water of the early season you will have a much higher chance of bringing one to the net. This autumn period has seen the recent introduction of the limited helicopter and walking tundra weeks. Significantly more affordable and aimed at the young and adventurous, this opens up the beauties of the Kola Peninsula and all it has to offer to everyone. Late August - Mid September It is the closing period of the season but in a sense it is also the beginning of the next season for it heralds the arrival of the Osenka Salmon. Typically weighing in the region of 15-25lbs Osenka Salmon are one of Mother Nature’s extraordinary natural mechanisms to ensure against any catastrophic disaster afflicting the main Salmon run. Carrying up to 30% more weight, these extremely powerful fish arrive in autumn in pristine condition. They will spend a full winter under the ice, re-emerging the next spring gunmetal silver before sitting out a full summer season and spawning the following autumn. Their arrival, combined with lowering water temperatures and a rise in the water, will act as a catalyst that will serve to shake up the more dormant fish and can result in a spectacular end to the season.  Cock Salmon with a huge kype: A real September Crocodile
Low Water Salmon Fishing in the ASRMany fishers approach the idea of low water with something less than enthusiasm in the belief that intolerable difficulties await and fish become fiendishly difficult to catch. Nothing could be further from the truth and within the environment of the Northern Rivers low water is something to be looked forward to as a rewarding and fascinating time. The reason for this is simple, none of the rivers are spate dependant and all are lake fed with the consequence that they are never too low for fish to run. As the rivers naturally drop back to summer levels more and more water opens up for fishing and every lie can be accessed with relative ease. The swift drop and naturally highly oxygenated nature of the water means that active and aggressive fish are lying wherever conditions appeal to them and many a monster has materialized from the front of a rock or in the middle of a little pot or run. To successfully capitalize on low water anglers need an open-minded approach and an understanding of the methods outlined below as well as a willingness to use stealth and guile in getting up close and personal. Remember salmon are no more or less wary than the most highly tuned chalk stream or spring creek trout and approaching them in the same way will reap great benefits for the careful angler.
Skating
This method involves hitching a small fly behind the head so that it retrieves at an angle to the current creating a wake on the surface. The same effect can also be achieved by boring a hole in the side of a small tube fly. This method is at its best in glides and V's where a strong current begins or ends. Polaroid glasses often enable the angler to see fish following the fly and can lead to some highly intensive and emotional experiences! Successful fly patterns include anything small and dark such as the Black Bear Red/Green Butt, Stoats Tail, Jeannie or lighter flies like the Green Highlander, Hairy Mary and Blue Charm. Hitching a Bomber or Muddler Minnow can also be very productive albeit that many more fish will show to the Bomber than will actually grab hold however in these circumstances it then pays to skate a small fly over the same fish. Greasing the leader to within a few inches of the fly when skating can improve presentation and the use of fine diameter high b.s fluorocarbon means that large fish can be fought with confidence.
Bombing Big Bomber dry flies in sizes 2 -6 can be tremendous fish attractors with all sorts of antics being displayed from fish jumping out the water and grabbing the fly on re-entry to tail slapping and other attempts to drown the fly. The bomber can be fished dead drift, skating, dibbling or swinging in a regular manner and all methods have their day. Remember a fish moving to the Bomber is on the alert and as mentioned above a small fly pulled over the same fish will often result in a firm take. As the fly is so big and visible it can be used in any water although classic bomber water is the fast tail glides prevailing in our waterfall pools. Green, brown and white are favourite colours for the Bomber DibblingThis is probably the single most successful method on the Rynda and Zolotya and can also be used to great effect on the Kharlovka and Eastern Litza. A good dibbler will without doubt always out fish other rods. A key factor in dibbling is the ability to read and develop a feel for the water. It also demands an open mind to the fact that salmon will often lie in unlikely places and therefore concentration is a must as a salmon moving to the fly in fast broken water can be tough to see even if it moves several times. Dibbling is the method of dapping or skating a fly on a very short line and lends itself to extracting fish from small lies and otherwise impossible spots. The essence of dibbling is getting close to the fish whilst using background or cover and hanging a bouncing, bobbling fly over their nose. Takes are usually explosive and every fin can be seen as the fish slashes and lunges at the fly. To achieve maximum benefit a 12-13ft rod is usually the best with a 10ft level leader of 20lb fluorocarbon. The fly line is immaterial as one is very rarely utilizing more than a few yards and it is one of the few occasions where a double taper line with a nice feel has a place in modern salmon fishing. On the rivers of Sutherland where the method was developed a dropper is often used however experience in Russia shows that one is much better fishing with a single fly as otherwise a broken leader is the likely outcome. A good set up is a small light tube such as a Silver Stoat or Hairy Mary or alternatively a small 10/12 Muddler. There is no need to hitch the fly although it can help in some pools. It is better to use the currents to create tension with the fly and literally paint the pool moving a high rod around like a magicians wand. Keep a very close eye out as fish can move several times to the fly sometimes more than once on the same cast. Once located stick on them until they are hooked or touched never leave an interested fish to find fish as they say. Another factor about this type of fishing is that a strike is not misplaced particularly when a fish performs the classic head and tail rise over the fly and the angler lifts as the fish goes down dare I suggest one of the great moments in salmon fly fishing. Another method that appeals to certain of the cognoscenti is dibbling a big Sunray Shadow or Collie Dog in likely spots. This method is best described as "Shock and Awe " and can bring up huge fish particularly in August and September. It is not recommended for those with dicky hearts or less than full control of their faculties! Clear IntermediateThe use of a slow sink clear intermediate (slime line) or sinking line can be deadly when fishing pools where a reasonable cast is required. A key to this method is fishing small and keeping the flies moving through judicious handlining dependant on the currents. Many of the largest fish on our rivers have been hooked and landed on flies as small as size 12 and on a bright day keeping the flies down a few inches can be very successful. Small flies with a bit of action in their dressing work well including conehead tube flies, small Collie Dogs and Sunrays as well as Ally Shrimps and similar patterns. Always let the fly fish right around to the dangle as this is where many fish will grab the fly having followed it around. Fast sinking line/Big TubeOn days of brassy sunlight when fish are reluctant to move close to the surface it can pay to run a big plastic tube fly on a fast sinking head through any pool with sufficient depth. When using this method handlining is again a pre-requisite and stripping the fly fast can also excite the predatory instinct of the fish. It is recommended that a minimum of 25lbs breaking strain is used for this technique as takes can be aggressive and at short range. The Willie Gunn is the undoubted king of flies for this method but a big Collie Dog and Sunray can also do very well. Nymph FishingThis method can be deadly in the waterfall and canyon sections of the rivers. It requires deep-water close in and optimally under the tip of the rod. We have developed a method of fishing a big stonefly nymph (size 6 long shank) on a long 16-18 ft leader. The essence of this method is keeping control of the fly and striking at any hesitation in its progress as it drifts along just above the bottom. In the waterfall pools look for a steady deep flow under your stance and pitch the heavy nymph upstream bringing it under control beneath your feet. Ideally you have a straight down connection with the fly and the tip of the fly line is just at the surface. You can then walk the fly down the pool for several yards feeling it's progress and striking hard if it hesitates. This can be a devastating method in hot weather and several fish over 30 pounds have been caught in this way. It is truly amazing to see this trout tactic producing salmon and many people are frozen in disbelief the first time the line draws away and a salmon hits the fly. In our experience the method is not suitable in the Foss (Whitewater) parts of the waterfall pools as one cannot control the fly and the only likely outcome is a foul hooked fish, which nobody wants. Any information contained in this website is produced in good faith but is only a guideline.
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