Post by nessc on Jun 29, 2010 18:21:37 GMT
Well that’s me finally back from the Yokanga after one or two travel issues.
To say this river was a good experience would be a massive underestimation of the whole place. It is true to say, for me at least, this was a trip of a life time.
After a long trip from Inverness via, Luton, Heathrow, Helsinki, and Murmansk we made it to the Yokanga lodge where 16 like minded fishers were based for the next 6 7 days.
Getting the helicopter loaded on its way to the Yokanga Lodge from Murmansk
The way the fishing works is that you fish in pairs with a guide between you, fishing at least one of 13 beats (over 50km) each day, with a helicopter providing assistance to get you to and from your beat at the start and finish of each day. In the evenings you may fish the home beat infront of the lodge giving you some fantastic water to take advantage of!
Getting picked up by the chopper
Looking out to bolder alley in front of the lodge.
On arrival we were told the river was lower than normal for the time of year, which is never a problem on the Yokanga and with the fish just arriving, we tackled up and made our way to the home pool, below the lodge, for a couple of hours evening fishing.
I had tackled up with an intimidate line fished with a junction shrimp, not a fly I normally fish but with snow on the banks it felt quite fitting. The evening turned out to be very productive with fish of 16lb, 28lb and 12lb. Not bad for a few hours, it was just a shame my camera man made an arse of photographing the big fish!!!!
Fellow forum member Ian Kirk also had a lunker of 27lb on the first night, fantastic.
12lb fish from the pump
The rest of the week followed on in a similar vein with days of 5, 1, 3, 4, 3, 3, giving an average weight of 16lb, and twenty pound fish of 20lb, 20lb, 21lb, 25lb, 27lb and 28lb.
The 27lb fish from the cliff beat
One thing worth mentioning about the Yokanga is the wading, I was confined to the banks all week and my legs are black and blue with slips and trips. Stupidly I put studs in my boots and with the river bed covered with shiny boulders; every step was a mission and quite frankly I have never had such a hard wade.
Wading from hell, what you see on the banks is the same under the water.
Some dubious rapids, good fun in the boat all the same
The fish on the Yokanga are like nothing I have seen, they are as fat as a pig and fight like tigers. For some reason they don’t show much, unless it is at your fly, which can be very interesting if it is a 30lber.
A nice 20lb fish from the cascade beat
A cracking fish of 25lb from 7 islands
For the week the party of 16 fishers ended up with 170 odd salmon with 7 over 30lb, with the largest being 36lb. There were also loads in the 20lb bracket, giving fantastic sport for those lucky enough to encounter one!! Needless to say many large fish were hooked and lost. 30lb seaguar was the order of the day, not necessarily because the fish were so big, but because of fish brushing the nylon against rocks during the fight. I had a 7lb fish fray my nylon to nothing after a mad run down bolder alley.
Ian Kirk reviewing a great week
The impressive Yokanga lodge
It is true to say this was the trip of a lifetime and one day I hope to repeat it!!
To say this river was a good experience would be a massive underestimation of the whole place. It is true to say, for me at least, this was a trip of a life time.
After a long trip from Inverness via, Luton, Heathrow, Helsinki, and Murmansk we made it to the Yokanga lodge where 16 like minded fishers were based for the next 6 7 days.
Getting the helicopter loaded on its way to the Yokanga Lodge from Murmansk
The way the fishing works is that you fish in pairs with a guide between you, fishing at least one of 13 beats (over 50km) each day, with a helicopter providing assistance to get you to and from your beat at the start and finish of each day. In the evenings you may fish the home beat infront of the lodge giving you some fantastic water to take advantage of!
Getting picked up by the chopper
Looking out to bolder alley in front of the lodge.
On arrival we were told the river was lower than normal for the time of year, which is never a problem on the Yokanga and with the fish just arriving, we tackled up and made our way to the home pool, below the lodge, for a couple of hours evening fishing.
I had tackled up with an intimidate line fished with a junction shrimp, not a fly I normally fish but with snow on the banks it felt quite fitting. The evening turned out to be very productive with fish of 16lb, 28lb and 12lb. Not bad for a few hours, it was just a shame my camera man made an arse of photographing the big fish!!!!
Fellow forum member Ian Kirk also had a lunker of 27lb on the first night, fantastic.
12lb fish from the pump
The rest of the week followed on in a similar vein with days of 5, 1, 3, 4, 3, 3, giving an average weight of 16lb, and twenty pound fish of 20lb, 20lb, 21lb, 25lb, 27lb and 28lb.
The 27lb fish from the cliff beat
One thing worth mentioning about the Yokanga is the wading, I was confined to the banks all week and my legs are black and blue with slips and trips. Stupidly I put studs in my boots and with the river bed covered with shiny boulders; every step was a mission and quite frankly I have never had such a hard wade.
Wading from hell, what you see on the banks is the same under the water.
Some dubious rapids, good fun in the boat all the same
The fish on the Yokanga are like nothing I have seen, they are as fat as a pig and fight like tigers. For some reason they don’t show much, unless it is at your fly, which can be very interesting if it is a 30lber.
A nice 20lb fish from the cascade beat
A cracking fish of 25lb from 7 islands
For the week the party of 16 fishers ended up with 170 odd salmon with 7 over 30lb, with the largest being 36lb. There were also loads in the 20lb bracket, giving fantastic sport for those lucky enough to encounter one!! Needless to say many large fish were hooked and lost. 30lb seaguar was the order of the day, not necessarily because the fish were so big, but because of fish brushing the nylon against rocks during the fight. I had a 7lb fish fray my nylon to nothing after a mad run down bolder alley.
Ian Kirk reviewing a great week
The impressive Yokanga lodge
It is true to say this was the trip of a lifetime and one day I hope to repeat it!!
