For three weeks we explored the river, learning more about the habits of the late season salmon, and also to await the first substantial runs of sea trout. Friends of the camp arrived for this period, and the guides also given free reign with the camp now closed to customers.
Dmitry Drozdov, Victor Kostromin, well seasoned guests of the camp, and British guest Robin Howard, were joined when available by camp owner Alexander, and guides Sergei and Maxim, to prospect for the new arrivals.
Weather was grey, but minimal precipitation, and water levels remained lower than average for the time of year. On one day a late glimpse of summer past, with the temperature reaching eighteen degrees, but for the most days, twelve was a respectable temperature. But towards the end of September, the winter could be seen assembling on the distant hills, some snow to be seen laying on the reindeer lichen.
With the low water levels the remaining Atlantic salmon were to be found mostly in the deeper reaches of the river, where steady currents were to be found. And where a shallow lip gave way to a deeper run, would often be found a concentration of fish, seemingly enjoying the swifter currents, but with the security of a deeper stretch of water to bolt to. Maxim and Robin came across just such a situation on the beat known as the “First Rapids”, where two fish succumbed within a few casts of each other to steadily retrieved prawn patterns.
Dmitry was particularly interested in the sea trout, and each day headed out with a #5 weight outfit at first light. And each day more and more sea trout arrived in the river. Dmitry finished his tally of Belousiha sea trout with no less than twenty one sea trout, and twenty Atlantic salmon as by-catch. The top rod of these days.
When Victor arrived he bought with him three different outfits. He very proudly revealed his new Sage #2, as well as other quality outfits in #5 and #7. Victor knows the river very well, and his first day out produced no less than twelve sea trout in a single session, the biggest being over two kilos. The rest of his five days were split between sea trout and salmon, with a further seventeen sea trout, including one cracker at four and a half kilos, were landed, as well as a further nine atlanticsalmon, all carefully released.
Meanwhile, Camp manager and head guide Sergei was off with the camp quad checking out the river Voronya. Here were not only good runs of sea trout happening, but also some excellent sized salmon running the river. Several fish fell to his spey casting, with flies such as Francis in various colours, and Willie-gun also proving irresistible. Biggest was eight kilos, but bigger fish he lost also in the powerful river.
Robin though, was going a bit off target. Instead of enjoying the sea trout and Salmon, he became locked onto catching grayling on the dry fly, on one of the slowest and deepest stretches of the home pool. The action was fast and furious when the wind allowed a stone fly hatch. Tiny brown flies happily accepted. Although, in the way of dry fly fishing for grayling, many more rises missed than landed. However, in a one and a half hour session, fifteen grayling to over a kilo were netted, pictured and returned.
And then, the final day of fishing, the 30th September, where again all people were focused on the salmon, to show they had finished spawning in the Belousiha. And this day, the final fish was caught, a female, en route back to the sea, devoid of eggs in her slack sides. To return again, perhaps next year, or maybe the year after, as a true giant amongst her brothers and sisters.
And so the salmon fishing for 2015 comes to a close, just days ahead of the first snowfalls.
Results from the final 20 days of fishing on the Belousiha
57 Atlantic Salmon Landed
29 Atlantic Salmon lost.
Best fish – 90cm
Fishing week: 11.09.2015 – 30.09.2015 |
|||
Date |
Number of rods |
Number of Atlantic salmon caught |
Hooked but not landed Atlantic salmon |
11.09.15 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
12.09.15 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
13.09.15 |
2 |
2 |
|
14.09.15 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
15.09.15 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
16.09.15 |
|
|
|
17.09.15 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
18.09.15 |
3 |
5 |
2 |
19.09.15 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
20.09.15 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
21.09.15 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
22.09.15 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
23.09.15 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
24.09.15 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
25.09.15 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
26.09.15 |
|
|
|
27.09.15 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
28.09.15 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
29.09.15 |
4 |
5 |
2 |
30.09.15 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
Total: |
|
57 |
29 |