Not all anglers know that since a season 2017 fishing program of the Belousiha River Lodge have totally changed, to be exact was grandiosely extended! Every season the guests arriving to the Lodge with great interest the last 10 kilometers of a road look out of the windows which on the right side of the minibus. And there is nothing to be surprised. Behind glass, parallel to the bus flows and shows the beauty, mystery and power the River with a big expects. The river with a big history. And the River with a big fish!!!!!!!!!!!! The river Voronya.
The Voronya – 26 km long river whose inflow is Belousiha, flows into the Barents Sea. Since a season 2017 all of our guests have an opportunity to catch an Atlantic salmon on one of the most known salmon rivers on the Kola Peninsula. And fame this river is by size of the silver habitants.
To study the new river is required not one year, namely to designate locations of pools, to understand a relief of a bottom and to find the channel, to pick up tackles for the changing water level, adapt the boats and clean the banks. We can’t hesitate and have invited two scouts from Argentina, professional fly fishermen - brothers Nico and Alex Trochines. Below is the small report about theirs three-week adventure on the other edge of the world in searching of an Atlantic salmon.
Brothers have thought about a trip to our immense lands long ago – they have the Russian roots and are well informed on our culture and traditions, but the distance more than ten thousand kilometers was a barrier to see biggest country in the world. However, if comes tempting offer to be a researcher of the new salmon river, to share experience and to open for yourself something interesting, nobody from self-esteemed adventurer can cancel this challenge.
Belousiha River Lodge as well as is necessary very friendly has welcomed the guests and within one evening the common ground was found even with those who didn't know English or Spanish languages. Having discussed strategy for the next two weeks at supper from a local game, guys have begun to prepare the tackles for the first fishing day, with surprise meeting the first white night.
The first days have been spent by Argentineans on the Belousiha as there was an opportunity to get acquainted with the river as it had a rest from latest guests of the camp. Having devoted one day on each side of the river, anglers have checked most popular pools and have been pleasantly surprised with the results. In two days of 25 salmons have been on a hook. Argentineans were impressed by the power and resistance of the new fish. But skills of brothers on the top level – 20 fish have been parked. The average size of atlantics is from 70 to 80 cm, several salmon more than 80 cm with record 89 cm. Flies were standard for summer: Frances, Willie Gun, Cascade, Stoat tail. Nevertheless one secret fly from their box, tied on an aluminum tube with a wing from fur of black, red and green colors. Pools which were remembered most of all: Three Steps, Birch and Glinka. As scouts have noted, the salmon was in "excellent physical shape", the majority of a salmon pecked in streams with a rapid current, sometimes it was necessary to do "perfect arc” of a swimming fly to find fish between and behind stones.
Having unburdened the hearts with single rod and overhead casts on Belousiha, it is time to take serious spey rods to go to a mission – exploring of the river Voronya.
Having arrived at the beginning of July, Argentineans could see and feel the tundra in different weather conditions: at the beginning it were strong winds, plentiful rains and offensive drizzles, gloomy gray days with the heavy ashy clouds pressing brown and still autumn hills. But in one morning all this has flowed in week of silence and the scorching sun under which flowers and trees have begun to blossom, the tundra became attractive.
In the first week water level was very high, jumped within meter up and down. Such circumstances suited us, we needed to understand very important points, namely catching by the sinking lines and searching of fish which moved from usual spots with this conditions.
Water temperature, depending on weather changed, no more than two-three degrees, it is characteristic of Voronya: if on the small compact Belousha river water is +17 and above, on mighty capacious Voronya it is never rise higher than +14 that fact is definitely well for fishing as salmon is continues to remain active, not became flabby.
As was mentioned, in the first week they were fishing in the conditions of big water. And during couple of days succeeded to find convenient flows for working with fly and places where salmon moved. During big water fish need to leave usual pools and find more convenient places, as a rule there are where board of the current and pockets near the bank. Sometimes you can be very surprised how fish is close to you. There were very curiosity cases when anglers try to cast far but fish jumped just under the tip of 15 feet rod. In total the secret of big water became a bit opened. During 5 days were caught 13 salmon and around 13 missed.
Near the beginning of the second week, after several sunny days, the hydroelectric station began to work for 30% of the power. Usually it is planned closer in the middle of June, but due to abnormally cold summer this year was a delay.
The river has calmed down, water level has dropped by meter and continued to fluctuate not considerably on 20-40 cm in different directions, but it did not matter for us. The river Voronya has opened easy ways to pools and flows which did not look so far now, The temperature of the water became optimal for fishing 9 – 12 degrees.
Since this week fishing on the Voronya real changed. Fish moved to usual pools, which are easy reading on the river and mapping every evening by scouts. It was a peak of salmon run. The highest part of the river became available for all sizes of fresh salmon. During big water the canyon with the waterfall and rapids within was a difficult barrier for fish. Many of salmon were waiting for easy water in the lower part of the river.
Many of the mapped pools are in remembers of brothers. In each of them were stories with theirs fish, and does not matter if the fish was lost, somewhere they had to swim, picked up the radio from the bottom, somewhere understood that lunch box and hot water left in the lodge, but most of bright events were on the Beach, Antennas, Workshop and Twins run pools, where they hold not one dozen fish.
Especially need to notice lower island Twins Run. We named this place after brothers caught there 21 salmon during a day.
Since the middle of July begun appeared pink salmon. Mostly it pecks on the lower part of the river as can’t go through the waterfall. It is one of the plus of the river as you can concentrate to fish an Atlantic salmon only.
During two and half weeks were caught 102 salmon:
60 – 69 cm: 19 salmon
70 – 79 cm:10 salmon
80 – 89 cm: 45 salmon
90 – 99 cm: 19 salmon
100+ cm: 9 salmon
It is important to notice that salmon less than 80 cm were caught very rarely in the first week. But in one day our statistic is changed. Grilse started to run. Even with small length 60 – 65 cm fish was quite fat and gave real fight.
Fish 90 cm+ every fight were very hard. Especially Nico remember salmon which caught right above waterfall. The salmon tried to escape many times but Nico was very unshakable and after thirty minutes fish appeared in landing net. It was first big salmon caught on the river Voronya which showed us what you have to be ready if you want to catch real trophy on the Kola Peninsula.
The record fish which was caught reached 108 cm.
Unfortunately 57 fish were missed. Many of fish were lost in the first one and a half week. Not easy to land the salmon which behave itself unpredictable, fresh, full of power, lifting pillars of the water up, violently jumping from the massive current, which, in addition, drowns and pulls your scagit looks like rope to the Sea side.
During theirs trip on the river our friends made a lot of explorers and big step forward in the studying this amazing river.
We mapped around 20 new pools, made rotation for them, adapting for at least 8 people fishing in the same conditions with equal chances to catch. Now we are sure about rods and lines for different level, also found many working flies.
Fishing as a work was very pleasure for brothers and they really did not want to leave the Lodge. During three weeks we became a very good friends. We mutually found out that Russian and Argentinians soul and heart are very similar. And made a very good conclusion – the river Voronya has very big potential for being one of the most famous salmon river on the Kola Peninsula where must be everyone.
