Sunday 18 December 2011

Kamchatka for everyone can be other. Flyfishing trips for salmons, trouts, graylings and charrs.

Kamchatka for everyone can be other.



 


Petropavlovsk - the air door  to kamchatkas rivers.

In representation of the majority of our fishers - Kamchatka it is far and expensive. I was constrained too by similar fears, it is necessary to fly days it is not known where, to pay lines knows how much for 2-3 steelheads, what for it is necessary? I at all the supporter of similar "exclusive" and me do not involve prospect to spend 2 weeks and a heap of money for the sake of illusory possibility to catch pair of these fishes. Experience of colleagues in the basic confirms my belief that there is no sense to spend days for expectation of helicopters and day after day to listen to reasonings that steelhead will be already exact tomorrow in the river. Presently, on any, almost any Kamchatka river it is possible to reach by car. Let it will seem strange, but the usual truck or an off-road car not only is much cheaper than the helicopter, but also faster it. The situation with Kola peninsula where we happen more often Here repeats. An essence that transport should be arranged to us, instead of we to transport. Here also it turns out that having arrived to Kamchatka, already next day we fished.



Kamchatka is remarkable that the rivers, water the large quantity here is simple. All of them different. Big and small, quiet and running in rocks on thresholds. All of them beautiful here again it is a lot of fish. The ocean simply fills the rivers with fish. All had an unanimous opinion - fishes here simply much, in 10 20 times more than on Kola.






When we have arrived on our first small river transparent water, first of all, has pleasantly surprised. In water all is visible. We see the stony bottom, turning green holes on turns, boulders on rifts. Unlike the rivers Kola, the bottom of the rivers was smooth, as though smoothed. If at the bottom there are no sunk trees there are no hooks and there is no risk to lose a front sight or I will flash. At first it was not clear, where there is a fish and in what places it to catch. It became then clear that any obstacle at the bottom, stones, holes, serve river turn as shelters for fish. For spinfishers it was interesting to catch silver salmon, a silver salmon.



It only has entered into the river from the sea and gathered flights under coast, in places where the current was more slowly. Congestions of fishes could be defined on splashes at a surface. On I will flash a salmon reacted actively, the main thing that блесна was appreciable and aggressive. In my opinion, as well as on Kola the rule worked - to adhere  the lure and to deep It  in a good place. Well worked lures of type Blu Fox №5-6 typewith an orange petal. On a fly it was more difficult to catch, many good places it was more convenient to fish by   spinning. But, eventually, and I have adapted to find places that convenient for casting .




Salmons of other kinds already spawned, on coast were visible remains of the lost fishes, the escaped salmons still stood in places of the former spawning. Bears have left everywhere the traces. It was a little terrible to make the way on their tracks along coast. But without them to go on the river in search of a convenient place for catching very uneasy. The unique way of movement is a boat. Here all grows so quickly, highly and densely that the Kamchatka coast will not mix with any another. 



We were alloyed by boats on 4 rivers. Distinctive feature of these rivers - presence of set of sleeves with islands. Sometimes the river suddenly breaks up to 2, 3 or 4 sleeves and where to float begins not clearly further. Some sleeves happen simply are partitioned off by blockages from trunks of trees. Therefore the person who is down on to these places is necessary in a command. After all after each spring high water the situation on the rivers can change. Once I have been simply stunned. I have gone down below camp in search of new good places for catching charrs and rainbows. Me these fishes first of all interested. I have curtailed into one sleeve, have crossed island, have passed to another and suddenly I see that the river simply flows away in wood, disappearing between trees. An amazing show!






Speed of a current here happens big enough. To move on big rafts - inflatable boats, it is necessary attentively. To turn back and to come up against the current already it is almost impossible. I remember two cases when we nearly have not lost the command. Once I have gone one to look that there further downwards on the river. I have agreed that through a floor of hour, the command will act in film from a place and will pick up me ashore. All looked simply, any problems. Besides, that boats hardly have not left in other sleeve of the river. And that I hardly have had time to jump in a boat which cannot be stopped on a current. So the next days I did not risk and too far did not leave from stop places. It would not be desirable to be lost at all, not Kola where sooner or later on coast you will reach the house.





If to observe elementary care it is possible to give all free time to fishing. Our workers were engaged in camp statement, cooking. We showed the initiative only at preparation of own fish recipes. And so, all day long, it was possible to fish. Spinnfishers often caught directly during an alloy, from boats. To me with fly fishing tackles It was more difficult also with envy looked, how on I will flash extend next silver salmon  and the people in boats joyfully shout and drink about it.






In catching of a salmon it was difficult to me to compete with spinn fishers. Catching on a front sight demands search of a convenient place, concentration, selection of a fly, time. Spinn fishers are not puzzled absolutely not by such trifles and dragged fishes from any position. But in a front sight there was a charm, the greatest rainbows and graylings were caught by me on a fly. These fishes unlike Pacific salmons show often selectivity and fantasy baits of type lures or salmon flies do not want to suffice. Skills of catching of a trout were useful to me. Rainbows and graylings  here are active predators, they eat smalts of Pacific salmons.    Minnows or blood worms, worked perfectly. In any place on a stream with blockages of stones, on an input in holes, everywhere, where there were shelters, it was possible to catch good rainbows and graylings.  






  Charr  there was a set. On reaches in rocks they sometimes accumulated in set. But large copies to 2-2.5 kg took separate places behind stones on a current. Such beautiful fishes I did not see earlier anywhere. I want to notice that life of ground fauna to me has seemed to the poor. In comparison with Kola peninsula    here there are not enough sedge larvae   or nymphs of mayfly. Stones which I investigated, were naked, without traces of larvae and even seaweed more often. Probably, therefore, all fishes here so active also are aggressive.





Each of 4 rivers which we have visited, had the features. Not only because they different in size. But also because they proceed on different district though are located all in 2-3 hours' journey by car from a place of our residing. Kamchatka though also seems big, but actually territory where the rivers proceed, not so is great. From volcanoes and high hills to flat coast of all one hundred - two kilometres. Therefore, floating on one river it is possible to fish in a shade of volcanic ridges, and among the most beautiful hills, and on plain at the sea. Considering wishes of fishers, we have increased duration of fishing. To go so it is far all on 6 - 7 days - not seriously. Therefore we have calculated our program on 10 days of catching on 1500 dollars from one participant. That there was a possibility to have a rest in breaks between alloys, fishing was divided into 3 parts. The first alloy have made short one-day. It it is necessary to pass short acclimatisation and will accustom with boats and the river. Two following alloys have occupied for 3 and 5 days for which time we have passed on 60 and 120 km. Our small hotel is located far enough from a civilisation in a place, whence it is convenient to reach any of these rivers. At will we can choose the river Big well-known for the king salmon in the season beginning. Big it is the serious river, and Karymchina is less in the sizes,   the Opala river is very beautiful. Here it is a lot of interesting rivers. I sometimes dissuade fishers who do not want to do breaks and to come back from the river in hotel. 10 days it not 5 days, pass an alloy dynamically and fishing demands some physical efforts. Agree what to return to hotel after an alloy, to be warmed in pool with thermal water and to sit evening in the good company it it is very quite good. And tomorrow since morning it is possible to leave and look at new places again.






I think that everyone who has visited Kamchatka, will agree that the strongest impression is left by the nature unusual and simply unique. Such rivers, mountains more anywhere are not present. To salmons you get used and even you are tired of them. KIngs it or silver, steelhead or the humpback salmon - is not present any difference when you will catch them 10, 20, 100 pieces. It was pleasant to me, that it is possible to leave salmon tackle and to try fishing local fishes, charrs, rainbows and graylings. So it seems to me it is possible to understand is better these wonderful rivers, their character and life.

Saturday 3 December 2011

Future salmon population. Kola Peninsula salmon fishing next 2012-2015 years


     
                                                            Salmon fishing in Russia.



       Really, number of salmons in the rivers can be predicted. As a basis it is possible to take the data of calculation of real quantity of fishes in the rivers. With some share of objectivity it can be made there where there are special counters of fishes which come into the rivers. If we have such data for some years then it is possible to argue with some confidence on the future season.
        As a whole the quantity of salmons in the river depends on set of factors. The negative factors - most known to us it is fishing pressure and poaching. But these factors concern adult population of fishes which never reached on our rivers of hundreds thousand or millions fishes. Therefore major factors which add or take away thousand and millions fishes  are spawning and the sea period of life of a salmon. Unsuccessful for  spawning river condotion  or catastrophic winter and fast spring high waters reduce population of next years by thousand. The adverse situation in the sea also can lead to loss of tens and hundreds thousand young salmons which have put to sea from the rivers. In my opinion, it is major factors which can cardinally change number of salmons in the rivers.
For spawning of a salmon it is possible to present alternation of successful and not so successful periods, as a sinusoid with peaks and falling number  of smolts. Probably, this natural sinusoid has frequency in 7-8 years. The situation in the sea defined by currents, in temperature and forage presence too changes from favorable to bad about periodicity in some years. Probably, all repeats time in 14 years. Whether all depends it on a solar cycle and more any reasons, I do not know.
Imposing of these cycles, spawning sinusoids on a sinusoid of the sea period of life gives the sinusoid which loses a correct rhythm and is characterised by non-uniform peaks with population splash, then with decrease or sharp recession.
             I `m not a scientist , I`m trying   assume only about the reasons of change of number of salmons   on own supervision for 26 years of my practice of fishing. I have once again watched recently a film about Peter Powell's work on the rivers of pool of Barents sea. All was pleasant to me, but I am sceptical about its figures and statistics. The increase in number of a salmon in these rivers quite keeps within natural fluctuations of population if to extrapolate the data 45-20  years  prescription for our time. 
           If to speak about the rivers of the White Sea in my opinion we have taken place a failure in number of a salmon in 2008-2011. The previous maximum of quantity of fishes in the rivers Chavanga, Chapoma was observed  in 2003-2005. If the total sinusoid taking into account a river and sea cycle is correct (which can fluctuate with frequency in 11-12 years),  since 2012 - 2013 can be expected new lifting of number of a salmon in the rivers of the White Sea.  


Here is statistic--------   salmons q-ty x1000  ------ during 1964-1992,  White Sea pool.    


 Miramichi:
------------I'm not a biologist either, and I have a fair amount of respect for the science, but my observation is that the annual returns are very hard to predict accurately even one year in advance! Theoretically grilse should be predictable based on the previous year's smolts, and 2 MSW salmon in abundance relative to the previous years grilse - since they come from the same crop of smolt. Older virgin spawners are relatively few, and repeat spawners make up a much smaller precentage of the run, and their numbers should be fairly stable. Put that all together and predicting the size of the run seems achievable enough. But it often doesn't work that way. Two years ago we were to have braced for a poor run of salmon based on a near record small grilse run. Instead we had the best run of recent times. Personally I'm also skeptical of predictable long term patterns or cycles of fish populations.

Barents Sea rivers                             Salmon quantity 2011
                                      Kola

6500
                                      Varzina

2500
                                      Drozdovka

350
                                      Yokanga

6700
                                      Harlovka

2800
                                      East Litsa

1400
                                      Sidorovka                          

1050
  White Sea rivers                                                      


                                  Varzuga

45000
                                  Chapoma

550
                                  Yougina

480
                                  Strelna

10500
                                  Kamenka

1200
                                  Chavanga

1900
                                  Indiora

680
                                  Kitsa

2900
                                  Bab`a

1450
                                  Lihodeevka

350
                                  Pulonga

650
                                  B.Kumzevaja

640
                                  Pialitsa

1000
                                  Ponoi

60000
                                  Umba

2700
  Silverleapers :
--------Before we messed it up (the ocean and climate) there were distinct population cycles of salmonids (at least here in NL). We have netting data that proves it. Same nets in same spots and a nice clean cycle. Dr. Dave Reddin of DFO (NASCO, ASCF, Scientist Emmeritus with DFO, etc) showed it to me 20 years ago at a meeting. A many decades long data set with a trend you could drive a truck through.....no p=0.35 manure...a nice clean line of dots. But of course we have messed that up and now no one knows what's going on..

here in NL - 2009 disaster..2010 bonanza, 2011 bonanza
Pacific salmon....expecting one of the worst runs in history at about <2-3 million and they got the biggest run in recorded history at 35 Million! No one has a clue why...a team of 50 biologists and no one has a clue why...
More examples?
Biggest smolt count in history of our biggest river (100% increase!)....we were all sharpening our hooks all winter....result - poorest run in years!

One river has a bonanza and another 10 km down the road has a 25-50% reduced run compared to the 5 or 10 year average.

Why?
eg 1 Draggers can scoop up half the run from a small river in one tow! Salmon tend to stay together at sea...we know that now.

eg 2 Predators are switching feeding areas and prey...eg Cod have no caplin so they switch to hanging off a river mouth and eating smolts (source??- guy looking to jig cod....no cod in traditional spots eating caplin because no caplin there (virtually extinct)....so tried off the salmon river mouth while search for food/cod and...voila....fat cod stuffed with smolts....smolts left (the few that survived) and then the cod left....next year...no salmon!...Dave Reddin knows about it)

eg 3 porpoises now in the bays of the gulf of St.Lawrence in schools 2-5 km long eating smolts until they wipe them out and then they leave too! (they ain't stupid.....they will find food even if its not what they normally eat - no herring...no mackerel....no squid...no caplin....ha! we'll eat your smolts!)
eg 4 even the bloody whales are starving and then switching prey and hunting areas and migrations....for the first time in 400 years a killer whale was seen in Port aux Choix hunting and eating salmon...it was an adult female....guess what....no salmon in Big East River that year! She was there almost 3 weeks eating them all! It was however amazing to witness...one smart whale the way she herded them into the reefs! Salmon flying in the air everywhere...

the examples are endless...the ocean is in a mess!!! It ain't rocket science.

Now we also have global warming and weird river conditions...and logging...and "____".....but the rivers are not in as bad a mess as the ocean.

Anyway guys.....lets change the subject....its too depresssing....we can't undo the mess we made....we just gotta wait and hope nature will balance again in our lifetimes.

My prediction for 2012....a good run!! Why? Its just a guess...you can forget trying to figure it out guys...the North Atlantic Oscillation...and other theories are out the window! Too many factors that are way outta sync.


Chavanga, Czawanga, Strelna river, salmon fishing in Russia, peche au saumon Russie, pesca de salmon Rusia, pesca del salmon in Russia, fiske lax, lov lososu v Rusku, fang von lachs in Russland


  

Thursday 1 December 2011

Hucho taimen fishing. Giant fish. Part 4.



Taimen fishing is one of the most exotic directions in fishery. First, involve on the present the huge sizes of fishes. Secondly, the territory of catching of these giants so is far from the bothered lawns on a highway roadside that never becomes boring and monotonous. Till now a trip on taimen presents a real adventure. Agree, what not so remains places where it is possible to receive rare pleasure from really protogenic nature.
Here photos of my friends about hunting for trophy taimen for some last years are presented. The fullest information on taimen fishing is stated in Michael Skopets's book "On Far East with fly". From this book I have received many good advice

Here the small review about the tackle necessary for catching of this huge fish..

On large fish it is necessary to prepare tackle corresponding on capacity. To use grayling fishing-rod it is not necessary. For struggle with taimen in most cases will enough have an one-manual fishing-rod 9 or 10 classes of capacity. But even such fishing-rod is not always capable to throw large baits well. To fish hucho often it is necessary in difficult conditions. The rivers not always allow to move freely on coast or on small water. Often best sites are located at steep coast, on turns of the rivers, under blockages of trees. In such places it is difficult to approach close to fish, there is no free space for a cast over a head. In these cases two-handed fishing-rod helps with cast style as roll and spey. Fishers who possess this cast technics , can successfully catch in absolutely inconvenient places. Michael told about his rods so: he has 2 two-handed fishing-rods. One 15 foots it uses 10-11 classes with a floating line. To it the sfast sinking leader of 4,5 metres in length is added. He uses this tackle at average speed of a current and depth approximately in 2 metres. Other, easier fishing-rod in 14 foots of length, is equipped 12 metre by quickly sinking head. Michael uses it for catching on depth more than 3 metres. For night fishing on the mouse, a fishing-rod it is equipped with a floating line and a nylon leader.





More often taimen fishing is more convenient from a boat then it is possible to manage one-handed rods and a set of shooting heads. The standard set - the floating head, slowly sinking and fast sinking suits. The tippet for fly is necessary to have durability from 22 to 28 pounds.
The majority of the rivers where meets large Hucho are wide enough and powerful. On the small rivers in 20 or 40 metres in width it is possible to catch from bank or to come into water. But on larger rivers to do without the boat it is impossible. Many best places for taimen are located under river breakages, in deep old channels of the rivers. It is possible to compare taimen fishing to pike catching. Michael says that the pike well approaches for training. Both these fishes prefer baits of the large sizes, both do not refuse to attack mice. And a pike, and taimen often settle down in deep, quiet places. Both at taimen and the pike has a rigid firm mouth, therefore it is necessary to train itself to do the second strike.
Flies for taimen about same, as well as for pike fishing. Large baits are necessary because fishes seldom pay attention to small baits. Taimen eats large salmons to 10 kgs in weight and even larger. Therefore a bait it is possible and it is necessary to use as much as possible large what only can sustain your fishing-rod.



Unlike a pike, taimen often suffices a bait for a tail, attacks a bait behind. Many pike flies have a hook in a forward part and, therefore, there are many empty attacks of Hucho. The long hook or a fly with an additional pendant treble or a hook is necessary. Flies for taimen - it is large streamers, poppers and mice on hooks in the size from 1\0 to 4\0. The length of these baits from 10 to 20 sm, will correctly to weight a head part of a bait.
Style of tying of such streamers the following: it is possible to use style matuka or zonker. The bloodsucker or a flexible bloodsucker in various kinds reminding a forage of all predators - a lamprey perfectly works. The most simple imitation of a lamprey is the strip of dark fur adhered to a large hook. Such design is simple. But more often the fur strip is twisted round a hook and twists a fly. Therefore it is better to do all large flies jointed, to do of two parts with the weighted head and a hook in a tail part.



Effective bait is also the huge squid. To make this bait it is possible from two parts, it is possible on a tube too. Small beards of a feather of an ostrich have considerably smaller resistance in water stream than a marabou feather. At the same time the feather of an ostrich creates visibility of considerable volume. So it is possible to make baits of the big size, but suitable for fly casting .
One more fine bait - a fly named Intruder. This fly at rather small resistance in water can have the big sizes and good game. It involves even passive predators.
In the summer taimen it is possible to catch on flies of any colour. Colour of a bait depends on a transparency of water and colour of the present prey of taimen. At catching in transparent water in the middle of summer it is possible to catch on the superficial mouse. At water temperature above 6-8 degrees fish leaves up to a surface. We use different large mices made from deer hair of wool and other floating materials.
In the autumn when water of the rivers carries fallen down leaves, white and yellow streamers stop to work. During this period Taimen involve more black or black-brown baits .











Every week i will add more and more photos of taimen fishing and giant fish. All the best!


Chavanga, Czawanga, Strelna river, salmon fishing in Russia, peche au saumon Russie, pesca de salmon Rusia, pesca del salmon in Russia, fiske lax, lov lososu v Rusku, fang von lachs in Russland