Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Kola Peninsula - Part II



After long discussions about the situation, we renounced to the rotation on Eastern Litza. There was nothing left to do but to take the boat and try to catch some fish from the deep pools in the middle of the river. Heavy tackle, extra fast sinking lines, big weighted rabbit streamer, a long and tiring battle started, like the siege of a fortress. We managed to capture some fish between 2-4lbs but the result was unsatisfactory. 







One day we went to Oset to try our luck on one of Kharlovka's tributaries, a small creek. After a good walk, we reached that place. The creek was a wild river. After another day without the desired results, we slowly headed towards the base camp, passing by a snow wall of impressing dimensions. On the day before the last day, insects began discreetly to hatch, first some brown caddis, then small and medium-sized stoneflies. Fishing from the shore not far away from Andre, I saw he needed help. His rod was bent to the edge. After a few minutes, he managed to bring a superb male fish to the net.



Looking on the water surface, I saw a suspect move a few meters offshore. I tied a Kola Killer and cast into that place. After the second strip, I felt a heavy pull in the rod and the reel started to scream. Suddenly the fish stopped its race and then turned quickly into the shore direction. With long strips, I managed to keep the tension in the line. The fish swam in front of me and headed for the branches of a submerged tree. I knew that if it came into the branches, the battle was lost so I put more power into the bent rod. With an annoying sound, the last segment broke a few inches away from the ferrule. The fish managed to win the battle, breaking the tipped.



Fortunately, I was able to recover my broken segment before it plunged into Kharlovka's deep and wild waters. As I arrived in the camp, I headed for my tent. I was tired and disappointed. The last day arrived. After breaking the camp, we decided to spend the hours before the helicopter arrived at the home pool. Fishing with the two-handed rod, I managed to capture a beautiful trout around 5lbs on a caddis pupa, the biggest fish I caught during the whole week and also my new trout best personal record. The helicopter arrived much earlier than expected, then started the long and tiring way home.




Conclusions
The Russian tundra is a wild and unpredictable backcountry in all aspects. Although the expedition was planned for the week that over the years proved to be the most prolific, this time it was not so. I traveled so far to fish with the dry fly for capital trout specimens. Unfortunately, insects didn't hatch (especially ephemerids) and the fish were all caught with a heavy streamer or deep-fished nymphs. The number of catches was extremely small.

The first two fishing weeks offered by the organizing company were canceled due to the weather conditions and the high water levels. All of our group and most of the other groups felt that this week should have been canceled too and reprogrammed, later in the summer or for next year considering the disability conditions in which we started and continued the fishing week. It would have been a different situation if the weather conditions were suddenly broken during the week. The rest of the organization was good, the logistics side evolved smoothly and the tents were in good condition. The Kola Peninsula is a great place and I can recommend it to any fly fisherman who is looking for big brown trout. Fishing in Kola is not cheap, but the sensation you have when you're there is unique. I definitely know, one day I'll return.




© Pictures by V.A.Rusu, Andre Hesselrot
For more pictures visit Andre's blog: FLYSLINGERS

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