Fish Reports

Click here to view previous reports | Click here to view Ponoi River Co. catch statistics

August 29, 2010

Ponoi Fall Run Is Heating Up:

Last week’s fishing verifies beyond any doubt that the Fall Run is heating up!  On day “2” last week, anglers landed as many fall run fish as were tallied through the entirety of the week prior, and multiple fish in the 17 and 18 pound class were brought to net.  

Weather conditions in Ryabaga continue to cool down.  Crisp days and cold nights add to the sensation of fishing the fall run.  In the early morning hours, the smell of wood-smoke emanates through the camp, and a few brave anglers don stiff waders in order to start their day in the Home Pool, in hopes of landing a salmon before breakfast.  Still others stay snug in their sleeping bags as Sergei and I make the rounds, lighting the wood stove in each occupied canvas wall tent.  Water levels on Ponoi remain quite low, and while this does not hinder the catch, it does test the boatmanship of each of the guides.  In low-water conditions, the occasional crack gets knocked in the stern of our aluminum skiffs, in the vulnerable area that exists on the welded seam joining the transom to the hull.  This section of the vessel sinks low in shallow waters as the boat “falls off step.”  In any case, leaky boats are removed from the river, disassembled, engine removed, turned over, prepped, welded, re-assembled, and launched back into the Ponoi in under two hours – an obvious testament to the skill and ingenuity required in a camp in the far end of the Kola Peninsula.

The week started off a bit slowly for 16 anglers from Italy, Australia, Ireland, England, Finland, Argentina, and the United States.  Team Ireland began the week by becoming separated from their luggage in Paris, an event that nearly broke guest Ken Tucker down.  On the brink of deciding to turn back toward Ireland, Ivan picked him up by the boot straps, and reassured him that the folks in Ryabaga could and would provide absolutely everything necessary to enjoy a successful week of angling on Ponoi.  By the end of the first day’s fishing of Week 14, Ryabaga anglers were wondering where the fall run fish were lurking and when they were going to start to appear.  Though the first day 16 anglers landed seven fall run salmon of a total 29 salmon for the day, it was not enough to quench the thirst of the group.  Having taken day one to “knock the rust off” the spey tackle, however, our group of anglers started to make things heat up.  On day two, Alec Soldati of Argentina took four salmon, three of which were fall run salmon, with the biggest weighing in at 17 pounds!  When I asked him how a 17 pound fall-run fights he replied: “boludo it is the best fight of any fish I have ever caught, I was crying, you wouldn’t believe!”  Alec, my friend, I am glad you caught that fish!  Steve Baddeley, long-time Ryabaga angler, brought along his friend Peter Hopton.  Hopton, brand new to the sport, landed a 15 pound salmon, 3 fall run of 11 pounds each, and, to put the icing on the cake, a 17 pound fall run salmon…  not too shabby for a first experience with fly fishing.

In all, 166 Fall Run fish were landed, a figure more than half of the total salmon landed for the week.  Fish over ten pounds totaled 126, a fantastic amount of hard-fighting fall run fish!  We are fortunate, and realize that no other river on the Kola Peninsula, or the world over, can boast such autumn statistics!  Any angler given the chance to tangle with Ponoi salmon, particularly during the fall run, is one blessed angler indeed.  At the rate we are going, this sublime fishing is here to stay!  

Until We Meet On The River,

Matt Breuer