Kola 2019

Well, everyone will be heartily glad to see the back of the 2018 fishing season. The summer was both hot and dry, and on the Wye we missed the whole of March & April due to flooding and the “beast from the East”, and the whole of July & August on account of the drought. Throughout the UK, salmon catches were at a fraction of the 5 year averages, and I had no fish from 3 visits to Castle Grant, and 2 stale fish from 3 days on the Tweed in late October.

The Ponoi suffered as much as anywhere else in Europe on account of the long hot summer drought, but at least there were fish there, and to my surprise, Danny asked to join me on my next trip to Russia, even though he’d always sworn he’d never go there in the past!

So, we’ve done the planning and agreed that we’d go to fish the main Kola river with Lax-a, the Icelandic company. The website to the trip is here  This trip has no helicopters as its on the main Kola river south of Murmansk, so is much cheaper at 2,800 Euro each, plus the flight from Helsinki.

As for kit, its all the usual for Russia, big rods, powerful reels with at least 250 yards of backing, and flies. They recommended Kola Shrimps, Sunray’s, Snaeldas, Frances and Mediators, so I’ve tied a load up, plus a few waddingtons and Kharlovka killers and a load of Samurai flies designed by Mikel Frodin.

Some pictures below:

Red Shrimp:

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