The Best Salmon Fishing In Kola (Russia)

Welcome to Varzuga River! Penguin Travel is proud of being able to offer for the tenth year fishing along Varzuga - a dream of a lifetime. It is one of the most prolific rivers on the world-famed Kola Peninsula in Russia. And the middle Varzuga beat is probably the best in the world. 20-30 salmon per rod per week is normal.

Why fish the Varzuga River

♦ Best numbers of salmon Massive runs of salmon - the largest number of salmon in any river on the peninsula. A steady run of salmon gives fishing throughout the season. No other river has the same numbers of salmon runs.

♦ Fishing for all tastes and levels On the Varzuga system you don’t get stuck with only one kind of fishing. This special river offers both fishing for beginners and great challenges to the advanced expert and with a very high success rate. Fishing can be done straight from the camp. Great river for fishing floating lines and dry fly. Highly experienced guides that know the river to the last detail.

♦ Great lodging Accommodation consists of single rooms or at request double rooms, all heated. Showers, sauna, and toilet in almost all the rooms. A chef prepares all meals. Vodka, beer, soft drinks, and champagne are available. Lunch is brought along and served at the riverbank.

♦ 8 km of water Great variation in water, both deep pools and shallow water. Rapids with pockets. Long glides and runs, fishing right at the lodge. Plenty of room for 10 anglers. No boat fishing and plenty of wadeable water.

Itinerary:

Day 1. Arrival
Arrival in Murmansk international airport. Transport to Middle Varzuga Lodge, fishing for the remainder of the day.

Days 2-8. Guided fishing

Day 9. Departure
Transfer back to Murmansk.

Good to know: ► Our camp on the Middle Varzuga is situated on a small island of Pond Ostrov in the middle of the river and it does not suffer greatly from mosquitoes. It has accommodation in 10 single cabins and 2 double cabins, all heated. And centralized shower house with toilets and sauna. Breakfast and dinner is served in a dining room and here you can also relax in the evening. Lunch is prepared by the Russian chef and brought on the river. The lodge hosts a maximum of 10 rods per week.

Good to know: The fishing: The middle of the Varzuga is famous for breaking personal records for Atlantic salmon. And early in 2002 one rod landed over 480 fish in just two weeks. As a result of its location and wonderful pools, the beat offers exceptional fishing throughout the entire season, from the early springers to the summer grilse. The Middle Varzuga is one long super beat with one most astonishing pool after the other. At the top you have superb fly-fishing in shallow water above the Yovas rapids.

In the rapids small pockets hold fish and can be walked and fished spot after spot. Below the river opens again and long glides over shallower water dominate before it splits up above Poond Ostrov where the camp is located. In July and onwards the Middle Varzuga beat is shallow and wadeable, and it can actually be crossed in several spots. It’s ideal for single-handed rods class 7-10 but some anglers prefer to use double-handed rods. Overhand casting can be practised almost everywhere. Floating line is the standard and most fish rise to traditional flies sizes 6-10.

Fish are very active in the surface so dry flies are popular fished aggressively down and across. Barbless or rolled barb is used and the fishing is catch and release. Statistics:Middle Varzuga has an outstanding statistic – usually the client average is 10-20 salmon each week. For instance a Danish angler, Jerk Sönnichsen, landed more than 20 salmon all on dry flies during 6 days of fishing. Over a 5-year period the Varzuga system has produced 22,968 salmon caught by only 649 rods. Most salmon weigh between 2 and 8 kilo with an average of 3-4 kilo.

Price Includes:
local bus/boat transfers
7 nights accommodation in Varzuga lodge with all meals
fishing guides
fishing license/permit
transfers in Murmansk

Not Included:
international flights
Russian visa
tips at the lodge
alcohol and soft drinks
hotel in Murmansk (please email for a quote)