Salmon Calendar 2010

I’m putting the finishing touches to a salmon calendar for 2010, which will be on sale in December.
It’s an A3 spiral bound wall calendar featuring colour photos. Rivers featured include Spey, Tay, Tweed, Beauly, Gaula, Breiddalsa, Cascapedia, and Bonaventure. Information includes notable season dates and moon phases.
More news when it’s ready for publication. In the meantime please take a look at some page examples in the PDF.2010 calendar, page examples

Cascapedia 2010

FISHING ON THE Cascapedia River this year was very good. Much of the success could be put down to the agreement with the local band who’ve curtailed their netting of the estuary. So if you’ve ever wanted to cast a line on these hallowed waters this could be your chance. The fishing is through The Salmon Lodge, owned by Glenn Le Grand of Camp Bonaventure. Fine accommodation, expert local guides, great cooking, a wonderfully situated lodge, and of course those beautiful big salmon.

August
Aug 1st to 8th – 7 days – 8 rods
Aug 8th to 11th – 3 days – 8 rods
Aug 15th to 18th – 3 days – 4 rods
Aug 18th to 22 – 4 days – 2 rods
September
Sept 5th to 12th – 7 days – 7 rods
Sept 23rd to 26th – 3 days – 8 rods

For further details contact www.salmonlodge.com

Breiddalsa/Jokla Review 2009

Breiddalsa 

The season finished with a total of 782 salmon and grilse, compared to 910 in 2008. We were hoping to make 1,000 fish this season and I think the lower than expected total was due to fewer grilse this year and a smaller autumn run, which was hampered by very low water throughout September – the lowest levels seen since 1998. September usually produces as many, or more, fish as August.

 

July began with a strong run comprising mostly 2SW fish. For the last two years July has been very good with increasing catches, and we hope that this trend continues. The Breiddalsa produced some of the biggest fish caught in Iceland during July. The only other river to produce bigger fish was the Laxa i Adaldal. July was helped by very good water conditions throughout the month, including a spate at the end of the month. 

 

August was good with bulk of the season’s fish being caught in this month. Three  massive spates spoilt things though as it took the river a few days to  recover after the biggest one. We still managed to catch fish at these times, thanks to the tributaries still running clear, but fishing was obviously difficult. 

 

The Indian Summer conditions throughout September were delightful on the eye, but not so good for fishing. This was the longest period without rain seen for a decade. Although we did have the first snowfall in the surrounding mountains on the 22nd. Even this didn’t help water levels! As the month went on the river dropped and the fish became ever wary and increasingly uninterested in anglers’ offerings.

 

Indian summer conditions on the upper Breiddalsa

 

 

Fishing for char and trout produced around 600 fish, the same as the previous season. Most of the char fishing is done in the spring (May) and up to mid summer. One noticeable fact was the increase in size of the char, the best we’ve seen in some years. These delightful and very sporting fish never fail to please clients from overseas.

 

There is a  lot of pressure on bookings for next season, which is very pleasing. It goes to show that Breiddalsa is gaining a reputation for providing good value for money amongst Iceland’s salmon rivers.

  

Jokla River System

This exciting new fishery lived up to expectations as the programme to develop the system continues. It produced 322 salmon and a mixed bag of 500 sea-run char, sea trout and brown trout. Some of the char were exceptional with many in the 4 to 6 lb range. Most of the fishing was done in the three tributaries on the lower Jokla. With good water conditions for most of the season the fish came up and ran straight into the tributaries. Some fish were caught on the lower main river. The overflow from the dam came in September but had little effect on the fishing as by then the fish were already in the clearwater tributaries. Had an earlier overflow occurred it wouldn’t have had a too negative effect on the fishing in the tributaries.

 

A typical sea-run char from the Jokla system

 

The overflows happen because of glacial meltwater flowing over the top of the dam that was recently built at the head of the river. This is expected to happen in the late summer most years, but is controlled wholly by the forces of nature. When the overflow takes place it just means we can’t fish the main Jokla because of the coloured water. Clients need not worry though as the tributaries have enough water to keep six rods busy each day.

 

Jokla was lightly fished this season and we’re sure the catch would have been much higher with more rods out. With increased fishing pressure next year we expect to see the Jokla system’s catch double.

 

The Jokla is only 25 minutes drive to the north of Egilsstadir airport and makes and ideal combination with the Brieddalsa.

 

For further details go to www.strengir.is

Rynda 2010

OUR FRIEND GEIR  Kjensmo (who does sterling work by being a thorn in the side of the Norwegian salmon farming industry) has details about two “tundra adventure” trips to the Rynda next season. If you’ve fancied fishing in Russia and want to join a group, this could be the perfect opportunity.

 

The ultimate prize from The Atlantic Salmon Reserve

 

 

 

Wild, unspoilt waters of the Atlantic Salmon Reserve

 

 

The weeks are geared to those of us of more modest means and offer a fantastic introduction to the wonderful fishing in this salmon paradise. Groups of six rods share the services of two guides and have accommodation in tented camps (to my mind this is the ideal way to savour these pristine wilderness rivers). On the first week helicopter use is limited to deploying anglers at the start of the week and after that transport is by boat and walking, and the second week is all walking. Again, what better way to “experience” this wild river.

Prices are $5,400 per rod for the limited helicopter week, and $3,400 for the walking week. (Prices are inclusive from arrival at Murmansk.)

For complete details please contact Geir at : geir.kjensmo(at)mastery.no  or go to

http://www.mastery.no/Sportsfiske/river%20Rynda.htm

The end is nigh!

WE’RE WINDING DOWN here at the Breiddalsa and the season will end on Wednesday. It’s been a strange end to the season as we’ve had very low water for most of the month and could do with a few more fish in the river. However, the beautiful autumn weather we’re having is more than compensating for that, and the colours of the vegetation absolutely gorgeous – the intense red of the blueberry bushes makes the landscape look like it’s flecked with pools of molten lava. We had the first fall of snow up in the hills on 22 September, so winter is certainly on its way. (Click on photo to enlarge)

 

 

The six rods who are fishing continue to pick away with up to 10 a day, but it doesn’t look like we’ll make 800 this year – the total stands at 754 at the moment.

Most of the work now revolves around the hatchery. We’ll be grading the 50,000 fry this week and making ready for a further 30,000 or so to come down from the north.

The UK’s Trout & Salmon Association are gathering signatures for a petition to save the wild salmon, so please go an put your mark on the following link – we anglers have to make a difference because no other bugger will. http://www.salmon-trout.org/save_petition.asp Thanks.

From NASF:

ICELAND’S HUGE SALMON CATCHES CONTINUE

The 2009 salmon is coming to an end and the total Icelandic rod catch is predicted to be about 72.000, making it the second best year in the country’s angling history.  In the last five years Iceland’s salmon catches have gone from strength to strength and the national totals now continually exceed the old record years 

The five best salmon years in Iceland so far:  2008 = 84,124 salmon –2009  = 72,000 –  2005 = 55,168  –  2007 = 53,703 – 1978  = 52,679.

The rivers on the north west coast have been exceptionally productive this year with several breaking their former records.  These include  the Midfjardará, Blanda, Hrutafjardará, Fljótaá, Vatnsdalsá, Svalbardsá, Budardalsá, Laxá í Refasveit and Huseyjarkvísl.  Several other rivers have come close to making record catches.

Breiddalsa update

Lack of time and no internet connection has meant no updates for almost a month. Things have been going well at the Breiddalsa and Jokla river systems here in south east Iceland. We have a grilse run, albeit a thin one, but they’re here and fish are still running into our two rivers. 

The past few weeks have seen a variety of conditions and anglers, from a whinging Welshmen to some happy South Africans. The Icelanders took over at the end of the fly-only period on the Breiddalsa this week and added almost 100 fish to the book in their two days. I’m glad to report that many were returned or donated to the broodstock programme. Unfortunately a 20 lb hen had to be killed as she was deeply hooked on a Toby. The angler was distraught and to his credit did all he could to save the fish. That’s fishing though and not everything always goes to plan.

 

The Jokla river system is a very exciting prospect for the future

 

 

The Jokla system is a very exciting prospect, so watch this space in a couple of years time. There’s going to be a lot more written about it when I have the time.

Still busy with hatchery work at the moment then back to guiding later this month. We were grading parr today at the Breiddalsa hatchery and in the middle of August had the satisfying task of seeding the middle and upper reaches of the Jokla with fry. Can’t wait to see how that turns out.

 

Pat from South Africa into another Breiddalsa salmon

 

The fish was landed then released

 

Rae Borras surveying the canyon section of the Kalda, a Jokla tributary

Breiddalsa Report

August 6

Michael Evans and party left just at the right moment. Since their departure we’ve had storms with torrential rain that’s put the rivers into flood. Since arriving on 28 July we’ve only had glimpses of the sun on two occasions.

 

The clouds could not have got much lower today

 

 

The fishing is quiet, as one would expect, but should be interesting if the river ever settles! We managed a grilse and a char this afternoon, both weighed 2 lb. A worrying trend is the number of grilse with the extended red vents, like those appearing in Scotland over the past few seasons.

 

A 2 lb sea-run char. The mark was made by a Northern Diver

 

There’ll be no more news for a week or so as I move up country to the Jokla system, where we have no internet access.

In the meantime, tight lines.

Breiddalsa Report

August 2 to 4
Michael Evans and Cecil Duguid began their first full day on the river on the 2nd. The day began well when Michael landed a grilse in a rarely visited pool on Tinnualsa, then Cecil hooked a beautiful fresh fish of about 15 lb. Unfortunately, after about ten minutes the hook came away and all we were left with were memories! The day continued in similar fashion with a total of nine lost, but a couple of consolation fish landed.

The next day was a complete turnabout and all fish hooked were landed. Because Cecil had taken the previous day’s events evenly (very evenly I thought!) the river gods rewarded him with 8 fish, and Michael 2. All were released.

 

One of 8! Just reward for Mr Duguid on 3 August

 

 

The last morning was given a consolatory cast with one lost and a rise to a riffled tube. They leave just in time because a storm is blowing up and it looks like we’re in for a lot more rain.

Where the 15-pounder lurked

Good Endings and Beginnings

August 1

On the last day for Emma and Matthias, Emma got her fish! It was very well deserved as she cast all morning in persistent rain and the clouds just above head height! A beautiful sea-liced fish of about 7 lb succumbed to a Sunray Shadow, a fly that worked very well for them over their three days.

 

Emma's prize, a fresh 7-pounder which was released

After lunch it was all change as Michael Evans and party took up the reins. They even brought the sunshine with them! Michael and Cecil started on the lower beat and it wasn’t long before Michael shocked a fish into taking one of his Mike’s Prawn creations. It may catch a lot of fish from Scotland to Russia, but it will always be The Chav fly to me – lots of bling and in your face!

 

Michael's hen fish

Breiddalsa Report

29 to 31 July
A pleasing start to my time here with a couple of fish for Matthias during the first two sessions. Great fun last night (for me at least, observing from atop a cliff) with about ten fish coming to his Sunray and then assortment of offerings. The photos are of the fish taken earlier in the evening at the top of the beat.

 

Fish on at Breiddalsa

 

And an 11lb hen safely returned to the river.

This morning (31st) was pretty quiet for Emma, but Matthias managed to coax another two grilse this afternoon and evening

 

The beautiful Nordurdalsa

 

And the first grilse of the season from it

 

 

 

Weather is on the cool side though and we’ve seen very little of the mountain tops, let alone the sun! Beats working though!
Tight lines,
Roy.