The Atlantic salmon of the Yokanga are different. They are bigger. These fish will hit and run, disrupting the uninitiated anglers expectations however hardened from years of fighting other formidable fish. These fish set the bar high. Bring extra fly line and a back up rod or two.
Thank you for your interest in the Yokanga River on Russia’s remote Kola Peninsula. The Kola Peninsula is the world’s last great stronghold of wild Atlantic salmon, and the Yokanga further maintains a deserved reputation of being home to some of the largest Atlantics in the world. You are in for a magnificent trip!
If you were to sit on the banks of one of the upper beats of the Yokanga, around Norcamp or Island Pool, you would be around one hundred and eighty miles from the northern city of Murmansk, an 80 minute flight by MI-8 helicopter.
The Yokanga River is located on the northeastern edge of the Kola running into the Barents Sea near Gremikha. 500 miles north of the Arctic circle, the fishing season is short, covering the period from early spring in June to early autumn in August. The river is best known for powerful fly water and even more powerful multi-sea winter Atlantic salmon that every season top 34 lbs, and often topping 40 pounds, increasingly rare elsewhere but still found in significant numbers in the Yokanga. The leviathan fish are joined also by a distinct run of summer salmon in the teens and upward, and grilse that appear from early July and continue to join these giants through August.
For many of those arriving for their week’s fishing at the Yokanga Lodge, this is not only an exciting pilgrimage to one of the world’s finest salmon rivers, but also meeting the challenge set by this unique river. Every fishing session is an exercise in tracking down and hooking one of the Yokanga’s monsters in this amazing and powerful river. Landing one of these magnificent brutes is another thing altogether. Unlike other rivers, you will not catch fish “by accident” here. With over 50 km of prime fly water, beats feature a huge variety of water, from rapids littered with giant boulders to gentle glides and large lake sections suddenly narrowing to productive draws. The Yokanga is a challenging – and rewarding – river to fish, whether from the bank, wading, or from the boat. You will absolutely love everything about this amazing program.
Reservations & Rates
7 night, 6.5 day packages on the Yokanga range in price from $5,500.00 to $17,000.00 USD per person, depending on the particular week.
Give us a call to get exact pricing for the week(s) you are interested in - 800-669-3474
Inclusions
Included in your angling package on the Yokanga is meet and greet at the airport, round trip helicopter transportation to and from the lodge, daily guided fishing, accommodations, meals, and all alcohol, wine and beer.
Non-Inclusions
Not included in your angling package to Yokanga Lodge are flights to and from Murmansk, accommodations and meals in Helsinki, fishing licenses, gratuities and Salmon (salmon must be earned!)
Travel Insurance
The Fly Shop® is not in the insurance business, but we recommend Travel Guard coverage as a service with a desire to see your best interests protected. It is impossible to know when an unfortunate situation (loss of luggage, fly rods, illness in the family, or an accident) may occur. However, such things can and do happen, and this insurance can provide a means of recourse against non-refundable financial losses.
• Travel Insurance Information
Seasons at Yokanga Lodge
The Yokanga season runs from early spring, at the beginning of June, all the way through to autumn in August.
June ushers in the beginning of the season on the Yokanga. June is when the biggest, freshest fish move into the river. The biggest rewards in terms of big bright Atlantic salmon are found by anglers during the early weeks. With the epic fish comes demanding wading conditions in high
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water. Expect to fish sinking tips in the bigger faster river conditions. Anglers can expect these early fish to be very aggressive producing truly arduous fights that put any angler, no matter what the experience, to the test.
July offers better weather, but expect volatile weather none the less! River conditions start to change with lower water the rule. The wading remains challenging amongst the large granite boulders as always. Numbers of big fish going over 20lbs can be intercepted in the riffles, runs and pools. Epic days where we loose count of how many fish we landed and lost continue to add up. Stories of fish in the 40lb class are common. We rely less on sinking lines and more on floating lines thanks to the more accommodating river conditions.
August offers good fishing as the season comes to a close. Returns of fresh fish have subsided, the sunny bright warm days of July are being replaced with cooler, wetter autumn weather. Grilse are Atlantic salmon that have spent about a year at sea, ranging in size from 16" to 20". These smaller Atlantic salmon arrive in July and can dominate the action through August. But, bigger Atlantics can be found. In recent years, the biggest fish of the season have been found in late August with some fish being recorded at 46lbs!
Getting to Yokanga Lodge
The Mi-8 helicopters are used throughout Russia and in many countries worldwide and have an enviable reputation as a workhorse helicopter that is reliable in all situations.
Everyone will make their own arrangements to arrive in Murmansk by midday on the Saturday of the start of your trip. Most guests will travel first to the Yokanga via a major European city airport, usually Stockholm
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or Helsinki. Guests stay overnight at a hotel in that city and board a charter flight direct to Murmansk the following (Saturday) morning. It is most convenient to stay in Helsinki on or before the Friday of each week and from there depart on Saturday. Where possible on the return journey you are advised to allow at least three hours for transfer due to possible late departure from Murmansk. However, please understand, there can be considerable delays on returning from our camps in the Arctic Tundra through Murmansk Airport such as fog, helicopter delays, airport procedures & baggage handling. In and out of Murmansk everyone will be aboard the Helsinki to Murmansk Charter Flight, operated by Finnair.
Lodging at Yokanga Lodge
Yokanga Lodge is remote. Originally designed and built in Canada, the Lodge was relocated and then reconstructed on the bluff overlooking "Home Pool", one of many productive pools on Yokanga River. The lodge is within a short stroll to the rivers edge. The people who reconstructed the lodge in the late 90’s did an amazing job. The lodge is located in a real wilderness area with no road access. Despite this, the lodge is very comfortable and is one of the best equipped in the Kola Peninsula.
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Guests of Yokanga Lodge will be accommodated in spacious twin rooms. Looking for a single? There are four singles available. All rooms have their own bathroom with showers and plenty of hot water. Rooms have electric heaters and the power points or outlets are 220V UK three pin plugs. The windows are covered with mosquito mesh.
Dinner and breakfast are served in the upstairs dining room that looks out over the river offering a commanding view of the tundra and taiga. Enjoy a cocktail at the bar while waiting for dinner to be served. A fly-tying bench is available in the event guests wish to add to their collection of patterns or try something new. There's a large screen television and plenty of comfortable seating to relax in while you discuss the days fishing with friends.
To refresh and rejuvenate a tired body, there is a banya (Russian sauna) available in an adjacent building. A drying room is available for waders, clothing etc. Laundry service is available for a small charge paid on site.
Fishing at Yokanga Lodge
On arrival, Saturday afternoon, the Lodge Manager will make a quick orientation speech to advise you about the week ahead. Normally, we make a wake-up call at 7.30am and breakfast is available at 8am. Everybody must be ready to board the helicopter at 8:45am for a 9am start to the fishing day. Fishing is until the helicopter returns, around 6:00pm. Lunch is served on the river. Pre-dinner drinks, cocktails normally start around 7:00pm with dinner at 8:00pm.
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Fishing on home-pool is available from after dinner until around midnight. There is a guide available on home-pool until this time, with a boat used to access the other side.
The Yokanga is an interesting river to fish. Techniques used on other rivers work here as well. The standard method of fishing is to cast either square or slightly downstream and let the line swing round with the current until it straightens out and hangs below you. Yes, the Atlantics love to chase a fly on the swing.
Presentation matters on the Yokanga. It is more important to cast a straight line, with a fly that turns over in lieu of a hero cast producing a fly and leader that lands in a pile. Do your best by fishing within your comfort zone. There is usually no need to mend up-stream to slow the fly but mending down-stream to speed it up is very effective! Retrieving is also a proven technique, either stripping or figure eight retrieving. Once the swing has finished it is important to leave the fly on the dangle before stripping in line. Atlantic salmon will follow the fly until it finally straightens, the fly hanging on the end of the leader, suspended in the river current. The sudden take will be impressive to say the least.
After each cast take two or three steps downstream so that every cast covers new water. Anglers are encouraged by the guides to concentrate on the water they are fishing. The guides will coach anglers in making sure even small pockets, just big enough for a single salmon, are covered.
When you feel the "take", don't set the hook! Let that fish have all the time he wants to take the fly and then lift the rod slowly but firmly as he moves away with the fly, lifting into the tension or pulling snug to the fish. After that, keep the rod up and the line tight at all times.
Helicopters:
You will be flying every day in a Mi-8 helicopter. These are reliable and well-serviced helicopters piloted by experienced and highly professional crew members. They are used throughout Russia and in many countries worldwide and have an enviable reputation as a workhorse helicopter that is reliable in all situations. They can be loud. We do provide earplugs but you may prefer to bring your own hearing protection. Most cli- ents favor ‘ear-protectors’ of the type commonly seen on the shooting field.
What Makes This Destination Special and Unique?
• The Yokanga offers some of the finest Atlantic salmon fishing on Earth – with exceptional runs of Atlantic salmon each and every season, June through August! That translates into trophy salmon in every pool to swing your fly through, looking for the “grab”. Every cast you make has the chance of hooking the fish of a lifetime – a true river monster.
• The salmon of the Yokanga average 15 pounds or better, and one in 20 will tip the scales at over 20 pounds. If you are a big fish-angler, the Yokanga is the spot – these are some of the largest Atlantic salmon in the world, and there is no finer fishery to hook and land the largest one of your life.
• The Yokanga River Lodge utilizes helicopters to access your beat assignment every day. You float the river every day, covering new water all day. Each evening the helicopter will pick you up and then drop you where you left off the next morning. There is absolutely no time wasted getting you to the water. This is an amazingly efficient way to cover the entire river, wasting no time on long runs to your water each day.
• The Yokanga has absolutely amazing home pools. In the midnight sun above the Arctic Circle you can literally fish until the cutoff at midnight, if your body can stand up to it. Many anglers can get a couple extra hours of fishing in the home pool after dinner, and maybe scratch out that fish of a lifetime in the bonus hours at night!
• The Yokanga River Lodge is one of the most stunning and most comfortable lodges you will ever stay. A massive log cabin style construction, it is a magnificent feat to have it in the remote wilderness of the Kola. Spacious double occupancy rooms, each with a shower and toilet, and plenty of space for 2 anglers to spread out. The dining room and lounge will make you feel right at home at the end of a long day on the water.
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