Forging Traditions and Friendships
Week of August 15-22, 2009
During our final supper this past week at Ryabaga, Ken so eloquently affirmed that new friendships were forged during this past week of fishing. The usual gratitude was applied to the professionally attentive group of guides, talented team of mechanics, chefs and of course the ever-present appreciation for the full group of anglers that keep us all gainfully employed during this tense economic climate. However, until Ken played a spoon against his wine glass, taking a stand to address the group, nothing had been mentioned about the new friendships that were taking hold between this fantastically vibrant group of men.
Ten of the twenty anglers came from Argentina, where the majority of their fishing is performed with a single-handed fly rod. These fellows embarked on a journey half way around the world to join the ranks of the Atlantic salmon anglers of Western Europe. The other half of the week’s composition of anglers did not have to travel as far, as they came from the UK and Ireland. The European team, all quite well practiced in the art of casting and fishing with a double handed rod, showed no quarter to the count of fish taken in this manner of angling in comparison to the persistent efforts of our southern hemisphere team and their mode of taking fish with a single handed rod. These 20 men shared fantastic repartee in such areas relative to sports of football, fishing with fly on single handed rod or double, shooting, be it for dove or driven grouse, or the production of beef, Hereford or Aberdeen Angus, or even the origin of a sea-run brown trout. Regardless of the banter, whichever the argument, we here in Ryabaga are sure to find members of both parties united again for many years to come.
Though conditions were difficult, as we experienced nearly three days of steady rain just before and during the Saturday arrival of our week, all anglers eagerly took to the river with the hope of taking a fall run salmon. Perhaps we did not break any records this week, but the immeasurable degree of success was felt throughout the camp as digital cameras were passed back and forth to illustrate what is so special about the Ponoi River. The stats for the week: 270 fish for the week, 44 bright fish, 42 fish of ten pounds or greater and five fish of 15 pounds or greater.
Matt Breuer
Ryabaga Camp Manager
---------- Post added at 16:16 ---------- Previous post was at 16:16 ----------
HOW ABOUT SOME GREAT FISHING?
Week of August 22-29, 2009
There is no doubt about the satisfaction felt by the anglers who travel to the Kola Peninsula every year to fish the Ponoi River. As fall approaches we are now beginning to find out that a medium or fast sink tip affixed to a floating shooting head, fished with a 2 inch or slightly larger tube fly is working wonders on these fall run beauties. The fresh salmon are quite keen on taking a fly swung fast or stripped a bit. When you hook up you’d better hang on!
As many of you know already, last week two notably fine fish were landed on the Ponoi. The first was a 28lb fall run cock fish. This fish was landed in Lapinyarka beat by Orazio Gatti of Italy. Guide Sergei Bistrov masterfully manoeuvred his boat to the bank, river right, where they were able to land the fish with greater ease and chance of success; rather than trying to land such a fish while the vessel is on the anchor, thereby requiring the angler to fight the fish to near exhaustion and lift the fish through heavy current to the guide’s net. Once on the bank the fish was carefully landed, photographed, and released to continue on to his home water, where he will pass on the incredible genetic map that contributed to his being such a creature of incredible strength. The second remarkable fish for the week was another very fresh, very powerful, bright fall run fish of 22lbs, landed by Caroline Taylor of New Brunswick, Canada. Caroline, an accomplished and experienced salmon fisher, was able to push her tackle to the limit as she quickly and effectively fought the fish to the net of guide Sergei Bistrov. Fall Run fish appeared throughout the beats this week. These fall run fish are generally moving very fast through the river. Many sea-liced fish were caught in our furthest upstream beats.
The sixteen anglers of the group, primarily repeat Ponoi anglers, enjoyed the thrill of catching a sum total of 160 fall run fish. Total catch for the week was 364 salmon, 75 fish over 10lbs, 12 fish of 15lbs or greater, and 2 fish over 20lbs.
I would like to express a warm “Thank you,” to Scott and Sunny Boley who so gracefully facilitated the ground-breaking celebration of Max and Lena’s wedding to be held in October. Scott pulled me aside on Wednesday evening and requested that I have 3 cases of champagne flown in on the following day’s supply helicopter. Friday evening we toasted to the official union of one of Ryabaga’s favourite couples… Max and Lena, Congratulations!
Matt Breuer
Ryabaga Camp Manager
Week of August 15-22, 2009
During our final supper this past week at Ryabaga, Ken so eloquently affirmed that new friendships were forged during this past week of fishing. The usual gratitude was applied to the professionally attentive group of guides, talented team of mechanics, chefs and of course the ever-present appreciation for the full group of anglers that keep us all gainfully employed during this tense economic climate. However, until Ken played a spoon against his wine glass, taking a stand to address the group, nothing had been mentioned about the new friendships that were taking hold between this fantastically vibrant group of men.
Ten of the twenty anglers came from Argentina, where the majority of their fishing is performed with a single-handed fly rod. These fellows embarked on a journey half way around the world to join the ranks of the Atlantic salmon anglers of Western Europe. The other half of the week’s composition of anglers did not have to travel as far, as they came from the UK and Ireland. The European team, all quite well practiced in the art of casting and fishing with a double handed rod, showed no quarter to the count of fish taken in this manner of angling in comparison to the persistent efforts of our southern hemisphere team and their mode of taking fish with a single handed rod. These 20 men shared fantastic repartee in such areas relative to sports of football, fishing with fly on single handed rod or double, shooting, be it for dove or driven grouse, or the production of beef, Hereford or Aberdeen Angus, or even the origin of a sea-run brown trout. Regardless of the banter, whichever the argument, we here in Ryabaga are sure to find members of both parties united again for many years to come.
Though conditions were difficult, as we experienced nearly three days of steady rain just before and during the Saturday arrival of our week, all anglers eagerly took to the river with the hope of taking a fall run salmon. Perhaps we did not break any records this week, but the immeasurable degree of success was felt throughout the camp as digital cameras were passed back and forth to illustrate what is so special about the Ponoi River. The stats for the week: 270 fish for the week, 44 bright fish, 42 fish of ten pounds or greater and five fish of 15 pounds or greater.
Matt Breuer
Ryabaga Camp Manager
---------- Post added at 16:16 ---------- Previous post was at 16:16 ----------
HOW ABOUT SOME GREAT FISHING?
Week of August 22-29, 2009
There is no doubt about the satisfaction felt by the anglers who travel to the Kola Peninsula every year to fish the Ponoi River. As fall approaches we are now beginning to find out that a medium or fast sink tip affixed to a floating shooting head, fished with a 2 inch or slightly larger tube fly is working wonders on these fall run beauties. The fresh salmon are quite keen on taking a fly swung fast or stripped a bit. When you hook up you’d better hang on!
As many of you know already, last week two notably fine fish were landed on the Ponoi. The first was a 28lb fall run cock fish. This fish was landed in Lapinyarka beat by Orazio Gatti of Italy. Guide Sergei Bistrov masterfully manoeuvred his boat to the bank, river right, where they were able to land the fish with greater ease and chance of success; rather than trying to land such a fish while the vessel is on the anchor, thereby requiring the angler to fight the fish to near exhaustion and lift the fish through heavy current to the guide’s net. Once on the bank the fish was carefully landed, photographed, and released to continue on to his home water, where he will pass on the incredible genetic map that contributed to his being such a creature of incredible strength. The second remarkable fish for the week was another very fresh, very powerful, bright fall run fish of 22lbs, landed by Caroline Taylor of New Brunswick, Canada. Caroline, an accomplished and experienced salmon fisher, was able to push her tackle to the limit as she quickly and effectively fought the fish to the net of guide Sergei Bistrov. Fall Run fish appeared throughout the beats this week. These fall run fish are generally moving very fast through the river. Many sea-liced fish were caught in our furthest upstream beats.
The sixteen anglers of the group, primarily repeat Ponoi anglers, enjoyed the thrill of catching a sum total of 160 fall run fish. Total catch for the week was 364 salmon, 75 fish over 10lbs, 12 fish of 15lbs or greater, and 2 fish over 20lbs.
I would like to express a warm “Thank you,” to Scott and Sunny Boley who so gracefully facilitated the ground-breaking celebration of Max and Lena’s wedding to be held in October. Scott pulled me aside on Wednesday evening and requested that I have 3 cases of champagne flown in on the following day’s supply helicopter. Friday evening we toasted to the official union of one of Ryabaga’s favourite couples… Max and Lena, Congratulations!
Matt Breuer
Ryabaga Camp Manager