Best places to fish in Russia. What kind of fish are in Russian Federation

Therefore, you have packed all your fishing hunting gear including the best fish finder! What you’re searching for now is an exotic and exciting fishing destination in Russia. Unquestionably; this country offers the best destinations for fishing holiday enthusiasts. Russia boasts numerous water bodies suitable to ensure you enjoy some great fishing.

Modern hunting and fishing tours in Russia great forms of active tourism especially when combined with emotions, rest as well as communication with nature. There is no limit to the enjoyment levels you stand to benefit from in your fishing excursion in this country.

The following are some of the best places to fish in Russia:

Volga River

The Volga stands out as the biggest river in Europe. The river passes through over half of the biggest cities in the country, including Russia. If you are fun of fishing catfish, eelpout/burbol, perch, and pike, then Volga is your ideal location. Here, you can catch fish that weighs more than 100kgs.

Kamchatka Peninsula

Does catching the Pacific Salmon make your fishing day? If that’s the case, then Kamchatka Peninsula is definitely a must visit fishing destination in Russia. It’s located on the country’s eastern side. The huge array of salmon that’s available here makes it an ideal spot for professional and amateur fishermen. There is no doubt about that. Some of the varieties you can grab here include:

• Cherry salmon
• Pink salmon
• King salmon
• Various other salmon spawn varieties

Lake Baikal

fishing tour baikal lake

The planet’s largest freshwater lake is Lake Baikal. Overall, the second in that list is the Caspian Sea. Grayling, Hucho taimen, as well as an array of other fish types can be found in this vast lake. While that might be the case, many people come to this fishing location seeking the Omul whitefish. For your information, the fish is only present in Lake Baikal.

Caucasus Region

This region is located in the southern part of the country. It’s close to the Georgian border. The Caucasus region is certainly a darling of many fishing aficionados. The area is highly popular because of the availability of brown trout. On any good day, you can catch dozens and dozens of trout in the waterways present in this region.

Volga Delta

On top of the Volga River, you can also have a great time fishing in the Volga Delta. You stand to catch an array of fish in this location but the most popular include the asp, zander, and tench.

Moscow Canal

Many kinds of regional fish inhabit the Moscow Canal. Some of them include the pike-perch, pike, orfe, bream, perch, and roach. Because of the varying water streams and levels, fishing in this location can be challenging. This is especially true to the newbies. Therefore, the destination is only ideal for the experienced folks.

Klyazminskoe water reserve

This is the nearest water reserve to Moscow. It’s situated right at the heart of the Klyazma River. It’s a highly popular location among anglers. Pike, perch, white bream, bream, and roach are a highly common catch here. The rarest fish to find at this water reserve are dogfish, pike-perch, and catfish.

Ivan’kovskoe water reserve

There is no cloud of doubt that this water reserve is the biggest water reserve within the entire Moscow region. Many people refer it as the ‘Moscow Sea.’ Perch, pike, roach, and bream are some of the usual catches here. While the tench, dogfish, and pike-perch might be rare to catch, getting them is highly possible.

Ponti Lake

Ponti Lake is an artificial lake. It’s a perfect location for winter and summer angling. This man-made lake is situated roughly 40 km from the Moscow Ring Road. Some of the types of fish you can find here include:

• Silver carp
• Grass carp
• Carp
• River trout
• Pike

Senezh Lake

Senezh Lake is a highly popular fishing destination that’s situated roughly 50 km for the Moscow Ring Road. Ruffe, eels, roach, crucian carp, carp, pike-perch, pike, and bream are some of the fish that call this lake their home.

In summary

With such a diverse and large geographic area, you’re certainly to locate the ideal fishing destination somewhere in Russia. Consequently, the next time you’re planning an international fishing expedition, make sure that Russia is top on the list of countries to visit. For sure, the experience will be beyond memorable.

Chasing smallmouth bass on the Russian River

Mention angling on the Russian River, and the default subject is steelhead. That’s as it should be; the Russian made its reputation on big sea-run rainbows. Up to the 1960s, it supported as many as 50,000 returning steelhead yearly, ranking only behind the Klamath and Sacramento rivers.

Then came the dams, the water diversions, the gravel mining and, well, anyone who has ever bounced a wad of roe or cast a streamer knows the rest of the story. Russian River steelhead tanked. By the 1990s, fewer than a thousand fish were making the annual migration up the river.

Thanks to habitat restoration efforts and an ambitious hatchery program, the runs have been resuscitated to a degree. Close to 7,000 fish returned in 2012, the last year before the drought. Still, given the unrelenting demands on the river and the probable effects of climate change, it’s unlikely we’ll see a return to the glory years.

For steelhead, anyway. But there’s another doughty game fish in the Russian that’s doing just fine. The smallmouth bass isn’t as big as its rapacious cousin, the largemouth, but it compensates for its size deficit with beauty and energy.

Smallmouths are the most trout-like of the black basses. They need colder, cleaner water than largemouths, and their lines are leaner and far more elegant. They have a lovely coppery coloration, hence their nickname: bronzebacks. When hooked, they become dervishes, soaring out of the water like Nijinski dancing Giselle.

The best thing about Russian smallmouths is that the river practically teems with them. Smallmouths aren’t native to the Russian (it’s unclear when they were introduced), but they’ve prospered and multiplied with a vengeance.

Admittedly, Russian River smallmouths aren’t the pot-bellied “hogs” that bass fishermen typically dream of and scheme on.

“A good-sized one is 15 or 16 inches,” says Scott Heemstra, the manager of King’s Sport & Tackle in Guerneville. “That’s not huge, but the sheer number of fish make up for it. I’ve had days where it’s just one hook-up after another.”

Heemstra says the stretch of the river between Alexander Valley and Healdsburg is especially popular with smallmouth anglers, but confirms the fish are found throughout the drainage.

“You’ll get them right down to Duncan Mills, where the water starts getting brackish,” he says.

The best season to fish?

“You should be out there right now,” says Heemstra. “They’re spawning, and they’re very active and aggressive. Mid-to-late fall is also good. They’re feeding really heavily then, putting on weight in preparation for winter.”

Smallmouth like “structure:” cliff faces, rock piles, log snags, over-hanging vegetation. Any place, in short, that draws small fish, crayfish and other bite-sized aquatic critters.

“They’re ambush predators,” says Heemstra. “Structure not only attracts the kind of prey they like, but it gives them places to hide. I like to fish the bends in the river, where the water cuts in close to the banks. A lot of crayfish and young fish hang around there, and where there’s food, you usually find the bass.”

But smallmouths aren’t sedentary and gluttonous catfish. You can’t just lob a chunk of bait into a likely spot, prop your rod on a stick, sit back in a lawn chair, crack a microbrew and expect to reel in a bucket of bass. Nor is it fruitful to flail a single hole or riffle for an hour with artificial lures. If smallmouth bass can’t be enticed to bite after several casts, it means two things: there’s no fish there, or the fish that are there are disinclined to bite. Move on.

Because anglers have to cover a lot of water for Russian River smallmouths, it’s tough to fish effectively from the shore. Public access points are relatively few, and banks are often rocky, steep and heavily vegetated. A boat is essential.

Canoes are adequate, but Heemstra prefers a drift boat, given they are highly maneuverable, stable, hold two or more people and all their gear, and allow the rower to maintain the craft in a specific place while anglers cast precisely to likely spots.

“I’d avoid kayaks, though,” Heemstra says. “They’re not really stable enough, they don’t have much room for your stuff, and it’s hard to cast and deal with your paddle at the same time.”

If you’re using spinning or baitcasting gear, Heemstra recommends soft baits such as Senko plastic worms or Brush Hogs. Both should be fished on a Carolina rig: Put a sliding sinker on your line, followed by a glass bead, and tie on a swivel. An 18- to 48-inch leader goes on the opposite end of the swivel, with a hook for your soft bait tied to the terminal end.

“Rooster tail spinners like Panther Martins and crankbaits like Rebel crayfish also work well,” says Heemstra. “Flatfish, though, aren’t the best choice. You want lures that have kind of an oval body.”

For fly casting, Heemstra prefers a five-weight rod, weight-forward floating line with a heavy sinking tip and streamers in sizes 2 to 6. Sculpin and leech imitations, zonkers and wooly buggers are all good pattern choices.

“You want to get the fly down into the water column quickly,” he says, “and then use a jerk-stripping retrieve to imitate a fleeing baitfish.”

Regardless of gear, there’s no reason to get up at the crack of dawn to fish for Russian River smallmouths. Some direct sunlight on the water actually works to the angler’s favor.

“The light drives the fish to the structure and cover so they’re more concentrated,” Heemstra says. “It makes for easier fishing.”

Only barbless hooks are allowed on the Russian River, and only artificial lures may be used from April 1 through the end of October. Also, all angling is prohibited when flows are below 300 cubic feet a second from Oct. 1 to March 31.

Fishing and Angling in Moscow

Fishing is a very popular pastime in Russia, and there are many places around Moscow where fishing is permitted. Nearly all fishing points are located in water reserves (vodokhranilische), but Moskva River and Oka River are also popular sites for angling. There are also a number of fish farms where paid angling is available.

A permit is not generally required for fishing in Moscow although there are restrictions on the number of fish caught, the size of the fish and the fishing methods used. Fishing is prohibited in some waters.

Rules and Regulations

Fishing in Moscow and in the nearby regions is regulated by Moskva-Oka Regional Department of Federal Fishery Agency (Moskovsko-Okskoe Territorial'noe Upravlenie Federal'nogo Agentstva po Rybolovstvu).

Moskva-Oka Regional Department of Federal Fishery (in Russian)

At: Varshavskoe shosse 39a, Moscow

Tel: (499) 611 3509

To download the rules and regulations for fishing in Moscow: Click here (PDF in Russian)

Fishing Areas

While fishing in Russia is generally free, fishing in the city itself is generally not a good idea. There are few fish, and due to water pollution they may not be edible. The rivers, lakes and water reserves around the wider Moscow region (Podmoskovye) offer much better fishing opportunities.

Moskva River (Moscow River)

In the headwaters of Moskva River there are roach, bream, orfe, perch and pike. The best place for angling on Moskva River is upstream of Mozhayskoe water reserve.

Oka River

Oka is the most popular river in the area for fishing. There are over 20 types of fish in the river: perch, orfe, bream, dogfish, roach, chub, pike-perch, catfish and more.

Moscow Canal

Moscow Canal is inhabited by many types of regional fish: roach, perch, bream, orfe and even pike and pike-perch. Angling in Moscow Canal is difficult, however, because of varying water levels and streams.

Mozhayskoe water reserve

Mozhayskoe water reserve is another popular location for summer and winter fishing. It is most famous for roach, bream, pike, chub, perch and eel.

Klyazminskoe water reserve

Klyazminskoe Vodokhranilische is the closest water reserve to Moscow. It is located on Klyazma River and is a very popular location among anglers. Roach, bream, white bream, perch and pike are a very common catch here, while catfish, pike-perch and dogfish are more rare.

Ivan'kovskoe water reserve

Ivan'kovskoe is the largest water reserve in the Moscow region. It is often called "Moscow Sea". Bream, roach, pike and perch are a usual catch. Pike-perch, dogfish and tench are rare but are possible to catch.

Fishing Farms

Several locations around Moscow provide paid fishing with varying limits to the catch or fishing time. Fishing and angling on fish farms or paid fishing spots often guarantees successful fishing.

Fisher Village (Rybatskaya Derevnya)

Fisher Village is a recreational complex that also features paid fishing. The pond on the territory is inhabited with trout, catfish, sturgeon and carp. Both summer and winter fishing is available.

Fisher Village (in Russian)

Tel: (495) 772 9072 / (495) 772 4768

"In the Woods" (Lesnye Ugodya)

Another outdoor recreational complex that provides paid angling. There are two ponds on the grounds of the complex inhabited with a wide range of fish: trout, carp, crucian carp, silver carp, pike, and sturgeon.

"In the Woods" (in Russian)

Tel: (495) 228 7766 (reservations) / (920) 875 8868

Senezh Lake

Senezh Lake is a popular fishing place located approximately 50 Km from Moscow Ring Road. The lake is inhabited with bream, pike, pike-perch, carp, crucian carp, roach, eels and ruffe.

Senezh Lake (in Russian)

Tel: (985) 992 9809

Ponti Lake

The artificial Ponti Lake is a base for summer and winter angling. The lake is located approximately 40 Km from Moscow Ring Road. Pike, river trout, carp, grass carp and silver carp are found here.

Ponti Lake (in Russian)

Tel: (496) 473 3499

Sport Angling

All matters of sport angling are regulated by the Russian Angling Federation (website in Russian).

For a schedule of upcoming angling events both near Moscow and in other cities and countries: Click here (in Russian)

10 of the best Russia holiday destinations – beyond Moscow and St Petersburg

 Marble canyon Ruskeala, Karelia.

Why go?

Karelia, a republic in north-west Russia, is known as one the country’s most beautiful places. The nature here is breathtaking and more Finnish than Russian, with lakes, waterfalls and trees growing on giant rocks. Ruskeala is a village close to Sortavala, one of the region’s bigger towns. The main interest here is Ruskeala mountain park, with a marble canyon that is now a lake with crystal clear water, and another underground lake. You can rent boats, go diving, or hike. In summer there are light shows on the lake.

Where to stay?

Since Ruskeala is tiny most tourists stay in Sortavala. Hostel Lämpö is a popular choice. Don’t be put off by the shabby pre-Soviet building: it is renovated inside and the location is excellent. If you’re staying for a while, there are several resorts, such as Hotel Piipun Piha, near the lake, slightly further from the town centre, which offer sauna and barbecue facilities, too.

• Doubles from £34, dorms from £6

How to get there?

Take the train from Ladozhsky railway station in St Petersburg to Sortavala; depending on the train the journey will take about 4-5 hours. From there several buses can take you to Ruskeala, or you can book a taxi – the drive will take about 20 minutes.

Stolby nature reserve

Why go?

On the north-western spurs of the eastern Sayan mountains, the Stolby nature reserve is one of the most popular tourism destinations in Siberia. The reserve’s main attraction are its rocks and cliffs, called stolby, “pillars” in Russian, after their shape. The smallest cliffs are 55 meters high, while the highest go up to 600 metres. Rock-climbing and hiking are popular activities, although for those interested in the local flora and fauna the reserve also offers guided tours of the Siberian fir taiga that sprawls underneath the rocks: a mix of a hike and a botanical and zoological tour.

Where to stay? 

In the wooden cabins on the reserve’s grounds, surrounded by the taiga and the rocks. There are separate small cottages for six and eight people, and a hostel. The cabins area is called ‘the village’ and is a bit of a hike from the reserve’s main reception buildings but there is a car service for when you first arrive with your luggage.

• Dorms from £5 a night, six-person cottages from £47, zapovednik-stolby.ru

How to get there?

Fly to Krasnoyarsk from Moscow or St Petersburg (about five hours) and get to Stolby on a bus or taxi; that journey will take around 11/2 hours.

 Saint Sophia Cathedral in Velikiy Novgorod

Why go?

Velikiy Novgorod, also known as Novgorod the Great, is one of the most important cities in the country, often called the “birthplace of Russia”. For a long time the city was a sovereign principality, founded by merchants and ruled in relative democracy, and the unification of Novgorod with Moscow in the 15th century was an essential step towards a unified Russia. The city is an historic one and the traditional wooden architecture museum of Vitoslavlitsi is a must-visit; the open-air exhibition of Russian izbas (farmhouses) has an ancient tradition of building without nails or metal to hold the wooden planks together. The Kremlin fortress in Novgorod is also one of the oldest in Russia, dating back to the 11th century.

Where to stay?

The Beresta Hostel with its traditional old-Russian interiors, or the Kozhevniki B&B, and its post-Soviet styles, are both good choices. 

• Doubles from £26, dorms from £3

How to get there?

Fly to St Petersburg and take a fast Lastochka train (about 3 hours) from Moskovskiy railway station.

Pertopavlovsk-Kamchatsky

Why go?

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky is on the Kamchatka peninsula in the far east of Russia and is the most eastern town (with more than 100,000 people) in the northern hemisphere. Ecotourism in this region is a new trend, with various activities on offer from mountain and volcano hikes, sailing and kayaking to fishing and hunting trips. The town is also a foodie destination: Kamchatka crabs and other seafood are known delicacies.

Where to stay?

In the Nachalnik Kamchatki (The Boss of Kamchatka) mini-hotel, where all the rooms are nature-themed, with names such as Winter, Forest and Bear. There are very few hostels in the town, Hostel Fiesta being one of the few, so book your rooms in advance. 

• Doubles from £32, dorms from £11

How to get there?

The only way to get to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky from the European part of Russia is to fly: a direct eight-hour flight from Moscow (book in advance as fares are high).

 Kremlin fortress in Kazan, Russia

Why go?

The city of Kazan, in Tatarstan, is over a thousand years old and has always been an eclectic place, balanced between the Russian Orthodox and Muslim cultures with churches and cathedrals neighbouring mosques. One of the city’s landmarks is the Söyembikä Tower in the Kremlin fortress. It’s named after the city’s last queen, Söyembikä, who, according to legend threw herself off the tower, but actually was captured by the Muscovites led by Ivan the Terrible in the 16th century, when the city was conquered. The eclectic food of the region, a mix of Russian and Tatar, is one of the city’s highlights: try the traditional tea with chuk-chuk, a sweet pastry dish.

Where to stay? 

Stereo Hostel in the city centre has a 1970s sci-fi bachelor pad vibe – and a bar onsite. If you’re looking for a quieter stay, the Stary Gorod Hotel (Old Town Hotel) is an affordable retreat in the city centre, with views of the historic Märcani Mosque.

• Doubles from £16, dorms from £4

How to get there? 

Fly from Moscow (90 minutes) or St Petersburg (2 hours), or take an overnight train from Moscow’s Kazanskiy railway station.

 Olkhon Island and Lake Baikal, Siberia, Russia

Why go?

Lake Baikal is the deepest in the world. Many Russians say that seeing the vast “Siberian sea” is a unique experience, and others tell stories of the Baikal monster, echoing tales of the Loch Ness monster. There are several hiking paths and in the summer you can swim in the lake, although the water is cold even in August. The shores are scattered with resorts, hotels and camping grounds, although many of them are of the Soviet times.

Where to stay? 

The Lagoon Ranch resort is on the western bank of the Baikal, in the area called the Small Sea, and offers several types of accommodation: from the most affordable two-person summer houses to double rooms and separate cabins. There are stables and a horse-riding arena, sports grounds, Russian sauna and Baikal tour guide services available.

• Two-person summer houses from £20, doubles from £28, cabins from £37

How to get there?

Direct flights to Irkutsk are available from Moscow only. Buses and shuttles to the resorts leave from various locations in Irkutsk and take about three hours – ask for details when you book your accommodation.

Yessentuki

Why go? 

Yessentuki is a name you might see on the shelves of Russian grocery stores around the world: this historical resort town, famous for its mineral and hot springs, gave its name to a brand of a salty mineral water. The town has been a destination for the health-conscious since the 19th century.

Where to stay?

The Kras Hotel Resort is near the city centre, has a spa and swimming pool, and some rooms dining and living room areas. A slightly cheaper option is to book a hotel close to the town’s famous baths and springs, for example Hotel Orange.

• Doubles from £11 in Hotel Orange or from £19 at Kras Hotel Resort

How to get there?

Direct flights to Mineralniye Vodi airport are available from Moscow (two hours) and St Petersburg (three hours). Some hotels offer airport pick-up, or take a train into Yessentuki – the journey is about 40 minutes on a shuttle bus and an hour on a train.

 Fishing Village, one of Kalinigrad’s tourist attractions.

Why go? 

A tiny piece of Russia in Europe, Kaliningrad used to be called Königsberg, and the architecture in the city’s old town still points towards Europe and not Russia. Traces of Kaliningrad’s German heritage can be seen in the surviving Brandenburg Gate and the Fishing Village, a tourist attraction with recreated medieval-style buildings. The flea markets here are known to be the best in Russia – many collectors from all over the world come here in hope of finding relics from the second world war. The Amber museum is another popular attraction.

Where to stay?

The city centre Utro Hostel is housed in a 19th century building, with minimalist design and big windows, and the city’s lowest prices per bunk-bed.

• Doubles from £8, dorms from £11

How to get there?

Flights to Kaliningrad are available from Moscow, St Petersburg, and several European cities (including Berlin, Riga and Copenhagen). Overnight trains to Kaliningrad leave from Berlin and Warsaw. If you plan to travel between other parts of Russia and Kaliningrad, you will need a double-entry visa. There is also a special short-term Kaliningrad visa available on the border. For more information visit the Foreign Affair Ministry website.

Vladivostok

Why go? 

Far east is a dream destination for many Russians, and Vladivostok, at the head of the Golden Horn Bay, is the heart of it. The city was founded in the middle of the 19th century. The best place for views is the Eagle’s Nest Hill, the city centre’s highest point. This is also a food destination as seafood is abundant here and because of the proximity to the Russian-Chinese borders it’s almost the only place in Russia where good Chinese food is widely available.

Where to stay?

The Teplo Hotel is close to the railway station, for all those Trans-Siberian railway travellers, and has dormitories and private rooms. Slightly more expensive is A Hotel Amur Bay, which is in a white 1980s-designed building. Although a chain hotel (of the Azimut brand), it’s worth the price for the amazing sea views of the Golden Horn and Amur bays.

• Dorms at the Teplo Hotel from £6, doubles at A Hotel Amur Bay from £24

How to get there? 

Direct eight-hour flights to Vladivostok from Moscow. Vladivostok is also the eastern terminus of the Trans-Siberian railway. Trains leave from Moscow’s Yaroslavskiy railway station – the journey will take six days.

Altai mountains

Why go?

Ecotourism is booming in the region with new resorts and hotels popping up all over the Altai – known as the ‘golden mountains’. Many offer guided and themed tours of the nearby areas, such as hikes following the routes described in local legends, that are told to the visitors as they go. Sailing, kayaking and fishing are among other activities. Spa treatments are widely available with special saunas in big cedar barrels. Altai is famous for its honey and herbs, and honey treatments and herbal tea ceremonies are also offered at the local resorts.

Where to stay? 

Altika eco-hotel is one of the new developments in the region. Most rooms have panoramic views of the woods. Maryin Ostrov resort is a slightly more expensive option but also offers treatments in its spa.

• Doubles at Altika from £35 B&B, doubles at Maryin Ostrov from £39 B&B

How to get there?

Direct four-hour flights to the Gorno-Altaysk airport leave from Moscow Domodedovo. From Gorno-Altaysk there are buses and trains to the smaller villages, depending on your resort of choice. Transfer can also be organised with the resort; ask before booking.

Reel Life: Russia’s Atlantic Salmon Reserve

More line. Mend up. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait—hotspot. Now, stripping!’ Yesterday morning I was at my desk; this evening, I am running a conehead tube down the tail of the Home Pool, with Genna the Russian guide at my elbow. There is a silver flare in the stream and I’m into my first ever Rynda salmon. ‘My friend, you are very lucky fisher,’ he declares. Well, just being here is a stroke of good fortune. Tide-bright, 10lb, weighed, tagged and released. ‘And now,’ announces Genna, ‘many vodka.’

One of the quintessentially wild, northern rivers that debouches into the Barents Sea from the Kola peninsula, the Rynda flows through pristine tundra—there are no roads in this neck of the woods, just reindeer tracks and the odd dollop of bear scat to keep you on your toes. It’s deliciously severe and lonesome terrain and some think it offers the finest salmon-fishing experience in the world.

Access is via a private charter from Helsinki to Murmansk. The night before we flew, massed anglers destined for several Kola camps swirled and chatted in the hotel like characters from George Earl’s Victorian canvas Going North, King’s Cross Station. From Murmansk, you transfer by huge, juddering helicopter across jigsawed wetlands still daubed with snow, until the Rynda camp—sited in a craggy amphitheatre, where a mighty waterfall enters a lake—materialises beneath you.

Created in 2003 by British pioneer Peter Power, the Atlantic Salmon Reserve is a vast conservation area containing three other principal rivers—the Kharlovka, the Eastern Litza and the lovely little Zolotaya. I was a guest of the present owner, Vladimir Rybalchenko, president of Farlow’s, the Pall Mall emporium, and the first Russian national to be elected a member of our August Fly Fishers’ Club. The camp is a model of efficiency and comfort. Individual cabins with proper en-suite plumbing, a laundry service, a resident doctor and attentive and delightful staff—this would be spoiling on Speyside but, here in the wilderness, it’s little short of a miracle.

I’m fond of finding fault, but, as I told my host one dinnertime, the operation seemed immaculate. ‘Be sure to let me know if you do think of something,’ replied his interpreter. Vladimir himself is fishing some 25 weeks worldwide this year—fittingly, Rybal means fisherman in Ukrainian.

This was still early season, so we tackled up with stout gear. My Scottish partner, Ian Mitchell, and I opted for 15-footers and largely stuck with floating lines, as the surface takes can be spectacular, even though, at about 8 ̊C, the water was still a bit chilly for the riffle-hitched fly. The Rynda isn’t quite the trophy-hunters’ destination certain other rivers have become (and the camp is perhaps all the more relaxed for that) but a 30-pounder is always a distinct possibility and the record salmon stands at 42lb.

Its 80-odd pools offer an impressive variety, from gorgey runs to open flats, with little need for distance casting and the wading is generally manageable. You can appreciate why many guests here are ‘repeat offenders’—one of our cosmopolitan party of nine rods, Simon Hughes, was on his 52nd ‘Russian rivers’ week.

The weather is  chilly and headstrong, with cold winds that made the fishing patchy. ‘Is giving fish headache,’ lamented our guide, ‘but what I can do?’ We had to work hard, but when we did find pockets of fish, they were all coruscatingly fresh and the sport was tremendous. I had one red-letter day, when we were choppered upstream to Red Cliff pool, leaving us the morning to yomp our way back to the camp. Genna pondered my flybox with his meditative refrain (‘so, so, so, so, so’) and selected a Dave’s Highlander tube. I’m glad he did. At Roy’s Bath, the first little run, it was seized by a muscle-bound 12- pounder. From beyond the boulder at Norway Pool, it was taken by a vigorous 15-pounder.

In the Home Pool, after our picnic lunch, it found me a ‘mere’ nine-pounder and we finished off with another beauty from the neck of Little Eira. Coming back over the Falls, I felt on top of the world.

The atmosphere in camp is nicely informal. Hang the outdoor kit up in your personal drying cupboard, pull on chinos and a fleece and potter along the duckboards to the extensive, complimentary bar and your three-course, candlelit nightly feast. The Rynda experience doesn’t exactly come cheap, but it is impeccable.

If you have any energy left, the productive Home Pool is even available for dinner, but, following such long, full days—and many vodka—I tended to turn in early.

Our favourite beat was probably Rock Island, where Ian hooked several fish in the glide known as Dancing Platform, working a Sunray Shadow, as, from the other side of the island, I took one that rose like a porpoise. ‘How cool was that?’ asked Christiaan the photographer. Stripping these surface lures, you don’t convert all the offers, but the adrenaline factor is stratospheric.

Near the tailout is a rock (Per’s Place) where we saw action every time we visited. I had one take that wrenched like a tuna: in a fit of ‘buyer’s remorse’, the salmon leapt, then headed for the rapids, repeatedly burning my finger on the backing. ‘Is very crazy fish,’ said Genna. In the net, he weighed exactly 20lb and sported a sea-lion scar around his shoulders. This was the fish I had come for and I walked back upstream rejoicing.

Time passes in strange, elastic ways out here. Soon, your intense week is over in a glorious silver flash. Ian and I managed to hold on to 17 fish between us, out of the party’s total of 65—not a bonanza by Rynda standards, but blissful in reel life. So, so, so, so, so.

The season on the Rynda runs from early June until mid September. For information about the Atlantic Salmon Reserve, telephone Justin McCarthy on 07460 292170 or visit www.kharlovka.com

On a remote Russian peninsula, one of the world’s most celebrated Atlantic salmon fisheries

The legend “Stairway to Heaven” is carved into the steep steps that lead from the helicopter landing area on the tundra to the Ryabaga Camp on Russia’s Ponoi River, one of the world’s most celebrated Atlantic salmon fisheries. The scene as you descend the stairway is inspiring — steep, birch-blanketed banks slant down to a wide ribbon of blue that bends out of view in the distance. The red roofs of the camp poke up from the valley below. This slice of heaven comes at a rather lofty price — prime weeks can eclipse $15,000 per person, and that’s before one has traveled to Murmansk. Yet, a large percentage of guests are return visitors, having trekked to this remote region of northwestern Russia’s Kola Peninsula 20, 30, even 50 times.

The angling appeal of Atlantic salmon dates back hundreds of years and was popularized at least in part by British royals, who plied the rivers of Scotland for the silvery game fish. This helped earn the pastime the moniker “sport of kings.” Nobles in Norway also fished for Salmo salar, its scientific name.

Atlantic-salmon angling has always had more than a sniff of exclusivity about it, though most who do it will insist that the appeal goes beyond snobbery. Born in the river, Atlantic salmon spend several years in fresh water before heading to the north Atlantic, where they feed and grow for one to three years before returning to their natal river to spawn and either die or return to the sea for another cycle. Fish don’t feed upon reaching the river, but they can be enticed to take a fly, possibly out of curiosity or territorial aggression. (No salmon has ever spoken on the record to reveal its motives.) Once hooked, Atlantic salmon are prone to tremendous leaps and powerful cross-river runs, enough to leave a lucky angler shaking with joy and wonder.

Atlantic salmon can eclipse 50 pounds on some rivers, though fish between eight and 20 pounds are more common. Capable anglers casting flies for a week on the Miramichi in New Brunswick or the Tweed in Scotland could expect to hook a handful of fish. The sport’s challenge is part of its charm.

By the 1980s, returns of Atlantic salmon had gone into steep decline in Britain and Canada, thanks to upticks in commercial harvest at sea and pollution/habitat degradation in and around the salmon’s natal rivers. Rumors of incredible numbers of salmon in the Kola Peninsula’s rivers had been circulating in the angling community for some time, but many barriers — among them, a heavy military presence, as the peninsula was home to much of the then-Soviet Union’s Northern Fleet — had discouraged any exploration. By 1990, several angling pioneers, including Gary Loomis and Mike Fitzgerald Sr., had negotiated an angling detente of sorts, allowing foreign sport fishers to visit. The Ponoi was among the first to welcome anglers.

Here, at peak times of the run, anglers could anticipate eight or 10 fish in a day — and sometimes more. Numbers like these continue to draw anglers to the Ryabaga Camp on the Ponoi, though the spirit of the camp seems to keep people coming back.

The camp has come a long way since it was first carved out of the forest at the confluence of the Ryabaga and Ponoi rivers in 1991. Tidy cabins with en suite bathrooms and electric heat have replaced canvas tents warmed with wood-burning stoves; four-stroke, 60-horsepower Mercury outboards have supplanted the Russian-made engines that were maddeningly prone to breaking down. But given that Ryabaga rests 300 kilometers from the nearest road, the only way in from Murmansk is by Mi-8 helicopter. Perhaps better suited for transporting goods than people, the Mi-8 is not the world’s most comfortable conveyance . . . but the creature comforts drastically improve after the two-hour flight. Cocktails and meals are taken in the “Big Tent,” a canvas Quonset hut that’s heated with potbelly stoves and equipped with a full bar and a fly shop in case guests have overlooked any fishing gear. There’s a nicely appointed sauna on the premises (and a more rustic banya favored by the camp’s fishing guides), a massage therapist and a staff of 40 (for up to 20 guests) that includes mechanics, guides, and kitchen and camp staff — all the personnel necessary to keep what amounts to a small village running in the middle of the tundra.

An angler, flanked by his guide, holds up his catch before releasing it back into the river. The fish are carefully noted and tagged before their release so that scientists can monitor the health of the salmon population. 

Much of the staff is Russian, though there are a smattering of guides from Argentina, Ireland and Scotland, heightening Ryabaga’s international flavor.

The fishing day begins with a hearty breakfast of eggs to order, fresh pastries and oatmeal in the Big Tent. By 8:45, guests slip into their waders, and ATVs arrive to spirit them to the boats, where guides await. (This door-to-boat service can greatly extend one’s salmon-fishing career; one guest during my visit, who had wonderful results, was in her mid-70s and had an artificial leg.) A guide and the anglers (two to a boat) then speed off to one of 10 “beats” (sections of river). The Ponoi River Company, which operates Ryabaga Camp, has exclusive rights to 75 kilometers of the lower Ponoi; guests will not encounter any anglers beyond other Ryabaga guests in the course of their week. The Ponoi is a large river, in some places more than 200 meters wide. To reach the best lies, much of the casting is done from the boat. Two-handed spey rods, which enable longer casts with less effort, are the favored weapons; fly patterns in orange are preferred, as they show up well in the Ponoi’s peat-tinged waters. (Many anglers opt for tube flies designed by head guide Max Mamaev.) The guide anchors the boat, which provides a stable casting platform, at the top of a promising spot. One angler casts from the back of the boat to the right, the other from the front of the boat to the left. After several casts, the guide lets out a few meters of anchor line so anglers can cover new water. Optimally, the cast is at a 45-degree angle downstream. Once the fly lands, the angler may simply let it swing in the current, or slowly strip in line to impart motion. When a fish grabs the fly, the angler must resist the temptation to lift the rod until feeling the weight of the fish; if one sets the hook prematurely, the fish will be gone.

The numbers of fish that return to the Ponoi — estimated at nearly 50,000 a year — and the low fishing pressure add up to not only excellent fishing but excellent catching for experts and beginners alike. “My husband is a passionate salmon angler,” said Olga Johnson, a first-time visitor from Edinburgh, Scotland, with limited salmon-fishing experience. “I came along for the adventure, but didn’t expect to catch a fish,” she continued. “That first morning, my fly was dangling below the boat, and I was stripping in line to make another cast. There was a gentle tug. I remembered not to lift the rod, and soon the fish was off. Our guide, Andrei Federov, gave great pointers as I fought the fish. I didn’t think I would bring it in, but I did. It was 14 pounds, and we released it. It was magic.” (Ryabaga embraces a catch-and-release ethos, unless a fish is fatally hooked. Fish catches are carefully noted, and fish are tagged before their release so that scientists can monitor the health of the salmon population.)

Olga went on to catch five more fish that day — including two more that morning before her husband, Keith, landed his first. Her total for the week was 24 fish, more than most ardent anglers could expect to catch in a year in Scotland or New Brunswick. (The total catch for the week was 776 fish among 20 guests, an average of nearly 40 salmon per angler.)

At dinner on the day she landed her first salmon, Olga was brought a dish holding a salmon’s adipose fin, along with a slice of lemon and a shot of vodka — a traditional offering at Ryabaga for celebrating a guest’s first salmon. Amid cheers from guests and guides, she partook of her special appetizer.

The red roofs of Ryabaga Camp, on the Kola Peninsula

Visitors to Ryabaga Camp take different approaches to angling. Some who simply cannot get enough fishing will avail themselves of the Home Pool, a reliable stretch of river in front of the property, before breakfast and after dinner. “I can’t walk out my door at home and fish for Atlantic salmon,” reasoned Laurence Lock, who was visiting from Hertfordshire, England. Others, like François Brocard of London, embraced the totality of the experience, opting to prepare a leisurely gourmet meal at one of the lunch tents set up along the river and wash down his handiwork with a glass or two of wine.

Most guests agree that a special element of the experience is the chance to socialize with the guides and other staff members, some of whom have been at Ryabaga since 1991. For Len Smith, an angler from Stonehaven, Scotland, who visited for the 53rd time during my stay in mid-June, Ryabaga is like a second home. “I feel Ryabaga is part of me,” he said, after landing 17 salmon in one day.

On the evening of the summer solstice, guests were served a four-course dinner typical of Ryabaga offerings: Ukha (a Russian fish soup), citrus salad, medallions of reindeer and chocolate biscuits. After such a hearty meal and a few glasses of Argentine Malbec, it was tempting to return to my cabin. But the idea of fishing near midnight was too attractive to resist. I wadered up and strolled down to the Home Pool. Thick clouds obscured the sun, which hovered atop the horizon; in late spring and early summer, it never quite sets. A bright salmon leapt clear of the water downstream as I peeled off line at the top of the pool and began working my way down — cast, swing, two steps, cast and swing. Eventually, I was joined by several other anglers, flanking me at 50-yard intervals. The angler below me, John Sievwright, pointed upstream. The clouds had parted enough to expose some rays of sunlight, which illuminated the sky in a dreamy, pinkish orange worthy of artist Maxfield Parrish. It was mirrored in wisps of clouds above the ridge downstream.

I was jolted back to the river by a loud splash. Sievwright was fast to a bright salmon. It raced downstream and leapt clear of the river several more times before Sievwright led it to the bank for a quick photo. The heavens to the west seemed to brighten a bit more as he held up his catch.

Santella, the author of both “Fifty Places to Fly Fish Before You Die” and “Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die,” lives in Portland, Ore.

IF YOU GO

How to get there

Most guests fly into Helsinki and then take a chartered flight (arranged by the lodge’s exclusive booking agent, Frontiers, 800-245-1950; frontierstravel.com) to Murmansk. From Murmansk, the Ponoi River Company’s helicopter flies you to the lodge.

Where to stay

Ponoi River Company’s Ryabaga Camp

011-7-815-223-1768

ponoiriver.com/fishing

A seven-night, six-day fly-fishing package — which includes the helicopter flight from and to Murmansk, nightly accommodation, all meals and wine/vodka with dinner — ranges from $6,690 to $15,490 per person, depending on dates. The season runs from late May to early October. The Helsinki/Murmansk/Helsinki charter flight costs $1,250.

What to bring

You should pack nine- or 10-weight spey rods, with both floating and sink-tip lines, and a variety of clothing, as temperatures in the Arctic Circle can range widely. Waders, wading shoes and rods are available for rent. The Ryabaga Fly Shop has a selection of proven flies for purchase.