Salmon Junkies

LOCATION OF UMBA LODGE AND ACHA CAMP

CLICK TO ENLARGE MAP

credit: Map courtesy of FishPal Ltd.

Russian Atlantic salmon

Here you will find essential information and terms on your coming salmon trip to Russia – if you still have questions please don’t hesitate to contact Salmon Junkies

Ponoi River

Ponoi River is one of the most productive Salmon Rivers on earth and you will have to search hard to find such a unique and unspoilt Salmon stock. The Ponoi River with an overall length of 400 kilometers is the longest river on the Kola Peninsula. It flows parallel and just north of the polar circle, through the largest nature reserve on the Kola. With numerous lakes in the system, water flow is very stable and remains nearly unaffected by rain or dry conditions.

Ponoi is regarded as a big river with 60 to 150 meters from bank to bank, but it is quite shallow with an average depth of about 1,5 meters. The fishing is productive both wading or from boat and in many places you will find pools and holding places side by side across the river as if two or three rivers were braided together.

Wildlife is prolific and from May through the summer the area is practically invaded by a variety of birds of all kinds from ducks and songbirds to falcon and eagles.

The area is sparsely populated by descendants of the ancient northern Sami people. A few miles west of Acha camp you will find a village with around 60 residents through the year.

Their main occupation is in line with the ancient traditions of “Caribou – farming” and they have permission to fish for salmon in certain areas.

Salmon Junkies runs two different programs on the Ponoi and they are spread on a scale from luxury camps to wildlife-salmon expeditions and all guarantee you an unforgettable fishing adventure.

Ponoi river Acha camp

Acha camp is our core program on the Ponoi situated just upstream the well known Ryabaga-stretch with camp at the junction where Acha River enters the Ponoi. Fishing the beautiful lower pools in Acha River is included in this program.

The fishing at Acha camp is very reliable and in June/July Acha camp will produce in this period around 2500 Salmon and roughly 42% of them will be multi sea winter fish. Weekly we operate 10 rods with one guide and boat pr. 2 rods.

The camp has 10 wooden cabins with twin beds and stove plus electric heated. Single accommodation is thus guaranteed. A Dining house – containing kitchen and separated cosy dinning room – and finally a newly build Shower and Sauna house.

Daily schedule in Acha camp

08:00 AM Breakfast
09:00 AM Guides take clients to boats for day’s fishing
14:00 PM Lunch on the river or camp depending on the rotation schedule
18:30 PM Lines up
19:00 PM Appetizer served
20:00 PM Dinner
21:00 PM Fishing after dinner is usually free around camp – but it is still under the command of the camp manager. If the group wishes or if the manager find it necessary there will be made up a schedule for evening fishing.

Ponoi river – Acha river explore program

The explorative alternative for the challenging guy, who likes a bit of sweat with his salmon! The helicopter will drop of the team with two well trained guides and you will be able to fish the pools from about 30 km upstream of the Acha camp and all the way downstream to Acha Camp. Premium fly-fishing water, perfect for single-hand or light double – with numerous holding pools in the most beautiful countryside with abundant wildlife.

Acha river explorer average weekly around 100 salmon between 6 rods. The ultimate trip for a young and fit, looking for an inexpensive and challenging salmon fishing

Accommodation will be in two base tents camps placed strategic along Acha River. Please notice that you have to bring your own sleeping bag.

New for 2010; one extra day of exclusive fishing in the Acha Camp for free in our “off roader program”

Organizing the fishing

For Ponoi

Salmon Junkies camp manager will setup a weekly fishing schedule that suits the conditions and actual numbers of guest in camp and usually there will be a mid-day-rotation after lunch. This system is tried and trusted and every guest will usually fish all pools more than once.

The manager schedule is worked out with the main purpose to give all an even share, but this does not mean that it cannot be altered. The only criterion that must be fulfilled in that context is that all affected guests agree and that this agreement is found between the guests and the presented to the camp manager.

Fishing after dinner is usually free around camp – but it is still under the directions of the camp manager. If necessary there will be made up a schedule for evening fishing. Early morning fishing is restricted to the beats you are going to after breakfast.

For an extra tip guides will be available for evening fishing also on the beats further from camp. Make these agreements before dinner directly with you guide.

Fishing and tackle

The fishing starts in late may when the usual spring flood is running of and the white polar nights normally create a euphoric and exhausting fishing trance among our guests. As may moves into June we see a period that must be considered prime time. If wind and weather also plays along these are weeks where the salmon-ceiling is popped of like corks from our Russian champagne.

Most fishing today is carried out with modern double hand rods between 12 ½ and 15 feet for line 8 -10 – Regarding reel. Please remember to bring some reliable reels that won’t let you down when your + 30lbs salmon take off. Reel for double handled rod should contain minimum 200 meters backing – Single handed reel minimum 150 meters backing. (Buy the best available gear to avoid any failure – Cheap gear will always let you down) Lines: Early season sinking line Floating – Intermediate and sink tips. Important: Bring some fast sinking lines if you are fishing May / June – Leaders: 12 – 14 – 16 – 18 – 20 – 24 – 30 lbs braking strength.

By middle of August we are back again into the more rock-solid doubled handled rods

Flies to bring for Russia

All rivers have their favorites and the Russian is no exception. That said though it must be added that – probably due to the decent neutral color in most of the rivers – very many and very different types of flies seem to work.

Hereby some of the hot patterns you should bring to Russia.

Traditional hook flies

Red But

Silver Doctor

Black Francis

Ally’s Shrimp

The Cascade

Green Highlander

Thunder & Lightning

Willie Gunn

Black Sheep

Blue. Hairy Mary / Blue Charm

The Undertaker

Recommendation towards sizes would be in direction of: 2 – 4 – Middle of June, moving to 6 – 8 in late June early July and further down to 10 and smaller in summer with the addition of bigger dryflies etc. Bombers, muddlers and skaters size 4 – 6 are highly recommendable in summer

Tube flies with a wing length around 1 inches – 1 ½ inches – Get them in the classic “Scandi” design with a long profile in the wing a’la Tempeldog style – Good colors – Black / Yellow / Orange / Green / Brown

The tube fly Body should be in length 10mm – 20mm – recommended in Brass, Cobber or aluminum.

For more information regarding flies please check our Flies menu.

Clothes and accessories

The weather is very unpredictable on the Kola peninsula, and it can change dramatically within very short time so it will be very sensible to bring both something that will keep you warm and dry in rainy and windy day and on the other hand something that is more comfortable, when the sun is dancing for 20 odd hours a day.

The following list may inspire:

Clothes:

Fleece trousers and jacket

Warm socks .

Fleece gloves.

Hat and scarf.

Waterproof fishing jacket

Waders (breathable)

Fishing shirts and vest

Accessories:

Measure tape

Leader material

Clippers.

Repair kit for Waders

Some sinking tip for extreme situations

Pliers

Wading stick

Pocket torch with fresh batteries.

Camera and video (recharge in the camp / 22oV)

Bag or backpack for daily equipment

Mosquito repellent

Sun glasses

It is also advisable to bring:

Ear plugs for helicopter flights, snoring partners and screaming fly reels.

A couple of plastic bags for wet clothes and booths when leaving

Personal medicine and painkillers. Cash in USD for bar, gratuities etc.

Catch and release advice

All our programmes operates a strict catch and release policy. All fish must be reported and registered daily in the camp’s catch statistic book. All fishing is strictly Fly only, with use of single or double barb less hook. We request extremely care in handling all fish.

• Please do not beach the fish on dry land/rocks. Use a knotless landing net.
• When fishing from a boat try to land big fish from the bank.
• For photographs please ensure the fish is supported underneath. Wet your hands (never hold it up by the tail or the mouth) and return it to the water as soon as possible.
• When returning the fish support it in the water (mouth pointing upstream) unto it has fully recuperated before allowing it to swim away.

Terms and Conditions

INCLUDED IN COST: Round-trip air transportation from Murmansk to the Ponoi or Umba camp; Seven nights and six full fishing days at the Ponoi or Umba; all meals and accommodations at the river; fishing permits; one guide, boat and motor for each two anglers.

NOT INCLUDED: Round-trip airfare from your home to Murmansk; meals and accommodations in Helsinki or other en route cities; visa processing. Alcoholic beverages and other items of a personal nature; gratuities to guides and camp staff.

DEPOSIT/FINAL PAYMENT/CANCELLATION/REFUND:

In order to confirm your reservation a 50% deposit is required not later than 14 days after invoicing. For our Ponoi and Umba Summer programs the final payment should be paid no later February 14th  2010. Final payment for our autumn program in Umba no later than July 14th 2010. Deposit and final payment are non-refundable in case you have a business conflict or change your mind.

Unusual weather and river conditions – such as extreme snow- and ice conditions – may also lead to trip cancellation. In such case – Salmon Junkies will, in the following order:

Offer Customer an alternative trip at a later date same season but maybe on a different programme.
If this is not possible for Salmon Junkies – Salmon Junkies will offer a 50% refund on the price paid on the cancelled trip.
Alterations – Travel schedules in Russia can change due to adverse weather, strikes or other factors beyond our control. This can cause loss of airlines tickets, for which Salmon Junkies cannot be held liable.
Salmon Junkies management has the right to implement alterations in the programme and fishing schedule to adapt to the prevailing conditions and seek optimum exploitation of the fishing and facilities for the group.
There can be public fishing access to some of Salmon Junkies stretches / beats.
Salmon Junkies keeps the right to host group leaders, journalists, film crews in some weeks / programs.

Salmon Junkies has the right to cancel on the basis of force majeure i.e. natural disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes, floods) – wars, riots or other major upheaval – performance failures of parties outside the control of Salmon Junkies.

Customer is responsible for signing own Trip cancellation insurance and travel insurance.

TRAVEL IN RUSSIA: Visiting the Ponoi or Umba requires flying in Russian helicopters / or driving in Bus, and boats in wilderness country.

Passengers must understand and accept the risks associated with such means of conveyance. Travel schedules in Russia can change due to adverse weather, strikes, or other factors beyond our control. This can cause delays and even missed international connections. Such delays could impose additional cost to you in hotels or in changing low-cost airline tickets (which often have tight restrictions) for which we cannot be responsible.

If you like this you might also find this interesting:

• Acha River Explore (New Program)
• About Ponoi
• What to expect
• Tackle & Gear
• Visa and useful travel information

Everyone travelling to Russia is responsible for obtaining their own visa.

Please notice that regulations require that you can only do so within three months of the start of your Russian holiday.

The Russian Embassy will stamp the Visa direct into your passport and we feel it is both safer and more convenient for everyone that you send the paper to one of the many specialist travel companies in your country that deals with this.

If for any reason you have problems with your invitation paper or visa, please do not hesitate to contact us immediately.

The normal time to get a Visa is 7 working days plus mail, which means approx. 2 weeks.

SALMON JUNKIES WILL MAIL YOU THE INVITATION FORM IN APRIL 2010 – THIS FORM HAS TO BE FILLED OUT AND RETURNED TO US

After receiving your booking form correctly completed and signed we will send the special Russian invitation that is needed to get the Visa.

For the 2010 season SALMON JUNKIES will start the invitation process in the l month April.

To process your Visa application it must be sent to a consulate or local visa agent: We strongly advice you to contact one of the many specialist travel company in your country that deal with this.

You will need following

1 – Russian Invitation (You will receive an invitation from us in April month)

2 – Questionnaire form to be filled out and signed at the bottom – This questionnaire can vary from country to country, so please contact your local Russian consulate or visa support for further information – Today you can download this Questionnaire from your local consulate or travel agency web page

3 – Your Passport

4 – Four Passport photos (with some Embassies it is enough with two)

The Russian Visa Application form will require you to confirm that you have both travel insurance and medical evacuation cover valid in Russia.

Please double-check your passport and visa in plenty of time before departure from your home country. Remember a passport must be valid for six months after date of planned departure from Russia. Your visa must have your name exactly as it is written in your passport and the dates in your visa must cover your entire visit to Russia. If these details are not correct you could be refused entry into Russia

Travelling to Murmansk

Helsinki – Murmansk (MMK). If you want to use the charter flight from Helsinki to Murmansk, each Saturday, than please contact us and ask for our electronic booking form. As soon we receive the form from you, we will do a reservation for you. We will know all 2010 details, price and time schedule after 1st January.

Saint Petersburg – Murmansk – for info and booking contact – http://www.pulkovo.dk/enindex.htm
You arrive Friday evening Murmansk (MMK.) – You have to stay one night in Murmansk (We recommend Hotel Meridian. Saturday morning you take a Taxi back to MMK. Airport. You have to be at the MMK. Airport not later than 11.00 Am.
Salmon Junkies representative will meet you in the Airport and arrange the further transport to the camp

Moscow – Murmansk – The same process as above – for info and booking contact – http://www.aeroflot.ru/eng/

Oslo – Kirkenes – MMK. – Bus from Kirkenes to MMK. The same process as above – for info and booking contact http://www.flysas.com/Default.aspx?vst=true&epslanguage=EN – Bus from Kirkenes to Murmansk contact booking@russland.ru

Please keep our office aware of you travelling route to Murmansk – Thanks

We will of course keep you updated regarding the exactly time table for 2010 as soon we get them

Notice: Fishing Umba, you have a chance to extend you fishing trip with some extra days for a smaller extra cost. The travel to Umba will be in a comfortable bus departing Murmansk every Saturday morning 11.30 Am. If you of some reason arrive Murmansk earlier or later we can easily arrange a private transport for you – Please inform us

If you liked this you might also like to read following:

• Acha River Explore (New Program)
• About Ponoi
• What to expect
• Tackle and Gear
• Pre Trip terms and conditions

What to expect from Ponoi

You can’t catch them all. Just minimize the losses and believe in your destiny – That is Salmon fishing
Some salmon are just poorly hooked – and no praises, money, wisdom or power will save you.
In a split second success can change to failure and the duel is finished. No matter how much time and effort you have spend in the search for a taking salmon, the game can finish as soon as it started – You need to learn that in order to accept and then – start from scratch.

And remember – Salmon fishing is a highly mental sport, where you in a flash second may go from a state of euphoria and descend into deep despair.

We have guests, who have caught more than one hundred salmon in one week fishing on the Ponoi, when conditions were perfect. But the unpredictable tundra weather can mean a 30 – 50 fish difference or more from one week to another, when optimal conditions recede.  This is one of the cool facts that go with fishing in the Arctic North.

Salmon angling can in sometimes be strenuous and a hard piece of work. But make no mistakes about it.
It is a wonderful feeling to have, when your equipment and you body merge into harmony and perfect cooperation. To feel the fly line loading on a long fly rod is a blast itself. Cast after cast “looping” out over a classic pool full of salmon can become strongly addictive – almost a sport in itself.

It takes imagination and understanding to fish a fly you can not see – and along all salmon rivers there are periods, where the salmon simply will not take the fly, but just arrogantly ignores all attempts to lure him. That is part of the game and it will always and definitely test your patience.

Ponoi is very consistent throughout its long fishing season – many other Kola rivers have a very narrow prime-time window – But NOT so for the Ponoi. No pollution at all – the water is clean and there is no mining or deforestation in the area.
The Ponoi River at Acha Camp is an easy river to handle physically, thus allowing you to direct your energy towards the fishing rather than getting to or from your fishing spots. No matter whether you are a fit youngster or an “old hardcore salmon angler”, who has put in his fishing hours – Ponoi will feed your wildest dreams and never let you down.

The character of the watershed and its origin provides effective fishing through virtually any weather or water-level condition.

Ponoi offers the best of two worlds; a wonderful combination of great numbers of salmon with attractive sizes up to 18 – 24 lbs. In addition to liberal hours of guided fishing each day, there is unlimited productive fishing right at your doorstep at the Junction Home pool – probably the best and most productive pool in the entire Ponoi system – or why not some hot action in Ponoi best tributary – the small and very productive Acha River, which almost literately runs through the Acha camp.

The comforts of the cosy Acha Camp; the comfortable wooden huts with electrically and wood heated stove, and a relaxed and warm camp atmosphere, provides a welcome respite each day you are there – Better accommodation is impossible to find on Ponoi

The aesthetics of the fishing – fish as you prefer, whether wading and casting from the bank casting or fish from a boat.

This combination of methods accommodates weather variables, different water levels, and your ability to cast or wade.

A Reliable satellite telephone is of course available.

A really fortunate and lucky man is one who casts his fly over the mighty Ponoi River, swings it across and waits for the magical pull on his line – in this exact place he is bound to find the coveted gold treasure, which will fulfil many of his dreams and yearnings – Well come to Ponoi and Acha camp

If you like this you might also find this interesting:

• Acha River Explore (New Program)
• About Ponoi
• Tackle & Gear
• Visa and useful travel information
• Pre Trip terms and conditions

Tributary: Acha River Explore Program

Hard core salmon fishing on the Acha River – a main tributary of the Ponoi River system. Our explorative alternative for the guy who enjoys a challenge and likes a bit of hard graft with his salmon!

Our helicopter will drop off the team with two well trained guides and you will be able to fish the pools from about 30 km upstream of the camp and all the way downstream back to the Acha Camp.

You will daily discover premium fly-fishing water with numerous holding pools in the most stunning countryside with an abundance of wildlife ever present.

Our Acha River float program is the ultimate trip for a young and fit “Salmon Bum / Salmon Junkie” who is looking for an inexpensive program with a lot of action and fun.

The anglers (6 rods per week) are transported by helicopter upstream to the upper part of the Acha river and start fishing their way down to the junction with the Ponoi River. The stretch is more than 25 km long and consists of the most beautiful and pristine classic fly-fishing water imaginable. One holding pool after another, with an incredible number of eager fresh salmon plus the beauty of unspoiled nature with abundant wildlife contributes to this unforgettable experience.

On average the Acha River produced weekly catches between 6 rods of 120 to 150 Salmon.

2 guides will be in charge of the program – all have been involved in the program previously. You will be accommodated in two very comfortable base camps during the week. Anglers start fishing Saturday afternoon and by Friday night they reach the Acha Camp, where hot showers await them as well as fellow anglers, who fished the Acha Camp. Usually both parties will have a lot of “hot” fishing stories to swap that night.

Important facts: There are full 6 and 1/2 days of fishing. 
The average catch is between 16 and 35 salmon per rod
The average size of salmon is between 3 and 8 kg but every year bigger salmon are caught – biggest salmon so far: 2003 – 23 lbs. 2004 – 22 lbs. 2006 – 24 lbs. 2010 – 3 x +20lbs. 
The program starts in early June and runs to the beginning of July.
The price includes: all transportation from and to Murmansk Airport, guided fishing, all fishing licences, accommodation in  tents and all meals.

Extras: Wine, beer and other liquor is available at extra cost or the anglers may bring it themselves. Gratuities for guides and camp staff.

If you like this you might also find this interesting:

• About Ponoi
• What to expect
• Tackle & Gear
• Visa and useful travel information
• Pre Trip terms and conditions