The season has started and in great style...

After one of the coldest springs on record, in sharp contrast to the weather over here, the season is finally underway and it is great to be able to report large numbers of fish already caught. With the river very high and with ice still on the banks being melted by warmer weather, the fish are not able to run the main river and so sinking lines with flies on the dangle have been the most effective way of taking fish.

The first three days of the season have seen the team led by Michael Evans at Lower Varzuga take 133 fish to the nine rods with some great fish amongst them. The biggest so far has been a cracking 22lber caught by Patrick Gras from Bear Island but the two inimitable Scots, Lee Mackie and Steve Hammond have also landed two great fish of 17lbs each and the competition is hotting up with several other fish in the mid teens being landed from Lower.

Middle Varzuga has started in a hurry. An astonishing 372 fish have been banked in the past three days by the 12 rods led by Brian Fratel who was responsible for a 17lber followed by a 14lb fish from Birthday Pool.

The water levels on both Middle and Lower have been relatively stable and if anything have been dropping. The Kitza by contrast has been rising throughout this week and came up another 6 inches yesterday as the ice in the lake at the top of the system has melted. This is far quicker than usual due to a reported temperature of 17 Celsius yesterday which is extraordinarily high for this time of year. As a result the fishing has been difficult with just 3 fish landed to the rods for their part of the week. Those rods are now fishing at Lower where I understand they are busy making up for lost time and getting into the fish.

Whilst that is a disappointing start for the Kitza is it arguably good news for those due to go to the camp for the rest of the season as the river has reached its zenith and should now drop away and clear relatively quickly. It is fair to say that the remainder of this week may be a little tricky but it should improve every day from now on.

With bigger fish than average running the river and the weather seemingly in our favour at present, the scene is set for yet another excellent season on the Varzuga. More updates will follow.

Please contact Charlie White or Lynsey Mair for further details.