The
2018 season has seen the Yokanga perform at its very best. The spring melt
arrived at exactly the normal time and with snow levels within normal
parameters, the season panned out precisely as it should.
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| Spring arrived on time |
The
first week of June (Week 0) was the opening week of the season and was cold and
with high water, so classic spring conditions hunting for smaller numbers of
quality fish straight in from the sea. True to form a couple of huge fish were
hooked and lost. One of them being a vast fish of about 40lbs, hooked and
played by Michael F at Sand Island. During the battle the fish leapt repeatedly,
more like a summer grilse, before throwing the hook!
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| Early season 30lber |
The
following three weeks of June saw some of the prime weeks of the season perform
incredibly well with the main runs of large multi sea winter salmon. All the
fish were in truly excellent condition, fat and fighting fit and guests
reported 12-15lbers tearing off into their backing and giving them a seriously
good fight.
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| Quality 15lber |
July
saw some warmer weather and rapidly dropping water levels and it was noticeable
that the cooler days produced the larger fish. With a strong run of grilse and numerous
smaller multi sea winter fish in the 8-15lb bracket, the July weeks were among
the most productive of the season. The grilse were in superb conditions, really
deep for their size and aggressive to the fly.
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| One of the dozen salmon over 30lbs |
The
river as a whole produced 823 salmon to the 87 rods that fished with us on the
Yokanga in the 2018 season. That included 121 in the 20-29lb bracket, 12 of
30-39lbs and 1 over 40lbs. A total of 134 in excess of 20lbs or 16% of the
entire catch across the season! The numbers demonstrate that the Yokanga is
undoubtedly one of your best chances anywhere in the world to try for a large
Atlantic salmon.
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| Largest of the season 41lbs |
The
largest of the season was an incredible fresh salmon landed by Ismo U that
measured 112cm x 68cm (44 x 26.5 inches) and that went in the book at 41lbs. They
are too numerous to list but notable fish over 30lbs included a 32.6lber for
Marcus S from Upper Norcamp, a 34lber for Roger T from the first island of 7
Islands and a 34lber from Crow’s Nest in early July for Jim C which was his
very first Atlantic salmon!
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| 32.6lber for Marcus S |
What
the figures above do not tell is the sheer number, quality and fun had with the
numerous salmon under 20lbs that do not catch the headlines. One glance in the
record book and you can see rows of salmon in the mid to high teens. These can
be aggressive takers and will test both your ability and tackle.
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| Many fish in the high teens |
The
nature of the river with its rapids and boulders is that the biggest fish have
the advantage. Inevitably there were stories of big fish that came unstuck. Colin
S hooked and lost what he considered to be the largest fish he has ever hooked
on the Yokanga and he has landed plenty of 30lb salmon there over the years. He
hooked it close to the bank in Lyliok and it towed him up and down for 15
minutes and breached in full sight of him and Big Andrei before coming off.
Colin was near speechless on his return to the lodge that evening! That loss was
hot on the heels of another smaller fish the same day for Colin that wrapped
him around a rock and broke him. Other guests broke rods when playing fish and
some people were on the receiving end when good sized fish disappeared into
rapids and had them running down the bank after them.
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| Fancy catching one of these in 2019? |
We
much look forward to more of the same in the 2019 season. If you are interested
in joining us on the Yokanga next season, please do get in touch soonest as
there are limited rods available.
Henry
Mountain and Peter Rippin
