Opening days 2023
Kristian with a stunning 113 cm baltic salmon
First days of the season are something special.
We have been working all off season to be ready at 1/6 00.01 to the first cast and the same thoughts go through your head year after year. Are the fish here and will they strike our swinging flies? We never know, but the feeling will be the same again next year. That is what keeps us motivated.
Erik discussing tactics
This year we had an enormous spring flood and a couple of weeks before the season started. The warm weather in the mountains made most of the snow melt at one time instead of during the summer. So when we first started fishing the water was kind of low for the season. It is always exciting to see the water in different conditions and you learn something new every time.
We did not see much activity from the salmon and if we did not have Kristian fishing with us the first days we did not believe there were any fish at Kengis, but back to that later.
Aslak & Lars talking about the next move
As always we are the local friends fishing together the first days of the season and getting everything ready. It’s good to bring people together doing what we have been waiting for all winter. The fire, coffee, stories, things are just the way it should be.
Baltic salmon thoughts from Tyler
Our good friend Lars met one of the local fishermen in Pajala (The town next to Kengis Bruk) And when talking about Kristian and his first days he said; “He might be the best salmon fisherman in the world” with a glimpse in the eye. We will never find the best salmon fisherman in the world, but when you catch a 103cm fish on your way to Kengis in another river, come to Kengis Bruk and as the only person hooks up with three fish and land a 105, 110 and 113 cm fish you are good at what you are doing. We can only lift our hats for Kristian and thank him for inspiring us to keep on working hard for our fish.
We still did not see much activity, so wasn't it for Kristian we would not believe the fish was at Kengis Bruk.
What a start of the season for our good friend.
Another great baltic salmon from Kristian
The water kept dropping towards the end of the first week and plans for the first weeks with guests were changed a bit. New wading routes, spots and tactics were made and now we looked forward to welcoming our friends from Denmark and Switzerland.
Wade deep & cast long
Tight Lines!
Aslak & Tyler
Photo: Ted Logardt & Tyler Horne
