Season recap 2020
The baltic salmon season at Kengis Bruk has now been over for a little more than a week. We have had time to reflect and think about the past season. It has been a strange season this year. First we had to deal with the covid-19 situation. And questions like; Do we even get any guests this year?, was the daily talk. But then we ended up with a almost full season with guests from mostly Scandinavia and our season was saved.
We start every season with high expectations and hopes for a good salmon season. But in reality, we don't know much about how it's going to be. This year we had many fish in the river. 3rd best run in the past years, and everything looked good. But salmon fishing is salmon fishing. We never know when we will hook into a fish - is it the first cast of the week or the last cast? It has been a pleasure for us all to see smiles all over, even though it has been hard work most of the season.
JUNE
First weeks of june was crazy. We had extremely high water, and trees and all kind of different stuff flushed downstream. Conditions was really tough. We went from around 700m3 up to 1050m3 before the water started to fall again. To see the guys fishing in 1050m3 and keep on fighting just show the right salmon mentality. In the first week of the season we landed some "besa" salmon. All silver fish, but they were thin and not fresh ones in the river. Second week was better, and we landed two big ones. Ronni with a fantastic 103cm baltic salmon and Lars with this season biggest fish from Kengis Bruk, a 115cm fish that took him for a memorable fight.
Then the water dropped, and the water started to get warmer. It was a big change from the first weeks and the fishing got tough. We didn't see the same amount of fish running as we normally do in the early season. But maybe the high water got them to hold up downstream in the river. Spey Brothers was swinging flies more or less 24hrs pr. day in the next week. At the end Jussi got rewarded, after the group lost 5-6 fish, he landed a good sized fish.
Now we went from extreme high water, to the opposite, low water. It's amazing the see how fast this big river can change conditions. We had a good week with guests that understand that salmon fishing is hard work and they enjoyed time at the water and with amazing food at the lodge.
JULY
The month of lost fish! During the first two weeks of July we lost around 25 fish and some of them was big. Kimmo and Harald will always remember the fish they lost.
Kimmo lost eight fish during the first week of july. The last one went downstream 150-200m before a stone cut his shootingline and it was gone. Harald lost a lifetime fish in Erkkinskuoppa after more than an hour fight. The balance between success and not is so small in salmonfishing. And when we are fishing big waters the fish has plenty of space to run.
Lars and I had fantastic 24hrs with three landed fish. Now we were optimistic and where crossing our fingers for the fish the be more active, but unfortunately we only lost fish the rest of the week.
Conditions was still good in the upcoming week, but we kept on loosing fish. We guess that some of them was big, since they just raced downstream in the same second as we hooked them. It's hard to be a salmon fisher when the fish is winning every battle. Sometimes we just need some luck, but to hook and land a baltic salmon can be hard work.
In the end of the week, we took a trip north to search new water and Niklas was lucky to land a nice baltic salmon. What a pleasure to see the smile on his face.
The following weeks we started to see the grilse arriving at Kengis Bruk. Christian, Sammy and Per was lucky to land some fresh grilse racing upstream and disturbing the pools. We will still look back at the week and talk about more lost fish. Tobias and Rickard fished all week and had a few contacts, but no fish took the flies properly. It's hard to be a salmon fisher when the luck is against you. All the decent sized fish went away again. Savikuoppa was the stretch with most contacts and both Christian and Per lost good fish.
Then we faced crazy weather at Kengis Bruk. It was raining alot during the upcoming week and water rised from 250m3 to 650m3. In the early week we saw many fish rising at zone 1. And Lars lost a good sized fish at upper neck. Urban was new to flyfishing and when the waterlevel in Boat pool was at a good level he got in contact with his first salmon on fly. It was only a bad knot between him and his first landed on fly. Better luck next time Urban.
In the last week of july we had our first "FIRST ON FLY" experience. Niklas came to Kengis Bruk with his father and after many casts it happend for Niklas. A decent sized grilse took the fly in Island pool. And he was all smiles.
The fishing picked up at Kengis in this week. Lassi had a good week with two fish landed in Kengis and his father Ari lost some good sized fish. Roni was fishing hard all week and I know he will get his first on fly soon. He did everything right, he just need a fish that wants to take his fly.
In the end of the week we went north again to search some new water and Ari had a perfect day. He landed four fish in one day. A day to remember.
AUGUST
It's always exciting what august brings us. Do the fish stop at Kengis, or are they racing past our water?
In the first week we had Miceal and Neil fishing, they fished hard and in the end Neil lost three fish and Miceal landed two. We had high hopes for a good ending of the season.
The following week we had another "FIRST ON FLY" experience with Christofer. He visited Kengis first time last year and this year he managed to land his first salmon on fly. August is a good month to catch your first on fly. Fish are getting more agressive and holding up at the places they want to spawn.
In the end of august we had one more "FIRST ON FLY", this time it was Sebastian. He just started fishing for salmon, and then he landed two fish in one day. He is now a real salmon fisher.
Same day Pär landed a really beautiful male fish from Upper neck at zone 1. August fishing can be really good, with amazing coloured fish and they get more aggressive.
Last week of the season is special. We are looking back at the season and at the same time looking forward to next year.
Sebastian was at Kenigs Bruk for two weeks and we had a perfect day up north with three landed fish in one day. And Sebastian landed his first decent sized fish.
Ola landed a good sized fish from middle neck in one of the last days of the season. Such a good way to end the season.
Looking back at the season in Kengis 2020 we hoped for better fishing, but salmon fishing is salmon fishing and we can't control the fish or the nature. We are looking forward to next year and cross fingers for more landed fish next year.
We would like to sent a big THANK YOU to all our partners in the 2020 season.
LOOP TACKLE - SPEY BROTHERS - LEMMEL - FLYFISH ADVENTURES - NAAMISUVANTO - HOOKÉ - PODSOL - PROPELLER FLY - HEART OF LAPLAND -SWEDISH LAPLAND - INWADERS MEDIA - FOCUS ON FLY MEDIA - GUIDELINE
And the biggest THANK YOU goes to all out guests that made this season special.
Anders - Ronni - Thomas - David - Jussi - Teemu - Kimmo - Aleksi - Otto - Miika - Peter - Kristian - Lucas - Frederik - Sofie - Peter - Hajas - Håkan - Leif - Lasse - Tomas - Mikael - Alvaro - Kimmo - Harald- Börje - Jussi - Frederik - Vladimir - Niklas - Peter - Jörgen - Björn - Christian - Sammy - Richard - Tobias - Per - Peter - Lars - Urban - Lennart - Lassi - Ari - Roni - Nikals - Kent - Neil - Miceal - Simon - Christofer - Sebastian - Pär - Pierre - Patrik - Ola - Stefan - Philip - Juan - Sanna - Ted - Lars - Kristian - Erik - Heidi - Henna - Sirly - Tommi
