Week 25 A week to remember
This was one of the weeks we hoped for in the early season. Plenty of fish entering our pools. Fishermen in the water almost 24hrs pr. day and big smiles, great stories and new friendships. True Kengis feeling.
Joonas was the first one to catch a fish this week. In his morning run before work he hooked into a fresh baltic salmon. The day after he did the same. What a start for Joonas. This week there was a feeling that every time you fished a pool, there was a chance to hook into a fish. It gives the fishing an extra layer that is hard to describe with words.
Then we had a first on fly experience with Jonathan. If you look at this big smile, we don’t need more words! Well done Jonathan.
Then our guests Tim & Jack started to hook into some good fish. Tim was the first to land a good sized fish. Once again the smile tells it all. Fly fishing for baltic salmon is something special. Even though fishing so many hours pr day can be hard, the reward is extra special when the fish strikes the fly. Our intern Tyler did a fantastic job to keep the Kengis feeling high and
Here is Ronnie sitting and enjoying the Kengis feeling and we will give him the word for the next part;
“For me, Kengis was a fantastic experience. I have never fished for salmon outside of the UK and Ireland, so even getting to the north of Sweden was an adventure. I fish at home on the Tay in Scotland, a very big river by British standards, but beside the Kalix and the Torne, it is like a small stream. And I soon realised that they have salmon to match the river.
Once I got there I realised Kengis Bruk is all about the fishing, and the chance of catching something really big. You could fish whenever you were inclined to do so, and that meant some sleep (and food!) deprivation which mounted up over six days. I did some catching up on the flight(s) home!
It was a pleasure to fish with like-minded fishermen from different parts of the world, and we soon settled in to the Kengis lifestyle.
Despite the size of the river, I was slightly caught out by the lightness of tackle (and small flies) required, for that week at least. I had brought heavy rods, lines and tips, with less emphasis on floating gear. Fortunately I did have some lighter tackle, and was able to borrow your Loop rods in order to get the best out of it. The excellent 15ft 7X provided me with my 96 cm fish, which I had to land on my own in Zone 3, as my fishing partner had left for his bed! Unfortunately a good photograph was impossible as I was on my own and anxious to return the fish unharmed.
Further hook-ups in Zone 2 had less favourable outcomes, due to the ferocity of the Baltics’ fight, their size, and a few natural obstacles in the Island pool. You have to accept that you are going to lose perhaps more battles than you will win.
When I return in a year’s time I intend to be better prepared, with a few different lines, some smaller flies (especially Pahtagorva and Banana) and an ability to cast well off both shoulders. There are some tight spots where a double spey is not an option. Perhaps conditions will be completely different next year, and you have to accept that salmon fishing is never easy, but there is always the chance of something really big, by anybody’s standards.”
Jonathan was still going strong after his first fish and the day after he could land another strong baltic salmon.
Jack managed to land some fresh fish as well and all fish in this week was in good conditions. Jack and Tim created Kengis memories this week.
Jarno had a tough week with 7 strikes and 2 lost fish. He will get his revenge next season.
In the end of the week our guests landed 10 fish and had contact to twice as many. A great week with many memories, stories to be told and true Kengis feeling.
Let’s hope the fishing continues this way.
Tight lines!
Tyler, Oscar & Aslak
