Week 29 Lost, landed & salmon feelings

Strong fish in the fast water

This blog is gonna be a bit different, we will give CRUD the word this time and they will tell you about their week at Kengis. They fished together with Matteo from Italy and they had a hard, but cool week at Kengis. In the end they landed a good sized baltic salmon and a grilse, but they lost more than 10 fish in the hard water.

Follow our guests on a weeks fishing at Kengis Bruk.

Ready for action

CRACKING THE CODE

We arrived at Kengis Bruk fishing lodge on Sunday the 18th after landing in Kiruna. Our expectations were high, but we were also a bit realistic. The previous gang had tough conditions with high water temperatures and warm weather. However, we seemed to have brought some bad weather with us. In just a few days the temperature dropped both in the air and water. And by Wednesday the water temp was down to 13-14°C and the weather was rough with rain and pretty hard winds. Great for salmon no doubt. At least that is what we thought.

Sending it in Powerline pool at Zone 2

Monday started out slow. With a few tugs and a lost fish in in Zone 2. We were consistent in our fishing. Grinding the pools from early morning until late in the evening however without landing any salmon. Knowing there were fish passing by and also fish standing in the pools, our frustration slowly grew. Where did we go wrong? Our flies, every single one I think, we’re hitting the water. Small flies, large flies. Floating, intermediate and sinking lines.

Sometimes you need a cup of coffee to get your mind together

By Wednesday when our friend Mattias arrived we went for the rapids to try our luck. This is where things started to happen, and we got in contact with the fish. A hard take and a long run down the rapids ended in a bent treble hook, and this would not be the first big fish to be lost in the rapids.

Hard fight in the fast water

Thursday came, and we were slowly getting our heads around the problem. The fish was inactive during the day, and more prone to strike during the late hours. But we also had a long fight that ended with the fish winning again during the day.

Discussing the next move

We took a small trip further down the rapids and found a gauntlet that held fish. After fishing the inner seam of the very fast water with only graylings getting hooked, we tried the outer one. That meant very long casts, and a high rod to prevent the running line from getting caught in the rapid stream. Slowly lowering the rod to get the line and fly to fish the outer seam. On the third cast, boom. A massive strike. In a few seconds the backing was unspooling, and the fish was properly hooked. This was a hog. A very stubborn hog. Tried everything in the register to get it up in the rapids, but as soon we got it there, it slowly went back deep. This continued for ten minutes, and after a final try to get it up, the hook came flying. We did everything right, but the fish didn’t want to play.

The face after loosing another battle with the baltic salmon

Evening came and we hooked fish but lost it again in the rapids. Frustration again. Are these Baltic salmon equipped with steel in their mouths?

This evening however, the code was cracked. Matteo stayed up late for some night fishing. And then, the fish was all of a sudden willing to bite. He caught a fresh fish in Zone 2 at approximately 2am. And what a fish. Approximately 85-90cm bar of chrome landed in boat pool.

Matteo with a 90cm baltic salmon from Zone 2

Matteo lost another big fish the day after landing this beauty. After an intense and hard fight the hook snapped during the landing. So sad. Hope you get your revanche.

Keep the fire going during night fishing

Our bad luck had ended, and grinding had paid off. Although had we known that night fishing was the trick, we would have gone for it much earlier. But the weather conditions and water temperatures lured us into daytime fishing.

The following last days we hit the pools late and we hooked more fish. But they didn’t want to play. Although, we got a small grilse Friday night that would be the last landed salmon this trip.

Getting ready for another round

On Saturday evening, Alex went to the rapids once again and in 4 turns fishing the rapids, he had 3 fish on but once again they were just on for a short while and after long runs across the pool and downstream, they were lost in the rapids. We also had a few tugs in pool one, but one week of hard fishing took its toll. We were tired and beat. But you know what. Sometimes the fish just has to win. It’s part of the game.

Kengis magic

We will surely come back for more. Hopefully we will be able to land a few next time. This is a very exciting river to fish. Knowing there are such massive fish, that we also got to dance with and the beautiful location and great professional service and accommodation. 
Thank you Kengis Bruk for this time.
See you soon.

Alex/Jens

‍Thank you so much Alex, Jens, Mattias & Matteo

‍Tight lines

Aslak, Lars & Oscar

‍Photos: Alex, Jens, Mattias & Matteo