Yokanga Lodge

THE FISHING

Without question, the Yokanga offers the best Atlantic Salmon fishing that we have ever experienced. The numbers of fish combined with the largest catch size we’ve ever seen anywhere, makes this the preeminent Atlantic Salmon destination on the planet.

This is true wilderness. The Yokanga River is a huge, raw channel through the tundra. There will still be snow on the hills in August. Anglers will travel to different ‘beats’ on the river by helicopter, these will rotate through the week. There are rapids, whirlpools and rocky stretches: anglers will wade, or drift in inflatables. Fishing hours run from 9 am to 6 pm, broken up by a sumptuous riverside lunch, and the days will be physically challenging. But in one week [during August 2008] lodge guests averaged 26 salmon! And the largest fish taken in that week weighed in at 34 pounds! The ‘Home Pool’, which is a small sheltered area near the Lodge, is good for practice-casting and night-time fishing. There is no guided fishing after 6 pm, but there is a supervising guide on duty at the Pool till midnight every evening.

On arrival, Saturday afternoon, the Lodge Manager will make a quick orientation speech to advise you about the week ahead. Normally, we make a wake-up call at 7:30 am and breakfast is available at 8:00 am. Everybody must be ready to board the helicopter at 8.45 am for a 9:00 am start to the fishing day. Fishing is until the helicopter returns, around 6:00 pm. Lunch is on the river. Pre-dinner drinks normally start around 7:00 pm with dinner at 8:00 pm. Fishing on home-pool is available from after dinner until around midnight, a guide is also available on home-pool until this time with a boat used to access the other side. We usually make up a home-pool rotation at the beginning of the week for the Lyliok area, but the rest of the beat is open.

The Yokanga is an interesting river to fish, and the techniques that are used on other rivers work here as well. The standard method of fishing is to cast either square or slightly downstream and let the line swing round with the current until it straightens out and hangs below you. The fish seem to prefer a fast fly, so it is more important to cast a straight line than a longer one that lands in a bit of a heap. There is usually no need to mend up-stream to slow the fly but mending down-stream to speed it up is effective. Retrieving is also popular, either stripping or figure of eight retrieving. Once the swing has finished it is important to leave the fly on the dangle before stripping in some of the line, fish can often follow the fly right round and take at the last moment.

BOATS AND EQUIPMENT

A Mi-8 helicopter. These are very reliable and well-serviced helicopters with experienced and highly professional crew.
Spey and fly Fishing only

GETTING THERE

Most guests will travel to Yokanga via a major European city airport, usually Stockholm or Helsinki. Guests stay Friday overnight at a hotel in that city and board a charter flight direct to Murmansk the following (Saturday) morning. Return charter flights are scheduled to return to that city from Murmansk during the early afternoon of the following Saturday, usually allowing guests to continue their homeward journey that day. Once guest deposit payments are received by Slipstream Angling Worldwide, guests will be invoiced for their overnight accommodation and charter flights directly by the charter flight supplier company that we deal with. From Murmansk the helicopter comes to take you to the Lodge, and from there, every day to the fishing sites.

Slipstream is a full service travel company that can handle a variety of services relating to your trip. For assistance, please contact us directly at 1 866 644-7703.

INSURANCE & DOCUMENTS

Proof of an adequate travel insurance policy is a requirement of booking a trip to Yokanga. Please send a copy of your insurance policy certificate with your completed & signed Guest Questionnaire to confirm your booking. You will receive your Guest Questionnaire, Pre Travel Document, visa invitation and instructions and a copy of the our Yokanga Booking Terms & Conditions at the time of final invoicing, usually not less than three months before travel.

RATES FOR 2024

Due to the conflict in Ukraine, the Yokanka River Lodge is not available in 2024.