What can you expect fishing the Umba River? Let me put it to you in a very straightforward manner – Umba is for the guy who is seeking demanding superior quality fishing. AND- Umba is also tough wading and long (healthy) walks. We have no fancy hovercrafts or jet boats, who can ferry you up or down the river the whole day – except on the lower beats in Umba.
The Krivetz River (upper section of Umba) is a fast river with strong currents, big boulders and strenuous wading on slippery boulders, long casts and monster salmon.
Umba is a demanding chase for silver and suited for the experienced and committed Salmon angler prepared battle for his salmon.
Let the words ring true right here and now: no matter what time of the season you choose to come, you will encounter a week of unforgettable salmon fishing! Each part of the season encompasses its magic and lure along this wonderful forest river on the south side of the Kola Peninsula. Silvery salmon lie in its many demanding pools from early May until the end of October providing for a long and exciting season.
There are rivers on the Kola Peninsula, where you have the chance of catching higher numbers of smaller fish – but the unique mix of quantity-size and quality, i.e. ocean fresh fish, that you will find on in Umba is unparalleled!
The Umba river system has something like five different salmon runs each year and some of these consist of fish specially “designed” (pumped up in protein) to spend almost 2 years in the river before returning to sea! An incredible feat actually – homage and respect to the salmon.
As May ends and we move into the middle of June, the summer will manifest itself with high-pressure weather and bright sunny weather, sometimes 24 hours a day. Needless to say that these conditions will affect the fishing, but you may be astonished to hear that it sometimes improves catches. The amount of summer fish on our beats is probably peaking at end of June and beginning of July, and the reason why the catch per rod is a bit higher in June is probably related to weather and temperature being more optimal for the salmon to take the fly. Regarding the fish – two major things happen during this period. We see an increase in fresh grilse so that the salmon to grilse ratio goes up towards 1:1. But we also encounter some of the overwintering or hibernating fish bound for an 18 month stay in the river before spawning, and you will not be in doubt when you hook one of those. Being up to 25% heavier measured in length these bombs will make your lower jaw hit your chest and have you recheck your backing…
The average summer run salmon will be between 7 and 15 lb. but every week will see bigger fish landed – usually males and sometimes well over 20 lb.
In September the life giving and short polar summer is coming to an end. Autumn sets in quickly and the surrounding forest literally explodes in a spectacular explosion of colours along the banks of the river. This is the time and call for fulfilling one of the dedicated salmon anglers’ wildest dreams – big, ocean fresh autumn fish! Do not be surprised if you catch sea-liced fish right into October and later – these are the mythical Osenka salmon.
The average catch per rod at this time of year will drop a bit compared to the wild and sometimes “hysterical” summer weeks, but you will still have good chances for numbers in double figures and with some bright, sparkling fresh run salmon from 15 to 30 lbs. – “Umba whoppers”.
Autumn fishing for Umba salmon is comparable to Steelhead fishing in British Colombia – Quality and challenging fishing in every sense of the word.
The breathtaking and dramatic natural surroundings along the Umba River is an important element satisfying even the highest expectation an angler may have – here you will find all kinds of challenging and mouth-watering waters and pools enticing you to cast and swing your fly down and across.
The mythical Umba River is a place where you run a high “risk” of turning into a real Salmon Junky in just one week. Not the worst addiction to have!