Russia Fly Fishing: Kola Peninsular - Kharlovka & Litza Rivers

Quick Links:

The Kharlovka River

The Litza River

The Seasons

Kharlovka Camp

Litza Camp

The Fishing Guides

Helicopters & Transport

How to Get There

The Atlantic Salmon Reserve Youth Programme

Availability and Pricing

Map Location

Recommended Reading

Print This Page


Seasonal guide to choosing the ‘right’ week

Booking Enquiries

Hosted Week by Justin Maxwell Stuart– Full Helicopter Schedule

5-12 June 2010 – Full Helicopter Programme: What to expect: Very big, very powerful, very silver fish.

The Salmon Fishing

View 2009 film & WWMF Hosted Weeks>>>

The Kharlovka & Litza Rivers must be considered to be in the absolute premier league of Atlantic Salmon fishing rivers. They are superbly remote, totally unspoilt by any form of human intervention, managed with the efficiency of a German car manufacturer and, most importantly, filled with solid runs of breath-catchingly big Salmon. Quite rightly, a week on these rivers sits at the pinnacle of the fishing calendar for those in search of a truly remarkable fishing experience.

 <<< Click here to find out where Kharlovka and Litza Rivers are.

The Kharlovka River

The more formidable of the two rivers, the mighty Kharlovka is the base from which guests deploy to fish both the Eastern Litza and the Kharlovka. During the early and middle season the fishing is confined below the main natural barrier, the Kharlovka Falls, a depository for huge fish until the water drops and they can make their way further upstream. Running down stream via a sequence of seductive pools the river emerges from a canyon before curling its way to the legendary home pool and the extremely comfortable Kharlovka camp. During early to mid-season the home pool is the second great depository of fish and with almost 400m of double bank fishing is capable of fielding almost the entire camp on a post-supper fishing spree! In the lower section the river widens in the final race to the sea. Any angler encountering a Kharlovka leviathan in this area needs to be well prepared. A large Salmon hooked here is likely simply to turn tail and head for the sea, leaving a spooled and breathless angler in its wake.

The Litza River

The first encounter an angler will have with a Litza Salmon is in the aptly named Military Pool, so called as it look onto a disused Russian military base. Strewn with huge boulders, which characterize the length and breadth of the Litza, it is this sort of makeup that may provide an explanation to the size and power of the Litza Salmon. With just 9kms of Salmon water between the impassable Litza Falls and the sea there are no typical gravel-bottomed spawning grounds. It is theorized that the big broad tails, typical of Litza Salmon, holds the genetic recipe to their success, being a prerequisite to gouge out a spawning bed amidst the stones. Whatever the reason may be, the average size of Litza Salmon is without question.

The Litza Falls pool

The river is as scenic as it is majestic, having cut a deep ravenous path through the tundra, really only opening out briefly at Snowbank Pool before dropping into a final gorge, Military Pool and the sea. For many an equal treat is the Litza Tent camp where all guests will have the opportunity to spend a night in comfort, on the river, and quite simply within a long cast of a 40lb+ salmon at almost any time of the year. (A 47.5 lb Salmon was caught less than 100 yards from the camp!!)

The Seasons

• Early - Mid June - The rivers will typically be high, powerful and cold. Fishermen coming at this time need to be suitably prepared to deal with the conditions, but the rewards are not unsubstantial. The average size will be close to 20lbs and the fresh run Salmon as powerful as they are silver. This is a time of year when there can be absolutely no compromises in the strength and quality of your fishing gear or equipment.
• Mid June- Early July – As the water levels start to drop and the temperature rises the Salmon will fill the entire length of the river systems below the two waterfalls. This is the prime of the season and can produce some absolutely exceptional fishing. The Salmon will be in the rivers in solid numbers, all will be chrome silver in colour and the taking conditions close to perfect. It is the prime of the season and places are like highly sought after.
• Mid July - Early August – The rivers will now be dropping away to summer levels and with it comes a change of tactics. This is quite possibly the most exciting period of the season as the fish will start to shy away from conventionally fished flies and instead turn their full attention to hitched, skated or bombed flies. Expect to see huge Salmon charging down hitched size 12 or 14 flies or have a Bomber skated on the surface savagely attacked time and time again. The hooking rates go down but the level of activity you can expect goes through the roof. This is heart-stopping stuff!!!
• Mid August - September – Although the rivers can be low, cooling rains are typically on the forecast. This is the time when the big cock Salmon start to become territorial and aggressive. Once hooked the Salmon are more likely to stay within the confines of the pool, as opposed to hurtling straight back to sea and it is no coincidence that the highest proportion of really big fish are landed during this period. As the season draws to a close the mystical Osenka Salmon make their appearance. Equipped for a full year in the river and weighing 15-25lbs Osenkas are a force to be reckoned with.

Late season-Often when the largest fish are landed

Kharlovka Camp

Kharlovka Camp has turned from a remote outpost into a small but extremely well functioning hamlet. All guests are accommodated in individual wooden cabins with full en-suite facilities and interconnected with the main lodge by an intricate network of walkways. The food is of the highest standard and the bankside lunches are simply unparalleled. All wines and alcoholic drink are inclusive, laundry miraculously returns pressed and folded within 36hrs and there is a huge array of fishing gear should you need to borrow anything.

The main camp on the banks of the Kharlovka

Litza Tent Camp

To call it anything other than a tent camp would be wrong; however you can expect to stay in considerable comfort with good food, hot showers, large thermally lined individual tents and, if you are part of the ‘Tundra Adventure Week,’ to call it home for 3 days. During the main fishing programme it is not a pre-requisite to overnight at the Litza, although in reality most eagerly take up the opportunity. Its position within five minutes walk of four of the best pools on the river, providing guests with the option to exploit the 24hrs of light, make it an opportunity not to be missed.

Litza Tent Camp

The Fishing Guides

The Russian guides are, alongside the quality of the Salmon fishing considered one of the greatest assets within the ASR. Hugely knowledgeable and experienced (most have well over a decade of experience on the rivers), capable of speaking conversational English, and with an uncanny ability to take you to parts of the river that are technically unreachable they will ensure every opportunity is exploited. You will not find a more professional or dedicated team anywhere.

Helicopters & Transport - New for the 2010 season-the return of the MI2

Hurrah!!- For 2010 there will be a return of the much loved and much smaller MI2 helicopter. This will bring back the daily doorstep to pool transportation service and all the flexibility that the smaller helicopters provide. For those with creaky joints this will come as a great advantage as well as providing teams with greater exploration options. On the river, access is by a network of reindeer trails with dinghies strategically positioned at safe crossing points where required.

How to Get There

Guests should fly from their home country to Stockholm, arriving the Friday prior to your fishing week. From Stockholm there is a charter flight from Arlanda airport to Murmansk which departs on Saturday morning. On arrival in Murmansk you will be transported by helicopter to the camp. (As part of the ASR charter flight you will be provided with a room at the Skyways airport hotel). On the return guests should arrive back into Stockholm on Saturday afternoon.

The Atlantic Salmon Reserve Youth Programme

To help encourage and make the ASR more accessible to the younger generation an ongoing youth programme will be in operation during certain weeks of the season. The prices will be reduced by 10% for the under 30’s and 20% for the under 25’s. Please enquire for details on the specific weeks under offer.

If you would prefer to speak to us directly regarding a trip to Russia, please contact us at the following:

United Kingdom Office:
Justin Maxwell-Stuart
Mobile: +44 (0)7711 519 857
Fax: +44 (0)20 7352 0942
justin@wherewisemenfish.com

United States Office:

US Country Code: +1
Telephone: 646 797 2945
info@wherewisemenfish.com

Or alternatively email us via our Booking Enquiries Form to request more information.