Fishing in the Murmansk region is incredibly multifaceted. For the average fisherman, it becomes not only about catching environmentally friendly northern fish, but also about communicating with beautiful nature. The vast territory of the region has hundreds of rapids and fast rivers and thousands of small and large lakes. Here you can see the northern lights and white nights, visit the tundra and forest-tundra, breathe amazingly clear air and fish in the purest water. Recreational fishing in the Murmansk region is allowed in almost all bodies of water. The only exceptions are those rivers that are places where salmon spawn and nature reserves. Even a person who is holding a fishing rod for the first time can catch a trophy fish here.
For fish on the Kola Peninsula
Fishing in the Murmansk region is attractive in many ways. Those who have already been here consider it a real paradise for lovers of “quiet hunting”. Here everyone can find a place for themselves and have a good time fishing. The reservoirs of the Murmansk region will provide a rich catch of burbot, roach, salmon, whitefish, trout, pike, brown trout, perch, and palia. The water resources of this region are complemented by twenty reservoirs. The largest of them are: Khevaskoskoye, Serebryanskoye, Kovdozerskoye, Pirenskoye and Verkhnetulomskoye. Here you can catch carp, pike perch, trout, pike and ide, vendace and smelt, grayling, bream, etc.
In addition, it is in the Murmansk region that one of the largest lakes in our country, Imandra, is located. Its area is about nine hundred square kilometers. The region is also home to one of the deepest Russian lakes, Umbozero. Fishing here is possible on most water bodies. Moreover, the area is so rich in fish that specialized fishing tours are even organized here. Numerous fishing camps, sanatoriums and holiday homes are ready to welcome fans of “silent hunting”.
Fishing Features
Fishing on the lakes and rivers of the Murmansk region is carried out both with spinning and fly fishing. In the latter case, you need to have certain skills. But fishing with a spinning rod can give even a beginner a good catch. Experienced fishermen, judging by reviews, catch up to five kilograms of salmon in rivers in the south and central part of the region, and up to fifteen kilograms in northern waters. Sea fishing is also exciting. In the Murmansk region, fish go to spawn in numerous lakes and rivers precisely from the Barents water, where they, in fact, live permanently. Even in winter, due to the warm Gulf Stream, it is warm here, so fishing in the Barents Sea does not stop even at this time of year. Fishermen enjoy fishing for cod, often boasting of a successful catch reaching up to thirty kilograms.
Description
If a person who knows even a little about fishing hears about the Kola Peninsula, then he almost certainly imagines fishing for salmon. This is not surprising, because salmon is one of the most interesting fish, from the point of view of fishing, living in Russia, and the Kola Peninsula is rightfully considered one of the best places for salmon fishing.
But Kola is not only about salmon. Its countless lakes, rivers and streams scattered across the tundra are home to many other fish, the fishing of which is no less exciting. One of these fish is brown trout, which lives in tundra lakes and rivers of the Kola Peninsula. In its habits and strength, trout are very similar to salmon, and fishing for trout will not leave any real angler indifferent. In addition to brown trout, fishing for grayling, which sometimes reaches very large sizes by its standards, is very interesting. And, of course, in tundra lakes you can successfully catch trophy pike and perch.
Fishing on lakes
Many fishermen associate fishing on the Kola Peninsula with salmon. It really is one of the most valuable and delicious underwater inhabitants of this region. However, in recent years, salmon fishing in the Murmansk region is allowed only with a license, and in most reservoirs it is sport fishing - on the “catch and release” principle.
However, there are also plenty of other fish here that can be easily fished. And judging by the reviews, fishing on the lakes of the Murmansk region is especially good, including winter fishing. The largest of them are Imandra, Lovozero and Umbozero. The first of them is located in the southwest of the Kola Peninsula. Imandra is literally teeming with different fish. Here you can catch char and whitefish, pike, vendace and, if you're lucky, salmon. You can fish in Imandra both from a boat and from the shore. You can use both a spinning rod and a fishing rod as gear. Among other things, the area around the reservoir is amazingly beautiful. Therefore, local residents come here for the weekend with whole families, pitch a tent on the shore or stay at one of the bases.
Who is being caught and what?
Salmon is considered the best fish among experienced fishermen. It is often caught in most reservoirs of the peninsula, and weighs at least 2.5 kg. Part of the salmon catch is usually released after first removing the hook from it. This must be done extremely carefully, as delicate fish are easy to injure. But it’s not the only fish that can be caught in winter. Numerous lakes, reservoirs, and streams scattered across the Kola Peninsula are inhabited by a huge number of fish, which are no less exciting to catch. For example, brown trout, which resemble salmon in habits and strength, is excellent for this purpose. It is believed that anyone who manages to master the wisdom of catching trout will easily cope with other sturgeon.
It is no less interesting to try to catch grayling. Its size can be very impressive. In addition to the named species of fish in the winter reservoirs of the Kola Peninsula you can catch:
- burbot;
- pink salmon;
- whitefish;
- ide;
- pike;
- perch;
- roach;
- grayling;
- trout.
For winter fishing use:
- winter fishing rods;
- self-traps (jerks).
- In summer, fish are caught:
- spinning rod with any suitable bait;
- fly fishing rod “waddling”;
- from the boat to the “track” or randomly.
As bait for winter and summer fishing, you should take maggots, dung and earthworms, bloodworms, live bait, jigs, spoons and balancers. The northern summer is short, and the fish are not particularly pampered with food, so it is not difficult to catch them at any time of the year.
Regardless of the presence or absence of ice fishing experience, winter fishing on the Kola Peninsula will be an exciting adventure for both beginners and experienced fishermen. For a more active pastime, you can alternate it with snowmobiling, dog sledding or sledding downhill.
Umbozero
It is located in the north of the Murmansk region between the mountains. The water in Umbozero is incredibly clean and turquoise. The lake is incredibly deep. From the cool waters of Umbozer you can easily catch Arctic char and brown trout, pike, salmon, pike and vendace. Since the icing of the lake, winter fishing has been incredibly popular here. In the Murmansk region, in the lakes you can catch char weighing up to three kilograms and trout weighing almost the same. The tributaries of Umbozero are also rich in fish, and the waters of the Umba River flowing from it are full of grayling, which is caught here by fly fishing. This inhabitant of reservoirs sticks to the same places. In summer it can be pulled out on the rifts, but in winter it prefers deep reaches or goes into the lake.
Murmansk region: fishing on the rivers
The region is home to a huge number of large and small waterways. The largest river in the Murmansk region is Ponoy, 426 kilometers long. In the central part of the region and in the south, water arteries have a slight slope. Salmon that weigh from two to four kilograms accumulate here. Northern rivers are shorter. They have steep slopes, rapids and waterfalls. They contain strong and large salmon, weighing from eight to twelve kilograms. Judging by the reviews, in order to catch them, you need to have certain skills and, of course, good and strong gear. For beginners, salmon fishing on the Varzuga River is recommended at the end of May. According to reviews, no one has ever left here without loot.
In the fast, rapids rivers of the Murmansk region, using spinning or fly fishing, you can catch salmon, brown trout and pink salmon, and, if you have a license, the famous twenty-kilogram Atlantic salmon. The waterway of the Kola region is considered one of the most visited for mass fishing. Thousands of amateurs come here every year in hopes of landing a record-breaking salmon. The Kola River is large. It is included in the list of the five largest arteries on the Kola Peninsula. The river has its own characteristics, without knowing about which you can remain without a catch for a long time.
In general, to successfully fish in the Murmansk region you need to have some experience. And first of all, this applies to salmon fishing. In particular, you need to be able to cast to the required distance.
Burbot fishing in the Murmansk region, Lake Imandra.
My favorite place to catch burbot is a lake called Imandra. Geographically, the lake is located near the city of Olenegorsk in the Murmansk region. It is famous for its “rugged” shape and is considered the deepest and largest in terms of water content on the entire Kola Peninsula. Place and time of fishing The place of fishing itself was chosen for a reason. Burbot, for some reason, during the spawning period every year comes to smaller places, closer to the mouth of the Kurenga River. However, burbot never entered the mouth itself. The depth at the burbot fishing spot is from 1.5 to 2.5 meters. Ice thickness is 50 cm or more. Peak hunting for burbot here begins in mid-February and ends by the end of March. The last time I was on Imandra was in February 2021. I went here as usual - with friends and in full equipment. Fishing equipment I always take the following equipment for winter fishing: - tent; — a box with tackles; - drill; - warm clothes and a burner. Of course, I don’t take everything with me to the ice at once; I leave half in the car.
Organized sea fishing
Tours are organized to Teriberka (Murmansk region), Ura-Gubu and Liinakhamari. Fishermen, accompanied by experienced local residents, go out into the Barents Sea on boats and other small vessels. These port villages have all the amenities for those coming from afar. Exciting fishing and a walk along the fjords and bays of the Barents Sea will not leave anyone indifferent. If you wish, you can also rent a spinning rod here.
Sea fish is much richer in nutrients than freshwater fish. In addition, a variety of tactics are used to catch her. Experienced guides will show you the most catchy places. All this will make sea fishing exciting, interesting and exciting. And even a novice fisherman will not be left without a good catch here.
Fishing bases
It is recommended to visit the following fishing bases on the Kola Peninsula:
- Pana.
- Efimozero.
Pana
The fishing base of Pana is located on the reservoir of the same name. In the right tributary of the reservoir for guests there is a licensed fishing area, the width of which is 10 kilometers. You can usually find it here:
- grayling;
- perch;
- pike
For visitors, the management of the fishing base has created a specialized camp, where it is possible to relax in both cold and warm periods. The winter tour includes:
- Accommodation in a double cottage with satellite TV.
- Meals 3 times a day.
- Bathhouse.
- Brazier.
- Guide.
- Travel to the base by snowmobile.
The summer tour for fishermen includes:
- Rent a cottage for two guests with satellite TV.
- Eating 3 times a day.
- Bathhouse.
- Brazier.
- Catch and release fishing permit.
- Guide assistance.
- Providing a boat.
Fishing in remote areas on a boat with a water cannon that can accommodate up to five passengers, flight using an MI-8 helicopter from Khibiny airport, transfer of a car from Murmansk airport.
Efimozero
The Efimozero fishing base is located in a quiet area, which will be a suitable place for relaxation for those people who like to enjoy the beauty of wild nature. In these areas, almost nothing has been touched by human hands. The tundra and polar forests surrounding this fishing base are very wild; it is very difficult to arrive at this place even in the summer.
The base administration will help in preparing and renting fishing equipment. For lovers of adventure and extreme travel, this is not a problem. The Efimozero administration invites visitors to stay in two houses for 5 and 6 people. They contain:
- electricity;
- kitchen with gas stove;
- stove heating;
- bathhouse
You can catch the following fish on Efimozero:
- whitefish;
- grayling;
- pike;
- perch
Beautiful natural landscapes and an abundance of fish will not leave guests of the Kola Peninsula indifferent. You can come to these places again in any season and enjoy a wonderful holiday in nature.
For lovers of winter whitefish fishing
Those who are attracted by winter fishing also come to the Kola Peninsula. In the Murmansk region, whitefish fishing is very common. There are many suitable places to catch this delicious fish. In the winter season, whitefish are caught using the simplest gear. When going fishing for this underwater inhabitant, you need to take with you not only an ice auger, but also a jig, a winter fishing rod, a hook, a fishing pole and a fish bucket.
Judging by the reviews, whitefish fishing is incomparable to anything else. He actively and very strongly resists. During the winter months, many locals are excellent at catching whitefish at stake. To do this, they take a fishing line with a diameter of 0.16 mm and a length of two and a half meters, on which they place from three to five hooks. One of them needs to be made the end one, and the rest - on four to five centimeter leashes. As a load, fishermen use a bunch of large pellets, which are capable of lowering gear to a depth of up to fifty meters. It is not recommended to use thin hooks: as a rule, they tear the lips of the prey.
Secrets of fishing on the Kola Peninsula in autumn
An important feature that must be taken into account is that most reservoirs are located in mountainous areas, so moving along the reservoir itself can be difficult, and if you walk along the river bank, especially in spring and autumn, due to high humidity, I highly advise you not to stop in one place, since due to high humidity all insects simply “teem” in the vicinity of the reservoir.
The main method of fishing on a mountain river is spinning fishing, since most of the fish here are predatory and there is no opportunity to use other gear. Due to the high flow and location of rivers in rocky areas, spinning is therefore the most optimal solution for catching salmon.
You can fish with both inertial and spinning reels; in this case, even spinning reels are used more often, as you can see that during growth a strong current can simply knock out the cord of the spinning reel.
An iron spoon is best suited for fishing, since in conditions of powerful flows of mountain rivers there is a risk of breaking not only your wobbler or jig head, but also seriously damaging the fishing rod.
An important piece of equipment is the presence of a special rope where you will hang your fish, since many rivers of the peninsula can be waded waist-deep, but putting the fish in a separate place is not possible.
Also an important element of autumn fishing is the correct equipment of the fisherman (since with the onset of cold weather due to high humidity, the temperature regime can deteriorate greatly and the wind force can increase significantly, which will not have a beneficial effect on your health.
Reviews
To say that fishing in the Murmansk region is good is to say nothing. This is complete extreme and drive: this is exactly how those who have already come here speak about it. There are especially many enthusiastic impressions about sea fishing. Many say that they didn’t even suspect that pulling cod out of the water from a distance of one and a half hundred meters was so exciting and so difficult. Some compare fishing in the Barents Sea with “bourgeois fishing”, for example for marlin, and note that the harsh conditions of the Kola Peninsula are much more exciting.
Many especially note fishing from the village of Ura-Guba (Murmansk region). Fishing here makes a lasting impression, as it is combined with an excursion to amazingly beautiful places. The tours that you can buy here are relatively inexpensive, and besides, this money is more than compensated by the sensations that a person experiences not only in the process of fishing, but also simply while on the ship and watching dolphins, fur seals, etc.
