Pic Jani Keränen

Kymijoki is considered to be a dark fish river for the rest of the season. Indeed, many do not come to the river to fish until September, when the river water drops, the salmon darkens and the fish begins to bite the fly angrily before preparing for spawning.

In July, many fishermen take salmon trips north to Sweden and Norway. The only salmon river in Southern Finland offers a good and affordable alternative to fishing for clear salmon; Kymijoki. The Baltic salmon begins to rise into the river around midsummer. The first of these will be delivered to the end of the line from Korkeakoski at the end of June. After a couple of weeks, the salmon will also find their way to Langinkoskenhaara. Salmon fetch to Korkeakoski because of the harder run there.

From the beginning of the season, the fish have a strong momentum on them as they try to rise up to the breeding grounds. The fish does not stop at the pools for very long, but seeks out its own place of birth. From the beginning of the season, the biggest fish also come into the river.

In July, the fish will be more visible in Siikakoski and Ruhavuolte. Great jumps and careful surface visits at the edge of the stream; these provide the fisherman with uplifting moments as the evening sun sets behind the trees. The salmon in July is a big feather for a fly fisherman because getting a salmon to bite a fly is not a matter of course. The challenge is usually the warm water and low fish density in the early part of the season.

"Either one dictates, you or the salmon. You must give pressure to the fish"

In July, the river water rises above twenty degrees, making the willingness to fish slightly weak. On average, three salmon are caught in July. The small catch is also explained by the fact that there are not a few more fishermen on the river. If the water temperature rises too high, the responsible fisherman will stop fishing favorably and wait for the water to cool down. In warm water, diseases spread quickly and the fish’s survival from the stress of fatigue decreases as lactic acids stagnate in the fish’s muscles. In warm water, fatigue must be treated efficiently and quickly. Either one dictates, you or the salmon. The fish must be allowed to run. Of course, the salmon in the Nevanjoki River in the river tolerate warm water better than the salmon in many other rivers.

I’ve been lucky a few times to get a fish in July. I have noticed that the fish is clearly activated when the light changes. In the evening, as the sun sets behind the trees, the fish begins to move and show up. So I spend my own fishing a lot in the evening.

The river begins to fill with fish from top to bottom as local fish begin to fetch their own montages. At this point, the salmon defends its territory and bites the fly bitterly.

New fish rise through the river and bright fish are still available in August. The further you go through, the darker the fish will start to turn. Titles will also rise in the river towards the end of the season. By September, river runoff will be reduced to a minimum. At this point, I’m packing my salmon on the winter rolls to wait for the next season.

Tips for success

• Be in the right place at the right time. Timing is everything. It is difficult to catch a salmon from an empty pool. Actively change location.
• Be ready all the time. Early season salmon come and go fast. A dead river can come to life in an instant and be just as dead again in a quarter.
• Focus on every cast and swing. Straighten the leader at each cast so that the fly immediately starts swimming.
• The right tools. The fly lines to the early season should be from floating to heavy sinking. The water level varies and the fly needs to get where the fish are.
• Perseverance is rewarded at the end. You will probably have to spend time on the river and a lot.