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Seasons & Gear

The season at Varzina Trout runs from late June till mid September. Below you will find the list of necessary equipment for this time, taking into account the average statistics of summer arrival in our region. It's important to be aware that every year makes its own adjustments to the conditions that you find on the river. So, it's advisable to check our news and weekly reports published on this website and make necessary adjustments to the preparations before your trip.

We advise you to arm yourself only with proven, reliable gear. The rock and full of rapids Varzina will not allow you to easily cope with large specimens of brown trout and Atlantic salmon, which, in addition to their strength and endurance, will surprise you with their excellent condition.

Rod:

Throughout the season double-handed rod: 13'-15' of #8-9 weight for salmon fishing.

Single-handed rod: #5-7 weight for dry-fly trout fishing;

                               #7-8 weight for fishing on streamer.

Reel:

Any reliable reel, which balances the rod, with a good brake and about 150m of backing with at least 30lbs breaking load for salmon fishing, and trout reels with a backing reserve of at least 50m/20lbs will do.

Line:

At the beginning of the season, floating lines with a medium body are best for dry fly fishing (strong winds make it difficult to cast bait with long lines), and “heads” up to 10m for casting heavy streamers. It is possible to use shooting heads with an intermediate and easily sinking tips.

A rich set of replaceable tips usually solves almost all problems at Varzina. During any flood, the river is never muddy, and the pools are never too deep. The only problem is the strong current of the river.

Starting from August you will be able to use fully floating lines and shooting heads. During periods of rising water, an intermediate tip may be required.

Leaders and monofil:

Made from monofilament or fluorocarbon. Breaking load ranges from 25lbs to 40lbs for salmon and 7-15lbs for trout. The recommended cross-section for leaders for salmon is from 0.43 to 0.50 mm and for trout 0.22-0.35 mm, no thinner!

Flies:

The Camp has a small assortment of dry and wet flies, nymphs, and streamers. In general, these are the standard options used by trout fishermen around the world when hunting for brown trout. The choice of fly depends on the flight of insects that the brown trout are currently feeding on.

The end of June and July are for imitations of stoneflies and mayflies in their various forms, the beginning of August is the time of mass emergence of caddis flies and, accordingly, for their imitations. From mid-August to mid-September, the streamer has the advantage. For those fishermen who know how to tie flies themselves, we recommend having a small supply of materials and tools for tying flies because of the constantly changing feeding conditions of fish in the river.

Flies that consistently work all season are the black Wooly Bagger, on sunny days the Golden Killer and, during caddis, the favourite fly for trout is the Super Pupa.

Clothing and gear:

Gore-Tex waders

Wading boots with a felt sole and studs

Wading stick

Polarized glasses

Waterproof jacket (windblocker)

Thermal underwear

Warm socks, jacket, pants under waders

Camera

A cap and a warm hat, bandana can also be useful

Mosquito-repellent spray or net, especially for those who is allergic to bloodsucking insects

More information on dates of upcoming season and possibility of booking a trip can be found HERE.