Kamchatka

[rollcast]

Hey everyone...Got a catalogue in the mail today from The Fly Shop, and I was looking at all the incredible fishing vacations that they offer.The one to Kamchatka just seems awesome. I would love the opportunity to fish all that virgin water, but there is no danger of that for me.. too poor!! However, I was wondering if anybody has been there and what it was like. How about any of the other exotic trips they offer like Chile or Argentina?

[rizeye]

yea i saw that to and spent the evening drooling

[Orthoman]

I have looked at kamchatka on many occaisions but time, distance, and money just don't seem to make it worth while.

As for other trips-- did Chile last year and going back in two weeks --- awesome trip. lots for fish, nice people. Overall, a great time -- otherwise wouldn't be going back.

This will probably be my last trip to Chile for awhile -- just too many other places I want to fish -- maybe Kamchatka but only a maybe.

Would like to hit the East Coast somehere in Canada for Atlantic Salmon or British Columbia for steelhead.

[flyfishfairwx]

I have looked at kamchatka on many occaisions but time, distance, and money just don't seem to make it worth while.

As for other trips-- did Chile last year and going back in two weeks --- awesome trip. lots for fish, nice people. Overall, a great time -- otherwise wouldn't be going back.

This will probably be my last trip to Chile for awhile -- just too many other places I want to fish -- maybe Kamchatka but only a maybe.

Would like to hit the East Coast somehere in Canada for Atlantic Salmon or British Columbia for steelhead.

East coast Canada - Ponds on the Miramichi in New Brunswick

[Jim Cramer]

I fished there in Aug 2000.

These are my general impressions.

1. Fish size greatly over hyped. 5# average is hard to meet when the first few fish are 14" long! We fished a non-steelhead river. Fish comparable to most Alaska rivers. It takes a VERY rich river with a lot of food to grow very larger trout - rivers that far north do not have that food supply.

2. Food simple , bland and non exciting.

3, Housing acceptable - individual tents with two cots and electric light bulb

4. A long ways to travel to fish. Don't miss your return flight three bad thing can happen - first, your visa will have expired; second you will most likely run out of cash; and third you will not of learned enough Russian to do any negotiations. * grin*

5. Guides - Generally marginal to average. Most are transferring techniques used in Montana or Alaska to the Kamchaka waters - they work but then again almost anything will work.

6. Fish are not sophisticated- most every works - bluegill poppers, hair mice, woolly buggers, small nymphs under an indicator, dries of all sizes, and on and on.

7. Don't have a medical problem - you are LONG ways from good help!

8. Value on a scale of 1 to 10 -- fishing a 5, experience an 8.

It was fun once but I would not return.

[rollcast]

Hey Jim...thanks.. that was kind of what I was expecting..Thought it sounded too good to be true.. That is a long ways to travel for fish sizes that are catchable closer to home. Hey Ortho.. Did you go to Chile through The Fly Shop? Whereabouts did you go/ are you going?

[Orthoman]

Rollcast --

No, I didn't go with the Fly Shop -- although the Fly Shop is relatively close to were I live and I'm in there several times a year -- really nice shop and probably the premier shop for fly fishing travel. They have lots of trips and if you call them, they will send you very complete information on trips to the area you are interested in.

I went with Rumbo Patagon - a small outfit in the Patagonia region of Chile - they have an agent in Oregon.

The Fly Shop - located in Redding, Calif., has trips that are pretty tricked out -- and I wanted to experience the country and the people as well as fish but I didn't want to go the Trout Bum diaries route.

You can get yourself into some really expensive trips -- golf courses, helicopter ridges, exquisite meals, etc -- I wanted a more down to earth trip. Rumbo is run by two brothers who are in their late 20's or early 30's -- and they are well known in the area they fish.
when you go with them, you get to know their kids and families and it is a more homey experience. They both have spent enough time in the States to speak english very well and they try like hell to make you happy and make everything go the way you expected.

Cost for me was about $3200 for 5 days of fishing and one day on each end -- arrived Sunday and left on Saturday. So, 7 days there -- 5 days fishing and by the way, you do fish 5 full days. When I was booking my first trip down, they had some great deals pop up because people cancelled out and they were trying to fill the spot on a moments notice -- and I mean really cheap--- my only problem would have been getting down there at a reasonable price at moments notice and also clearing my schedule.

Airfair is all over the place in terms of cost. Last year we did the internet - find the cheapest fare thing-- and won't do that again. Why? Because it took forever and flew all over the place to get there.

This year we are flying as direct as possible and just going to pay more to get there. Going to get to Chile a couple of days early to site see in Santiago.

Anyway, if you are interested, I would give Rumbo a good reference and also direct you to their web site. Before you go on any trip like this, have the outfitter give you references --- and, by all means call and check them out. I would shy away from any outfit that won't give you references.

I actually had intended to go with another company and asked for references. They said they would send them to me -- never got them. Rumbo gave me the references and I called each of them (about 5).

As you can tell, I sound a little too much like an advertisement and I don't mean to be. I just had a really great time and now I can hardly wait to get back down there on February 14th "08".

If I can get you anymore help, please let me know.

Best regards.

[rollcast]

Thanks for all of the replies. I did not mean for this to get nasty. I was just interested in hearing about some experiences with destination fishing, and Kamchatka seemed like a good one to start with, as I have heard many storiesabout Alaska and Argentina. I will probably never be able to go on one of these trips, since a.) I'm poor. b.) I'm afraid to fly. So its nice to live vicariously through the experiences that you all have had.

[Cfisher]

I have been posting on Kamchatka for the last couple weeks so if you missed it here is my take. I was there in August and it was simply incredible. I got WAY more than I expected. Fish size was 25+ inches AVERAGE. This is NO exagration (see photos). My trip to Kamchatka was through Moscow (the long way) and was still 100% worth it. As far as cost... the outfitter will cost you same as a week at a good lodge in AK, it's the flight that is the only large extra amount. I have fished in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Iceland, Europe and Ireland. Nothing came close to kamchatka. CFisher