Wet wading

Earlier years when were just talking about making silage, dark clouds started to gather around farm and certainly there was some rain when machines started to go on field. Now when we have own machines which are standing outside... no rain at all.  Well I don't really complain, yet some rain would be helpful for nature and rivers. 

Water temperature starts to be around 21-22 celsius which is easily too high for salmonide fishes. So my fishing is off the table now.

There have been lot of work around reindeer as they go villages and people's yard on weather like this. That is not place to be for reindeer yet it is place where they like to spend hottest moments as there is less horse flies and normally some wind. Just like some people wants to go beach on weather like this. So I and our dogs have been moving reindeers kind of lot after silage was done.

Tuesday I had guiding. It was really on limit if I will do it. Water temps was 20 celsius and guest came all the way from US and asked guiding for one as his wife had done all other plans for holiday and he wanted to do some fishing.  I really didn't want to leave man in misery, also you can always train casting or fish species which are not so sensitive.

I decided take him on down part of Kitka, it is one of favourite areas to fish, even it requires some hiking and especially return is heavy as you need to climb almost 30 floors. Area is easy to wade as it is mostly gravel, sand base, upper part is with bigger stones still easy and no big sharp rocks.

When I was making final decission I checked water temps and it was showing coolest for area, then I knew that there wouldn't be phone reception so my phone won't be ringing and having messages all the time. AND as it is easy to wade, I could do wet wading, just like on Sungai Tiang in Malaysia.

We arrived to parking lot and started to change, I just weared neoprene socks and wading shoes as I all ready had light trousers on, just what I had in Malaysia during river fishing. I have been doing Kitka few times with normal waders on similar heat and even more, It is not place for them. I was worried if water would felt too cold for feet as I don't go even swimming if lakes are not easily over 20 celsius.

When changing waders my guests tapped his leg and sound was hard, he lifted trousers and showed artificial leg. He had lost left leg on car accident when he was teenager. I was really happy about my decision to go fishing on that area, easily doable for him. At same time many questions came up, basically about how it works, which part is artificial, things which should be known when I took him wading and if something happens. Well I was not really worried that he wouldn't know as he was doctor, it was more like to get knowledge as I haven't had pirate before as a guest.

We had excellent day. He had some problems on rocky areas but only in few steps, sand and gravel was really easy for him. I recommended wading stick for him as he is fishing also in USA and it would help a lot during wading.

I gave him few tips to improve his casting and also we had session for roll cast as it is really usefull cast in many spots in any river. Afterwards he appreciated casting tips and he was really happy about improving his casting as he could felt difference and also see it. 

How was fishing? It was good as compared circumstances and he got one really nice grayling and I got two. I got mine more or less by accidentally as I was trying to just show fishing technique as know Mika's grayling dance. 

Wet wading was best decision by far. It was so nice to fish and guide as I was not melting inside waders, water started to felt too cold when it was coming closer to my nuts, yet otherwise it was just perfect. That will be taken on list on these hot days. 

Have a nice weekend and go fishing if waters are not too warm

Mika from Finland