Lower reaches of the Yama River (October, photo of M.Zasypkin)

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YAMA RIVER FISHING TOURS

There is no doubt that Yama is the best river in the vicinity of Magadan.

Yama River flows out of a chain of lakes on the altitude of 900 m above the sea level, its length is 285 km. Yama is inhabited by numerous Salmonid fish - Dolly Varden charr (Salvelinus malma), yellow-mouth charr (Salvelinus levanidovi), white-spotted charr or kundsha (Salvelinus leucomaenis), Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus), and 4 species of Pacific salmon: pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), chum (O. keta) and coho (O. kisutsch). Yellow-mouth charr is a little-known endemic species, it inhabits only some rivers of the Okhotsk Sea coast.

The largest specimens of Arctic grayling in the Yama River can be as big as 2 kg, Dolly Varden charr - 3-6 kg, yellow-mouth charr – 6 kg, and kundsha - 12 kg. All these species are excellent game-fishes. Yama River is a great place for any fly-fisherman, skillful or beginner. We guarantee good catches of trophy Arctic grayling (normally around 0,8 kg) and Dolly Varden charr with a small dry fly and #4 or #5 rod, and at the same day you can fish for chum and coho salmon with #8 or 9 rod. Yama River offers some unique fly-fishing possibilities, such as:

·         fishing for endemic yellow-mouth charr

·         fishing for white-spotted charr (kundsha)

·         coho fishing in lake-like sloughs with dry or light sub-surface wet flies and floating line.  

Yama River charrs (top to bottom): Dolly Varden, yellow-mouth, kundzha

Description of the Yama River fishing tour (Studenaya Lodge)

We have constructed a fishing lodge in the best area of the Yama River (50 km from the sea). Accommodation is in log cabins. The lodge has a spacious dining / meeting room with a fireplace, 110/220 V electric generator, and satellite phone. During floating tour our guests live in tents.

The best fishing season is from 15 August till the end of September. We suggest that our guests bring with them the following equipment:

·         fishing tackle

·         sleeping bag

·         hip-boots or (better) chest-waders

·         all-weather clothes (for the temperature 0 - +20*Celsius)

·         mosquito repellents, head net;

We provide the rubber rowing boats (carrying capacity 400 kg) and "Zodiac" motor boat with a jet-motor, safety jackets.

Description of the Yama Lodge fishing tour day by day
Optimal duration of the tour is 10 days

1st day. Meeting at the airport. Delivery to the helipad. Helicopter flight to Yama River - one hour. Lunch. Fishing. Supper.

2nd-8th days. Breakfast. We give our fishermen box lunches and cool drinks for the day. Some fishermen could fish near the lodge or float downstream from the lodge by rubber raft. The others will be transported by motor boat to the fishing holes upstream from the lodge.
These fishermen will float by rubber raft to the lodge - to arrive over there by the evening. Fishermen, who will fish downstream, will be taken to the lodge by motorboat in evening. Supper.

9th day. Breakfast. Preparation for departure to Magadan. Fishing not far from the lodge. In the afternoon - flight to Magadan. Accommodation in hotel. Shopping. Farewell party in the restaurant.

10th day. Breakfast. Excursions to the geological and mineralogical museums and the museum of local lore, shopping. Delivery to the airport. Departure.

In price are included:

·        Meeting at the Magadan airport (50 km from the city)

·        Bus transfer to the helicopter landing pad

·        Helicopter transfer to the lodge and back to Magadan

·        Accommodation and food at the lodge (2 fishermen in a room)

·        Guiding, interpreting 

·        Using of rubber rafts; jet-boat transportation to fishing places

·        All permits and licenses (fishing license, border guard permit, pass to Magadan Natural Preserve)

·        Guided excursion in Magadan  

·        Bus transfer to Magadan airport

Not included: beverages, accommodation in hotel and food in Magadan

Description of the Yama floating fishing tour (tent camp) day by day

A group of fishermen near the mouth of Levaya Yama River. 

Optimal duration of the tour is 10 days

1st day. Meeting at the airport. Bus or truck trip to the upper reaches of the Yama River – 3-4 hours.

2nd-8th days. Breakfast. Preparation for the floating. Every day the cook gives fishermen box lunches and soft drinks for the day. Floating and fishing. The guides will transport the tent camp to the new place - 5-8 km downstream. In the evening fishermen gather in the tent camp. Supper.  

9th day. Breakfast. Preparation for departure to Magadan. Fishing not far from the tent camp. In the afternoon - helicopter flight to Magadan. Accommodation in hotel. Shopping. Farewell party in the restaurant.

10th day. Breakfast. Excursions to the geological and mineralogical museums, and the city museum, shopping. Transportation to the airport. Departure.

In price are included:

·        Meeting at the Magadan airport (50 km from the city)

·        Bus or truck transfer to starting point of the float

·        Tents, camp-gear, and food during the float-trip

·        Guiding, interpreting 

·        Using of rubber rafts  

·        All permits and licenses (fishing license, border guard permit, pass to Magadan Natural Preserve)

·        Helicopter transfer back to Magadan

·        Guided excursion in Magadan  

·        Bus transfer to Magadan airport

Not included: beverages, accommodation in hotel and food in Magadan

Another option of the Yama float trip is to use helicopter to come directly to the middle reaches of the river. This makes it possible to limit the float by the lower part of the drainage with best fishing. The Upper Yama is beautiful and swift, but the numbers of fish are here not as high.

This French fishermen has 3 rods with a silver salmon on each of them

  Success of sport-fishing for different Salmonid fish in the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk

0 – no biting, * - some specimens, + - good probability of success, ++ - best season.