RIVER STORIES
RIVER STORIES
Dive into the moments, myths, and memories that shaped the Yokanga into a world-renowned fly fishing sanctuary.
Dive into the moments, myths, and memories that shaped the Yokanga into a world-renowned fly fishing sanctuary.
Legendary Waters.
Unforgettable Tales.
Legendary Waters.
Unforgettable Tales.
This is where the soul of the Yokanga comes to life — a curated collection of firsthand stories from those who shaped its heritage, forged its myth, and experienced the magic of one of the last true trophy salmon rivers on Earth.
When the rods are packed away, the wild opens in new ways. Yokanga isn’t just a destination for world-class anglers — it’s a remote retreat where nature takes center stage.
The Beginning
The Beginning
The Yokanga lay far beyond the reach of roads, hidden away in the raw folds of the Kola Peninsula where tundra meets wind and horizon. From above, it appeared as a glistening silver vein running through endless wilderness, twisting and breaking over stone ledges before plunging north, towards the Barents Sea. The nearest trace of habitation is the ghost of the old village of Yokanga. Sat eight kilometres downstream where rusted fuel drums were left behind as the river reclaimed what was theirs, swallowing paths, wharfs, and fences beneath moss and silence.
Now the valley belonged to the river alone, its voice was everywhere as the deep rush of water filled the valley with a constant hum. Never silent and never still, it spoke in undertones, travelling against stone and tundra. Reaching the salmon that rested in the tails of each pool, their sides flashing like molten metal in the current of the cold green depths. They were as wild as the river itself, having learnt to overcome the vast oceans and icy springs, each one emerging hardened by the long migrations and the life-threatening pursuit of their predators. They were ready for a fight, and when a salmon rose to the fly, whether it was a sleek Sunray Shadow cutting through the current or a bright Collie Dog skating on the surface, the moment always came without warning. The line drew tight mid- current, a sharp jolt would run through the rod, followed by a heavy, unmistakable pulse of life. Then came the chaos and the thrill: the reel would start screaming and the drag would whine under pressure as the fish ran hard for the tail of the pool. The angler braced himself against the pull as the backing hissed through the guides. For a few breathless seconds, the angler felt nothing but the river’s pull, and the raw strength of something that had crossed half the world to be there. Relentless, cold, and absolute.
No one could tame the Yokanga. It was too remote, too cold, and too old. It carried the ghosts of its fishermen and the memory of its past, and even now when a fly drifted over a pool and the line came tight, the river seemed to remember. Answering with the same ancient and unrelenting strength.
It’s hard to imagine a place where adventure and comfort meet more naturally than at the Yokanga River Lodge, or a time when the River belonged entirely to the wild. Its waters are untamed and primordial amidst the luxury of the lodge, rugged on the outside, refined within. Although the Yokanga River Lodge now thrives in both sophistication and immersion within the rugged wilderness, not so long ago the Lodge was merely a dream, a figment of someone’s imagination. Today it stands as living proof of what desire and determination can achieve.
With contracts up for grabs on several rivers on the Kola, John Horlock and his peers, a group of avid fishermen from the UK decided to investigate the unthinkable and in December 1997 they secured a 15-year lease for the fishing rights of the entire Yokanga river.
They were all experienced fishermen and skilled anglers, but never before had they found the strength or the grace of these specimens in the Russian rivers. The monstrous Salmon had spent years in the pelagic waters of the Barents Sea, feeding in silence beneath endless light, growing stronger on the restless drift of tides, their bodies forged and hardened by distance. Nothing could stop them once the pull of the river began, drawn to the scent of their birth-streams and their deep ancestral calling not explicable through a map. Awaiting their arrival on the banks, were the anglers. Between them and the Salmon, the old contest began, instinct against patience, wild will against craft, the struggle that joined two worlds: the ocean’s endless reach and the arc of human persistence.
Amazed by the specimens they hooked, and captivated by the excellence of the salmon, they resolved to do the unthinkable, to lease a river of their own. It was an audacious idea; leasing a river anywhere was difficult enough, but in Russia, it had simply never been done before. John Horlock knew all too well that this was going to be a challenge. The process was slow and complicated, but the dream persisted. They imagined a place where anglers could meet the last true Atlantic salmon on its own terms, a river untouched, remote and alive with the power of the North.
A short video of a river was sent to them after the signing of the contract, and any doubts they had quickly vanished, replaced by instant excitement and desire to start their new project. After the search that had spread across the whole of the Kola peninsula, they had finally found it, the Jewel in the Crown of the Kola, the Yokanga.
They decided to see the river for themselves. The only true way to understand its power was to surrender to the wilderness. The first opportunity they had to visit the river was late June in 1998. They pitched their tents on the tundra, low birch and moss-strewn stones brushing the edges, as they let their eyes follow the rushing current, making its way through the valley. The river roared past them, and their minds drifted beneath the surface, chasing the hidden shapes sliding through the waters below. They tried to focus their eyes enough on the depths where the salmon waited, strong and cunning, ready to test their skill and patience. Each cast carried the hope of a take, each pool a chance to draw a salmon into the water and feel the line tighten against the drag. On the second evening, as one of John's peers stood knee-deep in the stream, the fly vanished in a surge; the reel began to scream, and the rod bowed deep against the pull. For a moment, everything vanished but the hiss of the line and the bend of graphite, as the raw power coursed through the rod. When the fish finally came to hand, its flanks glinted with cold light before it slipped through their fingertips back into the depths, leaving them silent and in awe on the bank. From that moment, the Yokanga had claimed them, and they were captivated. John could not be pulled away, and it surprised no one that the others had become as mesmerised and captured by the river as him. Every cast, and every sudden take reminded them of what they had found, their excitement spilt over; they had to share this discovery with those who could understand its worth and share their mutual thrill. They imagined the most passionate of their peers, craftsmen of the line, champions, avid anglers, standing in these waters, meeting the same wild strength that had taken hold of them. Few rivers offered such unsurpassable conditions, such honesty in the contest between fish and angler. This was more than a river, it was a proving ground and as far as they knew it could be the pinnacle of the North, it could be the best place in the world.
The salmon’s strength was unmatched, head-shaking fighters that peeled off drag, raced through pockets and runs, and refused to yield until exhaustion took hold. The specimen that inhabited the Yokanga was one of the largest and strongest wild Atlantic salmon left on Earth. It was the reason anglers travelled halfway across the globe to fish it, the river’s combination of deep pools, heavy currents and wild scenery made every experience legendary. The salmon remaining wild, strong and genetically pure, is often called the last stronghold of the true giant Atlantic salmon. Every hook-up was a test of technique and instinct, each battle leaving the anglers exhilarated and proud. Leaving the river’s embrace was never easy; the thrill of these relentless adversaries lingered long after the last cast.
It was then that they began to imagine how others might one day share this experience. They needed to build an accommodation for people to stay in as they explored the river. Tents were useful but temporary, and since they weren’t able to legally build anything that was permanently attached to the ground, they had to come up with an idea that would honour the wilderness and adapt to its rhythms. The conditions on the Yokanga were not only rough but almost unlivable, definitely not your typical construction site, and after careful consideration, they realised, the only thing that they could place into this type of wilderness, was a lodge. A place for fellow anglers, their peers, those who could feel the pulse of the river and the thrill of a perfect strike – to step directly into the heart of the Yokanga. Guests would not merely observe the wilderness; they would become part of it, immersed in both the raw beauty of Russia’s north and the relentless challenge of its most powerful river. This was the beginning of what would soon become one of the world’s best fly-fishing venues.
Building such a lodge, however, was no simple task. Proposals were considered from Norway, Finland, and Canada; all regions accustomed to the edge of the tundra, where the wilderness meets the Arctic’s raw power. In the end, the Canadian design was chosen. Its builder was not only experienced in extreme environments but also a fisherman, someone who understood instinctively what the Yokanga demanded. Few could grasp why an angler would travel such lengths to face these salmon, why every battle with the river’s giants was worth the effort. The lodge itself was built in Canada, then disassembled and packed into twelve 20-ton containers. Due to the complexity of the operation, the containers were then sent to the UK, where John and his team were busy filling two more 20-ton containers with the necessities for the Lodge’s interior. Once the containers arrived they chartered a Russian ship that would continue the transportation upstream to the mouth of the Yokanga and then airlifted by MI-26 helicopters to the carefully chosen site. The location placed anglers within walking distance of prime pools, where the current slowed just enough to create exceptional fishing conditions — allowing them to step from the lodge straight into the water without long treks. Construction was completed in early 2000, in conditions unlike any ordinary building site.
The Yokanga changes you. Its salmon are among the largest and most powerful wild Atlantic salmon left on Earth, and catching one is a test of every skill an angler possesses. Hard-running, head-shaking, and relentless in their fight, these fish pull line from the reel, dart through pockets and tailouts, and challenge your patience, technique, and endurance. Many leave with personal bests or the fish of a lifetime; others are humbled, learning discipline, timing, and respect from the river itself. The sensation is primal, the pulse of the line, the spray from a fish breaking the surface, the surge of power in your hands, a reminder that here, you are part of something greater.
Passion fuels the lodge, and careful preservation ensures the river’s survival. This is not just a river. It is the jewel in the crown of the Kola, where the world’s most extraordinary salmon meet anglers prepared to match them.
Here, you do not buy the fish; you reserve the chance to engage with it, to belong to a rare and relentless pursuit.
Written by
Ciara Hart Gonzalez
November 2025
The Beginning
The Yokanga lay far beyond the reach of roads, hidden away in the raw folds of the Kola Peninsula where tundra meets wind and horizon. From above, it appeared as a glistening silver vein running through endless wilderness, twisting and breaking over stone ledges before plunging north, towards the Barents Sea. The nearest trace of habitation is the ghost of the old village of Yokanga. Sat eight kilometres downstream where rusted fuel drums were left behind as the river reclaimed what was theirs, swallowing paths, wharfs, and fences beneath moss and silence.
Now the valley belonged to the river alone, its voice was everywhere as the deep rush of water filled the valley with a constant hum. Never silent and never still, it spoke in undertones, travelling against stone and tundra. Reaching the salmon that rested in the tails of each pool, their sides flashing like molten metal in the current of the cold green depths. They were as wild as the river itself, having learnt to overcome the vast oceans and icy springs, each one emerging hardened by the long migrations and the life-threatening pursuit of their predators. They were ready for a fight, and when a salmon rose to the fly, whether it was a sleek Sunray Shadow cutting through the current or a bright Collie Dog skating on the surface, the moment always came without warning. The line drew tight mid- current, a sharp jolt would run through the rod, followed by a heavy, unmistakable pulse of life. Then came the chaos and the thrill: the reel would start screaming and the drag would whine under pressure as the fish ran hard for the tail of the pool. The angler braced himself against the pull as the backing hissed through the guides. For a few breathless seconds, the angler felt nothing but the river’s pull, and the raw strength of something that had crossed half the world to be there. Relentless, cold, and absolute.
No one could tame the Yokanga. It was too remote, too cold, and too old. It carried the ghosts of its fishermen and the memory of its past, and even now when a fly drifted over a pool and the line came tight, the river seemed to remember. Answering with the same ancient and unrelenting strength.
It’s hard to imagine a place where adventure and comfort meet more naturally than at the Yokanga River Lodge, or a time when the River belonged entirely to the wild. Its waters are untamed and primordial amidst the luxury of the lodge, rugged on the outside, refined within. Although the Yokanga River Lodge now thrives in both sophistication and immersion within the rugged wilderness, not so long ago the Lodge was merely a dream, a figment of someone’s imagination. Today it stands as living proof of what desire and determination can achieve.
With contracts up for grabs on several rivers on the Kola, John Horlock and his peers, a group of avid fishermen from the UK decided to investigate the unthinkable and in December 1997 they secured a 15-year lease for the fishing rights of the entire Yokanga river.
They were all experienced fishermen and skilled anglers, but never before had they found the strength or the grace of these specimens in the Russian rivers. The monstrous Salmon had spent years in the pelagic waters of the Barents Sea, feeding in silence beneath endless light, growing stronger on the restless drift of tides, their bodies forged and hardened by distance. Nothing could stop them once the pull of the river began, drawn to the scent of their birth-streams and their deep ancestral calling not explicable through a map. Awaiting their arrival on the banks, were the anglers. Between them and the Salmon, the old contest began, instinct against patience, wild will against craft, the struggle that joined two worlds: the ocean’s endless reach and the arc of human persistence.
Amazed by the specimens they hooked, and captivated by the excellence of the salmon, they resolved to do the unthinkable, to lease a river of their own. It was an audacious idea; leasing a river anywhere was difficult enough, but in Russia, it had simply never been done before. John Horlock knew all too well that this was going to be a challenge. The process was slow and complicated, but the dream persisted. They imagined a place where anglers could meet the last true Atlantic salmon on its own terms, a river untouched, remote and alive with the power of the North.
A short video of a river was sent to them after the signing of the contract, and any doubts they had quickly vanished, replaced by instant excitement and desire to start their new project. After the search that had spread across the whole of the Kola peninsula, they had finally found it, the Jewel in the Crown of the Kola, the Yokanga.
They decided to see the river for themselves. The only true way to understand its power was to surrender to the wilderness. The first opportunity they had to visit the river was late June in 1998. They pitched their tents on the tundra, low birch and moss-strewn stones brushing the edges, as they let their eyes follow the rushing current, making its way through the valley. The river roared past them, and their minds drifted beneath the surface, chasing the hidden shapes sliding through the waters below. They tried to focus their eyes enough on the depths where the salmon waited, strong and cunning, ready to test their skill and patience. Each cast carried the hope of a take, each pool a chance to draw a salmon into the water and feel the line tighten against the drag. On the second evening, as one of John's peers stood knee-deep in the stream, the fly vanished in a surge; the reel began to scream, and the rod bowed deep against the pull. For a moment, everything vanished but the hiss of the line and the bend of graphite, as the raw power coursed through the rod. When the fish finally came to hand, its flanks glinted with cold light before it slipped through their fingertips back into the depths, leaving them silent and in awe on the bank. From that moment, the Yokanga had claimed them, and they were captivated. John could not be pulled away, and it surprised no one that the others had become as mesmerised and captured by the river as him. Every cast, and every sudden take reminded them of what they had found, their excitement spilt over; they had to share this discovery with those who could understand its worth and share their mutual thrill. They imagined the most passionate of their peers, craftsmen of the line, champions, avid anglers, standing in these waters, meeting the same wild strength that had taken hold of them. Few rivers offered such unsurpassable conditions, such honesty in the contest between fish and angler. This was more than a river, it was a proving ground and as far as they knew it could be the pinnacle of the North, it could be the best place in the world.
The salmon’s strength was unmatched, head-shaking fighters that peeled off drag, raced through pockets and runs, and refused to yield until exhaustion took hold. The specimen that inhabited the Yokanga was one of the largest and strongest wild Atlantic salmon left on Earth. It was the reason anglers travelled halfway across the globe to fish it, the river’s combination of deep pools, heavy currents and wild scenery made every experience legendary. The salmon remaining wild, strong and genetically pure, is often called the last stronghold of the true giant Atlantic salmon. Every hook-up was a test of technique and instinct, each battle leaving the anglers exhilarated and proud. Leaving the river’s embrace was never easy; the thrill of these relentless adversaries lingered long after the last cast.
It was then that they began to imagine how others might one day share this experience. They needed to build an accommodation for people to stay in as they explored the river. Tents were useful but temporary, and since they weren’t able to legally build anything that was permanently attached to the ground, they had to come up with an idea that would honour the wilderness and adapt to its rhythms. The conditions on the Yokanga were not only rough but almost unlivable, definitely not your typical construction site, and after careful consideration, they realised, the only thing that they could place into this type of wilderness, was a lodge. A place for fellow anglers, their peers, those who could feel the pulse of the river and the thrill of a perfect strike – to step directly into the heart of the Yokanga. Guests would not merely observe the wilderness; they would become part of it, immersed in both the raw beauty of Russia’s north and the relentless challenge of its most powerful river. This was the beginning of what would soon become one of the world’s best fly-fishing venues.
Building such a lodge, however, was no simple task. Proposals were considered from Norway, Finland, and Canada; all regions accustomed to the edge of the tundra, where the wilderness meets the Arctic’s raw power. In the end, the Canadian design was chosen. Its builder was not only experienced in extreme environments but also a fisherman, someone who understood instinctively what the Yokanga demanded. Few could grasp why an angler would travel such lengths to face these salmon, why every battle with the river’s giants was worth the effort. The lodge itself was built in Canada, then disassembled and packed into twelve 20-ton containers. Due to the complexity of the operation, the containers were then sent to the UK, where John and his team were busy filling two more 20-ton containers with the necessities for the Lodge’s interior. Once the containers arrived they chartered a Russian ship that would continue the transportation upstream to the mouth of the Yokanga and then airlifted by MI-26 helicopters to the carefully chosen site. The location placed anglers within walking distance of prime pools, where the current slowed just enough to create exceptional fishing conditions — allowing them to step from the lodge straight into the water without long treks. Construction was completed in early 2000, in conditions unlike any ordinary building site.
The Yokanga changes you. Its salmon are among the largest and most powerful wild Atlantic salmon left on Earth, and catching one is a test of every skill an angler possesses. Hard-running, head-shaking, and relentless in their fight, these fish pull line from the reel, dart through pockets and tailouts, and challenge your patience, technique, and endurance. Many leave with personal bests or the fish of a lifetime; others are humbled, learning discipline, timing, and respect from the river itself. The sensation is primal, the pulse of the line, the spray from a fish breaking the surface, the surge of power in your hands, a reminder that here, you are part of something greater.
Passion fuels the lodge, and careful preservation ensures the river’s survival. This is not just a river. It is the jewel in the crown of the Kola, where the world’s most extraordinary salmon meet anglers prepared to match them.
Here, you do not buy the fish; you reserve the chance to engage with it, to belong to a rare and relentless pursuit.
Written by
Ciara Hart Gonzalez
November 2025
At Yokanga River Lodge, immerse yourself in refined wilderness comfort while pursuing the fiercest Atlantic salmon on Earth—where every cast feels like the story of a lifetime.
At Yokanga River Lodge, immerse yourself in refined wilderness comfort while pursuing the fiercest Atlantic salmon on Earth—where every cast feels like the story of a lifetime.
At Yokanga River Lodge, immerse yourself in refined wilderness comfort while pursuing the fiercest Atlantic salmon on Earth—where every cast feels like the story of a lifetime.
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Start your journey.
We look forward to crafting your adventure
We look forward to crafting your adventure
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