Flyfish's Reports

 

Info on the XXIth World Fly Fishing Championship where six teams were guided by Southern Lapland River Guides

- in Bjurholm -,

Sweden

4 - 14 August 2001

Sweden was the host of the 2001 FIPS-Mouche World Fly Fishing Competition in the town of Lycksele, Västerbotten in northern Sweden between 14 and 21 August. Four local clubs together with the Swedish Sportfishing Federation were in charge of all the arrangements. The Southern Lapland River Guides was engaged by six international teams to prepare them for the comp.

The championship was fished on three rivers: Vindelälven, Malån and Skeppträskån, and two lakes: Sörsjön and Hocksjön. The competitors fished one beat on each water. The competition sessions were divided into six sections of three hours and each competitor fished five of the six sections. There were two days for official practice: 15 and 16 August. Before that all teams had to prepare on their own for the competition. While all in all ten teams choose local guides for their preparation prior to the competition, the Southern Lapland River Guides were choosen by six teams to help them prepare. The teams were: Australia, Canada, Irland, New Zealand, South Africa and USA.

The competition was based in Lycksele which is 1,5 hours drive from Umeå and about 1-1,5 hours drive from the competition rivers. Some of the practice rivers were closer though and especially the teams in Bjurholm with the Southern Lapland River Guides had no longer than one half hour to any practice water

First teams arrived, (all transfers and lunch packs within the program) Sunday, August 5: , Welcome Dinner in Beaver Inn, Bjurholm. Free Fishing in Öre river. The Irish team practiced around Lycksele area for the whole period.

Monday, August 6: Practice Periods following the competiton time program. Team USA in upper Lögde. Team Australia, Lögde Musselbank. Get Toghether.

Tuesday, August 7: Practice Periods cont. Team USA, Lower Lögde. Team Australia, Lapwater lake. Team New Zealand, Öre river.

Wendsday, August 8: Practice Periods cont. Team USA, Vindelriver. Team Australia, Lögde river, Brook pool. Team New Zealand, Lögde river, Ormagga pool.

Thursday, August 9: Team USA, Lögde river, Beaver pool. Team Australia, Vindel river. Team New Zealand, Lapwater lake.

Friday, August 10: Team USA, Wolf river. Team Australia, Lapwater lake. Team New Zealand, Vindel river. Team South Africa, Öre river. Team Canada, Lögde river, Ormagga pool.

Friday evening, concert in Bjurholm Church with Kryspin Biegniewski from the Norrköping Symphony orchestra and his very talented 7 year old daughter on violins with Ingrid Jonsson, headmaster of the Linköping Music Acadamy on piano. Banquet for all participants in Beaver Inn.

Saturday, August 11: Team USA, Lake Västansjön. Team Australia, Öre river, Provaker pool. Team New Zealand, Lögde river, Brook Pool. Team South Africa, Lapwater lake. Team Canada, Wolf river.

Sunday, August 12: Team USA, Lögde river, Musselbank pool. Team Australia, Wolf river. Team New Zealand, Lake Västansjön. Team South Africa, Vindel river. Team Canada, Lapwater lake.
Official information on the Hocksjön and Sörsjön lakes.

Monday, August 13: Team USA, Lapwater lake. Team Australia, Lake Västansjön. Team New Zealand, Wolf river. Team South Africa, Lögde river, Ormagga pool. Team Canada, Vindel river.

Monday night, farewell party hosted by Bjurholm Turist AB and Southern Lapland River Guides with Sauna, wood heated hot tubes and local food like bear meat, reindeer and more at Gammelgården fishing Camp. All transfers Between Beaver Inn, Bjurholm and Gammelgården included.

Tuesday, August 14: All teams to competiton lodgings in Lycksele.

General Information on the area for the practice and competition. The Lycksele/Bjurholm region is perhaps one of Swedish Southern Lapland's premier trout fisheries.
A large number of streams, rivers, lakes and man made water reservoirs offer the fly fisher almost every conceivable challenge associated with their sport. From chasing the "Swedish alp's" charr painted in the color of the setting sun that selectively move at only the most delicate surface offering, to stalking the cruising Atlantic salmon that leap any falls to swim through the river pools still higher to spawn, or to fish the especially in June frantic evening rises of trout on sometimes mirror calm lappish lakes not to mention casting to the viely pike. There is something for everyone.

Situated just 120 kilometers west of Umeå, the Lycksele/Bjurholm area provide a famed playground for the outdoor enthusiast. Renowned for skiing and fishing, the area also offer a variety of other activities including trekking, kayaking, river rafting, horse riding, not to mention picking mushrooms!

Host town for the XIX World Fly Fishing Championships and in the heart of the Swedish Lapland is its main city of Lycksele, a smallish town with a variety of
shops, services and restaurants, including a zoo filled with the local wild animals you normally find: bear, wolf, lynx and others.
The town's multicultural character and activity-based lifestyle compliments the surrounding rugged scenery. Close to Lycksele lies the famed Elk Farm in Bjurholm, the popular home for wild moose where you can taste the unique and delicious Elk-cheese, developed by the former world cross country skiing champion Christer Johansson.

Adjacent to the Bjurholm area is the Kärringberget, an area with a wealth of streams and lakes so rich in aquatic life that sustains a wild population of brown trout, grayling, Atlantic salmon and sea trout. Also hard-fighting pike are found here, ready to take your fly. This is also an area proved suitable for the anglers preparing for the championships.

Across from there, to the other side of Lycksele, up the densely forested
roads, lies the competition waters in Malå with some of the best streams in Scandinavia for panning for gold. Here within a 120 km area of Lycksele the streams offer relief from the competition, putting recreational anglers in touch with the dream of yellow nuggets if fish are not found.

However these rugged woods are really a sports fisher's paradise, they offer the very best in fishing within an easily accessible area and were a worthy host to the 2001 - XXI:th World Fly Fishing Competition. So by choosing Southern Lapland River Guides, new visiting flyanglers will also find themselves well looked after and situated to take full part in any choosen fishing event in the area.

A scenic place at the Gammelgården Fishing Camp

Vindelälven, Malån and Skeppträskån, and the two lakes: Sörsjön and Hocksjön.

Rivers Vindelälven, Malån and Skeppträskån

Set in the semi-mountinous area between the swedish alps and the coast the three rivers are quite different from each other. Malån is a fairly slow flowing river characterized by riffly runs and pools. With a rock and gravel bottom the river provides a mixture of slightly weedy quieter areas and faster rocky broken water supporting both grayling and brown trout. Skeppträskån could be described in similar terms, while Vindelälven is much bigger and stronger with very varying caractaristic. There are fast rocky rapids with pocket waters and pools. In many views a huge, hard fished river and very hard to wade.

In August the grayling normally are up and feeding well on a variety of sedges while the brown trout are hunting for prey fish. Best flies include: Super Pupa, Red Tag, Elk Hair Caddis, Streaking Caddis and various nymphs like Hares Ear, also a variety of streamers.

Lake Sörsjön and Lake Hocksjön

Boat fishing: Similar waters although the smaller Lake Sörsjön has discreate bays that especially around midsummer produce E.Vulgata hatches. But during most of the fishing season, depending on the summer, numerous insects are hatching. Lake Sörsjön has brown trout with the average browns around 3 pound, but browns around 4-6 pounds are not uncommon.

The much larger Lake Hocksjön has some nice bays and the shorelines and points are inhabited by numerous hefty browns. Best flies for both lakes include: Woolly Worms, Streaking Caddis, Ombudsman, various Nymphs and numerous midge and streamer/lure patterns.

Malå River and Skeppträskån and for most of the trout fishing in the other rivers like Öre River and Lögde River: 8.5-9 foot rod, 4/5 weight, floating and intermediate lines (although #6 rods and heavier would suit Lögde better with its huge brownies and also Atlantic salmon and sea trout. (See comments on gear for Vindel River).

Vindelälven: 9-9,5 foot rod, 5/7 weight, floating, intermediate and sinking lines.

Lakes Sörsjön and Hocksjön: 9-10 foot rod, 6/8 weight line, floating, intermediate, slow sink and rapid sink lines.

Fly Sizes for River Fishing: Dry fly should generally be kept between size 10 - 14.
Nymph sizes probably between 8 and 16, same as Wet fly sizes.

Fly Sizes for Lake Fishing: Streamer patterns are recommended in sizes 6 - 10.
Nymphs in sizes 10 - 18. Midge in sizes 12 - 20.
Wet fly patterns are recommended in sizes 10 - 16, caddis in 12 - 16.


Practice and Non Competition Waters

There are numerous practice and non competition waters available in each area. Some exemples below:

Bjurholm/Lycksele area - the River Örån (Öreälven), Lögde River, The Creek Paubäcken and Wolf River.

Åsele/Lycksele area - Lake Rödingträsket.

Lycksele/Robertsfors area - The River Rickleå, River Sävarån.

Bjurholm/Nordmaling area - the River Hörneå, with some general info here on the area.

Sorsele area - upper Vindelriver, the River Laisan, Juktån and Stora Harrträsket.

Vindeln/Åmsele area - the River Åman, Vindelälven.

WELCOME TO SWEDEN

See you on the waters!

Southern Lapland River Guides:
Nicke Romanenko, Guide
Calle Holmqvist, Guide
Per Brannstrom, Guide
Mats Johansson, Guide
Martin Johansson, Guide
Sean Andrews, Guide and Professional Fly Tier
Harry Salmgren, Guide and Coordinator
Anders Boström, The SLRG Client Physician
For contact by phone or mail, please use GSM: +46 (0) 709 309 909
salmgren@flyfish.pp.se

Please observe that the information above about the competition is now outdated. The information reflecting the gear, flies and waters is still valid but mainly for the previous competition areas or similar. However since the area is well known to us and we all work in the area as guides, we would welcome any questions about gear and/or guiding if you like to flyfish with a guide for Atlantic salmon, sea trout or pike too for that matter.

Normally we guide for all the flyfishing found in the area which cover both sea and streams, from boat and shore.

For programs and costs, please take a look here at The Southern Lapland Riverguides Site 2003.

For any questions or further information please mail: Flyfish

Welcome to Southern Swedish Lapland, Sweden.