A few facts about the Kalix river
The Kalix River is one of the premier Baltic Salmon rivers with an enormous production of wild salmon.
Salmon and trout Fishing in Kalix. According to the International Baltic Sea Fisheries Commission in 2005 our river produced over 500 000 wild salmon smolt. That made the Kalix River the Baltic’s largest producer of wild Salmon. The Kalix River has a reproduction area of over 2500 ha (IBSFC) that means only the Torneå River has the potential to produce more Baltic salmon than we do.
Baltic salmon are a large version of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) with a high average weight at spawning. By the time they begin their spawning migration they have reached a length of 50-110 cm and a weight of 2-20 kg. Average catch weight for Baltic Salmon is 6 kilos. Salmon can migrate a total of 300 kilometres up the Kalix River to Killingi waterfall and some even beyond that.
2006 was a poor year for Salmon with only3400 having negotiated the ladder uppstream at Jockfall. This is not as high as our record year 2001 with 9600 Salmon we can note that there are a larger percentage of MSW Salmon (large sexually mature Salmon) in our current years tally. This bodes well for the future of wild Baltic Salmon. Note that the Ängesån River is a tributary to the Kalix River and that no Ängesån Salmon negotiates the ladder at Jockfall. We therefore use the Salmon tally at Jockfall ladder as a means of measuring the percentage increase in Salmon in the River not as an absolute count on how many Salmon there are in our River.
Kamlunge and Bondeborg recommended of Salmon Fishermen.
The Kalix River is one of four National Rivers in Sweden and therefore protected from the building of hydroelectric power stations. River flows average about 52 m3/s during late summer. The Kalix river and tributaries are not only perfect for all kinds of fishing including some fantastic fly fishing beats but it is also stunningly beautiful giving you the ability to fish a pristine environment. Moose, reindeer, capercaillie, otter, ptarmigan and even the European bear are all animals that you may get to see while visiting our part of the world.
Kalix River Salmon, Photo P Öström.
Fishing Methods
When! The fishing season for the Kalix River opens as soon as the ice melts on the River we have no official opening date but the season closes the 31st of August. Spring and autumn is the most productive salmon-fishing period in the lower regions of the Kalix River. Exactly when the salmon run begins is subject to water flows in the river. The spring season in our stretch of the river is short and intensive while autumn fishing concentrates on salmon moving into nearby spawning areas. You can read more about water flows in the Kalix River and how they affect fishing in our water flow article . You can fish off-season in Sweden but your fishing is then strictly catch and release. Harling in September and October in the Kalix region can be very giving, a guide is necessary, but remember this is only catch and release time.
Kamlunge Salmon beat and camping ground and Bondeborg beat. Photo: L Åström & G Douglas.
Where! Kamlunge and Bondersbyn are two of the most interesting places for salmon fishing in the Kalix council region. Here you can fish one of the Kalix rivers most famous rapids the spectacular Kamlunge fall. Several accommodation options are available in this area. The Marieberg is fully licensed located right next to the river with cabin accomadation and can help to organise a boat and guide.
Angesän River C&R. Photo R Carlsson.
Regulations!
How! Fly, harling and spin fishing are all reliable methods to bag a salmon. If you are to fly fish then bright coloured flies are always popular mainly because our waters are dark humus stained. A Silver grey or Thunder and Lightening are one of the better bets in your fly box. If you are interested in finding out more about local flies then read our fly article. Spin fishermen often use steel weights and large tube flys. If you are to try harling in the lower regions of the river then I recommend that you hire a guide. A guide can lead you directly to the local Salmon hotspots thereby saving you a mass of time and also take care of all the essential details. Local guides are often expert wilderness chefs who in a jiffy can prepare one of our local specialities such as smoked fish on home baked crackers or why not a reindeer kebab. Again the tourist bureau or the “Kalix river association” can find you a guide.
Fisheries Licences! Our tourist bureau can organise the correct licence for you, average cost is about 100 Swedish crowns (approx. 7.6 £ / 10$ / 10.7 €) per day. You can contact us at (+)46 (0)923- 129 79.
Publicerad 2007-03-27 av Glenn Douglas