The Steelhead Frontier

Kamchatkan Steelhead Project

By Lost Coast Outfitters

October 1^st, 2018

Steelheaders have physically and mentally prepared themselves for adverse conditions, poor fishing, and even complete fishing failure. Were we about to touch lightning or sit in our tents for the next 12 days drinking vodka and telling stories about better trips? No hatcheries, no dams, no impact, is the holy grail of steelhead? Is it going to live up to our expectations? What do we even expect?

The thought of genetically pure, uncut Kamchatkan Steelhead pouring into pristine rivers writhed in our minds. We were headed to an unfamiliar land to participate in a scientific research project led by the American and Russian alliance. To a land that has escaped the plague of humanity that has decimated wildlife and fish populations around the world.

Some trips extend far before the day you leave and the day you come back. This trip has spent more time on my mind than perhaps any other. This trip started about 10 years ago with this photo of Ryan Lampers, Scott Howell, and Will Blair all holding up chrome Steelhead. The question of where the photo taken consumed me. Steelheaders can get a spontaneous bout of lock jaw just as the question of "where?" comes up. Scott is no exception, but in this case he was not afraid the share this far off and protected locale. “Russia” he said with a slanted grin.

I began researching going to Russia only to be devastated that there wasn't DIY version of this trip, only a ten thousand dollar research project you could join. Fishing for steelhead is illegal in Russia and you need a special permit provided through a research project. As a 20-year college student working full time, this would not happen anytime soon. Fast forward to 2017, when I began to plan how I was going to celebrate my 30th birthday. So, I called up Justin Miller at the Fly Shop, pictured to the left making friends in Russia, about the possibility. He Said "Dude, we gotta get you to Russia!" He said he'd work on figuring it out. A few weeks later he called back and told I needed to get to work on filling the week.

Mi-8 Helicopters

As I called around looking for sports who were game to go on the trip I heard "I don't want to die in one of those helicopters." If you were so inclined to do some research you'd find they are among some of the most impressive helicopters ever created. With a 32 person capacity and a max take off weight of 28,600 pounds they are very impressive machines. We flew for hours over nothing but pure wilderness. Over rivers, tundra and mountains. The whine and whirl of the very un-luxurous Mi-8 helicopter pierced my skull, but having not slept for 32 hours or so I managed an hour or two of shut eye.

Camp

Home for the next 10 days. Guest quarters consisted of canvas tents with a wood stove (called piggy for it's resemblance to a pig), two cots, a series of nails and ropes to dry your gear, and a light. There was a run down shack that was our dinning room with a minuscule kitchen that somehow fed 15 people on time twice a day. We had 2 shitters, 2 showers, and supply tent. You were likely to freeze your ass off at night, be woken up by the bear dogs, or maybe bit by one of the mega spiders roaming around in the tent. We loved it.