MURMANSK, July 07. /ITAR-TASS/. Former US President Jimmy Carter has arrived in Russia’s northern Murmansk region on the trail of giant Atlantic salmon.
Rod and line in hand, he's looking to reel in what could be a 13 kilogram catch to set aside for his 90th birthday on October 1.
The 39th US president from 1977 to 1981 arrived in Murmansk by private plane with 10 others aboard. July 12, he flies home, hopefully with the prize he seeks.
With wife and friends, Carter has already reached Ryaboga fishing grounds on the Ponoi River, flowing into the White Sea. Roman Savitsky, the general director of ZAO Reka Ponoi, that operates fishing camps on Ponoi, refused to comment on the details or program of former President Carter, but shared the general information on the fishing that takes place on Ponoi.
“All fishermen coming here catch big fish every day,” Savitsky said, adding that “experienced fishermen catch up to 10 salmon a day, the biggest weighing more than 13 kilograms”.
Fishing has brought Carter back to Russia second time around. Kamchatka called in 2004, rafting down the Zhupanova River, home to species special to the waters there. That venture caught him 63 centimeters of Kamchatka steelhead, which fishermen rate good luck.
If salmon's reckoned for the hopeful's birthday bash later this year, there's no catch for the table on this visit. Fish soup's off the menu — no special requests from the visitors, say the trip planners.