Lake Ilmen - description, fishing and recreation

Lake Ilmen is a large reservoir in the west of the Novgorod region. It has picturesque shores and a thousand-year history of development. It is rich in a variety of fish and is often visited by tourists and fishermen.

Description of Lake Ilmen

Lake Ilmen is a unique body of water in its own way - its area depends on the water level and varies widely (733...2090 sq. km). The average value is 982 sq. km. The reservoir is post-glacial and is 45 km long and 35 km wide. The maximum depth on it is 10 m.

The shores of the lake are low-lying and swampy almost throughout. There are deltoid areas. The floodplain of the reservoir is dotted with numerous channels and floodplain islands. From the northeast, on the banks there are elongated ridges, between which there are depressions.

Almost fifty rivers and streams flow into the lake, which is part of the Vyshnevolotsk water system. They provide mainly his nutrition. The largest and most famous among fishermen are: Msta, Veryazha, Veronda, Pola, Shelon, Lovat. Only one river, the Volkhov, flows out of the reservoir, which connects it with Lake Ladoga. The range of fluctuations in water level in Ilmen is 7.4 m. The maximum is observed in May, the minimum in March. Ice covers the surface in November and lasts until April.

There are many organic impurities in the lake waters. Their presence gives the water a brownish or yellowish color. The water in the reservoir warms up very little in deep places, and in the summer, within shallow waters, it quickly blooms.

The bottom of the lake is almost flat. There are almost no holes, depressions, or places covered with snags.

Fishing on Lake Ilmen

There are plenty of places to go fishing on the lake – you can catch fish on it almost everywhere. By the way, it is called “golden mine” because of this. But there are places popular with fishermen, where they come more often and in large numbers. One of them is located on the southern coast, near the settlement of Vzvad. It has been known for a long time and is mentioned even in the chronicles of the 12th century as a place where princes often fished and hunted.

By the way, most fishing routes around the lake begin from Vzvad, so if you decide to go to Ilmen, you should plan your route to this place. The settlement itself is located at the mouth of the Lovatka River and is surrounded by a very large number of channels, lakes, bays, in which there is a lot of fish and where everyone can find the most suitable place and fishing conditions for them.

Promising places for fishing are places at the mouths of rivers that carry their waters into Lake Ilmen, and next to them. It is especially worth paying attention to the estuary pits. You can go to the villages of Navolok, Kuritsko, Erunovo, Golino, near which there are also fishing spots.

It is better to fish on Ilmen from a boat, since most of the reservoir is inaccessible without it. While here, you should take into account the weather conditions in the area of the reservoir. South-west winds often blow on it, which raise large waves on the lake. At this time, it is dangerous to go out on a boat - all fishing is concentrated in the bays, of which there are many, and in the estuary sections of the rivers flowing into Ilmen.

Spinning fishing

Most often, spinning anglers come to Ilmen for pike and perch. Other predatory fish, such as ide, asp, pike perch, are very rare in the reservoir, which is why no one catches them purposefully anymore.

Lately, less and less perch has been caught. The reason for this is the business interests of many private entrepreneurs and companies around this reservoir, which are engaged in supplying this type of fish to the Scandinavian countries. They have stopped considering minke whales to be “trash” fish and are now purposefully hunting for them, reducing the population at an unprecedented rate. It has already reached the point that some businessmen practice buying perch catches from fishermen without leaving the shore of the lake; They especially practice this in winter, when catching stripers from the ice.

In the summer, predators are caught almost always using artificial baits, among which twisters, spoons and poppers take precedence. They spin using conventional methods; many fishermen fish with jigs. The last method on Ilmen is ideal, since the bottom is not cluttered with any obstacles on which you can leave the bait.

Catching predators using other methods

Pike and pike perch are also caught well on mugs and girders. Local fishermen and those who come to fish on the lake use different modifications of them, which are not very common in other regions. For example, they make something like circles right on the spot, in which plastic bottles closed with caps are used as a floating part of the gear. A piece of fishing line or cord is tied to the neck of the bottle and wound around its body. At the end of the cord there is a monofilament leash carrying a double hook. A leash, by the way, is made by folding a piece of fishing line in half, and its reliability is increased by tying several knots along its length.

Use the described gear like this. Unwind the required piece of fishing line from the body of the bottle and fix its length in a mini-cut, which is made in advance in the lid. After bait is placed on the hook, the tackle is released into free swimming. They launch several of them across the pond, and usually check them towards the end of the fishing trip, and maybe even more often.

Fishing with a float rod

Fishermen on Lake Ilmen usually use this gear to catch white fish. Most often the catches include bream, ide, silver bream, and roach. Moreover, the listed fish do not have any particular preferences for certain types of bait. They are all well caught with dough, and with a worm (any kind), and with bread, and with maggots, and with pearl barley. This simplifies preparation for fishing, reduces the cost of purchasing them, and allows, in certain situations, to use practically available products.

All known float gear is used on the lake. Very often these are fly rods, which are convenient when fishing in creeks and estuaries, where you don’t need to cast bait far. Match rods are in use, mostly used by fishermen from the shore. Those who catch fish up to medium size use Bolognese fishing rods.

It is best to fish for whitefish from the western shore of the reservoir. Here there is less underwater vegetation in the water, and there is more silt at the bottom. There are also more opportunities to hope for a decent catch. In terms of the size of the fish caught, it usually includes a maximum of medium-sized specimens. If you feed the place well at first, you can catch more fish.

Fishing without a boat on the Ilmen, due to the swampy shores, is problematic without appropriate shoes. If you come to the pond with a watercraft or rent it from the locals, then the likelihood of a decent catch is always higher. And the search for promising places is greatly simplified.

Donkey fishing

They fish, and many fishermen do, on the lake with bottom gear. These include regular donks, those mounted on spinning rods, and feeders. As with correction gear, it is better to position it on the same western shore of the reservoir.

They hunt with bottom gear the same fish as with float rods: roach, ide, bream, and silver bream. They are fed either with branded bait, or with a mixture of different cereals, to which they add a little bait, which they will then use to catch them. The baits usually used on donks include worms and maggots. Less often barley, dough, bread.

Geographical information

The area of the lake, depending on the water level, varies from 733 to 2090 km² (with an average level of 982 km²); length about 45 km, width up to 35 km; depth up to 10 m. The banks are predominantly low-lying, swampy, in some places deltaic, with many flat floodplain islands and channels; along the northwestern coast there are ridges alternating with depressions; in the southeast and east there are swamps.

About 50 rivers flow into Lake Ilmen. The largest of them are: Msta, Pola, Lovat with Polistu, Shelon with Mshaga, Veronda, Veryazha, etc. The only river Volkhov flows from Lake Ilmen, flowing into Lake Ladoga. The lake is mainly fed by the influx of rivers with spring floods and winter low water. Level fluctuations up to 7.4 m (minimum in March, maximum in May). Freeze-up from November to April.

Lake water contains a lot of organic substances, so the water has a yellowish color. Ilmen is part of the Vyshnevolotsk water system.

Winter fishing on Lake Ilmen

After the ice freezes, the flow of people wanting to fish on the lake increases, several times on weekends. Residents of Novgorod and fishermen living in the surrounding area come to the reservoir. The main prize includes perches, which are caught both with jigs, using winter fishing rods, and with vertical lures, using perch spoons, balancers and special fishing rods for such lures.

Roach and bream are also caught when fishing from ice, but in smaller quantities. They purposefully go out to catch these fish on Ilmen during the last ice, before the start of spring. At this time, their bite becomes active and you can hope for a decent catch.

In winter, there is a ban on pike hunting on the lake. The ban for amateur fishermen is complete, but at the same time, fishermen are catching toothy fish with all their might, using nets and seines. The latter only causes bewilderment among many, but they fail to change the situation.

Features of fishing on Ilmen

Fishing bans

On the lake, as on most reservoirs in Russia, there is a spawning ban on fishing. Usually this is early spring, and the timing is May-June. If you want to go fishing on Ilmen, you need to clarify in advance the terms of restrictions, the gear that is allowed to be used and the places where fishing is allowed.

There is also a winter fishing ban on Ilmen. But it concerns only pike, and specifically, hunting for it with girders. You can catch toothy fish with other gear. The ban is puzzling given the fact that during this period fishermen are allowed to catch toothfish with both seines and nets.

Shore fishing and fishing from a boat

Many fishermen on Ilmen fish from the shore. At the same time, they visit the western shore of the lake more often due to more convenient conditions for this. Among the latter, there is a muddy bottom, which is more preferred by local fish, and a small amount of vegetation under water, which creates fewer problems with gear getting tangled and breaking.

Many people fish from a boat. They bring them with them and rent them from local residents. For the latter, such a business, which also includes rental of gear, sale of baits, has long become a good source of part-time work and survival in the absence of official work nearby.

Fishing from a boat is, of course, more effective. Especially when hunting for pike, perch with spinning rods, mugs. Yes, and white fish of decent size are easier to find far from the shore and get them with the same float gear, donks.

Features of fishing by season

Since the beginning of warming, the shores of Lake Ilmen have turned over a significant part into impassable or difficult to pass areas. This continues until frost arrives, which freezes the swampy areas. Taking this into account, fishing on a pond requires specific equipment, in particular, shoes in which you can walk on water and overcome water obstacles.

When you go fishing on Ilmen, you may encounter a phenomenon common to a reservoir when, due to a drop in level, the water moves hundreds of meters away from the shores. This happens especially often in the spring and during its transition to summer. The exposed lake bottom can cause problems for fishermen trying to access clean water.

In the area of the reservoir, the weather often changes and strong winds begin to blow. It brings a real storm to the reservoir with high waves and short intervals, which is dangerous for those fishermen who went out into the lake on boats or are planning to do so. During such periods, everyone who is worried about their safety goes fishing in numerous bays, at the mouths of rivers and streams flowing into Ilmen.

The coastal zone of Lake Ilmen is always replete with blood-sucking insects. A full range of them is observed: mosquitoes, horseflies, gadflies, midges. This is explained by the lack of forests around the reservoir and the swampiness of its shoreline.

Winter on Ilmen is common for the region. The ice begins to thicken in November and quickly strengthens, not being a danger to fishermen. A special feature of this period is the annual ban on pike fishing using winter traps. Why it exists is probably not known even to the body that establishes it. Moreover, no one forbids industrialists from catching toothy fish with seines and nets during this period. Although they cause much more harm to the toothed population in the lake than the fanciers of the gerbils.

Paid fishing spots

In the Novgorod region there are many fishing bases located in places attractive to fishermen, providing a comfortable outdoor recreation.

Konstantinova Estate

Northern shore of Lake Seliger. Demyansky district, Zykovshchina village.

accommodation in comfortable wooden houses;
rooms 2-3 bed rooms (suite, junior suite);
three meals a day (Russian cuisine) in the refectory house;
additional services in the refectory house for cooking and catching;
organization of anniversaries, banquets, corporate events;
sale of food products;
wood-fired sauna;
horse rental;
walks and excursions on the water;
rental of skis, skates, sleds.

Located on the banks of the river. Lovat, near the Three Rivers River. Lovat - r. Paula - Vergot. Near the base on Lovat there are many holes and rifts, which often bring trophy specimens. The bottom of the Pola River is littered with drowned trees and rafting logs. Large pike and bream live in the pits.

rental of motor boats, snowmobiles and fishing equipment;
guide services;
consultations about fishing locations and likely trophies;
the access to the river has a convenient boat ramp;
berth;
guarded parking for vehicles;

Winter fishing is organized both on Lovat and its delta, and on Lake Ilmen. Large perch are especially active in winter and, thanks to good natural nutrition, grow quickly.

Great Lake

Located in the Valdai region on Lake Velye, Samanikha village. 175 kilometers from Novgorod.

Services:

accommodation in houses of different levels;
rental of boats, catamarans, snowmobiles;
walks, excursions;
preparing the catch;
rental of fishing gear;
consultations from experienced fishermen;
shooting gallery

Fishing is available all year round. The best periods are June-September, January-February.

Hunter and Fisherman's House

Located in the delta of the Lovat River, the village of Vzvad. 130 kilometers from Novgorod.

accommodation in heated houses with varying levels of comfort;
rental of rowing boats and speedboats;
snowmobile rental;
rental of fishing gear;
Guarded parking;
billiards;
bath;
consultations and support of rangers.

Meals are not included in the price. Fishing is available all year round. The season is considered to be the period from late April to early September and January to February.

Discounts if the stay exceeds 5 days.

The water in the rivers and lakes of the Novgorod region ranks one of the first in Europe in terms of cleanliness and transparency. The purity of water guarantees the ecological purity of its inhabitants. Fishing in these places can satisfy the needs of the most demanding fisherman at any time of the year. You just need to first collect information about a specific fishing location at the right time.

Recreation centers on Lake Ilmen

The lake is very attractive for fishing and recreation in the summer. The reservoir is shallow, so it warms up well and allows vacationers to swim with pleasure. Those who want to fish will always find catchable places on it and will be satisfied with the catch of both predators and leucorrhoea.

Base "Ilmen"

This base has the status of a club. It is located in the settlement of Ilmen, which is located on the shore of a lake that has the same name. She accepts adults and children. Offers active recreation (rope park, paintball, laser tag). For fishermen, all fishing services on the lake and the rivers closest to the base.

For accommodation, the club offers houses that can accommodate ten guests. They have all modern conditions for a comfortable stay. Equipped with TVs, refrigerators, dishes, microwave ovens.

On the territory there is a supervised parking lot, a summer terrace, and a banquet hall. At the club you can cook your own food, or order food at the tavern. The base is open all year round; a ticket costs 6 thousand or more rubles.

Reviews

Nikolai

Novgorod

I spend most of my free time at the Ilmen club. Usually with friends, of whom there are always many, so houses that can easily accommodate up to a dozen guests are very suitable.

We relax in different ways. In the summer we swim, fish, sunbathe. In winter, we also fish and relax in the clean, frosty air.

I'm glad that it's close to Novgorod and has good access. We try to book a house in advance, because you could end up homeless if you arrive without calling.

My friends and I like it. A unique place - something like this can rarely be found anywhere else. Of course, not for everybody. Try it, maybe you are like us.

Fishing base

This base is on the Lovat River, in its lower reaches almost at the confluence with Lake Ilmen. Located in the settlement of Vzvad, most visited by fishermen. The places around are the most fishy in Ilmen.

They are accommodated at the base in a large wooden house that welcomes guests all year round. The rooms are double, and the house accommodates a dozen tourists in total. To use the latter, there is everything you need to feel comfortable and cozy.

The base offers fishing equipment and boats for rent. There are huntsmen who will help you find a cool place and stay with good prey. You are invited to prepare food at the base yourself - there is a stove and utensils for this. The tour costs from 0.8 thousand rubles.

Reviews

Makar

Moscow

My friends and I constantly go fishing in different places. The turn came to Ilmen, a lake in the Novgorod region. There are a lot of reviews about good fishing. We decided to check it ourselves.

Based on available reviews, we chose the place – the village of Vzvad. The most fishing spots are close to them. Confirmed. We settled immediately at the fishing base. We really enjoyed fishing. The only disappointment is that you have to cook the food yourself. Not a problem, of course, but after fishing, tired, it’s somehow difficult...

Fisherman's house

This base is located in the settlement of Vzvad, near which, according to reviews, there are the most fishing spots on Lake Ilmen. The services include everything you might need for fishing. There are boats for rent, fishing equipment, bait, and lures. You can take as a travel companion a huntsman who knows the lake and the cool places on it. There are places where you can keep the fish you catch.

VIP rooms, triple, double and single rooms are available for accommodation in the fisherman's house. In total, the base can accommodate 23 people.

There are many different services offered to guests here. Among them are cleaning and gutting of caught fish, parking, snowmobiles, gazebos, barbecues, billiards, bathhouse, etc. For everything the price is from 1.5 thousand rubles.

Reviews

Anatoly

Novgorod

That Vzvad knew a place worthy of fishing for a long time. But now I met him with my own eyes. I got there, one might say, by accident - my friends decided to go fishing and celebrate the birthday of one of them. It turned out to be a very (!) good combination. This will be remembered for a long time.

It didn't take long to choose a place to stay. One of our company was at the Fisherman's House, and we decided to stay there. There are many of us, so at first we faced the problem of settlement - there weren’t enough places for everyone. We had to take a tent - some of us were staying in it. The base administration gave permission.

We only took gear with us - spinning rods and float and feeder rods. We used everything. During the day we caught 2…3 fish soup, and there was still some left to fry. The catch includes medium-sized fish, pike up to 2…3 kg. Just something that’s pleasant to eat and great for making fish soup.

We cooked it ourselves, ordered it a couple of times and had it made to suit the local administration staff. To be honest, I liked mine better.

I liked the place. Avid fishermen will also like it.

The treachery of the Moisk Sea

Lake Ilmen is not difficult to find on a map of Russia. Its fairly comfortable flat location, slightly above the level of the World Ocean (18.1 m), and its shallow depth will not save the situation if you get caught in a storm, which is especially treacherous in these places. It is the absence of islands that act as a deterrent in other bodies of water that gives the waves the opportunity to roam here. Storm waves reaching two meters in height occur in succession at very short intervals; they can easily capsize a boat or boat. Strong storms have occurred on Ilmen at all times; the chronicles of the fifteenth century describe a terrible storm that occurred in 1471, the consequence of which was many sunken ships, whose remains today underwater archaeologists are trying to find at the bottom.

But tourists coming to these places should not worry. Strong storms are an infrequent phenomenon, and before going out for a walk or fishing, you should find out the weather forecast, or better yet, the opinion of local guides who know their Lake Ilmen. The Novgorod region, where recreation is associated with the named reservoir, has long won the recognition of the best domestic fishermen.

How to get to Lake Ilmen from Moscow

There are different ways to get to Lake Ilmen from the capital. It is best, if possible, by car. With it you can take a boat, which is very useful on a fishing pond. And it will be easier to get to the desired place on the lake. Moreover, the entrances to it are good and always passable.

By road

By car you can get from Moscow to Ilmen along the M-10 highway. They pass Klin, Tver, Torzhok, Vyshny Volochek, Valdai, Krestsy and get to Veliky Novgorod. The city is located almost on the northern shore of the lake, so once you reach it, you have reached your goal. Then you can drive along local roads to your final destination, where you will stop to fish.

The coolest places on the lake are located near the settlement of Vzvad. To get to it, before reaching Veliky Novgorod, 4 km after the village of Zaitsevo, turn left onto Staraya Russa. From this town there is a road to Vzvad, which goes directly north. On the road we pass Otvidino, Chetitsko, Korpovo and get to the goal. By the way, you can also stop in the listed villages and fish in Ilmen.

By rail

If you do not have a car, then you can take the train to Veliky Novgorod or Staraya Russa. Arriving at the station, you can hire a taxi that will take you to your chosen place on Ilmen. You can use the services of local minibuses and buses. If you have taken care of your stopping place in advance, the base can arrange a transfer for you from the specified cities to your vacation spot.

Bite forecast

White amur

There is no bite for grass carp. Grass carp are found in deep places.

Loach

There is no loach biting The loach is found in deep places

Chub

There are no chub bites. The chub is found in deep places.

There are no chub bites. The chub is located at shallow depths

There are almost no chub bites. The chub is found in deep places

The chub bite is worse than average. The chub is found in deep places.

Average chub bite Chub is found in deep places

There is almost no chub bite. The chub is located at shallow depths

Average chub bite Chub is found in deep places

Good chub bite The chub is found in deep places

Sluggish chub bite The chub is located at shallow depths

Average chub bite Chub is found in deep places

Good chub bite The chub is found in deep places

Minnow

No minnow biting Minnow is found in deep places

The minnow bite is worse than average. The minnow is located at shallow depths.

Average minnow bite The minnow is found in deep places

Good bite for minnows. Minnows are located at shallow depths.

Sluggish minnow bite The minnow is found in deep places

Good minnow bite The minnow is located at shallow depths

Very good minnow bite The minnow is found in deep places

Good bite for minnows Minnows are found in deep places

The minnow bite is worse than average. The minnow is found in deep places.

Very good minnow bite The minnow is located at shallow depths

Very good minnow bite The minnow is found in deep places

Good bite for minnows Minnows are found in deep places

Gorchak

There is no bite for the bitterling. The bitterling is found in deep places.

There is almost no bitterling bite. Gorchak is found in deep places

Sluggish bite of bitterling Gorchak is found in deep places

There is no bite for the bitterling. The bitterling is found in deep places.

The bite of bitterling is worse than average. Gorchak is found in deep places

There is no bite for the bitterling. The bitterling is found in deep places.

The average bite of bitterling Gorchak is in deep places

The bite of bitterling is worse than average. Gorchak is found in deep places

Dace

There is no bite for dace. Dace is found in deep places.

There is almost no dace bite. The dace is located at shallow depths

Sluggish bite of dace Dace is located at shallow depths

The dace bite is worse than average. The dace is found in deep places.

Good bite for dace Dace is located at shallow depths

Average bite for dace Dace is located at shallow depths

Good bite for dace Dace is located at shallow depths

Very good bite for dace Dace is located at shallow depths

crucian carp

There is no bite for crucian carp. Crucian carp is in deep places.

There is almost no bite for crucian carp. Crucian carp is found in deep places.

Sluggish bite of crucian carp Crucian carp is found in deep places

The bite of crucian carp is worse than average. Crucian carp is located at shallow depths

There is almost no bite for crucian carp. Crucian carp is found in deep places.

Sluggish bite of crucian carp Crucian carp is found in deep places

The bite of crucian carp is worse than average. Crucian carp is found in deep places.

Average bite of crucian carp Crucian carp is located at shallow depths

Sluggish bite of crucian carp Crucian carp is found in deep places

The bite of crucian carp is worse than average. Crucian carp is found in deep places.

Average bite for crucian carp Crucian carp is found in deep places

Carp

No carp biting Carp are in deep places

No carp biting Carp is located at shallow depths

No carp biting Carp are in deep places

Almost no carp are biting. Carp are found in deep places.

There is almost no carp bite. The carp is located at shallow depths

Sluggish bite of carp Carp is located at shallow depths

There is almost no carp bite. The carp is located at shallow depths

Almost no carp are biting. Carp are found in deep places.

Carp bite is worse than average Carp is located at shallow depths

Sluggish bite of carp Carp is located at shallow depths

There is almost no carp bite. The carp is located at shallow depths

Almost no carp are biting. Carp are found in deep places.

Rudd

There is no bite for rudd. Rudd is found in deep places.

No rudd biting The rudd is located at shallow depths

Sluggish bite of rudd The rudd is located at shallow depths

The rudd bite is worse than average. The rudd is found in deep places.

Average rudd bite The rudd is found in deep places

Sluggish bite of rudd The rudd is located at shallow depths

Good bite for rudd The rudd is located at shallow depths

Good bite for rudd The rudd is found in deep places

The rudd bite is worse than average. The rudd is located at shallow depths.

Good rudd bite The rudd is located at shallow depths

Good bite for rudd The rudd is found in deep places

Bream

No bream biting Bream is found in deep places

Sluggish bream bite Bream is found in deep places

Bream bite is worse than average Bream is found in deep places

Good bite for bream Bream is found in deep places

Bream bite is worse than average Bream is found in deep places

Good bite for bream Bream is found in deep places

Good bream bite Bream is found in deep places

Good bite for bream Bream is found in deep places

Good bream bite Bream is found in deep places

Tench

No tench are biting Tench is found in deep places

lake trout

No lake trout biting Lake trout are found in deep places

There is almost no lake trout bite Lake trout are found in deep places

Lake trout bite is worse than average Lake trout are found in deep areas

Good bite for lake trout Lake trout are found in deep places

Very good lake trout bite Lake trout are found in deep areas

Good lake trout bite Lake trout are found in deep areas

Excellent lake trout bite Lake trout are found in deep areas

100