Ahtubа, Russia

Akhtuba (Ak-tyube - white hills) is the left arm of the Volga, separating from it opposite the northern part of Volgograd. The old entrance to the Akhtuba, which was located further upstream, was blocked by its dam during the construction of the Volga Hydroelectric Station, but a channel was dug below-6.5 km long.

The length of the Akhtuba is 537 km. Average annual discharge is 153 m³/s. The following cities are located on the Akhtuba: Volzhsky (at the beginning of the arm), Leninsk, Znamensk, Akhtubinsk, Kharabali (5 km from the river). Between the Volga and the Akhtuba lies the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain, which is a region known for growing melons (bakhchovodstvo) and vegetables.

The “Akhtuba” fishing base is located in the Kharabalinsky District of Astrakhan Oblast, approximately 14 km from the settlements of Bugor and Sasykoli, on the left bank of the namesake river.

The location of the many leisure bases is truly unique-most of the tales and legends about the “fishing paradise” of the Lower Volga and Akhtuba originated here, on the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain. The fishing waters of the base, in terms of their scale, variety, and accessibility, have virtually no equal on the Lower Volga and will not leave even the most demanding angler indifferent. From Volgograd to Astrakhan, you will not find a place where the big Volga and its “younger sister,” the Akhtuba, are so close together and connected by a deep-water channel navigable by motor at any time of year, with a total length of only 1.5 km.

The main advantage of the Akhtuba area is the weather. During the day, temperatures are 30-35, at night - 20-25; this lasts until about August 15-20, and September is more like July in the Moscow Region. In summer, there are practically no rains on the Akhtuba. Spring flooding in the floodplain begins in April, and the maximum water level is observed in May. In some places, the water rises almost 8 meters, flooding practically the entire floodplain up to a height of 2 meters. The end of the flooding occurs in the second half of June, when the water starts to recede over the course of one or two weeks. In autumn, in November, due to abundant rainfall, there is also a slight rise in water level (up to 2 m).

Summer on the Akhtuba is usually dry and hot, with hardly any rain. A local drizzle, for a resident of Russia’s central regions, can be encountered not with an umbrella, but in swimwear right on the riverbank. In the daytime, temperatures hover around 25-35 degrees, while at night they are about 19-25. The hottest summer month is, of course, July-it is also the least windy. Summer heat in July can reach +45 degrees.

Autumn in September-October is dry and with few clouds. It’s warm enough; in terms of temperature, September strongly resembles July in the Moscow Region-during the day, temperatures can rise up to +30 degrees. At this time, local fields ripen watermelons, melons, and other fruits in abundance. But already in November, there is a noticeable cooling on the Akhtuba, and cloudy weather with lingering, drizzling rains starts to prevail.

Winter in the Volga-Akhtuba floodplain is quite unstable. During the day, the temperature stays at -7 to -13 degrees, but recently, due to global warming, there are also prolonged thaws, during which significant areas of the floodplain are freed from ice. Spring on the Akhtuba is marked by warm, dry, and low-cloud weather. During the day, temperatures range from +4 to +12 degrees, but frosts at night are possible up to early May. The land is cleared of snow already in March, paving the way for young greenery in the fields. As for winds, the most interesting bite for local fish happens when “moryana” winds start blowing from the Caspian. Fog also occurs here, arising most often in autumn-usually up to 4 days with fog in October and up to 6 days in November.