Oka River — the largest tributary of the Volga River. Nizhny Novgorod stands at the confluence of the Oka and the Volga River. At the point where it meets the Nizhny Novgorod, the Oka is in no way narrower than the Volga.
The Oka River flows through the Nizhny Novgorod Region cities of Nizhny Novgorod, Dzerzhinsk, and Pavlovo.
About the river
Since ancient times the Oka has served as an important trade route; later the river formed a significant defensive boundary which, together with the Great Abatis Line, reliably protected the Muscovite state from the south. The name Oka is a Slavicized form of the Finnish word ioku — river (V. O. Klyuchevsky). The Oka is known as "the most Russian river." It is a lowland river fed predominantly by snowmelt, with rainwater also contributing a noticeable share of its flow, while groundwater recharge plays a role as well.
Fish in the river
The Oka River is home to a wide variety of fish — more than 20 species — including such angler favorites as bream, perch, roach, ide, chub, asp, pike-perch, burbot, and catfish. The diversity of fishing conditions — sandbars, riffles, deep holes, steep banks, and stretches with stony, clay, or sandy bottoms — allows for the use of a wide range of tackle and lets anglers fish as they please. It is well worth bringing a boat along, as it will allow you to work all of the river's most notable spots.
Nizhny Novgorod bridges over the Oka
See also