Fly fishing for Atlantic Salmon in Iceland is one of the best options for Atlantic salmon fishing in the world today.
The fishing packages for salmon are most often 3 to 6 days including fishing permit, full board accommodation local transfer and one guide with a car for every two rods. A few rivers also offer shorter terms and self catering accommodations. Most of the salmon rivers in Iceland are gin clear and some times easy to spot the fish. To use floating line riffling hitch, small flies or Sun ray shadow for aggressive surface action in the gin clear Icelandic rivers is fantastic if you fish salmon
The season: June 20 to late September
The fishing hour: 07:00 to 13:00 lunch break to 16:00 to 22:00
The prime: July 15th to August 15th.
Fishing has been practiced in Iceland since the first settlers arrived here in the late 9th century. Dragnets were widely used, but now people argue whether our ancestors fished by rod or not. (A fine topic for debate, as no one can prove his point) Soon after 1860 English and Scottish gentlemen came here to fish for salmon. They frequented rivers in the south-west area, such as the Ellidaár, Grímsá, Langá, Thverá and Norduá. Some even bought all fishing rights in rivers, like the Elliðaár and the Langá.
This continued for the next 50 years until the First World War put an end to it. Attendance was never the same. In the late 1960′s some American anglers rediscovered Icelandic salmon fishing and soon became the most common foreign fishermen in Iceland. In the last two decades the number of European anglers has increased and today they almost equal the Americans.
The flow of foreign anglers increased the demand for good fishing and raised the prices considerably, so local fishermen were not at all pleased. Today this dispute has settled and Icelandic anglers acknowledge that salmon fishing is a costly sport.
Iceland is a great destination for your fishing holiday
For further information or booking please send your inquiries to info@flyfishinginiceland.is
River Fossá is medium size salmon river in the South of Iceland
Foss is the Icelandic word for waterfall and you will see Tree stunning waterfalls where you can fish in. Háifoss at the top of the trout beat is the second highest waterfall in Iceland 122 m.
Fossá river system is fly only, catch and release. The salmon beat is below the waterfall Hjálparfoss. There are 2 km of private fishing for 2 rods.
From the waterfall to the Junction of the river Þjórsa are plenty of pools to keep the 2 rods busy. The salmon runes late in the river and is the prime starts late July to mid of September.
The average size of the salmon is around 5 to 7 pounds and there is a good number of salmon over 10 pounds. The salmon fishing starts July 15th and only gets better until last day. There is also trout and some Arctic char in the salmon beat but. In September you can expect to catch sea trout. To fish the Fossá is good to use single hand rod 7 up to 9 weights or small double hand rod.
Trout Beat: Above Hjálparfoss
At the top of the trout beat is the second highest waterfall in Iceland Háifoss 122m. The access to fish the waterfall is difficult, but it’s easy to access from the top and goes down from there.
The trout beat is around 8 km long, and fishing spots are way too many to cover in one day for the two rods. From the waterfall Háifoss runes the river trough beautiful canyon and the river stretch out to nice gravel pools with grassy banks. The pools are perfect for trout fishing.
The tributary River Rauðá
River Rauðá has amazing surrounding and don’t be surprised if Frodo and his fellowship goes by while you fish for nice trout’s.
To fish for trout in Fossá is good to use streamers early season and switch to dries and small nymphs’ in around mid summer.
Laugardalsá – West Fjords
As the major river of the West Fjords the Laugardalsa River has long been known as one of the best three rod rivers to fish for salmon in Iceland which offers a superb and private fishing experience. Laugardalsá is a fantastic river to fish for salmon. The river is in a very remote area, you have the valley and the river all for yourself. The salmon in Laugardalsá River are strong and fit. The majority is from 4-7 pounds but there are also a good number of multi winter salmons 8-15 pounds.
Even a slow day on the Laugardalsá leaves an angler content as he will have seen plenty of fish and probably had some action. A good day leaves an angler exhausted! Peak weeks of the season will offer catches comparable to the best salmon rivers in Iceland. Laugardalsá has about 6 km of fishing. It is the perfect 2 to 3 rod river, easy to fish and full of fish. Laugardalsa is a great choice for small groups looking for exclusive fishing on an intimate setting.
The landscape of the Westfjords is breathtaking with great mountains rising up from the sea. Westfjords region is steeped in its history of witchcraft and magic, you could say finding its way into the angling in the region, and offers many points of interest for non-fishers. This sensitive river is best fished by anglers who use very small flies, particularly small hitched micro tubes. T he river has two distinct parts to it; one is fast flowing riffles and rapids and the other is the slow gliding character of the upper river. Both are very exciting to fish and produce wonderful results. Be well prepared , but all you need in fact is the lighter tackle, 3 – 5 weight full floater, long leader 3 – 4 meters of 8 – 10lbs braking strength, hitch tubes, micro tubes and your small flies in the box 10 – 16, will do the job, lots of stripping.
Laugardalsa is one of the top salmon rivers of Iceland, this 2.5 rod river provides 400 – 500 salmon in a short season, only 75 days. All salmon above 70cm shall be released and the bag limit is 1 salmon under 70 cm per day
Fishing season: June 15t to September 15th
Average size: 5-7 pounds.
Tackle: Single handed rods, line weight, 5-7 floating line.
Access: good.
Number of rods: June 2rods- July to August 21st 3 rods – two rods to Sept 15th
Distance from Reykjavík: 345 km (124 miles)North-West.
Accommodation: Cozy self catering lodge with 3 double bedrooms, nice Kitchen with all cooking facilities, living room and gasgrill on the veranda.
River East Rangá
With increasing knowledge and practice of conservation managament, East Rangá has well earned its place among Iceland´s top Salmon rivers. Fishing is on eight beats over a 22 km stretch of river offering a nice variety of waters and lots of space. The river and its suroundings is beautiful and gives anglers energy and feeds their soul. Mountain Hekla, the legendary volcano, is in plain view and gives good energy to everyone around it.
Location:
S outh of Iceland, about 95 km from Reykjavik. Take Highway 1 South towards Selfoss. Drive through Selfoss towards Hella. Drive through Hella towards Hvolsvöllur. A few hundred meters before Hvolsvöllur is a sign on your left hand side that says Eystri Rangá Veiðihús. Turn left at that sign and drive a few hundred meters and turn left where there is a fork on the road, then you see the lodge at your left hand side. The lodge is a complex, comprised of 8 buildings, combined with veranda.
Fishing season:
June 24th to September 3rd.
Prime time: July 10th to August 25th
Average catch: 5 year average 4867 (16 rods)
Average size of fish: 5-6 lbs.
Fishing hours:
June 23rd –August 1st 07:00-13:00 & 16:00-22:00
August 2nd – September 15th 07:00-13:00 & 15:00-21:00
Lodge: Full service lodge, private room with bathroom to each rod, living room, dining room, bar, jacuzzi, wader drying room.
Lodge:
In 2001 we opened our lovely 770sqm exclusive fishing lodge centrally located at the river offering a panoramic view of the spectacular snow-capped Mt. Hekla. The lodge complex is comprised of 8 buildings, all combined with 1500sqm veranda, Jacuzzi and sauna.
Guests are accommodated in tastefully furnished double rooms with a private bath. One main building houses the kitchen and spacious dining area where gourmet meals are served.
The second main building houses a spacious living room with a full service bar. There are 18 double rooms with a private bathroom with a shower.
River West Rangá
West Rangá is one of the most attractive salmon rivers in Iceland. The natural surroundings, adjacent to the Hella area are spectacular, volcanos and glaciers. The river itself is a dramatic combination of gravel-flats with waterfalls and small gorge, river has good variety of pool that can be fished. the West Rangá offers a fishing experience that is sure to please any angler. With sixteen rods fishing over 13 kilometers of river there is enough space to move freely around. It has a great number of catches and has had the highest catch number of all salmon rivers in Iceland. The river is divided into four beats and has four rods on each beat.
Facts about West Rangá:
Season 1st of July till 30th of October
Smelt release program.
Late July and early August is the prime month for the salmon.
Location: 110 km from Reykjavik.
Accommodation: Fishing lodge.
Gear: Double hand rods 12,6 to 14 feet,
Laxá in Adaldalur- Queen of Icelanddic rivers
Laxá in Aaldalur (Big Laxá) is a great and beautiful river in the north of Iceland. It has a reputation as having the biggest fish of any river in Iceland. Laxá contains some of the biggest and strongest salmon in Iceland with a weight of up to 25-30 pounds (12 to 15kgs). Laxá also produces many great brown trout and sea trout. This is a great river for fishing with double handed rods but one handed rods can also be used depending on the angler’s preference.
Laxá has lots of fast flowing water with 20 and 30 pound salmon ready for the keen angler to catch. Laxá is a ‘catch and release’ river.
Season: 20th of July – 20th of September
Affall- small river with big salmon
AFFALL – small river with big salmon The Affall is a rather small ‘clear – water’ river in the south of Iceland which is over 17 km long, with 4 rods. Since 2002 the release holders have stocked it with many salmon smelt with some great success. Over 1000 salmon was caught on only four rods during 2010. Four year average of the is almost 700 salmon.
The river is ideal for fly fishing, but anglers can use worms, spin fishing is not alowed.
Season: 1. July till 27. of October.
Thverá river- affordable salmon river
Þverá in Fljótshlíð is now considered a tributary of East Rangá. It used to be a sizable glacial river but is now a rather small and completely clear stream. It is not natural salmon water but there is some hope it can be made into one by ongoing smelt releasing. The catch in recent years is up to 300 salmon and approximately the same number of trout. Average catch per year is around 250 salmon.
Fly Fishing in Iceland – Salmon fishing in Iceland
If you want the best Fly fishing in Iceland then contact Gudmundur the tour owner who can book many Icelandic rivers for you to flyfish in and catch the fish of your dreams.
If you have any special requests for you or your party including individual guiding then contact Flyfishing Iceland at any time .
Feel free to drop us line or give us a call and we will do our best to make your dream come true.
Gudmundur Atli.
info@flyfishinginiceland.is
Tel. 00354 8446900