Trout Fishing
Fossá - trout beat unexpected journey to trout heaven.
Fossá river, the river of the waterfalls. (Foss in Icelandic means waterfall).
The Fossa River offers 16 km of magnificent fly fishing water and incredible scenery while you are fishing. The trout beat offers you a new fishing challenge at every corner.
Fishing pressure has always been light as the river has never been offered to overseas anglers.
If you are keen to take spectacular photographs this is the river for you.
Facts about Fossa:
This is a catch and release river.
September is the prime month for the salmon. Trout can be caught all season.
Location: 120 km from Reykjavik.
Accommodation: No lodge. Plenty of accommodations available just a short distance from the river.
Gear: Trout lines to 4 to 6 weight.
You may want to visit the second highest waterfall in Iceland which is in Fossa Haifoss rising to over 125 metres. Some great photographs can be taken.
Lake Thingvellir - home of the Monsters
Lake Thingvellir is the second biggest lake in Iceland and reaches 114m at it´s deepest point. The brown trout that live in Lake Thingvellir can reach an incredible size. Records show that it was not uncommon to catch 20-30 pound brown trout a few years ago. There was a setback to fishing when Steingrímsstod hydroelectric plant was build 1959 at the southern end of the lake which impacted on the brown trout population in the the lake. But the lake is starting to regain its reputation as the lake with “THE KING” trout now being caught quite regularly. The population of the trout has also increased steadily in the past few years, thanks to on going support from the Icelandic Government. Thingvellir is becoming known as the lake containing monster trout or trophy trout in Iceland. There is every chance that if you are fishing in this lake that you will catch the largest fish of your life. Brown trout up to 17.5 kg have been caught in the lake in the past few years and rumours exist that there are even bigger fish in the lake. Fishing in Lake Thingvellir last year was very good with a few fish around 15 kg caught and several bigger than 9 kg trout being caught as well. Many anglers won´t talk about their catch and where they have caught them but there are rumours of many huge trout that have been caught and then released recently.
Hólá river - char paradise next to Geyser
The Hólá River is considered to be an Arctic char river but there are quite a few big brown trout caught every year weighing up to nine pounds. The river is fed by Lake Laugarvatn located midway between the Gullfoss Waterfall and Thingvellir National Park. The Hólá River is ideal for upstream fishing with small nymphs and on a good sunny day dry fly fishing can be very effective. The average catch for a day’s fishing is 5-6 char.
Season: 1. of April – 20th of September
Tungufljót river - the river with the biggest sea trout in Iceland
Tungufljót is one of Iceland´s premier sea trout rivers and produces sea trout similar size to Argentina, the river is an exclusive four rod river and flows south throught a pair of canyons so narrow that at piont you can almost jump across, before finally widerning into pools at Bjarnarfoss, below the the waterfall the river bed is mostly gravel, punctuated by the odd boulder making perfect lies for sea trout and salmon. Lower down the river widens into great fly water where you can fish both sides of the river. Tungufljót offers fantastic sea trout fishing and producing some of Iceland lagerst sea trout up to 20 pounds.
The river comes with a nice self catering lodge.
Prime time is early September to the end the season on the 20 of October.
MOUNTAIN FISHING
LANDMANNALAUGAR
The Highland fishing in Iceland for wild brown trout and Arctic char is probably one of the best kept secrets of fly fishing in Iceland. If you like magnificent scenery, stunning mountains and hard volcanic landforms and you enjoy catching hard fighting Arctic char and colorful brown trout then this is the place for you. The fishing is mainly on floating line and using black flies but it’s good to have slow sinking line for the deep Lake Ljótipollur.
The fishing can include several lovely lakes that are like an oasis in the middle of lava fields. The lakes all contain brown trout and char with the size ranging from 1pound up to 4 pounds.
This exciting fishing trip requires a 4WD vehicles tour and travels through lava fields and over black lava sand which are surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery.
A short drive to Landmannalaugar geothermal area for lunch is also possible and could include time to relax and bathe in the warm natural pond next to a lovely lava field.
Season: 20th of June until 30th of September
Arnarvatnsheidi – hiking and fishing paradise
Arnarvatnsheidi for brown trout and char fishing in Iceland
The Arnarvatnsheii is a huge moorland with lakes, streams and rivers that provide fabulous trout fishing and is framed with a stunning panorama of mountain ranges and glaciers with the most notable one being the Eiríksjökull glacier.
Weighted nymphs are extremely popular in these lakes and streams and in recent years, when conditions allow, dry flies are often used by many anglers. Some of the lakes are only accessible on foot or by modified 4WD. The lakes, rivers and streams are full of good size Arctic Charas well as brown trout.
If you are up to some walking you can be rewarded with very good fishing in special spots that very few anglers get to fish. There are also many spots that have easy access as well.
The accommodation is very basic and consists mainly of huts which are comfortable with cooking facilities and kitchen equipment plus a sitting room, beds, WC and shower. The fishing huts vary in size and can accommodate 4, 7 or up to 15 people.
Season: 20th of June until 30th of August
Varmá river - river of the hot spring
Fly fishing in Varmá river is a fantastic experience. The river is one of Iceland´s best sea trout rivers where you can catch large salmon, colourful char and huge brown trout. The biggest trout caught in 2014 was 16 pounds.
The river is a relatively easy to fish with many great fishing spots. In the upper part you find fast streams, waterfall and big pools with slower water.
The sea trout size range from 1 up to 16 pounds with the average size of about 4 pounds.
6 rods are available for this river and the season runs from 1st of April till 20th of October.
West Ranga trout beat & Galtalækur
West Rangá river is located south of Iceland is just over 1 hour drive from Reykjavik. The trout beat on the West Rangá river has over 30 km of trout water to explore and the fishing there is quite a challenging brown trout fishing.
It´s an easy waded river and has classic riffle pool, run or big pools that fisherman know that keep huge trout. In the upper part some large browns have been caught.
The river is C&R river for several years now so the trout population has been growing also the size of the trout got bigger. West Ranga is hardly a river where you can expect to catch many trout but there you can catch trout of your life. There are few fishermen that catch up to 10 trout a day but average catch is from 1 up to 4 a day.
Ideal is to stay at the new West Ranga lodge that was presently being built 2015.
Galtalækur a tributary of West Ranga river. The stream is gin clear and very sensitive stream which produses some of Iceland biggest trout, up to 12 pounds. It is a catch and release river with only 2 rods , the stream runs 3 km and has 20 beautiful pools- perfect for day tour fishing from Reykjavik.
It´s great to combination Galtalækur with some og our rivers in the area, like Fossa and West Rangá trout beat.
It is a great river to fish with small and heavy nymphs.
If the weather is fine then dry fly fishing can be very effective.
Season: 1st April until 20th October.
More information coming soon.
