Salmon seem to be running very early
A mws released yesterday on Nordura. Photo by Þorsteinn Ólafs.
We are seeing something very unexpected in Iceland these days. The spring was only moderate, yet the salmon rivers are filling up with fish at a very early date, many of them are not due to open until in three weeks or so. Global warming? Or a record season coming up? We'll see.
One of the North coast rivers, Blanda, which is not one of our listed rivers had a sensational start. 42 salmon landed in two and a half days, every single one of them a mws salmon, several of them ranging from 15 to 18 pounds. At the same time Nordura opened up with 8 salmon and would have had at least 20 or more had the conditions not been appaling. Everyone knowing Nordura could see that there where far more salmon in the river for the start than for many years. However, low water, hot and sunny weather put payed to the fishing. Still, if we have some rain then the fish are there for the taking.
The next rivers open on June the 15th, most of the rest starting from June the 20th to the 1rst of July. Some of those rivers are already ready with some healthy salmon sightings. Perhaps the most remarkable of the lot is the south coast river Sogid, Icelands biggest clear water river. Due to its spring fed origin, it is a notoriously late starter, usually trout fishermen in June hook up with the odd salmon, with Jyly being the main starting month. Already though, Sogid seems to be holding fish all over the river. A friend of ours, a very adept fellow, took a look at Sogið over the weekend and what he saw surprised him. On the beats of Thrastarlundur, Bildsfell, Torfastadir and Tannastadatangi, the two first being among our listed rivers, he saw salmon showing, jumping, flashing and lifting fins. The river seems to be ready for the season…..despite the fact that it is not due to open for salmon fishing until deep into June. And there have been voices maintaining that it should not open at alll until the first of July. Times are changing.
