And....counting down for spring trout fishing
A typical Minni brown trout.
We told you that we would point out some outstanding trout fishing options for the spring fishing, due to start on April the 1rst. Our last feature focused on sea trout rivers while this feature will shed light on stationary trout options.
As uaual we will be sticking by our clients and they do indeed have some outstanding trout options. Hardly any more so than the outfitter Strengir who manage Minnivallalaekur. A difficult name for a great river. This samll river which is one of the worlds standout brown trout fisheries actually opens on April 1rst. Foreign anglers do most of the summer fishing, several groups coming up here to sample the thrilling and demanding dry fly season. In April it is a different matter al together, as most of the fishing is done by locals using streamer flies. April and even Mai is to early to expect any insect hatching and as the browns are suitably hungry following the winter, streamers are the order of the day, most popular being typical Black Ghost and Nobbler patterns. A few local patterns do the trick as well, one of the known as the Rektor.
Upstream nymphing on a great looking run on the Reykjadalsa.
While Minni is all about big fish, rangir to 15-17 pounds, the Reykjadalsa is all about quantity (With no litle sprinkling of quality). Reykjadalsa is a north country river managed by G&P outfitters, the same as manage Vatnsdalsa and Eldvatn. Like Minni, it is hugely booked by foreign angler for the dry fly fishing over the summer months. Due to its northern location it usually does not open until May and like Minni, the spring fishing is mainly done by locals with straemers. Reykja is an average volume river that has a good dash of salmon along with hoards of brown trout during summer. The brown trout are stationary and the spring is quite often an outstanding time for great action. While the average Reykja brown is not as big as in Minni, it is still very respectable in Reykja and the rivers has far more trout than does Minni.
Photo shows part of the Steinsmýrarvötn fishery.
We might also add the Steinsmýrarvötn. A small cluster of small lakes interlinked by a small stream. This is a deceptively good spring fishery that has both sea trout and stationary brown trout. There are some big char in there as well but they are seldmon caugth in the early spring, unless it turns abnormalyy warm for a couple of days. This fishery, like the other two, has self catering facilities and outstanding fishing. But always remember, the weather is unstable. Recently bait fishing has been prohibited in Steinsmýrarvötn and a boat has been installed, much to the better, as the biggest fish have been tended to be spotted finning just out of reach.
A few of the Breiddalsa guided with an excellent bag of sea char.
To finish this look into spring fishing for trout, we might have a look at Breiddalsa in the east. At the start of May sea char are caught in the nether regions of the rivers, mostly in the tidal area and the Breiddalsa guides have a magical knack of putting anglers into the right spots. There is also more to Breiddalsa spring fishing, as there is a good stock of very good brown trout above the fish ladder falls in the middle of the valley. Early on these browns are there for the taking but as the season progresses, salmon turn up in thsi part of the river and the trout fishing fades.
