Fly fishing in Iceland - for Atlantic Salmon
Salmon climbing the falls - on its way home. Photo by Heimir Óskarsson.
Why should you fly fish Iceland? If you are into fly fishing then it is something that you should try at least once in a lifetime if you have not yet done it. Atlantic salmon run the rivers in other countries and there are many famous rivers in other countries. But fly fishing in Iceland is unique in many ways.
You can fly fish in Iceland for Atlantic salmon. Iceland is best known for its Atlantic salmon fishing and many regard the Atlantic salmon as the capital prize for the devoted fly fishermen. You can also fly fish in Iceland for sea trout and sea char as well as fly fish for brown trout. In this piece we will dwell on the Atlantic salmon.
So often within easy casting range. Photo by Heimir Óskarsson.
Why is it such a popular sports fish when so many other species fight hard, are at least as big and many bigger? It is probably down to the enigmatic nature of the Atlantic salmon. Its nomadic high sea wandering and unbelievable skill of finding its way back home, passing river after river, entering some of them on the way before realizing that it has entered the wrong river. Right on time, give or take a few days or weeks, they return to the river of their birth, nature’;s pure silver and raw power, leaping or even swimming up vertical falls, relentless until they find the very pool they were spawned in. They are indeed one of nature’;s main wonders.
Fly fishing in Iceland for Atlantic salmon is of the very best quality you will find. Most of the rivers are of medium volume. Some even small streams. Most of them are remarkably clear. So clear that the fishing is highly visual. Frequently and on most rivers you see the salmon holding close by, see their every move and reactions to the flies you are presenting. Needless to say this adds hugely to the thrill of salmon fishing. Early and late in the season there are of course some periods were the water levels are higher than usual and you’;ll need to sink a tube fly. That’;s when it is best to know where the salmon hold. But most of the time everything is up on the table, the fish in full view.
Everywhere you look their fins are sticking out! Photo by Heimir Óskarsson.
As a result of this, hitching small miniature tube flies is a particular favorite tactic when fly fishing in Iceland. To watch the salmon follow the fly, break the surface right in front of you to snatch the fly off the surface overtakes everything in fly fishing. And if you are not hitching, you might be simply dangling the minute flies over the clusters of salmon. Or stripping small flies over flat slow moving pools, using long leaders, watching the salmon react and chase the fly wildly. Sometimes often before actually nailing the fly! One angler actually had a big salmon chase his stripped fly eighteen times before crashing into the strike. Almost an hour later a 16 pounder was landed and released.
You think this is something for you? It is. 2008 was a record season for Atlantic salmon in Iceland. There are already predictions that next year will be just as prolific. We’;ll have to see about that, but the fact is, that even if we saw only half the numbers of salmon in the rivers in 2009 that we saw this year, it would be the foundation for a superb season.
