The Angling Club of Reykjavík add Laxa in Dolum to their list
A nice grilse has been arrested. Photo by Heimir Óskarsson.
The Angling Club of Reykjavik has added an impressive river to its array of rivers and streams, namely the Laxa in Dolum, which is a very prolific west coast river.
The news came as a bit of a surprise as shifting of management on Icelandic rivers has been at a minimum following the economic collapse. The scene has been more along the lines of re-negotiating to meet the changed economic environment. Yet, in the case of Laxa in Dolum, the landowners and the leash holders terminated their collaboration during the autumn months and the Angling Club of Reykjavík stepped in at the request of the landowners as the two parties have worked together on the river Faskrud which is run by the same landowner association.
The remnants of the regulating dam at the headwater Laxárvatn. Photo by Haraldur Eiríksson.
According to the ACoR the rent is reduced and the prices for fishing permits follow suite. Laxa in Dolum is one of Iceland's finest salmon rivers, rarely finishing with less than 1.400 salmon to six-seven daily rods usually ending up with 1.600 to 1.800 and occasionally rupturing the 2.000 mark. It is at times hit with low water during the high summer draughts and tends to become difficult as a result, but when the rains start the fishing picks up at a frantic pace. Few Icelandic rivers produce late season fishing of the caliber of Laxa in Dolum.
The ACoR are looking at ways to meet the draught-problem and it has become known that a water regulating dam at one of the main headwater lakes was installed in the eighties. A combination of hard winter frosts and sudden melting destroyed the dam at the time but according to sources, it looks like being rebuildable. Perhaps the draught –problem can be reduced dramatically in time for the new season?
