Salmon rivers - Full service

One of the more recent lodges, the full service lodge at Laxá í Kjós. Photo by Heimir Óskarsson.

Salmon rivers with full service. This category consists mainly of Iceland‘s „bigger“ rivers, those fished with the most rods. Most of them rank among the countries best rivers thus placing them among the world‘s best rivers.

Breiðdalsá's beautiful lodge. Photo by Heimir Óskarsson.

Full service in Iceland means full board and the managers of the Iceland‘s rivers, in collaboration with the owners (the farmers associations), have been working hard over the last several years to uphold the standards in some cases and up them in others. Several new lodges have been built over the last several years and others are on the drawing board. Still others have been taken out, so to speak, an almost rebuilt.

All full service rivers have guides on standby should they be required and needed. Many use their services as salmon fishing is not cheap and the presence of a good solid guide insures that time is not spent flogging fishless water or taking the longer route to the beats. When you come to Iceland you must get your moneys worth.

Decorated chefs of Norðurá, Gummi and Mjöll.

It is also worth noting, that Icelandic salmon lodges usually hire supream chefs from the top Reykjavík resteraunts, many of which have come back home decorated following high profile international competitions. Many of these chefs are keen anglers themselves and use their hollidays weaving their magic in the lodges.

There are also some lodges were clients can choose between full service and self catering. To be able to make such a choice groups need either to have control of all the rods or be in total harmony with others in the group. Most of these outstanding lodges have both jacuzzy and sauna as well as heating rooms for waders and a cooler should clients be taking some salmon back with them.