Hitara 1 and 2

A view from the lodge, Breiðin and Kverk, two of the very best pools. Photo by Jón Skelfir.

Hitara is a west coast river, flowing from north to south on the Snaefellsnes peninsula. It ranks as one of the countries most beautiful rivers and that is saying a lot. It originates in the picturesque mountain lake Hitarvatn which is one of Iceland’s better trout lakes. From the lake is flows through birch covered lava fields of haunting beauty. Although up here we are on the secondary beat, Hítará 2 which is sold seperatly as a three rod self catering fishery along with the tributaries Talmi and Grjota. Some of this area is treacherous, involving tough walking and roughing it up on 4x4’s along some very bad tracks.

Further down river, below the junction of Hitara and the named tirbutaries, the main beat starts with some of the rivers more notable pools such as Langidráttur, Grettisstiklur, Kverk and Breiðin. This is beautiful fly fishing water of the highest order and the river has strong runs of salmon. Mostly though good sized grilse.

From the upper beat.

The lodge is a case in itself. It is and elderly building perched on the cliffs overlooking several of the rivers top pools. You can actually check out each morning if there are any new fresh fish on Breiðin by having a look out of the sitting room window. The building was built by a former lease holder, Jóhannes á Borg, a well known Icelander who among other things in life, toured the United States showing off the Icelandic brand of wrestling. Jóhannes accumulated some stunning antic furniture and the biggest privately owned collection of stuffed birds in Iceland. The birds are all in the lodge as well as Jóhannes’s entire library. Among the bird species on display in the lodge are a couple of Sea eagles, a Snowy owl and the extinct Great Auk, put together by some 20 or so guillemots and auks!

The lodge is with full service and the lower main beat is fished with four to six rods. The self catering beat further up on the other hand has a separate lodge and is fished with two to three rods.