Hofsa

104 cm king of Hofsa.

Hofsa is one of the “big” northeast rivers and one of the two major Vopnafjordur rivers, the other being Sela. Hofsa has different characteristics to Sela. It has a long canyon on the top beats, a dramatic impassable falls and a string of challenging pools as the river thunders down the canyon. But once the canyon ends, the river turns into an almost endless string of long slow flowing pools, each one seeming more enticing and inviting than the last one!

Another one of the royal family.

Hofsa is fished by seven daily rods and it has a very good reputation for big salmon. One of the best in Iceland and several 20 pound plus fish are taken every season. In 2007, 35 percent of the catch was mws, an even higher statistic was in place in 2008. This is a river which has been regulated so that there are not only grilse in abundance but mws salmon and several even bigger ones as well.

A lot of royality in Hofsá!

Hofsa is a strict fly only and catch and release river. It is one of the Icelandic elite rivers and so consumes its visitors that they wish to come back at the earliest date available. It has an excellent full service lodge, Arhvammur.

This 20 pounder was shipped upriver, over the impassible falls in the hope that it would contribute to spawning up there.

In recent years the managers of Hofsá along with the farmers, have been storing live salmon caught in the river in special holding boxes for transporting above the impassable falls. The grazing fields for the juvenile salmon are excellent in the highland part of the river and this has been contributing to more consistent runs.