Langa: Always room for the unexpected
The guide clutches the salmon following a hectic struggle.
Langa may be one of Iceland's very best salmon rivers but it is not known for it's multiple mws's, rather its superstrong grilse. But during seasons of heavy runs there will always be some big fish on the prowl and more often than not they provide someone with great memories. Here is one such tale…
Our story stems from Langa guide in chief, Ólafur B. Finnbogason whom was assigned to a French father and son team last season. Ólafur takes over: “This was at the start of August and they had been doing well on Langá. From here they were to travel straight to Midfjardara and they couldn't contain their thrill as they had Rabbi's (Midfjardara outfitter) word for it that there were some very big salmon running the river along with the hoards of grilse. They were well aware that Langa is not best known for its mws runs.
The younger French had been doing well, his father ok and one evening we were at the bottom beat for the final three hours. We were optimistic, there were a lot of fresh grilse running and the people leaving the beat had done very well, especially at the Strengir part of the beat. To rest the Strengir for a while I put the older guy in Breidan and took the younger above the falls to Kerstapafljot, a pool seldom fished due to the closeness of the Strengir and Breidan. Yet, Kerstapafljot is a good pool were we both have resting salmon that have climbed the fish ladder and residents that spawn close by during winter. It is a pool that holds fish throughout the season.
And here we have the young French father to be holding his fine salmon prior to releasing it.
We waded across to fish the river from the west bank and I showed my client a few spots to concentrate on. As we sat and observed the pool, we fell into various discussions, some far fetched from fly fishing for salmon, notably one topic, as we were at the time both expectant fathers to be. But we soon switched back on to the matter at hand, the fishing and the guy started again to talk about the big ones he was expecting to catch in Midfjardara. I countered that there was a really big one right there in Kerstapafljot, I had seen him on and off all season, always in the same spot. I pointed it out and he laughed, typical guides, always ready with the tall tales to keep the clients on their toes!
My client was soon fishing and started at the top of the pool. He fished his way down the pool, covering the lies very well. I thought then that it was time to check on his father, so I stood up to leave just as he was about to place his two inch Sunray Shadow plastic tube fly over the spot where the big one was lurking. “You'r going to get him now,” I called as I turned to leave but the next thing that happened was a huge commotion in the river, violent splashing, almost as if someone had fallen into the river. This was followed by a yell from the angler who was indeed into a fine salmon!
It iturned out to be a fine salmon, an 83 cm female, aprox 11-12 pounds, bright and beautiful and a big one for Langa. But although it took the fly at the very same point that the big one had been showing all season, it was never the same one. The big one was far bigger and had truned a little dark by then. But it just goes to show you, the unexpected can always happen while salmon fishing. These fellows did well later on Midfjardara but this was their biggest fish of the trip!
And speaking of mws's, there were in fact far more of them last season in Langa than I have seen all my years as a guide on the river. Two that were landed were actually over 90 cm which a rarity on the river. So perhaps we are looking at better things in the future as far as big fish in Langa are cnoncerned?”
