Impressive totals for Reykja
We recently aquired the statistics for Reykjadalsa last season. Reykja is mainly a brown trout river, yet offers a substantial chance of catching a salmon or two. Last seasons totals where very impressive, so much so that the river is almost totally booked for the coming season.
Reykja is a slightly less than medium sized river that flows through a very fertile valley filled with lush vegetation and rich birdlife, which need not come as a surprise as the valley is the famous Myvatn‘s next door neighbour. As is Myvatn‘s Laxa, Reykja is full of brown trout. They vary in size and many weigh from a single pound upto two pounds. But bigger fish are not infrequent, 3 to 4 pounders not that uncommon at all. The season opens at the start of May and the river is fished for most of September. The brown trout fishing is very good in the spring and early summer, but as July enters the fold, many of the anglers turn more to the salmon and the browns are reduced to also rans.
Upstreaming for browns. Pix by Einar Falur
Last seasons total was 3.000 browns written into the catch book. The catch is though considerably higher as many locals fishing in the spring neglect the catch book. The salmon catch was 120 fish and they are all released. The salmon catch is up and coming slowly but surely. Some years ago the river produded as many as 3-400 salmon in a top season but many think that the river was overfished as catches crashed. The current managers have installed a strict catch and release for the salmon, however the trout are so numerous that anglers are allowed to take some of them back home if they wish. According to Pétur Pétursson, the outfitter for the river, these totals are considered very satisfactory
