Jökla and tributaries
Fine grilse from the falls in Laxá. All photos from Jón Eyfjörð collection.
Jökla is a thrilling and complex blend between an experiment and reality. Here in the northeast outpost of Héraðsflói, Þröstur Elliðason and his company Strengir, have set up a smolt releasing scheme aimed at turning a former huge muddy glacial river and its tributaries into salmon fishing luminaries.
Jökla looks..."different" without the mud!
Peterfied troll oversee's a beautiful pool on Kaldá.
Jökla is a nickname for the massive river Jökulsá á Brú and Jökulsá á Dal. The river changes names according to location. This is the river that over the centuries dug out the awesome Dimmugljúfur canyon that split the nation in its outlook to the hydroelectric process in the wilderness highlands that at least half the nation if not more felt should have been turned into a national park instead of a provider of power for a new aluminum smelter in nearby Reyðarfjörður. But that’s history now, the dam was built and the muddy part of Jökla taken through underground tunnels to spill into its neighbouring Lagarfljót in the next valley due south!
Fögruhlíðará had unexpected brown trout fishing on the middle beats.
Here we have a sample of a typical Fögruhlíðar-brown trout.
What’s left of Jökla is clear of color, although late in the season a muddy spill from the dam will color the river up again temporarily. This, Þröstur has seen as an opportunity to “make” a new salmon fishing Mecca. Jökla is a very beautiful river without the mud although not quite what it used to be. It has also several noteworthy tributaries such as Laxá, Brúará and Kaldá who all have a history of salmon and char runs. Even some sea trout from time to time. Close by there is also Fögruhlíðará, a lovely river noted for strong sea char runs in the estuary lagoon and some salmon running to the falls at the top of the river.
One og the supersmall grilse of 2008.
By now, two seasons have past since Þröstur has offered the lower Jökla along with the tributaries as a separate fishery. The upper Jökla remains a field of experiment with info seeking anglers looking for salmon and trout. Things are taking shape, they were even taking salmon on hitched flies in beautiful pools on Jökla itself last season and the tributaries and junction pools had substantial runs of salmon. More and more salmon have been returning and it seems that the wild stocks in the tributaries are healthier than expected. A bad year for grilse in the east in 2008 did not help though.
Jökla has a newly built top class lodge. We list it as a full service lodge as full service can be arranged upon request. However, some groups like to have the place to themselves and decline the service.
