The Land of Fire & Ice
It is truly a land of fire and ice; a land with more than 250 glaciers spread across a vast volcanic plateau that is in an almost constant state of eruption. It is home to over 55 major rivers, some of which are glacial but where many are fertile, and home to Atlantic salmon, resident and sea-run brown trout, and Arctic char. Let us help you track down the type of experience you are after in this fanciful country of contrast, scenic beauty, and angling opportunity.
When considering a fly fishing trip to Iceland, there are a few ways to attack it. The country works a little bit differently than other fishing destinations.
The Fishing Seasons of Iceland
Generally the fishing season in Iceland runs from April to late October depending on the species.
April – June: Spring in Iceland can have unsettled weather and is often a high risk/ high reward proposition. The early runs of seatrout will begin in April and will continue through May and the resident trophy brown trout fishing in the lakes is coming into prime time. Spring is a wonderful time to experience Iceland as the fisheries are coming into shape, the tourism and fishing pressure is lower, and often the rates at the lodges are lower.
June: In early June the river trout and char fishing is coming into play. In the middle of the month Atlantic salmon will begin to run in the early rivers. Late June can be a very good time for bright, strong fish on a number of river systems.
July – August: As the summer goes on and things warm up we enter prime time at the salmon and river trout and char destinations. There are also pushes of seatrout on some systems from mid-July into August. July and August are often busy with tourists as it can have the warmest weather of the year, and the midnight sun is in full effect.
September – October: In September and October the salmon runs will slow down in most systems, but the seatrout season is coming into prime time and the resident trout and char fisheries are still available. The fall in Iceland is more susceptible to windy and rainy days, but usually this is a great time to be there.
Preparing for a Trip to Iceland:
The weather in Iceland can be unsettled every day of the year. Guests in Iceland should prepare for wind, rain, snow, sun, and possible biting insects every day of their trip to the island. It is important to be ready for changing weather and be prepared for all four seasons in one day. Often summers are pleasant with an average temperature between 50 – 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Guests should prepare for long days on the water. Sessions and days are long in Iceland and the schedule can be brutal if guests are not prepared.
Full Rod vs. Shared Rod:
In Iceland the guide can take two full rods. A rod can be shared, so a guide can have up to four guests with them with two anglers fishing at a time.
A full rod fishes all sessions and gets a single room at the lodge, a shared rod shares the fishing time and shares a room at the lodge. The shared rod option can be a good option for guests who want breaks during their fishing day.
Rates:
Any way you look at it, fishing in Iceland is somewhat expensive, but the fish are there. The rates at the lodges, especially the salmon lodges, fluctuate throughout the season depending on historic catch rates.
Sterilization:
All used fishing equipment entering Iceland will have to be sterilized. The lodges will perform the sterilization upon arrival. If you are fishing independently before your trip and would like to have your equipment sterilized before entering Iceland, the government form can be provided.
Fly Fishing for Atlantic Salmon
The weekly catch rates at both the wild and hatchery assisted salmon rivers are posted each week HERE.
The salmon lodge rotations go in 3 or 4 day blocks. A 4 day rotation goes like this:
Day 1: Arrive Keflavik / Transfer to the lodge / Evening session of guided fishing
Day 2 - 4: Three full days of guided fishing
Day 5: Morning session of guided fishing / Depart lodge for Reykjavik or Keflavik
Each session is 5 to 6 hours long. In a 4 day rotation a full rod will get approximately 40 hours of fishing. Some guests will overnight on the front and back end of the rotation to rest up before or after their fishing days.
Spey Rods
Our favorite destinations for targeting Atlantic Salmon with Spey rods is the East Ranga and West Ranga. The fishing is much the same as winter steelheading. The rivers are cold and guests use sink tips to get the fly down. The Rangas are often in the top three lodges for numbers of fish caught due to an interesting stocking program implemented on the rivers.
