Attention! Several rivers open for fishing on June 1st.
The fishing season is finally upon us. Even though many have had a head start, it is from this time forward that the opportunities really begin to open up. After the fantastic spring and early summer we have had (aside from our friends in Northern Norway) the conditions for fishing are nearly perfect, including in the high mountains. Due to the excellent weather we’ve had the season is roughly 3 weeks ahead of schedule.
Finally the wait is over – dust off the fishing gear and go fishing!
From June 1st fishing opens for the season in the following areas:
The River Vangrøfta in Dalsbygda is a river that lends itself perfectly to “Hunting” for big trout. This river has limited license sales, which means you can rest assured that you won’t run into too many other anglers on the water. We have still not received any reports as to the conditions, but given the water levels and temperature it should be about perfect.
Photo: Sigbjørn Nygaard
In the Grimsa Fly Fishing Zone you can target feisty grayling and trout at the feet of the majestic Rondane Mountain Range. Here you will find very healthy, yet very selective fish. The fly fishing zone is roughly 18 km long and only 10 licenses are sold daily. The river is primarily fed by the high mountains surrounding it and flooding during this time of year is not uncommon, but not this year! The river is flowing crystal clear and nearly at summer levels.
Photo: Bjørnar Hansen.
Kvennan Fly Fishing is on of the best stretches in the Glomma given the sheer number of grayling found here. The grayling population here is the densest in all of Norway. Given that the average grayling is around 40 cm long, you can count on having a very good time fishing here. The fly fishing zone is 15 km long, with solid access throughout and easy wading. The water is currently well under average for this time of year, so you are guaranteed to find plenty of fish from the first day.
Photo: Bjørnar Hansen.
On the Nordre Mistra in Rendalen you can experience the calm stillness in idealic surroundings at the feet of the Sølenfjellmassivet Mountain Range. The river has a pure population of trout, and consists of large pools, swift rapids, and perfect runs. Fishing in other areas of Rendalen is also in full swing, and in the lower stretches of the watershed has been unmatched in recent weeks. There is nothing to indicate that this fishing should not be at it’s best here come opening day. Swarms of carpenter ants were observed in the area only a couple of days ago.
Photo: Bjørnar Hansen.
The little River Hola is ideal for fly fishing, and the fly fishing zone opens June 1st. Grayling and whitefish are the dominant species here with the occasional trout and pike. The fishing here can be very exciting, especially when the mayfly and caddis hatches become more consistent. Of notable mention is the solid hatches of Ephemera Danica found here. Outside of the fly fishing zone this watershed has delivered great fishing, including in Lake Langsjøen.
Photo: Jonas Nordigårds.
The slow flowing stretches of the River Unsetåa, together with the Rivers Finstadåa and Tysla are ideal for spotting fish, especially in combination with dry fly fishing. Here you will find plenty of trout and grayling weighing around 0.5 kilo, and a good amount in the kilo range. In addition to the resident fish you will find much larger trout making the journey upstream from lake Storsjøen. Everything is lining up for excellent fishing conditions here from the opening day.
Photo: Simen Preståsen.
The Nordre Rena Fly Fishing Zone consists of a 4.7 km stretch of river with limited license sales. Only 8 licenses are available per day. The fly fishing zone stretches from the Søndre Bridge on FV 677 downstream to the bride at Kvarsevja. The zone consists primarily of slow flowing sections, which are ideal for fishing from a bellyboat, canoe, or kayak. The river has a dense population of grayling with fish up to 40 cm being common and fish around 1.5 kg is not uncommon. The conditions here were perfect only a couple of days ago and the water temperatures were good.
Photo: Bjørnar Hansen.
The River Holselva is a beautiful trout river which is ideal for both fly fishing and active worm fishing. The population of large lake run trout is what Holselva is known best known for. The come up from lake Strandafjorden, which is a large shallow lake where the trout grow very quickly.
Photo: Trond Andersson.
Otherwise it is also worthy of mention that the distinctive River Borgundselva opens June 12th. The crystal clear water runs through the lush distinctive landscape of Western Norway, surrounded by high mountains, cultural heritage sites, and small traditional farms. This beautiful river is the upper part of the world-renowned Lærdalselva. Borgundselva does not have a return of salmon, but is well known for it’s dense population of healthy brown trout.
Photo: Ørretens Rike.