The River Rena is Finally Open
Friday May 1st was the day we’ve all been patiently waiting for, the opener on Rena. Rena is a river that many anglers hold a special place for in their hearts, and many have made the opening weekend on Rena a tradition. The river is now open in it’s entirety, from the Storsjøen dam in the north to its’ confluence with the Glomma in the south.
Rena is known as an Eldorado for fly-fishing, but this early in the season the fishing is by no means easy. Especially for the dry fly purist.
The water temps are cold and fish are on the bottom, and heavy nymphs or a streamer presented slowly right on the fishes nose is the best way to get the trout to move.
While nymphs and streamers are the most effective methods for fly anglers, the dedicated rapala anglers typically have the most success early in the season. If you are a fly angler that prefers dry fly fishing you are probably best off to wait a while until the temperature rises. The early season hatches tend to be very sporadic.
For many the itch to get out and wet a line is just too much to handle, and after both a cold winter and a long awaited loosening of coronavirus restrictions, some just had to get out and fish! Many like-minded anglers took the opportunity to fish the opening day on Rena.
Our ambassador and Rena enthusiast, Jon Erlend Sundnes reported a water temperature of 3-3,5 degrees, and challenging fishing during the opening weekend. Most of the fish are hugging the bottom. But that didn’t stop a lot of anglers for getting out on opening day, both fly and spin anglers, and there were quite a few that took their boats out for a drift.
Sundnes explained that there were many trout around 1 kilo caught that day – and that someone caught a true Rena beast weighing in around 6 kg at one of the well-known spots. Sundnes explained however that it was totally possible to catch fish on something other than rapalas or streamers, but that you needed to hunt for active fish… and take a couple thousand casts.
Well, this worked out well for Sundnes as we see in the photos he sent:
Photo: @fly_rod_river
Photo: @fly_rod_river
There was also a crew who drifted for the opener. Jake Semons, André Brun, Anders Dahl-Eriksen and Odd Chr. Hagen took out the watermasters, and despite the cold temperatures managed to catch some decent fish. The boys fished primarily with streamers and sink lines, which is often the key to success so early in the season.
Well, Rena is officially open, and there were many satisfied anglers that made the journey last weekend.
Guide Jake Semons with a decent Rena Trout. Photo: Anders Dahl-Eriksen.
Here is Odd Christian with a brick of Rena Gold. Photo: Andrè Brun / Glassklart media.
The pike were also feeling photogenic. Photo: Anders Dahl-Eriksen
André Brun with a pike caught on a streamer. Photo: Anders Dahl-Eriksen
