Find ­your ­dream ­trout ­in ­Holselva

Holselva is right there next to Renaelva when it comes to your chances of hooking into a truly large trout on a dry fly.

Holselva runs into Strandafjorden in Ål in Hallingdalen. It is a regulated river, where the large lake run trout of Strandafjorden come to feed and spawn – right along RV7 between Hol and Ål.

This one was holding just where you’d expect! Fishing guide and the driving force of modern management, Trond Andersson, demonstrates what Holselva has to offer. Photo: Vegard Veberg
A small hook and one or two small splitshot is all you need for drifting worms on Holselva. Photo: Vegard Veberg

This is where Andersson feels most at home.

– There is just something about your local river, says Andersson.

A tiny night crawler on an even smaller hook. Two small splitshots.

– This style of fishing is very similar to nymphing with a short line. You need to be in contact with the bait for the entire drift to feel the take… There!!!

Rod tip up and the line goes tight. A golden yellow trout is airborne in an instant before it runs downstream.

The Hallingdal local fights the fish skillfully, and moments later there is a spotted golden bar in the net.

– I really don’t see a difference between drifting worms and nymphing. You need to use the same cautious approach.

When actively fishing drift fishing worms, the fish is hooked before they manage to swallow the bait.

We asked our guide for the day to demonstrate drift fishing worms to two worn out fly fishermen, and fish our way down to the pool.

A small take is all we get. But before we give up, as the clouds begin to open up, as so often happens we think: just one more cast.

Right next to a big boulder on the side of the inlet the line stops.

– Now we’re talking, yells Andersson, just before he nets a two kilo hen brown trout.

The trout promptly swims off to finish its mission in at the spawning grounds later in the fall.

– This was a proper Hols trout!

The trout in Holselva are anything but lazy. When you first hook a proper one it typically gets hectic in this boulder strewn river. Photo: Vegard Vegerg

Active management and actively drifting worms

Holselva is managed by The Holselva Landowner Association with modern fishing regulations. This means that only fly fishing and actively drifting worms is allowed.

Actively drifting worms means that you can’t use a tippet over 0,16 diameter, and the hook can be no larger than size 10 and you need to set the hook quickly. All fish over 40 cm must be released.

A quick hookset and barbless hooks ensure that trout can be released and caught another day.
This is what it should look like.

There are 8 licenses available per day, so if you want to fish in the high season you should buy your license as soon as possible.

Licenses are available from June 1st at 9:00 AM.

Facts – Holselva

  • Holselva has a healthy population of large lake run trout, which come from Strandafjorden – a shallow and productive lake, where the trout grow quickly.
  • Your best chance of hooking one of the bigger fish in this river is between mid July to the end of the season.
  • The river is regulated, and is roughly 3,5 km long and consists of many nice pools. The water levels can fluctuate widely throughout the season.
  • The river banks are forested, with some open fields.
  • The river does have large hatches of the mayfly Siphlonurus Aestivalis.
  • The water is clear. Whether you choose to fish with flies or worms, you should use a long leader as to not spook the fish.
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