Salmon fishing in Iceland has a long history and it has been practiced ever since the first settlers arrived from Scandinavia in the 19th century. Iceland was one of the most popular destination for English and Scottish which came here specifically to fish for salmon. Ever since, salmon fishing in Iceland has been kind of posh and you will hear names of famous people who come here year after year mainly to fly fish for salmon.
There are more than 100 self-sustaining salmon rivers in Iceland and over 75% of all salmon caught are in around 20 rivers. You can get different packages depending on the river you want a fish, all depending on what you are looking for. Normally you can get from 2 - 7 days packages and some will have all inclusive.
Prices for fly fishing in Iceland for salmon vary between rivers. You can easily pay up to $3000 for your license all depending on which package you are looking for. Some self-catering rivers offer fewer prices.
The island - Every fly fisher paradise
Iceland is a unique destination for any angler. It offers breath-taking nature, landscape, and crystal clear rivers which hold large stocks of Atlantic salmon, some trophy brown trout, and other freshwater fish.
One thing many people don't know but Iceland is closer than you think, it’s the closest European country from USA or around 5 hours flight from New York and only around 2 hours flight from UK.
During summer you will have 24 hours sunlight and sometimes you can ask if it’s possible to fish during the night, I promise you that it will be an amazing experience and in some rivers or lakes and sometimes you might hook more fish during night than during day.
Salmon season in Iceland - when is the best time to fly fish for salmon in Iceland?
The salmon season in Iceland is usually around 90 days but differ between rivers. The season usually starts around mid-June until mid-July and ends late September. Some rivers offer licenses until late October, but today the Ranga rivers offer extended season only.
Early rivers which open early June are located West of Iceland or around Borgarfjörður area and rivers in East of Iceland usually open later or around end of June or early July.
By law, you can only fish 12 hours a day and each river association makes their own rules when they fish these 12 hours. Normally fishing starts at 7:00 until 13:00 and starts again at 15:00 and finish at 21:00 but this varies between rivers.
What Tackle do I need to bring if I want to fly fish for salmon Iceland?
Rods, waders, wading jacket, glasses, tippets and flies, this is the main tackle you need to bring with you. You can also buy all this stuff in Iceland but normally I would suggest bringing your own rods and waders with you. Don’t forget you need to disinfect your equipment when arriving in Iceland. At Keflavik Airport you can ask to disinfect your equipment for a low price. We want to keep our rivers clean of infection and diseases. A certificate of disinfection issued by your local veterinary office will be accepted at the airport when you enter Iceland. The certificate should be clearly worded on official headed paper with the appropriate stamp of approval.
Which rods should you bring for salmon fly fishing in Iceland
Personally I always have few rod setups when I fly fish for salmon. Normally I have one #6 rod with a floating line to fish smaller flies. This rod I normally use for my micro flies, riffling hitch and smaller doubles and trebles.
Then I have another rod for line 8. This rod I normally have floating or intermediate fly line which helps me fish deeper with smaller flies and tubes. This setup is good when you have small cone tubes and you need to get the fly deeper in faster current.
Usually, these two rods will serve all my needs when I fish in Iceland but when I fish in bigger rivers I also have 1 or 2 double hand rods. You don't need longer rods than 12 - 13 feet. If I have the double hand it’s when I have to fish with bigger flies or when the water level is high.
There are many articles on this site here where I try to explain the best setup for each condition when fly fishing for salmon in Iceland.
Do you need neoprene waders or not or should you take your Gore-Tex waders?
Normally you don’t need neoprene waders when fishing in Iceland. You should take your breathable waders with you but just have enough warm clothes, as you know, Iceland can get chilly from time to time. If you are going hunting or you fish late in the autumn you can ask around and see if you need neoprene waders but in most occasions your breathable waders should be enough.
How many layers of clothes should I bring with me to Iceland?
I get this question a lot. I normally tell people to bring enough layers but have them as light as possible. If you fish late summer or autumn I would suggest warmer clothes but if you are going in June, July or August you don't need to worry too much about the temperatures.
Here is a list of some basic stuff that you should bring with you before fly fishing for salmon in Iceland; Good fishing hat Polaroid sunglasses - I normally go for yellow or brown (I use yellow on cloudy rainy days but brown on sunny days) Gloves can come in handy if it chilly and windy. Good wading or rain jacket is mandatory Few layers of warm clothes At least one good sweater (you could also buy one of the amazing Icelandic wool sweaters in Iceland) Warm socks A lightweight bag can come in handy if you have to bring some things with you to the river. Sometimes you need to walk some distances to reach the pools.
Flies and tippets/leaders you will need for fly fishing Iceland
This is a difficult topic since every angler has his own ideas what works. I will try to be political and tell you that normally you should use 12 - 15 feet leaders and have 8 - 25 lbs. tippets. Even if this isn't accurate details, at least you should get the picture. I personally never use a tippet under 15 lbs. when fishing for a salmon in Iceland. If I have to fish in really low water with micro flies I sometimes go down to 12 lbs. When I fish heavy tubes or sinking lines I use shorter leaders, or around 7 - 9 feet. This helps me with presenting and controlling the fly.
How to pick a fly for salmon in Iceland? As always I say to everyone, go for something you believe in. There are many articles here on the site where you can read about which flies to use is specific conditions, how to fish them and when.
Laws and regulations on salmon fly fishing in Iceland
All fishing right belongs to the owners of the land which the river is associated with. Fishing for salmon in saltwater is forbidden. Net fishing is forbidden - except for few farmers. The fishing tackle must be disinfected before fished in Icelandic Rivers. This can be done at Keflavik airport for a small fee. If you are preparing a fishing trip to Iceland but do not where to start, please contact me and I will try to help as much as I can to point you in the right direction. You can email me This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tight lines and safe releases.