Norway Fishing Adventure; Halibut, Salmon, Cod, & More

One of the newest and most diverse destinations for saltwater fly fishing and light lure fishing. If catching big powerful fish is your thing then our Norwegian saltwater adventures will be right up your alley. Imagine fishing in shallow clear water and knowing that with every cast you have the chance of hooking fish in excess of 100lb.

The main species that we target during these fishing days is the mighty Halibut, and  is one of the largest species that can be targeted in European waters. The areas that we fish allow us to use much lighter gear than what is traditionally used for halibut and we cater for both lure anglers and fly anglers. It is probably testament to the fishing areas that we use that we have been involved with both the last two Norwegian fly caught records and unofficial world records, we have also had countless personal best for our clients. The first thing that surprises most people who we take out on these trips is how visual it is, drifting over the shallow grounds and watching the countless groups of cod searching for their next meal is exciting enough but then to spot a giant halibut cruising past really gets the pulse racing. It would be a fair statement to say that fifty percent of all the takes from halibut on both lure and fly are witnessed boat side as they follow their chosen prey right up to the surface.

Other species that can regularly be caught is the powerful Coalfish that come in their vast numbers to chase herring and other small bait fish. The coalfish that inhabit the fjord come in all sizes with many being in the one to five pounds range but it is the fish in the ten to twenty pounds plus range that is of most interest to our anglers. Lure anglers can target these fish in the deep water with classic rigging techniques most of the summer but it can be particularly fun fishing when the coalfish come up into the surface layers where casting lures and fly fishing can be extremely productive.

As mentioned above, the numbers of cod that can be caught here need to be seen to be believed. The cod fishing in the shallows can actually be great fun using all sorts of methods, sight fishing with fly rods or lure set is normally fast and furious with several fish going for your bait at once. The fish regularly caught in the shallow waters tend to be into double figures but fish over twenty pounds and bigger are regularly caught each summer, for the really big cod it tends to be more productive in the deeper waters found in our fjords

Of course these Norwegian fjords are home to a huge array of different species and we often land a handful of these whilst stripping bait fish patterns or casting metal through the clear waters of the North.

What to Expect:

A typical fishing day consists of you and your fishing partner being picked up at your accommodation by your guides and taken to the boats. We fish two anglers per boat, with a spacious casting deck at the front and a casting platform at the back, two anglers can enjoy each other’s company whilst not getting in each other’s way. The areas that your guide will take you to will depend on tide and conditions, the boats easily glide across the fjord in most fishing conditions so areas don’t ever really take more than thirty minutes to get to.

When fishing for the Halibut we like our customers to be ready for the potential of a monster fish. The fjord is home to fish over 200lb in weight and we do quite regularly see them in the shallow waters that we fish. Although these big fish are in the backs of everyone’s mind, the smaller fish of 20lb to 80lb are actually some of the best sport. The shape of the halibut is why they are so powerful, it is not just the tip of the tale that propels them like with most normal sport fish, the whole body of the fish forces a lot of water which allows them to create a huge amount of power. Traditionally anglers have targeted Halibut in very deep water on heavy gear, this means that mostly the fish is swimming down to the bottom where it feels safe. The great thing with the shallow water where we operate is that the fish generally swim away from the boats at breakneck speed as they try to find the ‘safety’ of deeper water, this makes for some fantastic battles on both fly and light lure fishing setups.

When fishing for the coalfish we use the boats to search the regular areas for bird activity, when found we drift these areas searching the different depths until the rods start bending and the reels scream. The Coalfish is a hugely underrated sporting species, a lot of this comes from the fact that they look a lot like pollock, they are in fact nothing like pollock in the way they fight. These fish pull like a train and never give up, when a big fish is hooked they will strip line and fight as hard as fish from any ocean in the world. The Coalfish in this area can actually grow to over 50lb but fish between 10lb to 25lb are the stamp of larger fish that we tend to encounter.

Hospitality: 

A superb days fishing in some of the most stunning scenery imaginable should always be enjoyed with some quality food and drink to match. During your time afloat we will provide coffee, tea, pastries and snacks throughout the day. At lunch we like to bring the boats ashore on some deserted beach and build a beach fire, once the fire is hot we can cook up some grilled meats and mix with freshly made salad served with condiments. We can promise that whilst sitting on a rock looking over the fjord and its surrounding mountains there are few better places to enjoy simple fire cooked food with a glass of wine or beer to wash it down.