While it may be small, The Haukadalsa River on Iceland’s West Coast is an excellent single-handed salmon river that offers the opportunity to ‘hitch’ fish for Salmon during the season.
A five-rod lodge looks over the river, providing fly-fishermen with a great base that’s within walking distance of many good beats.
The lodge was renovated in 2013 and offers comfortable accommodation for five anglers in large double bedrooms, each with en-suite facilities.
The lodge is perfectly located on the river banks overlooking the river which is about twenty metres away.
There is a communal dining area and a comfortable lounge, a perfect place to relax and watch the river. Outside there is a hot tub which is an excellent place to recover after a day on the river.
Breakfast is usually around 7:00 am, and then you fish from 8:00 am until 1:00 pm and return to the lodge for lunch and a nap if needed. The afternoon/evening session starts around 4:00 pm-ish and can go through until 10:00 or 11:00 pm, after which it’s back to the lodge for a shower and an evening meal rounding the day off at about 1:00 am.
WIFI is available in the lodge, but you will need to bring your own laptop or tablet.
The Haukadalsa River flows from the Lake Haukadalsvatn into the Haukadalur Valley, in the west of Iceland. The river is eight kilometres long with forty pools and fished with five rods in total. The river is perhaps not so well-known, however, it is a beautiful small/medium-sized river and maintains good flow of water even during dry summer months.
The water is crystal clear, and ‘sight-fishing’ is a very special experience. The river is fished with fly only and we recommend single-handed rods, floating lines and small flies. The river is also perfect for trying to get the fish to the surface using the ‘hitch’ method. Most beats can be walked to from the lodge.
We would suggest single-handed rods in the 6-8 weight class. However shorter double-handed rods or switch-rods may be handy for those who prefer the double-handed style of fishing. These rods can be combined with a floating line, but a sink-tip line is always good to carry as well.
Flies should be small doubles in sizes 10-16. Bring your favourites but also make sure you have a good selection of colours and sizes, small tube flies and cone-head tube flies are also good to have. Those weighted tubes to get down and the small plastic tubes for that different movement in the water. Hitch tubes and Sun-Ray Shadows are a must as well.
Tippet strength of about 12 – 15 pounds. Clarity of water, size of water and the size of fly play the most crucial part in that recommendation. Bring chest-waders, warm undergarments, water and wind-resistant jackets, cap or hat and polarized glasses to see the fish as well as provide protection for your eyes.
Most of the fishing is off the shingle with some ankle/knee-wading. The river is a comfortable river to fish and suited to all ages and abilities.
Passport with a minimum of six months validity and photo ID to purchase a fishing licence. No Visa required.
Fly direct to Reykjavik. It is a two-hour drive to the lodge.
All fishing tackle and equipment must be sterilised and you must have a validating certificate.
Let us do the groundwork for you.
Our tailored fly fishing and accommodation itineraries are designed with you in mind to suit your preferences. They are also quoted in your local currency with very favourable exchange rates.
Fly Odyssey has access to the best guiding and lodging rates, suitable tides and updated availability to this destination which can vary throughout the season.
This includes flight bookings, transit accommodation, transfers and a host of non-angling activities and experiences.
We specialise in group stays to the region, and our long involvement with our partners on the ground in Iceland will ensure you are well looked after both on and off the water.
This includes extended stays in Reykjavik and elsewhere.
Please enquire for the latest rates and availability, including information on any applicable special offers.
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Creating and sharing memorable travel experiences with our clients and friends provides us with genuine satisfaction. All of our trips are bespoke, tailored to your needs, and we always love hearing all about the adventure on your return.
Our knowledge of travel logistics saves you time, and our highly experienced team is here to ensure it’s spent on the water and not at the desk or on a long flight connection that you didn’t require. Since 2006 we have developed a valued client-base that has travelled to all corners of the globe.
We are a fully-accredited travel agency, where all of our flights, accommodation and associated travel bookings are made in-house, which means that you pay less. We have access to a huge range of specials, deals, great volume pricing and excellent currency exchange rates, allowing us to pass these benefits directly onto you.
On the fishing front, our extensive expertise and experience around prime seasons, species, moon-phases, tides and personalised customer service is centred around one principal – preparation. This includes detailed gear and equipment lists, the fly patterns, transfer details, up-to-date fishing reports and some of the finer aspects that can often be overlooked.
We travel extensively and understand that your free-time is important. Just as we all understand from experience, that the key to a successful trip is pre-trip preparation.
Our highly experienced team has fly fished the world for the last 25 years, and we understand the considerations and gear needed to turn a good fly fishing trip into a great one.
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