miðfjarðará
THE MIÐFJARÐARA IS considered ONE OF THE BEST SALMON RIVERS IN ICELAND, and extremely prolific WITH AN AVERAGE CATCH OF AROUND 3300 SALMON FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.
ICELAND’S MOST VARIED RIVER? PROBABLY.
In the north west of Iceland runs one of the finest salmon rivers in the world, the Miðfjarðará. Actually 4 rivers and over 100km of fishing - the Miðfjarðará ‘mainstem’, the Austurá, Vesturá and the bijou Núpsá.
The 200 named pools and countless runs, pots and riffles are fished by 6 – 10 rods depending on the time of the season, meaning pools are well rested between fishermen and the fishing pressure moderated.
The Miðfjarðará is well known for aggressive fish from grilse to multi sea winter salmon, that confidently take surface flies, no matter the time of the season.
If you have always struggled to temPt a salmon to the hitchED fly there is no finer river to change that. MIDFJARDARA’S clear water teemS with aggressive wild salmon
FISHING EXPERIENCE
Beat 1: Starts at the junction of the Austurá and Vesturá, this is 15 km of water including the famous Grjóthylur (Airport pool). Fantastic when fresh fish are running.
Beat 2: Includes the lower Austurá from the junction of the Núpsá and down to the junction with the Vesturá. Beat 2 has a secret weapon in good water levels - the whole Núpsá tributary.
Beat 3: The upper Austurá, including the spectacular canyon where so many memories are made and the miles of river above the impressive fish ladder - beautiful and productive pools.
Beat 4: Is the lower Vesturá down to the junction with Austurá. Stunning water, visual and intimate with waterfalls then deep holding pools and shallow runs - perfect hitching water.
Beat 5: The upper Vesturá includes the famous bridge pool Túnhylur which often you can see salmon in hundreds. The shallow pools above are perfect for floating lines and small or skated flies.
LAXAHVAMMUR LODGE
“Laxahvammur” on the Miðfjarðará is one of the oldest established lodges in Iceland. In 2008 after Rafn “Rabbi” Alfreðsson started his river lease the the work on renovating the lodge commenced, and each year improvements are added.
Each of the 10 guest bedrooms has a private en suite bathroom and shower, with two beds in case of rod sharing.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at the communal banquet table, and drinks are taken in the comfortable lounge area or in the quieter reading room.
Miðfjarðará is located 2hrs 15 minutes drive from Reykjavik, 3hrs from Keflavik International Airport.
A CULINARY DELIGHT
The Chef serves freshly prepared Icelandic cuisine, including seafood from the north Atlantic, locally grown lamb, beef and game, vegetables from the fields and greenhouses and local dairy produce.
Mornings: International breakfast buffet
Lunch: Lunch buffet with daily changing food variations
Afternoon: Cake or local pastry
Dinner: 3 course chef’s menu
Beverages such as soft drinks and beer are available to purchase at the lodge. Miðfjarðará has an exceptional wine list - Rabbi’s second passion after fishing!
THE FISHING SEASON
The season on the Miðfjarðará starts on 15 June and ends 19 September. In the beginning of the season (spring weeks) from the opening until – 12 July smaller runs of MSW salmon enter the rivers, a number in the 15 - 20lb+ range, so it makes for very exciting if not prolific fishing.
12 July – 15 August is “Prime Time”, when the biggest numbers of fresh fish are running into the rivers. From late July this will be mostly fat, strong grilse with a lesser number of MSW salmon.
The second half of August and early September, whilst seeing much smaller fresh runs, generally bring rain and cooler weather - and with it prolific fishing.