Blanda

The Blandá is a glacial river in northwest Iceland rising in the foothills of the mighty Hofsjökull glacier. The river flows 125km through the vast highlands into the stunning valleys of Blöndudalur and Langidalur before reaching the sea next to the town of Blönduós.  With a high ratio of multi-winter salmon, the Blandá has a reputation for holding some of the most powerful fish in the country. 

Powerful salmon in well-rested waters 

Prior to 1991 and the installation of a dam 60km above the estuary, Blandá was unfishable due to its overwhelming and coloured flow pattern. Thanks to the dam, the pools of the Blandá are today milky-clear during summertime, offering an exciting fly-fishing experience.

The average catch for the past ten years is just under 2,300 salmon annually, with the best year in 2015 exceeding 4,800 salmon. Fishing the Blandá is a 37km long adventure where anglers encounter fast flowing rapids, long calm stretches and a canyon on the uppermost section of the river. Heavy wading is necessary in parts of the lower section but becomes easier towards the upper part. All these pools are ideal fishing with double-handed rods, which we highly recommend, as Blandá is notorious for its high ratio of multi-winter salmon. The salmon of the Blandá have a well-known reputation for being among the most powerful in the country.

Beats one and two are offered as four-day slots with an afternoon session on arrival, three full days and a morning session on departure. Each angler will have the opportunity to fish two sessions on beat one and two sessions on beat two over the course of the four days, providing a balanced and exciting fishing experience across both beats. This will be for eight rods on rotation and based from the fully catered Blandá lodge.

Beat one is undoubtedly the most renowned salmon beat on the river, known for attracting large numbers of fish before they move upstream past the waterfall or through the fish ladder. With the highest catch rate per rod on the Blandá, beat one consistently delivers exceptional results. Despite its short length, the beat is fished with four rods, two on each bank, making it a prime spot.

Beat two, up in the valley, runs through meadows in a wide valley floor and is easily accessed by vehicle. There are easy freestone pools with nice wading, classic salmon pools that require a combination of double and single handed rods to make the most of the endless fly water. July and early August is the considered prime time for beat two on Blandá.

Beat three, available from 10th July, is divided into two sections: Upper and Lower, each fished with two rods, making four rods on the beat. This section of the river carries slightly less water volume, as the Svartá tributary joins the Blandá between beats two and three. The Lower section resembles beat two in many ways and is accessible by 4×4 to most pools. The Upper section is more challenging, with the river cutting through a canyon where the pools are more varied. There is a float trip on this upper section, where anglers can spend the day drifting through the canyon, fishing each pool along the way. This float trip is not only huge fun but offers stunning scenery and exceptional fishing and is the ideal way to access these pools. Additionally beat three is home to a healthy population of brown trout and char.

Blandá four, the uppermost beat on the Blandá River, is a haven for sight fishing enthusiasts. Fished with only three rods, this beat stands apart from the lower sections of the river, where glacial waters have a milky blue tint. Here, the water is gin-clear until the Blandá reservoir in the highlands overflows. Unlike the powerful currents of the lower beats, beat four is more delicate, making it ideal for fishing with a single-hand rod. Many anglers consider Blandá four to offer some of the most breathtaking scenery they’ve ever encountered while fishing in Iceland. The lower part of the beat is easily accessible by car, but the canyon terrain is challenging and mostly reached on foot. Walking down the Rugludalur canyon to fish for salmon is an unforgettable adventure for any angler seeking both beauty and challenge. It has long been a favourite among anglers due to its consistently excellent fishing, particularly for its high proportion of multi-winter salmon.

Beat Four is offered as a three – rod package with a minimum two-day booking, starting with an afternoon session and concluding with a morning session. Anglers have the option of staying in a self-catering house (Eldjárnsstaðir), but are also welcome to stay at Blandá Lodge, subject to room availability. Eldjárnsstaðir Lodge is right by the river.

Comfortable accommodation in pretty riverbank setting

The spacious lodge offers 12 rooms, all twin-bedded with a private bathroom and shower.  Private rooms can be arranged for rod sharers if space allows. The lodge is on the middle section of the Blandá, with an extensive bird life roaming the nearby riverbank. The midnight summer evenings are magical at the Blandá, listening to the wildlife and breathing in the fresh air of the valley.

A traditional river in northwest Iceland 

The Blandá is located on the north west coast of Iceland just past the town of Blonduos and is approximately a 3 hour and 20 minute drive from Reykjavik.