Vatnsdalsa

The Vatnsdalsá River, situated in northern Iceland, has championed catch and release fly fishing since the mid 1990s and with this has become a renowned salmon fishery. Anglers began fly fishing the river in 1936 and through much of the 50s and 60s the lease was held by John Ashley Cooper. The river meanders through the Vatnsdalur valley which is one of the most picturesque in northwest Iceland.

Easy wading and consistent catch returns  

Even today it is easy to see why these anglers were drawn to the river. The Vatnsdalsá has some perfect fly water with wonderful variation making it exciting to fish. The river starts with the majestic Dalsfoss waterfall, approximately 40 km from the sea. The middle beat of the river, around 12km long, is prime sea-run Arctic char water, although also contains salmon, sea trout and brown trout. There are three main salmon beats in the Vatnsdalsá, each one approximately 20km in length and within the three there are more than 40 separate pools. The river is varied with rock pool runs, deep gutters and classic open pools. One of the things that sets Vatnsdalsa apart from others is that 50% of salmon encountered  are in excess of ten pounds, and fish of between 20—25lb are landed each season. The river is ideal for single handed and switch rod fishing and there is good vehicle access to most of the pools.  

Comfortable accommodation

The Flóðvangur lodge was built in 1964 to the west of Flódid lake. Over the years it has been refurbished and updated and now has ten large rooms with en-suite bathrooms, a large living area and drying room. It is fully equipped with a hot tub and Wi-Fi. There is even a small practice golf course. As with most Icelandic salmon lodges, cuisine is taken very seriously and fishermen will be treated to fine food.   

BIG FISH RIVER ON THE NORTH WEST COAST

Vatnsdalsa is located in the north west of Iceland just beyond the town of Blonduos and is approximately 3 1/2 hours drive from Reykjavik.