The Icelandic salmon season has now moved beyond the opening phase, with the majority of the country’s major rivers having been fishing since mid-June. The first weeks have produced a mixed but increasingly encouraging picture, with fish entering many of the key systems steadily rather than arriving in one dramatic push. Weather conditions have been typically Icelandic, with cool temperatures generally in the low to mid-teens Celsius, periods of wind, and intermittent rainfall creating small lifts in river levels. These conditions have kept water temperatures favourable and encouraged fresh fish to continue moving upstream. Early catches have been characterised by a good proportion of multi-sea-winter salmon, with the first real wave of grilse now beginning to build.
As always, much attention was focused on Norðurá for the opening of the season. While it did not produce the immediate explosion of numbers that many had hoped for, the river has steadily gained momentum and catches are now increasing daily, averaging around 15 fish per day as the run develops. The quality of fish has been excellent, with a superb 95cm salmon (approximately 20lb) recently landed on a small Collie Dog, highlighting that the larger spring and early summer fish are still very much present. Laxá í Kjós has also shown its usual early-season promise, with its combination of salmon and sea trout making it one of Iceland’s most consistent performers. Although still early, fish are pushing into the lower river and the run is building, including a beautiful 85cm salmon (around 15lb) from Hárstrengur taken on a Red Francis.
Further west and north, the picture is increasingly positive. Miðfjarðará has made an excellent start, producing 61 salmon since opening, including an impressive 12 fish day recently. The river has already produced quality fish, with the best so far a 90cm salmon (approximately 17lb) from Grundarábreiða on a hitched tube. Langá and Hítará have both seen encouraging movement, while Þverá and Kjarrá have started particularly well, producing 17 and 14 fish respectively on recent days. Víðidalsá has perhaps been one of the standout performers of the early season, with a very encouraging opening including 12 fish on the first day and a strong showing of quality salmon in the 80–90cm class. The river’s best so far has been a 17½lb fish from Dalsárós taken on an Evening Dress.
Stóra Laxá, which opened on 20 June, is another river attracting attention as it enters its most important early summer period. Known for producing some of its best fish before the main summer movement fully develops, it has already produced a strong 91cm salmon weighing approximately 17½lb from Eiríksbakki, which gave an excellent account of itself. Overall, the pattern across Iceland’s major rivers is one of steady improvement rather than an explosive start, with fresh salmon continuing to arrive and settle into the pools.
The outlook for the next few weeks is very positive as Iceland moves into the key July period. This is traditionally when the main grilse run arrives, numbers increase, and fish become more evenly distributed throughout the river systems. Provided rainfall continues to provide occasional rises without creating prolonged periods of high water, conditions should become increasingly favourable for surface presentations, hitching and smaller summer patterns. The rivers already holding good numbers should see catch rates improve through early and mid-July, while those slightly behind should continue to build. The early signs suggest Iceland is shaping up for a very interesting and productive summer salmon season.
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