Norway's Ten Best Fly Fishing Points

Famous Bridge Pool, Gaula

Lars Lenth hosts his own TV show and is  Norway's most famous Fly Fisherman.  Lars recommends TOP 10 Fly Fishing Points in Norway.

1. Hemsedal

River Hemsila is a spring creek-like river, three and half hours by car north-west of Oslo. Great brown trout fishing in truly spectacular surroundings. Lots of fish in the 2-3 pound range. Fishing can be technical at times, but great rewards await the patient soul. Prolific hatches. Guiding available.

Best time: July

2. Hardangervidda

Legendary fly fishing area on a high mountain plateau between Oslo and Bergen. Fantastic brown trout fishing in both rivers and lakes. Requires a considerable hike, so it's not for the faint hearted. Very weather dependent. A true wilderness adventure.

Best time: August

3. Nordmarka

Interesting because of its proximity to Oslo. Fine brown trout fishing in lots of small lakes just half an hour from the city centre. Catch a trout in the afternoon, have a beer down town in the evening.

Best time: early June

4. Laksefjordvidda

Superb fishing for nice sized brown trout and arctic char way north of the artic circle in Finnmark county. Both rivers and lakes. Tundra-landscape. Requires hiking and a good tent.

Best time: late July/August

5. River Glomma

Norway's longest river is also one of the best fly fishing rivers in the country. Non stop action for arctic grayling around the islands at Koppang, three hours north of Oslo. Lots of nice sized brown trout between Tynset and Tolga two hours further north.

Best time for grayling:  September. Best time for trout: late June

6. River Surna

The demise of the salmon population as a result of the parasite gyrodactylus salaris has paved the way for the sea run brown trout in this beautiful, huge river in Nordland. Plenty of fish in the 5-10 pound range, with the occasional fish pushing 20 pouds. Dry fly fishing possible.

Best time: July/August

7. River Gaula

One of the great classics in Norwegian salmon fishing. After a slack in the 1990s, this river situated one and half hours south of the city of Trondheim, has really bounced back in a big way. Some beats are expensive and hard to get on, but there is excellent fishing available.

Best time: late June/July

8. River Namsen

A huge river two hours north of Trondheim, where most of the fishing is done from a boat. Has also enjoyed a major revival over last years. One of the few places where you actually have a good chance of hooking a 20 pound-plus fish. Sea run browns as well.

Best time: July

9. River Alta

Norway's most famous salmon river. Great traditions, breathtaking canyon landscape, cool river boats. Lots of huge fish, but hard to get on and quite expensive. Well worth the cost and effort.

Best time: July

10. River Lærdal

Traditionally called "The queen of rivers", the salmon fishing in Lærdal, three hours north of Bergen, for hours west of Oslo, has suffered after the parasite gyrodactylus salaris was discovered here in the early 1990's. But as with many other gyro-inflicted rivers, the sea run brown trout has really thrived, and you stand a good chance a good chance of hooking a 10 pound-plus fish in the most breathtaking fjord-landscape imaginable.

Best time: August