[Michael Koch]

The Norwegian Salmon season startet june 1st and what a start.

In Mid Norway called Troendelag, the Rivers Orkla, Gaula and Stjoerdal opened with perfect water and weather conditions.

Personally undersigned were rigging my rod on the banks of Gaula. First I rigged a mid weight 14´ with a Rio windcutter and sink tip VI for Jacob age 13. Jacob started casting short casts along the bank while I rigged my own 15´. Just 15 minutes into the new season Jacob screeeeemed together with the reel and a strong fish was pulling line away.
35 minutes later we could land his ever first fly Salmon of no less than 28 lbs.

During the opening night all above three rivers had produced more than 150 fish each averaging 20 lbs.

The following days had great fishing with the largest average Salmon seen in 20 years. It'll be exiting to follow the season as 2001 so far was the best since countings startet 50 years ago.

In deed a positive sign for the Atlantic Salmon up this end.
Hears to Orry Vigfusson and his efforts to buy up commercial fishings in the North Atlantic.

Ohh, by the way, I had my own opening Salmon of 26 lbs.

Tight lines
Michael Koch

 

[fredaevans]

Great Read!

Best part covered the increase in Atlantic returns.
fae

 

[Finnfly]

Hello everybody!

Thats what I have heard too, Mid norway will have great season, but how is North ( Finnmark ) ?

I´ll go in mid August to river Gaula ( Hage Vald ), just under Stören for those two private pools where we normally fish in mid July.
How is the fishing in august in river Gaula, I know that it depends on water but normally ?

I was the last week of May in river Mörrum, Sweden after big spirng salmon, but it was worst than ever in mörrums history.
They gouth only 5 salmons in that week and three of those where whit fly! Normally they catch 200 salmons on that week!
Water was good, but later on the week it was too warm, normal problem in Mörrum. the problem was that there were only fwe salmons coming up in the river, sea water was under 9 C!!!
The fishermen in the sea told that the fishes are so far fronm the coast that they don´t come in the river...lets see!
They who have been in river Mörrum knows that in pool 4 you can see so many salmons that its unreal. We saw in that week maybe 4-6 different fishes in pool 4!

I hope its getting better...

 

[Bob Pauli]

MICHAEL K.

Michael-

High five for Jacob!

Bob

 

[Michael Koch]

Hi Bob.

Thanks, Jacob is still flying.

The fishing have eased down a bit and is into normal with sporadic catches but still huge size fish averaging 20 lbs.
Water is low now and I hope it will hold for a week or two where I will be going back for my ordinari fishing vacation on the Gaula.

Finnfly.
August have been pretty moderate the past 5-8 years especially on the lower stretches. The fish tend to run thru faster due to a higher weather and water temperature. So the really great catches are done on the most upper stretches - but they all pass the Haga beat, so you just better be there when they run !!!!

Finnmark is only just getting startet and it is usually the first week of july that really produces good fishing.

Tight lines
Michael

 

[storlaks]

Gaula

This news has made my day!

I'm off to Gaula on week 29, fishing as I usually do, on the Gaula fly fishing beats. Let's hope the big fish continue to run and the rain gods are looking out for me.

Can't wait. The T&T 16fter and the GrandSpey 10/11 will be getting fully tested.....I hope!

JV

 

[Michael Koch]

dream start norway

From what I hear there are plenty of large Salmon in the fjord. The river is low and the Salmon are waiting for a lighter flood to run. So with a little luck it might all fit together for when Storlaksen goes up there.
Though I must admit that using a 16 footer on the Gaula in week 29 and moderate water flow seems a bit over kill, a 14´for a #9 would be much more fun. The Storen fly beat is a soft water and easily covered with a lighter rod.

Great fishing anyway.
Michael Koch

 

[storlaks]

Not In Vinsnes

Standard kit for me is either my 15 or 16ft T&T. The top pool Vinsnes is a large pool when there is good water and the further you cast the more fish you cover......that's my experience.

Same as last year would do me.

 

[Dutch]

Gaula in August...

Like last year I want to give it a go at the Salmon in the river Gaula in Norway again. Just hoping that, unlike last year, the river will be holding water.
Last year we saw about 2 inches of water in most pools, as it had not been raining for over 10 weeks.
We deciced to go out to the river Orkla in the same area, wich is being fed from some reservoirs in the mouintains, and a big hydro-lake. We had some fun, but even these reservoirs and lakes started to dry out, so hardly any fresh runners, most coloured fish.
We will fish a private beat, upstream, some 30 miles from Roros.
Hoping and praying that enough rain will fall this year...
Any suggestions from 'local'eperts?
Best, Hans, "Dutch".

 

[storlaks]

Advice

Dutch, my advice is, go in July, or even June if you want to catch some big boys. August can be a dry month and the river can be low, so finding fresh fish can be hard.

If the river is low, the riffle hitch and bombers can produce when conventional methods fail.

Tight lines.....

 

[Dutch]

Alas, Storlaks, I am restricted to August. It is impossible for me to take my week off earlier than that.
I accept the chance that I may find dry rivers, and fish for camels in stead of salmon......:hehe:
Thanks for the suggestion of trying bombers, I will ty some...
Hans, Dutch.

 

[knutalf]

Gaula

There are still some fish coming in on the Gaula, but the major rush seems to be over for now. This is probably natural since the main 2SW run this year is mainly from the awful 1997 season. An early indication of this was last years low grilse number. Hopefully we will have a better grilse run this year.

For updated discharge information for Gaula at Gaulfoss:
http://www2.nve.no/h/hd/plotreal/Q/0122.00009.000/index.html
On the same site you can find Eggafoss.

Lets hope for a wet July and August.

Knut

 

[Michael Koch]

Dream Start Norway

Well Knutalf.

Weeks 25 and 26 were pretty quiet on the Gaula, however in week 27 the runs were incredible. I have never seen that many fish run the Gaula, - and they were not Grilse, they were still large Salmon in great numbers and lots of medium 4-7 kgs. fish.

Our part had a hard getting the fish to the fly, they ran upstream so fast that they had liced fish som 80 kms up the river. We had though 13 fish fpr the week but for the first time in my salmon fishing cariere I had to use small flies down to size 12 to get a light take. They took so carefull that I have never seen before and it was pretty difficuklt to set the hook right.

Anyway and all in all, great fishing and fantastic amount of fish on the Gaula.

Its starting to look right for the Atlantic Salmon.
Have a geat trip.

Michael Koch

 

[knutalf]

Hei Michael,

I woudn't mind missing my 2SW fish prediction at all. It is good to hear that there still are large fish running. I have also heard that there are an increasing number of nice grilse around.

Gaula and the rest of the Trøndelag rivers are certainly having some good years, but it is far to early to celebrate yet. There are still lots of problems facing the salmon in Norway, particularly in western and south western part of the country.


Knut

 

[Michael Koch]

Dream Start Norway

Hi Knut.

Fully agree no time for celebration yet, there are still lots of rivers that suffers. The problems though is of man-made style, and we can just hope that more and better efforts are done in the future.
Though I believe that even the Southern rivers are coming back greatly these years !

For Trondelag though, it seems better and better, and thats great.

There are grilse running, but still not in numbers to indicate a grilse-year, rather another large-fish-year, just hope that means more middle size still at sea !!!

Back at home in Denmark the Seatrout are now running in good numbers. We are at present seeing good liced fish op to 15-18 lbs. Its raining today - and - I´m off to the river.

Michael