Fishing in Norway - Freshwater and Saltwater
“Skitt fiske” as we say here in Norway. Similar to “break a leg” in the acting world, the saying is pronounced “sheet fiska” and roughly translates to dirty fishing, pertaining to the hapless luck that one often encounters in the sport.
Norway is rich in fishing waters with ocean, fjords, lakes, and rivers glittering below the mountain peaks. Trout, perch, and pike are the most common freshwater fish species here while cod, pollock, mackerel, haddock, and halibut are all found in our saltwater fishing... Oh! And not to forget our salmon, which we think is kind of a big deal!
Photo: Vidar Nordli Mathisen/ Unsplash.com
The fishing season in Norway starts in the spring on the 1st of May with fishing trips easily combined with other activities including hiking, biking, and camping in and around our mountains.
For many Norwegians, Hardanger and the Hardangervidda are the best places to explore on Summer fishing trips. We often see mountain hikers far from civilization under large, bulking backpacks with their trusty rod strapped to the side. For those of you who are struggling to get a bite, our top tip is an area southwest of the plateau. Kalhovd tourist lodge is a good starting point for some days among rich fishing waters. On the trip over to Stordalsbu, you pass a number of small and large waters where you can get trout up to almost a kilo.
Photo: Therese Ruud/ Statens Vegvesen
A kilo for dinner
The fishing paradise and island archipelago Lofoten, on the other hand, offers a bigger haul from saltwater. Fishing dominates the history here and oozes out of every corner with boats and villages dotted along the coastline. Many of the traditional fisherman's cabins have now been adapted for tourism, as tourism in Lofoten is now considered to be as large as fishing.
There are plenty of options to join fishing trips here and although we will never promise you a catch (famous last words) the chances are as good as anywhere you can dip your hook. The area at Nusfjord and Reine are regarded as good fishing spots for cod, sei, haddock, and halibut.
Photo: Media Army.De
There are more than enough fish in the sea north of Trondheim, but unfortunately, the fish stock has dropped drastically in more southerly areas in recent years. This has been attributed to overfishing and climate change with the waters becoming warmer. This has especially hit the cod hard, so fishing for cod in the Oslofjord on the eastern side of the country between Sweden and Norway is absolutely prohibited to protect stocks and encourage their return. While cod stocks have fallen, however, mackerel stocks have increased. Nothing beats reeling the feisty mackerel in and into the pan with a pinch of salt and a handful of parsley, voila!
"Happy fishing" from us in Fjord Tours!
Be inspired by this catch of trout!