Late Season Salmon Fishing in Norway

Fly Fishing for Atlantic salmon is getting more and more expensive. Meanwhile, the opportunities for encountering large salmon over 30 pounds are becoming more rare. Instead of staying home in August, it can be worth having a look into the underrated late season salmon fishing in Norway where large salmon are a definite possibility if using the appropriate methods. On the Gaula River in middle Norway the backend of the season (from the second week of August) can often be both very good value for money and very exciting. Most pools at this time are stocked with the large spring and summer salmon which have become resident in their preferred spawning pool. These fish begin to become both aggressive and territorial as cooler water temperatures and the shortening late August days trigger the stirrings of their reproductive cycle. By adjusting our tactical approach to these differing water and temperature conditions, and by targeting specific pool areas at the correct time of the day, August fishing can be very rewarding and educational for the uninitiated. So, give this a read and continue trying it out this coming season!

Varied Conditions

At this time of the season in Norway you can experience all different kind of conditions. Temperatures and water levels fluctuate significantly. Every year the Gaula brings a new challenge to salmon fisherman. The big benefit of the late fishing season—compared to the first week of June—is that most of the salmon are already in the river. You will find salmon in all of the pools. The difficult part can be catching them! Some of the fish have been in the river for a couple of weeks—or even months—and will not taking your fly as aggressively as the fresh fish of June or July. Low water levels can make fishing especially challenging. However, using the following tips (based on many years of trial and error) you will be well prepared to maximize your chances.

Fly Choice

For late season salmon fishing in Norway you have to carry a bigger range of flies compared to earlier in the season. You should carry some hitch flies, bombers, shrimp patterns and very classic hair-wing flies. Each fly type, pattern and especially size has it’s own application to specific circumstances.

Green Highlander

The Green Highlander is a “must” for everyone salmon fishing in Norway. In sunny conditions with clear water this fly is very difficult to beat. The smaller sizes (8 and 10) are very often my first choice. This pattern, and the Silver Stoat below, can be fished traditional style with a double turl knot. Or, you can fish it with a couple of half hitches around the eye using the ‘Portland Hitch ‘approach.

Stoat’s Tail Silver

A black fly is never a bad choice. The Stoat’s Tail Silver is a great fly when you fish early mornings or late evenings. It’s also a great choice if you want to target some sea trout in the last light. I mostly use it in sizes 8 and 10 on either a floating or slow intermediate line.

Ally’s Shrimp Cascade

The Ally’s Shrimp Cascade profile and colour scheme represents a completely different approach to our fishing. The Green Highlander and Stoats Tail both ‘blend in’ to the water conditions with their more subtle earthy colour schemes. With these flies we aim to “surprise” the salmon at the very last second as the fly swings discreetly into the their window of vision.

Conversely, the Ally’s Shrimp Cascade is visible to the salmon immediately when it enters the pool.  This goal with this approach is very often to get a reaction when the other flies have not produced a response. This style of fly is especially effective when fished in shallow tailouts. These are is often a likely taking place in the backend of the season.

Hitch Green Butt

Fishing the hitch is a totally underrated and under-used technique in when salmon fishing in Norway. When the water level is low and the fish have seen everything, a correctly controlled hitch fly will often make the difference. This is true on the brightest of days into virtual darkness. On the Gaula you can fish it with a double-hand / switch rod just as well as with a single hand rod. For “stealth” reasons we prefer an 8 weight single hand rod, but sometimes the double-handed rod will give you much needed extra distance. We use this fly in conjunction with a good quality double or single tube fly hook.

Bomber Brown

It’s probably the dream for every Atlantic salmon angler to catch one of these magnificent fish on a dry fly. It can be worth a try, especially when the water level gets very low. You can fish the Bomber dead drift upstream or skating downstream. If you see a fish starting to rise from the bottom, slowly coming up to your fly, it will be a moment you’ll never forget.  Fished both dead drifted and skated, it’s an under-used technique which has outclassed wet fly fishing on many occasions.

Laerdal Sunray Shadow Original

All the previously recommended flies are small doubles or light tubes and most of the time are used in a stealthy approach. This is definitely the best overall approach for spooky fish in August, especially in the daylight. There is however one fly which could be the “Game Changer” for your trip. That’s a big Sunray Shadow. Fishing this fly on your first round through the pool can be a big mistake because it might disturb the pool significantly. However, it’s definitely a good choice for your last pass in a pool or if you see fish showing that ignore all the other flies. The Sunray can be very effective when stripped in both fast and slow moving pools. This pattern has produced many big fish from dusk into the darkness.

The Leader

Another often overlooked detail in August fishing is the leader. Most people tend to fish leaders which are both too short and too strong. They’re perfect in the early season, however August is different. Of course you don’t want to lose your salmon when you finally hook one, but a 30 pound leader in very clear and low water is definitely not necessary. This is the moment where fluorocarbon leader material comes into play. It sinks faster than nylon, is stiffer and is much less visible. These are huge benefits to your presentation. Because the fluorocarbon leader sinks faster than monofilament, it gives the small fly a little bit more depth during the swing. In addition, its stiffness helps turn over the fly a little better on very long leaders.

The leader should be tapered and between 15-20 ft. long with a fluorocarbon tippet of 01X-03X (0,30mm – 0,35mm). If you fish such thin diameters, only the best fluorocarbon is good enough and therefore Masterclass Fluorocarbon is a great and well trusted choice. It’s very important when fishing a bomber or hitch fly to remember that you need to use a normal nylon leader. Ideally it will still tapered and between 12 – 15 feet. In this case, the heavier fluorocarbon leader will make the flies sink.

If you would like to put any of the above tips to the test on the river where they were developed, then please have a look at the Norwegian Flyfishers Club website. The club is offering an exclusive fly only rotation fishery on the Gaula river in Norway for an affordable price. One week including fishing and accommodation is available from 16.500 NOK (approx. 1.255 GBP, 1.460 €).

Tight lines for 2024 and we hope to see you salmon fishing in Norway soon.

To read more about salmon fishing, check out these other articles on our blog.

The post Late Season Salmon Fishing in Norway appeared first on Fulling Mill Blog.