Some will and some won't have driven through the north-western Icelandic town of Blönduós. Always a happy place signifying progress while driving north. Even the most senior policeman is a very happy, positive man and a wonderful guide, fisherman and photographer. His stories of drug manufacture in remote farm locations in his area and incompetent Chinese tourists wrecking cars left, right and centre are worth a lack of concentration while fishing.
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I visited Deplar Farm in the north of Iceland to fish the Fljotaa River at the request of my friends at Eleven Experience, who have built a first rate lodge near its headwaters. The Fljotaa River is not far from the town of Siglufjordur in the north central part of Iceland. Up until the 1950’s the river flowed freely through the valley floor, but a hydroelectric dam was built, which provided an unnatural halt to the salmon migration.
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I awoke to the sound of the wind blowing outside my window. It was 0730 and the sky was grey and the rain was driving. This was not what I wanted to see for my first day of fishing on the Myvatnssveit section of the Laxa River. Then I recalled that I have no pull with the Big Man as to what fishing conditions that I get when I go out on the water.
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The Blue Lagoon is Iceland’s most famous geothermal spa. Located on lava fields in the Reykjanes Peninsula, the geothermal waters contain silica, algae, and additional minerals that are said to have healing effects on skin. Because of the many known benefits of visiting, the Blue Lagoon is popular among travelers and locals alike. The Blue Lagoon is also a convenient 15-minute drive from Keflavik International Airport and offers Icelandic comfort in the warm and healing waters.
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The global financial crisis of 2008 affected many countries, and Iceland was among those hit the hardest. While this could have been the start of a collapse of the country, Icelanders joined together, jailed bankers, and pulled themselves up from almost nothing. This phenomenon has created a renaissance in Iceland and as a result it is now attracting millions of tourists. In 2017 so far, there have been one million tourists from January to June alone, and I was fortunate enough to be one of them. Everything about this easy-going and culturally rich city drew me in, and my Icelandic experience became one of the favorite trips I’ve ever taken.
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With Iceland’s popularity at an all-time high, finding a luxury travel company in the country can sometimes be a challenge. Luckily, Frontiers has a well-established relationship with Private Travel Iceland, the premiere luxury travel company in the country. I was fortunate to spend a fantastic week with PTI exploring the country alongside my colleague Leigh and three other advisors from around the United States. We had the opportunity to see most of the main attractions that bring people to Iceland, including the Golden Circle, South Shore, Thorsmork, and of course the city of Reykjavik.
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Just an hour and 40 minutes’ drive from Reykjavik, the recreational area known as Husafell has long been beloved by Icelanders as a base camp for outdoorsy exploits: You’ll find lava caves and waterfalls nearby, as well as Langjokull glacier, one of Iceland’s largest. The same local family has run Husafell’s campgrounds and cottages for seven generations. In 2015, they opened a hydro-powered luxury lodge, and last August added a new wing with guest rooms that have connecting doors, ideal for family travel. The property now offers 48 sleek, minimalist rooms that overlook the surrounding mountains. Its locavore restaurant alone is worth the drive. The lobby and guest rooms are dotted with artworks inspired by Icelandic sagas; they are by Pall Gudmundsson, a local artist known for carving faces (of everyone from famous Vikings to Björk) into the valley’s boulders. There is free, fast Wi-Fi, and a traditional Icelandic breakfast spread is included in the rate.
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We have our first glimpse of the new lodge for the famous Nordura river which will be ready for the 2017 season. Ground will be broken on 5th September and there will be 14 new rooms all overlooking the river. Frontiers has some great space for the 2017 season so please give us a call to make your Icelandic plans.
We knew the Icelandic salmon season was starting well due to the results from neighbouring river Nordura but ThveraKjarra broke modern records (since worming or spinners were used for the opening days in the 1960's) with 73 fish up to 16lbs for the opening day. The fish clearly continue to arrive with the bottom beats showing fish moving all the time.
There was also a big celebration at the Thvera Lodge where Richard Scrope and Tarquin Millington-Drake were guests for the opening day. The sitting room and dining room has been hugely upgraded and extended and are now modern and beautiful. A big congratulations to everyone involved. 2017 will see all the bedrooms being upgraded as well. On the first night we also had a visit from the guys who take guests up into the interior top of Kjarra on ponies, Hilmir and Joey. They are shown here with Ingo Asgeirsson's, the river operator, wife Disa. The wonderful food was by Thrainn Vigfusson who is the best chef in Iceland! Thrainn will be cooking throughout the guest season at Thvera.
Two Rods Now Available: July 3 – 6, 2016
The Nordura experienced a record opening on June 8 with over 70 salmon caught in the first two and a half days with lots of fish in the high teens. The fishing continues to remain very strong and is expected to produce an exceptional season. What a great opportunity to book fishing when you almost know it will be good!
Frontiers has had a rare two rods come available during prime-time of July 3 – 6, 2016.
Sample Itinerary:
July 3: You will be met by a representative in Reykjavik and transferred to the lodge overlooking the Nordura river. Settle into your room and prepare for your first fishing session this afternoon. Afternoon fishing sessions typically run from 4 – 10 pm.
July 4 - 5: Fish two full days for Atlantic salmon on the productive Nordura river. Your days will consist of a morning and afternoon session. Lunch is taken back at the lodge.
July 6: You will fish the morning session. After, you will pack and depart for your next destination, be it home or otherwise.
Call Tarquin Millington-Drake in the UK or Ben Hoffman or Leigh Buches to book these rods before they are gone!
January 6, 2015
Laxá in Ásum
Iceland River habitat recovered by decommissioning of the power plant
Royals and others less known have enjoyed fishing in Laxá in Ásum for years. In 2017 the river management will be radically revised as the power plant is being decommissioned. The power plant has diverted majority of the water in the upper half of the river since 1932. According to Páll Árni Jónsson, chairman of the Laxá in Ásum river consortium, the decommissioning means triple water volumes in the upper half of the river.
For over eighty years most of the river water has been diverted through the power plant and back into the river 7 km below the lake, but will now be brought back to its natural riverbed the entire way from lake Laxárvatn. After the decommissioning the river will flow undisturbed for the full 15 km of the river instead of only the previous lower 8 km. Additionally the estuary is another 3km, bringing the total fishable water to 18km. The decommissioning of the power plant means more fishable pools with ample water along full length of the river. Natural habitat will be recovered in the upper half of the river resulting in increased parr production. This means even larger runs of salmon can be expected for the years to come.” said Páll.
New pools appear
In the last years two separate areas have been fished, the estuary as well as the main river. As of the 2017 fishing season the two areas will be merged and fished with 4 rods – same number of rods as were fished prior to the power plant installation in 1932. ,,Laxá in Ásum is one of the best salmon river in Iceland. During the last few years the river consortium has emphasized stepping up the service level at the river and intends to be more involved for years to come. The objective is twofold: To make Ásum a premium river in regards to fishing quality, service as well as lodging facilities – and to ensure successful future of sustainable salmon stock of the river “ said Páll.
In the last years 80% of the salmon caught has been released back to the river. The fishing season opens June 20th and for years the river has been the most productive of any salmon river in Iceland. A total of 1.795 salmon were caught in 2015, an impressive average of 10 salmon per rod for the entire season.
5 star Lodge
The current river lease expires after the 2016 fishing season after 5 years of successful co-operation with Salmon Tails. In light of the changes ahead the Laxá in Ásum fishing consortium decided to join forces with Sturla Birgisson, master chef and avid angler, on the river management for 2017-2021. The agreement entails that Sturla will manage and market the salmon fishing and oversee the 5 star lodge at the river. The lodge was built in 2012 and will be extended and further improved prior to the 2017 season to ensure 5 star accommodation and service at the river.
We are very lucky get Sturla to join forces with us as his experience will ensure top notch service and accommodation for all fishermen during the entire fishing season. The Bocus d’Or master chef will only serve Michelin star quality cuisine” said Páll.
Social responsibility:
The Ásum salmon fishing has for years been incredibly productive. The river consortium emphasizes preserving the natural stock of the river by implementing gentle fishing policy. The river is easily accessible for fisherman as well as great schools of salmon. It is a perfect combination and for this reason the Ásum salmon fishing is considered one of the best in the world.
I thought your article on conservation efforts to bring wild salmon back to Britain’s rivers was interesting (“Floundering”, November 7th). But the main factor that reduces the survival of salmon is excessive exploitation by mixed-stock fisheries in coastal waters. A degree in rocket science is not needed to launch an immediate remedy: all killing of wild Atlantic salmon by any method should cease for the next three years. This should ensure a robust biodiversity and help stocks return to their historical abundance. Although the salmon-runs verge on total failure in British and Norwegian rivers, 2015 saw a record year in Iceland, which has no mixed-stock fisheries.
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Many rivers in Iceland have enjoyed all-time record catches in 2015. Naturally stocked rivers have fared best, but those that supplement natural stocks with hatchery-bred smolts have had better-than-average years, too. An estimated 75,000 salmon were caught in the 2015 season. This compares to the best year of 84,124 in 2008 and 74,961 in 2010. However, if the catch from hatchery stocked rivers and the number of fish recaptured as a result of catch-and release are discounted, the estimated total catch from naturally stocked and therefore sustainable rivers in 2015 is about 52,400 salmon, which is near the all-time record year of 1978 when all 52,697 salmon were caught and killed.
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This bright Atlantic salmon was caught in July by Frontiers client Douglas K. on the Vididalsa River in Iceland. It measured 38” and was caught during the morning session. The Vididalsa is having a terrific season and clients have not only enjoyed the fishing, but the fine accommodations, excellent cuisine and hospitable staff at the lodge as well.
For further information and to book for this or next season please contact Tarquin Millington-Drake on 0845 299 6212 Ext 1 or at tmd@frontierstrvl.co.uk. For US clients, contact Ben Hoffman at 1-800-245-1950 or bhoffman@frontierstravel.com or Mollie Fitzgerald at mjfitzgerald@frontierstravel.com.
We are now past the half way mark of the key month of July and the die is cast for most rivers in terms of how their season is progressing, certainly in terms of numbers of fish. Most are doing very well with fish now pouring into the rivers. It was a very late spring/summer, in fact one could argue it still has yet to come with temperatures in the northern half of the country still hovering at 4 – 6 degrees.
If we had warmer weather the fishing would be phenomenal. The only strange even occurring, which is likely down to the coldness, is that on the rivers in the west, the salmon are piling into the lower beats of river like Grimsa, Kjos, Thvera/Kjarra, Langa, Hitara etc but not going to the top beats which is very unusual. Some think it might be linked to fall-out from the eruption in the winter falling on the snow and now melting and coming down the rivers but this is conjecture at the stage.
Basically, most are having great fishing with lots of fish being caught and personal bests in terms of numbers and size being achieved by many guests.
In between looking after guests we have also been out there looked at some new trout and salmon rivers so look out for those as autumn approaches.
The first Frontiers clients of the season have enjoyed a great week on the Nordura River. With one half-day left to go, the team is on 103 fish which have mainly been taken off the lower part of the river. This is even more impressive given the fact that a few members of the team have never fished for salmon before. Overnight 105 fish crossed the middle waterfall opening up the upper sections of the river.
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The Arbot beat has produced over 200 trout so far this season and the trout fishermen have bumped into three salmon all over 15lbs. This beat, on the Big Laxa or Laxa in Adaldal which is having another good season, really does offer a unique salmon and trout combo at a great value...
Day One - Fly UK / Reykjavik and then domestic flight to the north. Transfer to your cabin.
Day Two to Four - Fish three full days for trout and salmon
Day Five - Depart the north to return to Reykjavik for your flight home.
The Icelandic price converts to about £1,895 per person to include:
Meet and greet and transfer in Reykjavik
Internal flights
Three days fishing
Use of private cabin fully catered for four nights
Guide between two rods
Transfers to and on the river
For further information and to book for this or next season please contact Tarquin Millington-Drake on 0845 299 6212 Ext 1 or at tmd@frontierstrvl.co.uk. For US clients, contact Ben Hoffman at 1-800-245-1950 or bhoffman@frontierstravel.com or Mollie Fitzgerald at mjfitzgerald@frontierstravel.com.
The Vididalsa, best known for its big fish and great run of char, got off to a great start to the 2015 season with 25 fish in 2.5 days with the biggest comfortably over 20lbs. Joey, the manager, reports that they caught fish on all the beats and the water level is currently perfect. Long may it last!
For further information for next season please contact Tarquin Millington-Drake at tmd@frontierstrvl.co.uk or on +44 845 299 6212 Ext 1. For US clients, contact Ben Hoffman at 1-800-245-1950 or bhoffman@frontierstravel.com or Mollie Fitzgerald at mjfitzgerald@frontierstravel.com.
"Norðurá has been doing well and the start was very good" reported river manager Einar Sigfusson. "At this moment we are at 130 salmons and grilse but the grilse are still very few, maybe 15 but we expect them soon. Anna and I have been fishing Nordura the last 3 days and the group landed 39 and probablylost 15-20. There is now a salmon between the waterfalls and I got one at Berghylsbrot yesterday. Anna got a nice fish on the 22nd at Stekkur 90 cms or about 15lbs, a very strong fish and long fight. New fish are comming in and this morning was very good at the bottom beat esspecially. I have to say that this looks very promissing and we are looking forward to the summer."
Best Einar
For further information and to book for this or next season please contact Tarquin Millington-Drake on 0845 299 6212 Ext 1 or at tmd@frontierstrvl.co.uk. For US clients, contact Ben Hoffman at 1-800-245-1950 or bhoffman@frontierstravel.com
Read more about the opening of the season at Thvera.
For further information and to book for this or next season please contact Tarquin Millington-Drake on 0845 299 6212 Ext 1 or at tmd@frontierstrvl.co.uk
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This week, Barry and Cathy Beck traveled with a group of Frontiers clients to The Highlands region in Iceland. Part moonscape and part middle earth, this area is where brown trout grow large and landing the “fish of a lifetime” is possible. In the photo above, Barry Beck beams proudly after catching a beautiful 16 lb. brown trout at Lake Thingvallavatn.
Richard Scrope and I headed to Iceland as guests for the opening of the Thvera River and decided that we would not have all of our tackle disinfected before our departure. Our motive was to test the process of having it done at the airport on arrival, something we have not tried for a while. So on landing, after collecting our bags, we presented ourselves at customs and let them know we needed to have tackle disinfected.
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“Don’t worry guys, it will be even sunnier tomorrow and the conditions will be epic” was the statement casually but clearly called out over a gusty breeze by Steve Banks, our guide for the day. That gave me pause. My hair still damp and skin still salty from a morning sea kayak outing, I was standing on the crest of a ridge high in the snow caped coastal peaks above the small fishing village of Siglufjordur, Iceland. The helicopter that had expressed me to this point was doing a classic maximum performance takeoff and was rolling out over the ridge back to sea level. Before me sprawled an untracked bowl that would rival – and perhaps exceed – any spot accessed by a chair lift in North America. On one knee in a neat line were three like-minded skiers whom I had just met but whom had all traveled the same road in life and were as eager as I was for first tracks. Seriously . . . this was going to get better? I found it hard to believe, but I stand corrected.
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Icelandair announces further expansion of its global network with new year-round service from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). Flights will begin March 16, 2016 with four weekly round-trips to Iceland on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, with connections to more than 20 destinations in Europe.
It’s never too early to schedule your air travel to Iceland. At Frontiers, we recommend that clients consider booking their flights to Iceland as far in advance as possible as planes tend to fill quickly.
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...the giant but catchable trout of Lake Thingvallavatn.
There is an old Icelandic proverb "Fertile is water that runs under lava" that perhaps has its routes in the fertile waters of Lake Thingvallavatn. I have now had two extraordinary fishing experiences on this beautiful lake an hour from Iceland's capital city Reykjavik and the easiest way to communicate them to you is simply to describe one of them.
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Frontiers was proud to welcome Sarah Quigley and Jon Sigurbjornsson from Private Travel Iceland, our preferred on-site supplier for customized itineraries in Iceland. They have hosted dozens of Frontiers clients, always with rave reviews, with tailor made itineraries including Super Jeep safaris into the Highlands, hiking in Thorsmork, and even Game of Thrones themed bachelor parties (remember, the night life in Reykjavik is world class). We’re seeing unprecedented demand for travel to Iceland and Frontiers has 40 plus years’ experience in Iceland. It’s closer than you think and we have lots of creative ways for you to explore the country of “Fire and Ice.”
The sporting outfitter Frontiers International Travel recently introduced a website dedicated to fishing in Iceland, one of the most highly regarded wild trout and char destinations in the world.
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Frontiers International Travel, a leader in luxury sporting vacations since 1969, is excited to unveil the first comprehensive website dedicated exclusively to multi-sport and leisure travel to Iceland. Frontiers has specialized in Iceland holidays for 40+ years and has finally compiled all of its knowledge into one convenient resource. Legendary guides Barry and Cathy Beck will be hosting an extremely exclusive brown trout fishing tour of Iceland June 11 – 19, 2015. Guests will join the Becks for world-class fishing on the 12,000-year-old Lake Thingvallavatn where the prehistoric strains of brown trout grow large and landing the ‘fish of a lifetime’ is possible. Next, guest head to the sparsely populated Highlands – part moonscape and part middle earth — where the rivers and lakes are lightly fished. This 8-day tour starts at $7,256 per person. For more information on Iceland travel, visit http://www.FrontiersIceland.com/.
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Fishing buffs, take note: Frontiers International Travel is rolling out its first comprehensive website dedicated exclusively to multi-sport and leisure travel in Iceland at www.frontiersiceland.com.
In conjunction with the launch, guides Barry and Cathy Beck will be hosting an extremely exclusive brown trout fishing tour of Iceland June 11 – 19. Guests will join the Becks for fishing on the 12,000-year-old Lake Thingvallavatn, where the prehistoric strains of brown trout grow large. Next, guests head to the sparsely populated Highlands where the rivers and lakes are lightly fished.
This eight-day tour starts at $7,256 per person.
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We have the following opportunities for the Hrutafjardara which is a lovely small river north-west of Reykjavik...
Two or maybe four days from 24th to 26th or 24th to 28th July...
Four days from 6th to 10th August...
Price per rod:
£862 per rod per day uncatered.
£1090 per rod per day catered. You could also share a rod at £630.50 per person sharing.
If you self-cater there is no extra charge for rod sharers.
For further information and to book for this or next season please contact Tarquin Millington-Drake on 0845 299 6212 Ext 1 or at tmd@frontierstrvl.co.uk
For those that love the pools around the island on the Thvera, this is what it looks like in winter!
We have one rod left in the best three days (15th to 18th July) at £5,220.
Contact Tarquin at tmd@frontierstrvl.couk
Vatnsdalsa is a classic salmon river flowing through one of the most stunning green glacial valleys in Iceland. It is known for its bigger fish, its famous Sea pool and its variety of species, which include salmon, sea-run Arctic char, sea trout as well as brown trout.
The 20 km of salmon water commences from the Dalfoss waterfall and flows down through rocky pools and canyons until it opens out about mid-river into larger more open, cut-bank pools. The river was once made famous by British salmon fishermen and author John Ashley-Cooper who leased the river every summer for many years.
See more here.
A very fine book has been published by two good freinds of Frontiers, Petur Petursson, who runs the river, and well-known Icelandic writer and photographer Einar Falur Ingolfsson. It was Einar who took the front cover of our current 2014 Newsletter which can be viewed here. The book covers the whole history of the river from way back, through John Ashley-Cooper's time all the way to present day. To order your copy click here or email Petur at petur@vatnsdalsa.is.
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Our second go-around at the Sandholt Bakery was just as good as the first and we were collected at 9 AM for a 2-day “Super Jeep” safari with Jon from PTI exploring the hinterlands and some of the nature for which Iceland is so famous. We donned down coats and extra layers and climbed up into our snazzy vehicle – an SUV that has been specially modified for Icelandic “off-road conditions” with a higher suspension, wide tundra tires and a myriad of special equipment…talk about feeling like the “King of the Road!” We drove about 2 hours out of the city through every kind of weather imaginable and our destination was Landmannalaugar, in the uninhabited uplands. Our first stop was a beautiful waterfall, Hjálparfoss and funnily enough, Leigh, who was wearing a Frontiers hat, was stopped by a fishing guide on his way up from the river who‘d guided colleagues of ours earlier in the summer. Trust me, this is the last place you‘d imagine running into someone! Small world!
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Brown trout and Arctic char fishing in Iceland is an experience like no other. This country is often referred to as the “land of fire and ice,” featuring some of the most beautiful and unique landscapes for fishermen of all experience levels.
Join Barry and Cathy Beck for world-class fishing on Lake Thingvallavatn where the brown trout grow large and landing the ‘fish of a lifetime’ is possible. Then head over to the Highlands – part moonscape and part middle earth—where the rivers and lakes are lightly fished in this sparsely populated area.
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The trip began with one of those random acts of kindness that makes a profound impression upon a jaded traveler like me. I arrived at the airport feeling very proud of myself that for once, I’d packed my belongings for the 4-day trip to Iceland into just one piece of checked luggage (standard operating procedure for me is two checked pieces and sometimes three, regardless of the duration of the trip).
Imagine my chagrin when I was told that the bag weighed 57 pounds. The JetBlue ticket agent, Ted Baker, and I hemmed and hawed. He was desperate not to charge me the $125 overweight fee and yet we had to get 7 pounds out of there. I began stuffing shoes and jeans into my carryon, but to no avail. We could not get to the magical 50 pounds. The Station Manager, Steve Baldwin, overheard our plaintive exchange and he volunteered one of the “stock bags” into which I could pack the extra 7 pounds and check the second piece on a complimentary basis. He personally ran downstairs to the Baggage Claim level and brought me up a small black suitcase into which I stashed my extra stuff, all of this free of charge.
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There is no McDonalds and no Starbucks in Iceland - but there is a thriving coffee culture with an increasing number of great coffee shops many using beans roast in Iceland. Today there is an article in the NY Times commenting on this recent rise - and it was certainly confirmed on our recent trip. Frontiers' pick: Sandholt Bakery which serves soup-bowl sized cups of latte.
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