GAULA2022-09-07T13:45:14+02:00
THE COUNTRY OF CLEAR RIVERS

The Gaula river in Norway

Norway is still the country where you have the chance to land the salmon of your lifetime. The overwhelming experience of playing a heavy fish on a fly rod in a fast-flowing river like the Gaula, and fighting with your own hopes and fears, is so natural, pure and dramatic in Norway.

SALMON FISHING IN NORWAY

The season

The salmon season in Norway extends over the months of June, July and August. The best salmon fishing can therefore be experienced during the most beautiful summer months.

PRISTINE NATURE

Salmon in an untamed river

The Gaula river flows from its source in the mountains near the Swedish border through wooded highlands and into the Trondheim Fjord. It has always been one of the finest and most productive salmon rivers in the world.

THE NFC OFFER ON THE GAULA

First class salmon beats, excellent accommodation, and service.

Located directly on the Gaula river, the new lodge offers you full board accommodation in a wonderful location and with a view of one of the most beautiful beats of the Gaula river.

THE BEAUTIFUL BEATS OF THE NFC ON THE GAULA RIVER

The NFC Beats on the Gaula river are known as “a dream of every salmon fisher”. Nowhere else in Norway are there connected salmon beats, which are fly only, that are comparable to them in terms of attractiveness and quality. Every year, fly fishers from Norway and more than twenty countries around the world come here to fish for salmon with a fly rod.

INTERNATIONAL FLYFISHERS CLUB

Book with us at no extra cost

We are your contact for the Gaula river. The basis for this, as the founder of the NFC and its operator for 25 years, is our half-century experience as a fly fisherman on this river. Enjoy your trip with our support without paying more than booking directly. We are mostly on site during the season.

Details

The land of the midnight sun is world famous for its breathtaking fjord and mountain landscapes. And as the home of the Vikings. More importantly, from the point of view of the international club of salmon fishers: Norway is the legendary country of pure, clear and rushing rivers that flow through a heroic scenery and is the home of huge, silver and hard-fighting salmon. Norway is still the country where you have the chance to land the salmon of your lifetime. The overwhelming experience of playing a heavy fish on a fly rod in a fast-flowing river, and fighting with your own hopes and fears, is so natural, pure and dramatic in Norway.

The Norwegian salmon season is very short at just three months. The salmon run is more concentrated than on many British rivers where the season is three times as long. The intense Norwegian summer, with its midnight sun, is a very nice experience and cannot be compared to salmon fishing in the UK. The best time for salmon fishing there is in the cold and wet season, but in our case, it is during the most beautiful weather periods of the year. However, all varieties of salmon fishing can be found in Norway.

The Gaula river flows from its source in the mountains near the Swedish border through wooded highlands and into the Trondheim Fjord. It has always been one of the finest and most productive salmon rivers in the world. On average over the past 30 years, the Gaula has always been at the top of Norway’s 629 salmon rivers, with annual rod salmon catches of between 15 and 49 tons.

On the Gaula river you can experience spring, summer and early autumn fishing during the months of June, July and August. Adapting the fly fishing method to these variations is important. The fishing is mostly done with floating or intermediate lines, or with sinking tips with different densities. Only during the early season, when the water is still cold and high, are heavy sinking lines, large tube flies, and waddingtons necessary. All beats are exclusively fished with the fly.

The first weeks of the season are particularly attractive for the “big fish hunter” and offer more opportunities than is generally assumed. For the fisherman who wants to hunt for really big salmon and is looking for the challenge, the month of June is the right time. The chances of catching a big salmon are the best. In terms of quality, these fish cannot be bettered. In the beginning of the season, the salmon run consists of large spring fish, which have been three and four sea winters in the ocean. Every June, fish weighing over 20 kg are hooked and sometimes landed. The average weight of this June run of salmon is around 10 kg. After the “St.Hans-Day” (midsummer night), medium-sized salmon arrive in large numbers.

July is the best and most expensive month. The run of fresh and well taking salmon of all sizes are now the focus of fly fishers. In addition to large salmon, medium-sized salmon with weights of 5-6.5 kg will appear from around June 20, and about two weeks later the first grilse, that have only had one sea winter in the ocean, can be expected. The first sea trout are arriving just a little bit later. July is the best fishing season on the Gaula, considering the number of fish caught. The Gaula usually has a good water level and there are now opportunities to catch fish of all sizes.

August is a delicate time. Fish can be seen every time you are on the water. All sizes are represented, and the number of fish showing on the surface demonstrates that success for everyone is within reach. It is the time of “greased line fishing”, nowadays practiced with the floating or intermediate line. The “Riffling Hitch” is also being used. The use of a special knot causes the fly to “slide” in the surface. The fly forms a “V” on the water. Now very small flies are also being used in Norway. The single handed rod is carried more often. In August there are good numbers of salmon in most of the pools. The time has come for finer equipment because small flies can now be used. The floating line is now most of the time the first choice. The water can be quite low at times and tactics need to be adjusted accordingly. If the flow speed decreases, a “fast fly” can be achieved with the entire floating line, and that is very often needed in August. In August and also for July, if the water level rises due to rain, the chances of catching a fish immediately increase rapidly: the salmon change their positions due to increased current pressure and can be caught again immediately at these new positions, even if they have been in the river for a long time.

Towards the end of the season in late August, the salmon can often be found, for long periods, in the deeper pools in the middle and upper river areas. Very large male fish enter fresh into the river and often the largest fish of the season is caught during this time. Silvery fish, often with sea lice, are still entering the river until the end of the season. If the temperatures cool down in autumn and the water level rises, it can make sense to use the sinking line and large flies again. The “autumn fishery” also has its special charms.

The Rotation Fishery is an ideally organized fishery in which you rotate in a group of 2 fishermen every 6 hours over a large number of different, excellent pools. These pools are only to be fished by you and the second rod in your group during this time. You can also use the “Free for All” Beats. This gives you the best opportunities to experience good fishing in all kinds of conditions during your stay.

The NFC Beats on the Gaula are known as “a dream of every salmon fisher”. Nowhere else in Norway are there connected salmon beats, which are fly only, that are comparable to them in terms of attractiveness and quality. Every year, fly fishers from Norway and more than twenty countries around the world come here to fish for salmon with a fly rod.

Lodge: Located on the Rogstadmoen Farm, the new lodge offers full board accommodation in a beautiful location and with a view of one of the most beautiful beats of the Gaula. Furnished in authentic Norwegian style, single and double rooms as well as suites with bathrooms and views on the river are available. You will also find a conference room, free WiFi access, a living room, drying room for waders, as well as a traditional Norwegian sauna with a relaxation area. The chef prepares hearty dishes from fresh local ingredients. We are also happy to organize picnics by the river for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A well-stocked bar awaits you in the lodge.

Country houses: There are different accommodation options for your fishing trip. If the exceptional comfort of the new lodge is not so important to you, you will like the accommodation in cozy, typically Norwegian country houses (self-catering). The NFC has leased several typical Norwegian country houses along the river for you. Here you live with other fly fishers, who are also guests of the NFC, under one roof and can exchange experiences about fishing with them.

The country houses can also be rented to individual groups. All beats are easily accessible by car from the country houses. The houses do have a fully equipped kitchen, toilet, shower, power supply (230V) and WiFi. Bedding and towels are provided by the NFC, and the final cleaning is also organized by the NFC. Some of the pools can also be easily reached on foot from the country houses. In the area there are supermarkets for the purchase of groceries for daily needs. If you live in one of the country houses, you also have the option of enjoying individual meals at the lodge if you let the team know in advance. The prices for the country house package are significantly lower than the prices in the lodge.

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Season reports

Articles from magazines

Fieldsports2011
Atlantic-Salmon-Journal-2010
Atlantic-Salmon-Journal-2018
TroutandSalmon2008
TroutandSalmon2004

FAQ

Will we get Travel information ?2021-05-19T13:00:28+02:00

Please order our free full coloured brochure. Click to the button “Order” in the Main menu of this site.

The NFC will send you detailed information, maps and a packinglist as PDF files as soon as you booked in.

Can we hire or buy tackle?2021-05-19T12:58:02+02:00

The NFC offers hire tackle for a low price. They have rods, reels, waders and complete outfits.

The NFC has a small tackle shop in the NFC Lodge, where you will find all fishing equipment for the needs to fish the Gaula. If you are not fully equipped, it will be no problem, the NFC can help you to outfit you with the right tackle. They have a good selection of best local flies.

What are the best arrival and departure times?2021-05-19T12:56:14+02:00

The usual fishing week starts Sundays and the general start meeting is taking place on Sunday at the NFC Lodge at 18.00h. Here you should participate. A ideal arrival time would be in the afternoon of the arrival Sunday. The fishing week is ending on the following Sunday 12 o’clock at noon, so an ideal departure would be in the early afternoon of the departure Sunday.

How does the rotation fishery work?2021-05-19T12:54:19+02:00

The main fishery is the group of rotating beats between Kotsoy and Kvål.

It is an exclusive fishery where pairs of fishers move through a large number of excellent and varied pools in rotation in a rhythm of 6 hours. During the 6 hours the beat is exclusively allocated to this pair of fishermen. In this way you ensure maximum chances during your stay as these beats are spread over a big part of the river and include a variety of pools to suit all types of condition. You can go out and fish whenever you feel for it during your stay with us, on the Gaula the fishing is permitted 24 hours per day.

Which airport to fly into?2021-05-19T12:52:28+02:00

You fly into Trondheim Airport (Vaernes). Since quite some time NORWEGIAN airlines offers direct flights from Europe. As your fishing week typically starts on Sunday and ends on Sunday at noon we would recommend to arrange your arrival as well as your departure for Sundays.

However, many flights to Trondheim are made via Oslo. From there the flight to Trondheim lasts one hour. By car, the Trondheim Airport is 1 1/4 hour away from the Gaula (NFC Lodge).

Are guides available?2021-05-19T13:02:18+02:00

The NFC has a regular team of very competent professional guides who are all accomplished flyfishermen, speak English and are always ready to help.

You can book a guide for a day, some days or a whole week.

Is it all “fly only”?2021-05-19T13:03:24+02:00

The NFC beats on the Gaula are complete fly only. But there is opposition in some pools and various tackle might be used there at times.

What kind of weather is expected?2021-05-19T13:01:17+02:00

The weather during the short Norwegian summer is very similar to a Montana summer: cool evenings, warm days with some rain and sometimes even snow (June and late August). Daytime temperatures should be around 10° to 15°, but guests should be prepared for cold rain and even perhaps snow showers. In late June and August we also experienced quite warm days over 20° under good weather conditions. To be most comfortable, we suggest layering to meet the conditions.

Other fishing alternatives? Trout- and Sea fishing?2021-05-19T13:04:42+02:00

If you would like to take a trip into the mountains around Støren for trout, the NFC can organize a guided trout trip to idyllic mountain lakes. Most useful tackle are single hand rods class 4-6.

The Trondheim Fjord is not far away, if you would take a spinning rod with you, you could have there nice fishing even without a boat, for different types of sea fish. Also with a fly rod you have possibilities. We also can bring you in contact with organized boat fishing trips on the Fjord.

Do we need a car ?2021-05-19T12:48:17+02:00

A vehicle is essential as our fishing is done by a rotation principle where pools and beats are spread over a big part of the river.

What can non fishing persons do?2021-05-19T12:59:12+02:00

Trondheim offers many cultural and tourist attractions, as well as good shopping opportunities. There are also good bathing beaches situated at the head of the Trondheimfjord, or at the monks island “Munkholmen”. The mining town of Roeros is always worth a visit. Hiking and Mountain sightseeing in breath taking nature is possible as well close to the Gaula. The local tourist office in Storen is always ready to help.

When does the Gaula salmon season starts and end?2021-05-19T13:05:59+02:00

The season on the Gaula River starts every year at the 1st of June and ends on the 31st of August.

FLYFISHING AT THE NFC ON THE GAULA?

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