Every angler dreams of traveling to far-off destinations in search of trophy fish. The thought of giant Patagonian sea-run trout or dry fly sipping New Zealand browns has made it to the top of many anglers’ bucket lists. The unfortunate truth, however, is that many of these trips are out of reach for most anglers. Lodge trips can cost tens of thousands of dollars, travel can be days long, and many destinations aren’t DIY friendly. But don’t let this discourage you from fishing abroad. One location offers big fish, simple travel, and DIY access—Iceland.
Why Iceland
Iceland, dubbed the Land of Fire and Ice, is a volcanic island located just south of the Arctic Circle in the North Atlantic Ocean. Its geographic position lends it to consistent cold water year-round, and a variety of lakes, rivers, and streams are home to an abundance of trout and salmon. It’s also fairly small—approximately the size of the state of Virginia—so anglers can reasonably explore most, if not all, of the fishing opportunities the country has to offer. Iceland’s Route 1, known as the Ring Road, is an 828-mile road that travels around the entire country, taking roughly 18-20 hours to complete. Lastly, direct flights from New York to Iceland take just 5.5 hours.
Trip Logistics and Access
The first step in planning a DIY trip to Iceland is getting there. Luckily, this part of the process is pretty straightforward. Direct flights from New York to Reykjavik can be found for as little as $400—significantly cheaper than flights to Argentina or New Zealand. Once you make it to Iceland, you have several options for where to stay. Hotels and inns are fairly affordable throughout the country, or, if you prefer more privacy, look into an Airbnb (there are surprisingly many options). It also helps to get a rental car, and preferably something with 4WD to access some of the lakes and rivers throughout Iceland.
Unlike the US, a majority of the lakes and rivers in Iceland are not public. Instead, landowners and outfitters own a majority of the best fishing waters and control access. Don’t let this discourage you, however, because there are still several options to affordably gain access. Lakes are the easiest to get access to via a fishing pass or card that grants unrestricted access to multiple lakes across the country. Fish Partner offers its Members Club for $55, and Go Fishing Iceland offers its Veiðikortið Fishing Card for $82. For rivers, access can get a bit trickier, often requiring anglers to book access through outfitters whether it’s DIY or guided.
As a DIY angler, you’ll also need to sanitize your fishing gear prior to entering the country. You can do this either before leaving through a veterinarian or at customs for a nominal fee.
Target Species and Regions
The four main target species in Iceland are brown trout, sea-run trout, Arctic char, and Atlantic salmon. What you want to target will determine where you should focus your efforts and how DIY-friendly it actually is.
Icelandic brown trout can grow to truly trophy sizes and can be found throughout the country in various lakes and rivers. Of all the species you can target in Iceland, brown trout are by far the most DIY-friendly. Your best bet is to target them in the various lakes found throughout Iceland, with access through one of the various fishing passes available. The most common techniques to target these fish are streamer fishing or small midge and leech patterns fished under an indicator. Many of the rivers in Iceland also hold big resident brown trout, but you’ll need to secure access through outfitters or landowners. Sea-run browns exist as well, but also require you to purchase days on known river beats.
Arctic char are the next most common species found in Iceland. Like brown trout, they can be found in both rivers and lakes. For landlocked char, your best bet is to focus around the Highlands region, found in interior Iceland. In addition, the north shore gets healthy runs of sea-run Arctic char for those looking to scratch the anadromous itch.
The last species Iceland is known for is Atlantic salmon. These sought-after anadromous fish run the various coastal rivers every summer, and while global salmon stocks are declining, Iceland’s populations are thriving. For those looking to check off this bucket list species, Iceland offers a wide variety of rivers ranging from large coastal drainages to smaller, more intimate rivers with Atlantics. Since they are only found in rivers, you’ll have to book access on one of the salmon beats to fish for them. Luckily, for DIY anglers, most operations offer self-guided day rates for some exceptional water.
Timing
Iceland’s fishing season runs from April 1st through October 20th, before winter sets in and fishing seasons close. While this may seem like a large window of time, it’s important to know when to go for certain species, as some of the peak fishing windows can be incredibly short. April through June is generally the best time to target big resident brown trout in lakes and rivers. As the summer kicks off, these same waterbodies start to be productive for Arctic char. Come July, the first Atlantic salmon and sea-run trout and char start to make their way into the various rivers. This culminates with some of the best anadromous species fishing in September, which concludes with the last water bodies closing on October 20th.
Recommended Gear
With Iceland’s various fisheries and species, packing for a trip abroad can be intimidating. These essential gear picks should help you be prepared for everything the fishing throws your way.
Starting with the basics, the first things you’ll want to bring are waders, boots, and layers. Winds in Iceland can be unforgiving, so packing warm clothes and some sort of wading/wind breaking jacket is essential. It also helps to throw in some wading pants, as the water will be cold. Other than that, we’d recommend packing your favorite fishing apparel and gear.
Rods and reels are dependent on what waterbodies and species you plan to fish for. In general, single-hand rods ranging from 5 to 7-wt will cover most brown trout and char fishing. For Atlantic salmon and sea-run fishing, bump up to 7- or 8-wt single-hand rods. For bigger rivers, a 7- or 8-wt switch rod can also be valuable. For flies, bring a variety of nymphs, streamers, and dry flies for landlocked species, plus classic Atlantic salmon flies and streamers for coastal waterways.
Feasibility?
When it comes to fishing abroad for trophy trout, few places offer more than Iceland. The abundance of species, epic country, and fairly low cost should put it at the top of any DIY angler’s list. While access can be the hardest part, it’s far easier and cheaper than places like Argentina and New Zealand. All in all, we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Iceland as a premium and attainable DIY angling destination.
