Either you are a fishing enthusiast or you would like to try fishing for the first time, Norway is the perfect place. There are various possibilities for angling in Norway. Superb sea fishing along all of the Norwegian coastline of about 2650 kilometres (measured as a straight line). In Northern Norway, you can fill your boat to the brim with fish. The sea is plentiful with fish and you can haul out large sized specimens of cod or halibut. If you move more to the south, you will still experience exciting sea fishing. You can also try fresh-water fishing with trout as the most common catch. When fishing in Norway, you will get away from the fuss of the city, explore beautiful Norwegian scenery, get many thrills feeling nibbles and nips of biting fish and, of course, the fish itself.
Sea & fjord fishing
Usually, the better the catch, the more fun on the fishing tour. Therefore, the sea fishing tours are highly recommended to both experienced anglers and beginners. The best chances for a good catch are when fishing from a boat. It is easier to find fish and the right place to fish – with a good help of the modern equipment such as fish-finder and GPS.
There are many kinds of fish in the three seas of the Norwegian coast, but the most popular are those staying near the bottom of the sea. This is e.g. cod, сusk, ling or wolf-fish. To get these types of fish on the hook, we use the method of deep sea jigging. With a short sturdy fishing rod, a strong fishing line we drop the bait close to the sea bottom. And wait for a nibble… It can be very exhausting and a good workout to lift a fish of 6-8 kg up from a moderate depth of 50 metres, so you will need some muscles here.
It is also possible to fish in the sea and the fjord from shore. It could more challenging to get a catch, however it might be much better experience for those suffering from seasickness. When fishing from shore, we use casting technique – with a longer fishing rods and lighter lures. The angler is always in motion: casting and spooling back, changing places, trying different trick to attract the fish.
Fishing in the fjords which are not that far away from the open sea is a good option. This is because the farther away from open sea, the fewer the fish. It is possible to go fishing deep in the Sognefjorden or Hardangerfjorden, however the chances for a catch are not very high.
River & lake fishing
Salmon fishing in Norway must be a dream for many experienced anglers. There are several rivers in Norway known for excellent salmon fishing such as Namsen river or Orkla river, both situated in the Trøndelag region. Salmon fishing requires good planning, as the amount of fishing licences is limited and the best places may be reserved over a year in advance. Season for salmon fishing is approximately from June to August.
There are many other rivers and lakes in Norway, where you can go fishing. Most of the places require purchase of fishing licence, which is not difficult to arrange, except licence for salmon fishing, which could be difficult to get on short notice. Usual catch is trout, but you can also get pike, perch or eel.
We offer various fresh-water fishing tours from Bergen, where we have local knowledge of suitable places and we have our own local guides. You can choose from lake fishing and river fishing, fishing from a shore or from a rowing boat, fly fishing or lure fishing. We can practice catch-and-release, or we can prepare the catch on barbecue for you.
Fishing cabins
For those having some experience with being in a boat on the sea and aiming to use most of the time on fishing, a stay in a fishing cabin or apartment is ideal. You can live in an apartment for 2-10 people right at the sea and rent a motorboat for fishing. There are many places in Norway where you can stay, and we can offer the right place for you according to your preferences and travel plans.
For the most demanding, we can arrange a stay in a private villa located either at the sea, fjord or up in the mountains, where you can stay only with your friends and family. These are luxury villas and lodges where the staff will take care of your comfort, prepare the meals and organize fishing trips. It might be both sea fishing and salmon fishing.
Facts about fish
The unspoilt and majestic nature of Norway is famous for its coastline of 28 953 kilometers (including the fjords, islands and bays), indented by countless number of deep fjords with cold and clear water. These nature features made Norway one of the leading fishing nations in the world.
It is considered that there are about 332 fish species living in Norway, of which 47 are fresh-water, and 285 species living in the sea. The most common salt water fish species are cod, sprat and saithe (coley). The most common species living in fresh water in Norway are salmon and trout.
For more information about Norwegian seafood, please, visit https://fromnorway.com/learn-more/seafood-encyclopedia/ .
Norway’s fishing season never ends. Norway is a paradise for fishermen and we are ready to open its gates for everyone who contacts our company. Many years of experience of fishing in the sea and fjords, professional guides and equipment, thorough knowledge of fishing places in the country – are the advantages of JANDIS. We make sure that fishing in Norway is something you will remember for many years to come and probably return to Norway many more times.
