Fishing in Southern Norway

In Southern Norway, there are many opportunities for fishing, whether you're alone, with a professional guide, or with your family on a boat. You can enjoy sea fishing or freshwater fishing, targeting species like cod, salmon, or trout. Southern Norway is known for its excellent salmon rivers and fishing resorts that offer boat rentals and equipment.

Sea trout

Sea trout (Salmo trutta) is highly popular among many anglers. This beautiful, silver-shimmering fish often takes a backseat to its cousin, the salmon (Salmo salar). What makes sea trout truly unique is that it can be fished for free and year-round along the Southern Norwegian coastline. The pursuit of sea trout takes us to stunning surroundings and provides unforgettable experiences.

In search of everything from sand eels (Hyperoplus lanceolatus) along the beaches, to small fish and shrimp among the pebbles or larger baitfish in the fjords and open waters, sea trout can be found in a variety of environments. Salinity levels in the water primarily influence sea trout, and therefore, water temperature often dictates their locations. As a general rule of thumb, when the water cools down, sea trout seek brackish areas near freshwater sources such as small streams, rivers, etc., flowing into the sea or fjord regions. When the water warms up, many sea trout migrate to more open waters. The need to spawn in the fall brings some of them back to the streams where they were once born. However, if you find any form of water current, eelgrass (Zostera marina), tidal pools, or a leopard, you will surely find sea trout as well.

Fly Fishing for Salmon

Fly fishing is often referred to as an art form. Here in the magnificent region of Sørlandet, there are plenty of opportunities for those who want to practice the art of fly fishing. With a mix of different fish species to catch in a variety of pristine waters, and with qualified fly fishing guides and instructors, Sørlandet has a lot to offer to fly anglers.

Norway's southernmost region offers a range of salmon rivers, from the large regulated rivers like Mandalselva and Otra that are always open for fishing, to the medium-sized rivers like Lygna (and many in between), all the way down to the intimate, less precipitation-dependent rivers like Audna or Søgneelva. An overview of the salmon rivers can be found on the "Norske lakseelver" map.

The average weight of salmon in Sørlandet varies from river to river and depending on the time of the season, but it typically ranges around 4 kg. Salmon weighing up to 20 kg have been caught in recent years, and some rivers produce fish weighing 14-16 kg each year.

The fishing season in most rivers runs from June 1st to August 31st each year (local seasons may vary from year to year).

You will need two fishing permits, the annual fishing fee for anadromous fish, and a license for the specific river section where you intend to fish.

Boat Fishing

Boat fishing is a highly effective form of fishing. Whether it's trolling (moving slowly past coastal fishing spots with a lure, fly, or wobbler trailing behind the boat) or casting from a stationary boat, fishing from a boat opens up a whole world of possibilities. A boat is not only a means of transportation that quickly takes you from one spot to another, but it also allows you to access areas that are difficult to reach from the shore. Moreover, being in a boat provides more warmth and comfort compared to standing in the water. If you have your own boat on a trailer, there are many boat ramps where you can launch it into the sea.

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