I quite often get the question from my clients about which gear to use and if they can bring their trusty equipment along for the journey to Iceland.

Well there is no simple answer to the first question as it depends a lot on the river and conditions. But the majority of rivers in Iceland are best suited for a single hander. The most popular option is the classic salmon size of a 7wt.

Most of the rivers in the country are what would be classified as small to medium, you would be surprised of how small some of them are and how little water the salmon really needs to make his way up towards his spawning grounds.

We do have a few rivers which would be classified as large such as East and West Ranga and Blanda. In those rivers a double hander is really the way to go 13-15 ft. The larger rivers also require more commonly that you use a sink tip or a sink line to get that fly down to the fish. Especially the Rangas are very cold rivers so you need to fish deep and slow.

We do rent out rods from Loop and Guideline but it is entirely possible for you to bring your own. But please note that the gear needs to be disinfected, either by a vet in your home country or you can have it done in the Keflavik airport for about 50 USD.

I would be happy to answer any further questions about fishing In Iceland

Tight Lines,

Johann David – jds@lax-a.is