As we stow away our rods, reels, waders and jackets (and the seemingly endless accessories) for the winter, we usually reminisce about the salmons we caught and lost this summer past.
For me it‘s the huge salmon I hooked in Blanda in mid-August – that one has revisited me several times since then. I only saw its tail, the size of a shovel blade, as it turned an headed down the rapids – despite the brakes being on maximum setting. All I have to show for this is a straightened out hook (Kamazan treble No 8) and burns on my fingers from the running line. But I’m sure that this salmon will get bigger every time I revisit this encounter – it will probably end up somewhere around the 40 pound mark. Another memorable one is another big one that got away in Brunarhylur (Edge Pool) in Svarta in early September. Never saw it, but felt its size and power.
But I can take solace in the fact that I’ll be going again to both rivers next summer – with even bigger hooks, stronger leaders and more optimism. As anglers, we need optimism more than anything.
If you have a river you need to revisit again next summer, I would recommend that you contact us soon – some rivers have already become nearly fully booked.
Best regards

Arni at arnibald@lax-a.is