Fly Fishing Iceland: Salmon Rivers, Trout Lakes, Seasons and Tips
Location Details / Iceland
Fly Fishing Iceland: Salmon Rivers, Trout Lakes, Seasons and Tips
Iceland fly fishing means wild Atlantic salmon in privately managed rivers, big brown trout and Arctic char in waters like Thingvallavatn and the Laxá in Mývatnssveit, and autumn sea-run trout in the south. Anglers buy rods from the rights holders rather than a national license, and every piece of used gear must be disinfected before it touches Icelandic water.
In Iceland, salmon rivers are run by the landowners along their banks and sold by the rod and the day; between them sit trout rivers, char lakes and lava shorelines where brown trout grow very large.
This page covers where to fish, the legal seasons, permits, the gear disinfection rule and what our guests have said. For the other side of the North Atlantic, see our Canada location page.
The best Iceland story in our archive comes from Tim Cammisa of Trout and Feather, on Episode 133 of the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast, published August 31, 2021. Tim, a sixth-grade teacher and author of Fly Tying for Everyone, recorded the episode just after returning from the Iceland trip he hosts every year. On his first visit, on a small lake, he landed a brown trout of about nine pounds, pushing 30 inches. He showed it to the lodge owner, who told him without blinking that he had caught one of their small ones. On the big lake he never saw another angler outside his own group. In the highlands he landed a 23-inch Arctic char on a 3-weight euro nymphing rig, and his best fly was a size 20 jig hook carrying a 3 millimeter tungsten bead, small enough for picky fish but heavy enough to get down fast.
Top species
Atlantic salmon, brown trout, Arctic char, sea-run brown trout
Best months
July and August for salmon; late May to August for lake and river trout; September and October for sea-run trout
Top waters
West, southwest, north and east salmon rivers; Thingvallavatn; Laxá in Mývatnssveit; southeast sea trout rivers
License and regs
No national license: buy permits from the angling club, landowner or renter that holds each water
Nearest airports
Keflavík International (KEF) near Reykjavík; domestic flights to Akureyri (AEY) for the north
Entry and gear
No tourist visa for US passports up to 90 days; used fishing gear must be disinfected; ETIAS approval once it launches in late 2026
Where to Fly Fish in Iceland
Most Iceland trips are built around a salmon river, a brown trout river, a big lake, or an autumn sea trout river. Access rules differ for each, so plan the water first.
Atlantic Salmon Rivers and the Beat System
Under Iceland's Act no. 61/2006 on salmon and trout fishing, salmon may be fished from May 20 to September 30, but each water gets only 105 days inside that window. The Directorate of Fisheries (Fiskistofa) can extend that on stocked waters and where every salmon is released. Fishing rights belong to the landowners along the river, and the law requires a fishing association for every fishing water. Those associations set the number of rods, divide the river into beats and often lease the fishery to a club or operator who sells the rods.
So an Iceland salmon week is booked, not improvised: you buy a rod for set days and rotate through the beats on a schedule. West and southwest rivers see big grilse runs in July and August; northern and eastern rivers hold larger multi-sea-winter salmon in demanding water.
Laxá in Mývatnssveit
The Laxá in Mývatnssveit, in the north by Lake Mývatn, is a famous wild brown trout river. The Angling Club of Reykjavík (SVFR) sells the rods: flies only, a maximum of 14 rods a day with one beat rested each day, and a season from May 29 to August 25. The limit is two fish per rod per day, and trout under 35 cm or 60 cm and longer must go back.
Thingvallavatn
Thingvallavatn, inside Thingvellir National Park in the southwest, is the largest natural lake in Iceland at 84 square kilometers. It holds four forms of Arctic char and a brown trout population thought to have colonized the lake soon after it formed at the end of the last Ice Age. A 1959 outlet dam destroyed a major spawning site, but a genetic study published in PeerJ reports brown trout catches climbing steadily over the last two decades. Tim Cammisa fished it on beats along a cliff wall, an open flat and a stream mouth where full-bellied trout come to warm up.
The national park's own fishery runs from April 20 to September 15, from the shore only. From April 20 to May 31 it is fly fishing only and every brown trout must be released. A day permit costs ISK 2,500 at the Leirar service centre, the Fishing Card (Veiðikortið) is accepted, and every catch is logged. The park permit covers only the park's northern shore; the beats Tim fished were leased water booked through his outfitter.
Sea-Run Trout and Highland Char
Sea-run brown trout may be fished from April 1 to October 10, or to September 30 where wild salmon dominate the catch. September and October are prime, and the southeast is best known for big sea trout. Arctic char live in rivers and lakes nationwide, and outfitters run highland trips to plunge pools below waterfalls in a landscape Tim compared to the moon.
When to Go Fly Fishing in Iceland
Iceland's seasons are set by law and by each fishery's own rules. Shading shows when each fishery is open and, for salmon and sea trout, the peak months; it is not hatch data.
| Fishery | JAN | FEB | MAR | APR | MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG | SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic salmon rivers | ||||||||||||
| Sea-run trout | ||||||||||||
| Thingvallavatn (national park) | ||||||||||||
| Laxá in Mývatnssveit |
Key:Partial month or catch and release onlyOpenPeak months
Blank cells mean closed. Resident (non-migratory) trout and char may legally be fished all year under Act no. 61/2006, but each owner sets its own season.
Book a Local Pro in Iceland
Guide or run a lodge in Iceland? Get listed. No Icelandic guide, lodge or outfitter is in the FFIP Certified directory yet. Anglers planning an Iceland trip read this page, and they book you direct.
Market Your ServicesBrowse every FFIP Certified pro in the guides and lodges directory.
Custom Flies and Rods from Iceland
These independent Icelandic fly tyers sell their own flies through their own sites, from salmon tube flies to trout and char nymphs.
- Friggi Salmon Flies (Baldur Hermannsson)
- Haugur.is
- Krafla.is (Kristjan Gislason flies), Reykjavík
- Angry Duck (Thorbjorn Helgi)
Build rods in Iceland, or tie flies here and want to be on this list? Get listed with FFIP.
Iceland Tips from Podcast Guests
One tip comes straight from Iceland; the rest were recorded elsewhere and travel well to Iceland's rivers, lakes and weather.
-
Check hook-eye access and gap before you upsize a bead
Tim's winning Iceland fly was a size 20 jig hook with a 3 millimeter bead; tie it so you can still thread the tippet.
Tim Cammisa, fly tyer and author, on Episode 133 -
Mend upstream to sink your swung fly
The same swing that takes steelhead takes Atlantic salmon in an Icelandic pool.
Roger Hinchcliff, Great Lakes steelhead angler, on Episode 88 -
Let the fly hang at the end of the swing
Roger Hinchcliff, on Episode 88 -
Protect riverbanks and fish barbless hooks
Some Icelandic waters release every salmon, and the Laxá in Mývatnssveit releases every trout of 60 cm or more.
Mark Kurlansky, author of Salmon, on Episode 105 -
Pack an emergency layer for sudden weather shifts
North Atlantic weather changes by the hour, even in July.
Lance Kittel, traveling angler, on Belize, Argentina, etc, Why They Don't Have to be Once In A Lifetime
Want more? Browse every tip in the Fly Fishing Tips Library, sorted by region, water type, species and skill.
Hear Iceland on the Podcast
Episode 133: Tim Cammisa and Fly Tying for Everyone: Ice Age brown trout, highland Arctic char on euro nymphs, leased beats and the tiny heavy jig that won his Iceland trip. Listen to the audio episode or read the episode notes.
Guided EP 10: Jeff Currier: the traveling angler, three Iceland trips in by 2020, on Icelandic friends who outfit for Atlantic salmon and giant Ice Age brown trout. Listen to the audio episode or read the episode notes.
Also worth a listen: GDF 13: Icelandic Fly Tours, a short 2019 episode on Iceland's species, seasons and the setup a guided tour expects.
Shop the Water: Flies and Gear for Iceland
Tim Cammisa's Iceland was small, heavy jig nymphs, articulated streamers below waterfalls and dry flies when fish looked up. Nymphs come first, then a dry fly, streamers and swinging gear. Everything is in stock, and new, unused flies need no disinfecting.
Black Perdigon Tactical Jig, Size 18
Black Tungsten Prince Jig, Size 14
Hot Spot Pheasant Tail Jig, Size 16
Goddard Caddis, Black, Size 14
Mini Sex Dungeon Streamer, Black
Dolly Llama Stinger Streamer, Size 4
Moonlit Interchangeable Sink Tips
Bionic Caddis Neck Gaiter
Iceland Fly Fishing Questions, Answered
Do you need a fishing license to fly fish in Iceland?
Iceland has no national fishing license. Fishing rights belong to the landowners, and you buy a permit for each water from the angling club, landowner or renter that holds it. Salmon rods are sold by the day and the beat. For lakes, the Fishing Card (Veiðikortið) covers dozens of waters, and Thingvellir National Park sells its own day permit.
Do you have to disinfect fishing gear before fishing in Iceland?
Yes. Under Act no. 60/2006 on fish diseases, angling gear used abroad may not be used in Iceland until it is disinfected: rods, reels, hooks, lures, waders and boots. Bring a vet's disinfection certificate, or have gear treated at Keflavík Airport or by a local vet or angling association. New, unused gear and boxes of new flies are exempt.
When is the best time to fly fish Iceland?
July and August are the core of the Iceland salmon season, when the west and southwest rivers see their biggest grilse runs. Trout rivers such as the Laxá in Mývatnssveit fish from late May to late August. Thingvallavatn opens April 20 with fly-only, release-only rules for brown trout, and sea-run trout peak in September and October.
Can you fly fish Iceland without a guide?
Partly. With a Fishing Card or a Thingvellir day permit and a rental car, you can fish many lakes on your own. Salmon rivers and the better trout beats are leased and sold through clubs and outfitters, and Tim Cammisa told the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast that you really have to know the water, because so much of it is held under lease.
What fly rod should I bring to Iceland?
For trout and char, a 9-foot 5-weight or 6-weight covers most rivers and lake shores, and a light euro nymphing rod is a delight on highland char; Tim Cammisa landed a 23-inch char on a 3-weight. For salmon, a single-hand 7 or 8-weight handles smaller rivers, while the big, demanding northern and eastern rivers call for a two-handed Spey rod.
Book the season you actually want
The best weeks go first, and the difference between a good trip and a great one is usually timing. Tell us the season you want and we'll find the water that fishes then.
Book a TripFly Fishing Insider Podcast has a referral partnership with Frontiers International Travel. If you book after being introduced through us, we may receive compensation at no additional cost to you.
Tight lines, everyone!
By Christian Bacasa, host of the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast. Last reviewed October 2026.
Prices, availability, flight routing and entry requirements change. Every figure on this page is the starting rate published by the lodge or by Frontiers International Travel at the time of writing, per angler, and is a starting point for a quote, not a quote. Seasons, lodge capacity, charter schedules, visa and passport rules and license requirements can all change without notice. Confirm current pricing, availability and entry requirements with your Frontiers specialist before you book anything.
Sources: Seasons and fishing associations: Act no. 61/2006 (amendments take effect January 1, 2027). Gear disinfection: MAST. Permits: Ísland.is and Landssamband veiðifélaga. Thingvallavatn: Thingvellir National Park, Wikipedia and PeerJ. Laxá in Mývatnssveit: Veiðiheimar. Run timing: FishPal. Entry: US State Department. Guest stories: Tim Cammisa and Jeff Currier on the Fly Fishing Insider Podcast.