Laxa in Adaldal has long been one of Iceland’s brightest shining lights. Not so much for a high catch per rod but more because the quality of the fish, the high average weight and the challenge of fishing a really big river. And last but not least its breathtaking beauty, scenery, bird life and vegetation. Bobbing along it’s runs and mirrors you’ll see among other species some North American ducks that bread nowhere else in the whole of Europe, namely the Harlequin and the Barrows Goldeneye. Laxa starts in the world famous Myvatn, also internationally known for its bird life and unique volcanic sculptures. Up there Laxa is one of best brown trout rivers you’ll find anywhere. It has two main trout beats, the Myvatnssveit and Laxardalur, the latter ending at a hydro electric dam. Salmon reach the dam although the beats immediately below it, Presthvammur, Hraun, Stadatorfa and Mulatorfa are primarily brown trout water with a sprinkling of the odd salmon. Below these beats there are two main beats, the so called Nes and Arnes beats and the beats fished by Laxarfelagid, a local association formed by three separate groups in Akureyri, Husavík and Reykjavík.

It is the Nes and Arnes beats that we are listing here. This particular stretch of the big Laxa in Adaldal is by far Iceland’s most prominent and prolific place to catch the ever elusive 20 pound plus salmon. A beat best known for quality rather than quantity, up to 8 daily rods catch an average of 300 salmon or so per season. Sometimes more, sometimes less and it is quite usual that some 20 to 30 salmon 20 pounds or heavier are landed with a huge percentage as well of mws’s. Frequently over the years these beats come up with the biggest salmon caught in Icelandic rivers. It is fair to say that no other Icelandic river rivals these statistics. This is a large and, in some places, a difficult river to fish. It is one of the very few rivers in Iceland where the use of double handed rods is more smart than using a single handed rod. These facts should not deter you from trying it though, as many pools are relatively easy to access and you are always accompanied by a skillful guide. Some of the pools must even be fished by boat which is rare on Icelandic rivers. The fishing is fly only and there is a strict catch and release system. This has been in place for some years now and it is felt that it has helped to stabilize the mws salmon that had seemed to be dwindling in numbers prior to the change of system. It is in fact not difficult to see the logic: A dead salmon will not spawn. Nes and Arnes have an excellent full service lodge that may also be used by trout fisherman before the salmon season starts.

Laxa in Adaldal statistics were up once again in 2008. The total for the whole river was 1.226 salmon compared with 1.055 in 2007. Of this total the Nes and Arnes beats provided up to 400 for its best season for years. Over twenty individual salmon were 20 pounds or more and the biggest were an enormous 25-26 pounds. Add to that many salmon from 12-14 pounds and upwards to 18-19 pounds. It was a truly memorable season for the Nes-Arnes beats. Last year was excellent as well, a slightly lower total but the same average percentage of the usual huge suspects.