Foto: VisitNorway.com / CH

Get a record catch

Text: Anne Bloksgaard Nielsen Published 15.02.2021

Come fishing in Norway: experience some of the world’s the best sea fishing and river-and-lake fishing.

Cascading rivers, mirror-like lakes or crashing waves; whatever backdrop you choose for your fishing holiday, Norway has it all! The country is a Mecca for anglers, with more than 100,000 km of coastline and innumerable rivers and lakes just bubbling with life. It’s the perfect destination for a fishing trip with friends, with its wide open spaces, spectacular landscape and world-class fishing opportunities.

A paradise for anglers

Foto: VisitNorway.com / W. Krause

With a coastline longer than the equator and countless opportunities for deep-sea fishing where you’re almost guaranteed a gargantuan bite, Norway is the place to be. From Finnmark in the far north to Kristiansand in the south, Norway’s waters are overflowing with fins and gills! You might be lucky to hook a huge cod, or a 9 kg pollock, or how about a large flounder, the king of the flatfish? Perhaps you or one of your companions will be lucky enough to break the record with one over 180 kg?

But for a really special experience, nothing beats a trip out on the open sea with an experienced fishing skipper who knows all the best places. Or maybe join the locals on the pier, where they will sometimes share their knowledge of the best shore fishing sites and bait. Whatever you choose, nothing beats the adrenalin rush when you feel the first tug of the fish as it takes the bait and the excitement as you reel it in and it breaks the surface. And all this excitement while surrounded by the spectacular and harsh Norwegian landscape! And what a feeling of satisfaction when you sit down to dinner with your friends, perhaps with a cold beer, to enjoy a meal you caught yourself that very day.

Enjoy the tranquillity of Norwegian rivers and lakes

Foto: VisitNorway.com / Yngve Ask

Norway also offers first-class freshwater angling. Here, the sport of fishing and enjoyment of nature become one. Take your friends with you on a fishing expedition to one of the many cabins, where you can stay overnight and spend your days in nature’s heartland among the beautiful Norwegian rivers and lakes that are burgeoning with an abundance of fish. And after a day of outdoor adventure in the fresh air, nothing beats the feeling of kicking back in front of the open fire with good friends, swapping stories and comparing the day’s catch.

Anglers wishing to fish in the many cascading rivers can expect to catch salmon, stalling (a type of salmon), trout, white fish and Arctic char. The river Hemsila at Hemsedal offers some of the country’s best trout fishing. Or why not try Mjøsa lake in Gjøvik, north of Oslo, where you can fish for around 20 different species, including the gigantic Mjøsa pike or trout weighing up to 15 kg.

Record catch in the land of the midnight sun

Foto: VisitNorway.com / Alexander Benjaminsen

If you want your fishing trip to be extra special, head for Northern Norway. Here you’ll find top-quality deep-sea and freshwater fishing. And in the summer, you’ll even be able to cast your lines under the midnight sun. With the rushing waters, the golden glow of the sun on the snow-topped peaks and the enormous expanse of nature around you, a fishing trip to Northern Norway will be a memory that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Especially if you manage to hook one of the record-breaking fish often found in the area!