Giant drakes and tiny olives
Cold and windy weather. A few hotter days. More near Oslo. During drizzles Baetis species are bringing fish to the surface in running water while the giant Ephemera vulgata does it’s magic in stillwaters. The season has barely started.
A couple of warm days last week activated both bugs, fish and fishermen in most of Southern Norway. The balmy days ended as soon as they started, but not before a myriad of bugs hatched wherever the wind subsided or the rain hit. In rivers small duns, emergers and nymphs can produce well during hatches. Ephemera vulgata hatch, mate and lay eggs on lakes all the way from Oslo to Trysil these days.
Reports from Kvennan Fly Fishing inform us of excellent water levels and rising fish when the wind subsides and there is a spot of warmth. Some caddis have started there as well as the usual bwo’s and their relatives. Tributaries like Folla and Grimsa are well worth a visit these days. Reports from Folla are quite interesting, with a couple of short day trips resulting in a nice number of fish up to a conservative estimate of 40 cm in the net.
Where to go
Moving further west to Gudbrandsdalslågen, the aforementioned warmth sparked a late run-off. The river rose and colored up, affecting the fishing in zone 5-7. The melt seems to be in a lull, as cold temps have gripped mountain areas above 11-1200 meter that still has a significant snow pack.
Fish are cruising around at the margins looking for food, but there has been a clear reduction in the number of rising fish after the water rose. When the river falls (and the ever blowing westerlies take a break) waters in zone 5-7 in Gudbrandsdalslågen will clear up and show us more feeding and rising fish, ever more nervous and easily spooked as summer progresses.
Long line nymphing for visible fish has worked on a few occasions and might still be an important tool in your repertoire to work best as we enter a period of high and fluctuating water levels in Gudbrandsdalslågen above Otta.
Chasing charr?
Rivers like Holselva and Hemsila are interesting prospects now and heading to Femundsmarka National Park in Engerdal to catch those charr is still a hot tip.
So tie those long leaders, check those maps and weather forecasts, and pray for just a bit of warmth. Or head out and chase those huge stillwater trout that some of the folks have caught on mayflies and ants so far. Rumours of legendary beasts abound.
Or head to Kvennan and the surrounding area. The conditions are perfect to wade fish the legendary channels over there.
The next time around fishing conditions will surely be for the books. We're sure of it.
Tight lines.
