Freestone · Volcanic · Norðurland vestra / Húnaþing, IS

Víðidalsá

A wide multi-tiered waterfall on the Víðidalsá river crashing into a dark basalt gorge in Iceland.
Tomorrow · Closed season
Forecast · Tomorrow
Closed season
Out of season. File this water for the right month.
50% projected
Conditions on the water · Tomorrow
Live gauge
Level
Falling
1.76 m
Dropping after lift
Water temp2.7°C
ClarityClearing
Weather-2°C
WindN 6 km/h
Pressure989 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead8.2 mm

The nearest gauge doesn't record temperatures, so we've estimated it — defer to the river keeper's advice.

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Too cold
3°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Atlantic Salmon
When
Morning into early afternoon.
Where
Pool tails, steadier runs, and any water with pace.
Method
Fish a sensible line-and-fly combination for the height and pace of water.
Kit
13 ft #8/9 double-hander in spate, 10 ft #8 single in low water. Floating line plus a fast-sink tip. 12–15 lb fluoro tippet.
Hatch timeline · tomorrowQuiet day

Low insect activity predicted today

Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Nordic SpringflyHatch
2
3
3
2
Ladoga CaddisHatch
2
3
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Arctic Cased CaddisHatch
1
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Fly box · Atlantic Salmon
Beats · 3

There is no universal Icelandic fishing licence — rights are water-specific and rod numbers strictly controlled. Víðidalsá is a classic north Iceland big-fish river — the average salmon an unusually heavy four kilos, ten-kilo fish landed every year — fished by just eight rods over four 2-rod beats, three on the main river and the fourth on the spawning tributary Fitjá, across roughly 38 km and a hundred-plus named pools. Low rods over long water make availability scarce and access a multi-day lodge package, not a day ticket; 'where you fish' is assigned by rotation. Confirm the current eight-rod / four-beat structure, the role of Fitjá and the rotation map before relying on this.

Víðidalsá main lodge fisheryGuide / lodge
The core operation: a full-service lodge with a guided eight-rod allocation rotating through four 2-rod beats over the main river and the Fitjá tributary.
Main river beats 1–3Ballot
Three of the four beats sit on the main river — the core big-fish salmon water, including the dramatic Kolugljúfur gorge and Kolufoss.
Fitjá tributary beatBallot
The fourth beat sits on the Fitjá, the system's spawning tributary — a distinct branch-river beat within the same eight-rod allocation, not a separate fishery.
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Check current booking structure, beat allocation, and catch rules before fishing.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 3
Vatnsdalsá
15 km
0
Salmon · Brown trout
Blanda
31 km
0
Brown trout · Salmon
Laxá í Dölum
55 km
0
Salmon
Gallery · 2
  1. A wide multi-tiered waterfall on the Víðidalsá river crashing into a dark basalt gorge in Iceland.
    Kolugljúfur
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
  • Temperature030% weight
  • Flow6025% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time9015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Char 1 May → 15 September

    Icelandic Arctic char (bleikja) — fishery permit controls all dates. Common season May–mid-September; exact dates issued per fishery permit. Resident lake char prime late May–mid-July; sea-run char (sjóbleikja) peak July–August. Always obtain the current fishery permit before fishing char in Iceland.

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
Atlantic Salmonsalmon tacticsIcelandglacial, spring-fed or runoffEuro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts