Freestone · Volcanic · Vesturland

Grímsa

Grímsa terrain map
Terrain map

Classic west Iceland spate river, intimate and pool-rich.

Species

Closed season

Season reopens 24 June. File this water for the right month.

Closed — confidence not applicable today.
Water temperature for atlantic salmon
Cool — slow
8°C est.ideal 1014°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for atlantic salmon
  • Temperature4830% weight
  • Flow4525% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time1015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Conditions
Regional est.
Level
Light rain recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
7.7°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
7°C
Wind
E 10 km/h
Light breeze
Pressure
1002 hPa
Rain · 48h
2.0 mm
Light rain
Rain · ahead
1.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Evidence
ModelledModerate confidence

Modelled from regional ecology — no survey or occurrence data for this water yet.

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.
Salmon run timing
2024 season

Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
2
1
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2

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

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Very limited rods and advance booking are standard, but Grímsa is more about scarce intimate water than sheer river scale
  • Catch-and-release and current river-specific rules should be checked before fishing.
Directions
About this water

Classic west Iceland spate river, intimate and pool-rich. One of the country's most productive salmon rivers per rod-day. Excellent dry fly and hitch water.

Under the surface

Grímsá rises near Reyðarvatn and runs some thirty-two kilometres down Lundarreykjardalur to join the great Hvítá system in Borgarfjörður, the most prolific salmon country in west Iceland and barely an hour from Reykjavík. A medium river by Icelandic measure, it carries around sixty named pools over volcanic rock, the most famous being the Laxfoss, where the water tips over a ledge beneath the lodge cliff and holds taking fish through the season. The character is classic Borgarfjörður: clear freestone glides and ledge pools on a moderate gradient, double-bank water shared by only eight rods so each has room. It is a river with tradition worn into it, fished by visiting anglers since the late nineteenth century. Wading is straightforward on firm volcanic gravel, with care needed on the smooth rock around the falls.

Wading: Smooth rock around the Laxfoss ledge

  • River
  • Volcanic
  • Partly confined
  • Pool riffle
  • Step pool
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon24 June → 30 September
Fishing better nearby · 5
Related guides
Booking & contacts