Spate · Mixed · Bohuslän, SE

Örekilsälven

Photo of Örekilsälven

örekilsälven is one of southern Sweden's best-known salmon rivers on the west coast in Bohuslän.

Today · Closed season
Stonefly Nymph
Forecast · Today
Closed season
Out of season. File this water for the right month.
50% projected
Today's fly
Stonefly Nymph
Stonefly Nymph
Conditions on the water · Today
Estimate
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp9.6°C
ClarityClear
Weather16°C
WindN 20 km/h
Pressure1026 hPa
Rain · recent1.4 mm
Rain · ahead5.4 mm

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

Water temperature for Atlantic Salmon
Cool — slow
10°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.
Likely species
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 11am

12pm(now) — Autumn Needle Fly

Stage: Creeping nymphsApproach: Heavy nymphActivity: 95%
Also:Autumn Olive68%Black Gnat46%
Peak emergence window8 food groups active

Peak activity at 11am — Autumn Needle Fly (Autumn Needle Fly, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Top nymph shown — see all 3 guilds as a supporter.

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Evidence
Survey-backed · regionalHigh confidence

Backed by regional invertebrate surveys; no sampling on this exact reach yet.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Salmon runRun
1
2
1
Yellow SallyHatch
2
3
3
2
Nordic SpringflyHatch
2
3
3
2
Late March BrownHatch
2
3
2
Large Brook DunHatch
2
3
2

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

Ranked for today
Atlantic Salmon fly box
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Salmon fee and local iFiske permit required.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 2
Gallery · 2
  1. Photo of Örekilsälven
    Örekilsälven
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

örekilsälven is one of southern Sweden's best-known salmon rivers on the west coast in Bohuslän. Strong Atlantic salmon and sea trout runs characterize this productive system. Responsive spate river with excellent fly fishing June–August. Classic patterns effective. Mix of private and public beats. Fiskekort from iFiske or local sellers. Atlantic salmon are managed under national rules (Havs- och vattenmyndigheten) — quotas, size limits and catch-and-release apply and differ between Baltic and west-coast rivers; check current rules before fishing.

Under the surface

The Orekilsalven drains the lake country of Dalsland and runs down through Lake Karnsjon and past Munkedal to spill into the Gullmarn — Sweden's only true threshold fjord — in Bohuslan on the west coast. Some twenty-five kilometres of its lower river hold salmon and sea trout, and it is the most important salmon river of the region, accounting for a large share of the west coast's wild smolt production and providing nearly all the freshwater that feeds the Gullmarn. The water is soft and lightly stained off the granite-and-forest catchment, running over hard west-Swedish bedrock on a moderate gradient. It gives up to three hundred salmon in a season, some past ten kilos. The character is steady, rocky freestone with defined holding pools through wooded valley. Wading is secure on firm rock and gravel, with the usual care in the heavier runs and below the falls.

Wading: Heavier runs and water below the falls

Sea trout here

Bohuslän cluster sea-trout-first river — coastal-freshwater connectivity and spawning protection

  • Mixed
  • Partly confined
  • Pool riffle
Water quality (WFD)
  • Ecology: Unknown
  • Chemical: Unknown
Why this score · for Atlantic Salmon
  • Temperature10030% weight
  • Flow6025% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time9015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Salmon 1 June → 31 August

Sea trout: Variable seasonal (2026)

Related guides
Booking & contacts