Large River · Volcanic · South Iceland

Þjórsá

Iceland's longest river.

Species

Slow going — better windows ahead

Low and clear — careful approach country. Fish on a shallow rise are spooked — choose your hour.

50% confidence in this read
Water temperature for atlantic salmon
Cool — slow
5°C est.ideal 10–14°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for atlantic salmon
  • Temperature830% weight
  • Flow6025% weight
  • Clarity9520% weight
  • Feeding Time1015% weight
  • Pressure8510% weight
Conditions
○Regional est.
Level
Moderate rain recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
5.1°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
3°C
Wind
SE 22 km/h
Moderate breeze
Pressure
1004 hPa
Rain · 48h
17.4 mm
Moderate rain
Rain · ahead
2.0 mm
Light 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.
Why this works
Very poor — water clarity is working for you, but water temperature is the limiting factor today.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
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.
  • Major nationwide salmon river
  • Permits via local operators and clubs
  • Some beats less pressured than famous rivers.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

Iceland's longest river. Major salmon and trout drainage with extensive productive water. Less intensive commercial operation than premium named rivers but excellent fishing opportunity.

Under the surface

Þjórsá is the longest river in Iceland — some two hundred and thirty kilometres from the Hofsjökull ice down across the southern lowland to the sea, draining a basin of more than seven thousand square kilometres with its great tributary the Tungná. It is a true glacial river, grey and opaque with meltwater, tracking for much of its lower course the edge of the Great Þjórsá Lava, the largest single lava flow on Earth since the last ice age, laid down some 8,600 years ago. Despite the murk it carries one of the largest wild salmon stocks in the country — unusually, fish that spawn and grow in glacial water, a rarity worldwide — most of them pushing through past Urriðafoss in June. This is big, powerful, silt-laden water on a broad gradient. Wading is bold work in poor visibility; read the lava-edged channel rather than the bottom.

Wading: Poor visibility in silt laden glacial water

  • River
  • Volcanic
  • Unconfined
  • Large river
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