News from Norway’s Gaula River

According to official statistics, the Gaula was among over 500 salmon rivers the Norwegian river with the highest number of large salmon over 7 kg caught nationwide in the 2026 season, with 772 large salmon caught. In terms of the total number of salmon caught, the Gaula ranked second this time with a total of 4,034 salmon caught, behind the Namsen with 4,854 salmon caught. The Gaula is the national leader with a total of 3,433 salmon released, continuing to follow the trend towards catch and release set by us (NFC) as a spearhead with several nationally broadcast television reports around the turn of the millennium.

The season in Trøndelag province, Norway’s most important salmon region, was characterised by large fluctuations in water levels and temperatures, but ended on average to good overall. Several rivers, such as Namsen, Orkla, Stordalselva and Stjørdalselva, recorded good catches. Despite lower fishing pressure and strict regulations, the results show an improvement in several stocks.

The 2025 season on the Gaula was very difficult due to the weather. After almost constant flooding in June, the weather turned tropical, with temperatures reaching over 35°C, leading to drastically low water levels. Despite the difficult conditions, numerous salmon and many sea trout ran, and the overall result at the end of the season on 31 August was encouraging, with 4,034 salmon weighing 17,359 kg/ 38,277 lbs.

The catch results would certainly have been even better if the number of fishermen had been at normal levels. A total of 3,498 fishing licences were issued, 1,750 fewer than in 2023. This was mainly due to reduced catch quotas and stricter regulations, as well as the incomprehensible decision by the environmental authority to ban fishing in 2024 before the major salmon runs had arrived and the late announcement of the normal season length in 2025.
According to the latest figures from Statistics Norway, the total catch with nets in Norway in 2025 was 70 tonnes, reflecting strict protection measures. In Trøndelag, 44.7 tonnes were caught, an increase of 18.8 tonnes compared to 2024. Finmark saw a decline from 47.5 tonnes to 14.8 tonnes. However, net fishing was only permitted in Vest-Finnmark and Porsangerfjord (to protect the salmon from the Tana).

Researchers point out that the aquaculture industry poses the greatest threat to wild salmon. In many places along the coast, salmon lice kill more than half of the young wild salmon (smolts) that migrate from the rivers to the feeding grounds in the North Atlantic to take advantage of the better feeding conditions in salt water. The Norwegian River Owners’ Organisation advocates and strongly urges the use of closed systems in salmon farms. It goes without saying, therefore, that it is unacceptable to eat unhealthy salmon from open farms for everyone who wants to protect the wild salmon.

We can offer you fishing on the extensive, wonderful stretches of the Norwegian Flyfishers Club (NFC) and on the small private stretch (including the Bridge Pool) of the International Flyfishers Club (IFC). Apart from some weeks, the NFC is already quite fully booked, but there are still a few rods available at the IFC, even during the peak season. In addition, in 2026, the IFC conservation area on the upper Gaula will be open for some fly fishing by arrangement: the Sanctuary Beat (1.1 km long, fascinating waters in wild nature) including Lower Spencerhølen.

After Manfred Raguse was unable to fish his favourite pool, the famous Bridge Pool, for several years because the NFC no longer had the lease, he was able to secure a long-term lease himself from 2023 onwards thanks to his long-standing friendly relations with the landowners. This means that it will once again be possible to fish this dream pool even during the best weeks of the season. In addition to the Bridge Pool, the Upper Pool may also be fished. For simplicity’s sake, we refer to this as the Bridge Pool Beat. We can fish the Bridge Pool on one side and the Upper Pool on both sides. While the Bridge Pool is most productive at medium and high water levels, the Upper Pool offers the best chances at low water levels. However, the salmon are always concentrated at the inlet of the Bridge Pool at low water levels, and then you have to be prepared for a take at any time.

Manfred, with over 50 seasons of experience as a fly fisherman on the Gaula, is happy to help less experienced fishermen succeed. A guide is not required, and rental equipment and effective flies can be purchased locally at reasonable prices. You can stay in decent accommodation within walking distance of the Bridge Pool, and larger groups can stay in a country house about 6 km away with a ‘semi-moose guarantee’ (self-catering). More sophisticated accommodation is newly available at a close by farm near the Bridge Pool and at the Støren Hotel. Incidentally, it is also possible to rent the entire Bridge Pool Beat exclusively.

Those who are used to fishing in a large rotation will naturally have less variety on this small stretch. But those who are able to fish one of the best pools on the Gaula, a holding pool like the Bridge Pool, every day without having to travel long distances can maximise their chances. They have more time to observe and get to know the stretch, rest more often and thus the pool also gets more rest periods, which always have a positive effect on fishing. At the Bridge Pool, the Gaula narrows impressively after a steep gradient above and continues its course below it through a powerful drop. All fish have to rest here after overcoming it on their ascent, and if you offer them the fly at the right moment, they take it without hesitation. That is why many fly fishers have caught their first or their biggest salmon here.

A short stretch, like the Bridge Pool, with an exciting head, a very attractive middle section and a fascinating glide, has everything a salmon fly fisherman could wish for. By spending much more time at one pool, he naturally gets to know it much better than is possible in a rotation, where he can only fish each pool two or three times a week for a few hours.

We have high expectations for the coming season. Last season’s catch statistics for the Gaula were dominated by a very strong run of grilse and medium-sized salmon. We can therefore assume that these two year classes were very strong last year and produced a higher proportion of surviving individuals, a significant number of which spent another year feeding in the sea and will return to spawn in the coming season. We therefore expect a very high proportion of both large salmon (over 7 kg/ 15 ½ lbs) and medium-sized salmon (4.5–7 kg / 10 – 15 ½ lbs) in the coming season.

If you are interested in fishing at Bridge Pool for a week at the top of the season, or for very little money (from Euro 700 p. week, per rod) in August, either at the Bridge Pool Beat, the new Sanctuary beat incl. Lower Spencerhølen or on the fantastic NFC beats, please contact us immediately by email: info@internationalflyfishersclub.com or by telephone: 0049-172-4266036. You can also visit us at our Hamburg office by appointment until the last week of May to discuss all the options, including equipment questions, in person.