Akureyri, Iceland
Our 2025 trip is full, but in the summer of 2026, we will be heading to the northeast coast of Iceland for truly one of your life's most unique and memorable fly fishing experiences. We will be splitting our time between two different lodges, the Mýrarkvísl Lodge, located on the river of the same name, and the Reykjadalsá Lodge, on its namesake river. The fishing will be for large brown trout and Arctic char, primarily on dry flies and Atlantic salmon as they move in from the Arctic Ocean on their spawning journey. We will be fishing on private leases owned by our host, Matthías Þór Hákonarson, and guided by some of the most knowledgeable, professional, and entertaining guides that I've ever had the pleasure to fish with. The accommodations at both lodges are quite modern, as they are only a few years old, and the food is fantastic! This trip is limited to 6 anglers since we will be the only clients, and the lodges are small to keep fishing pressure low. All connections from Akureyri, ground transportation, food, lodging, guide fees, permits, and equipment usage are included.
Dates: June 28th - July 4th, 2025 This trip is full, but we will be posting 2026 dates soon!
Cost: $7,450.00 + tax per person based on double occupancy. This includes all ground transportation from Akureyri, all guide fees, lodging, and meals. I’m happy to help arrange your airfare to ensure the best rates and arrival times.
The Fishing
The Mýrarkvísl and Reykjadalsa are relatively small rivers that hold a great stock of brown trout along with good runs of salmon throughout the summer. The Mýrarkvísl runs through plains on the Reykjaheiði plateau for its first 15km, making it perfect for dry fly fishing. After that, the river runs through a canyon where it is a bit more powerful, and you will have the chance to sight fish for trophy fish in the clear pools. For the last 4 km, the river runs down the plains by Laxamýri and into the Laxá in Aðaldal, about 5km from the ocean. These extreme changes in Mýrarkvísl’s character offer you some of the most versatile fly fishing in Iceland. The Reykjadalsa also runs through the plains for the upper 15km of its length before dropping into a narrow but accessible canyon and is also a tributary of the Laxa. In Adaldal, it runs into Lake Vestmannsvatn, and from the lake to the Laxá, it is called Eyvindalækur. These rivers have an amazing character with such diversity that there is something for every angler whether you enjoy fishing the plains with small dry flies and nymphs or swinging flies and sight fishing for salmon in the canyon pools.
The fishing season starts on June 1st with brown trout fishing, and at that time, it is not unusual for anglers to catch 10-15 browns a day of good average size. The prime time period for brown trout fishing is June 1st to July 20th. Later in June, the salmon start making their way upriver in small numbers, and they can be incredibly big. The salmon run begins in earnest early in July, with greater numbers of big fish coming in, so our timing should be perfect! The fishing permits in River Mýrarkvísl also include a license to fish Lake Langavatn and the River Geitafellsá. The lake holds a great stock of arctic char along with good size brown trout. The little river Geitafellsá runs through plains above the lake before ending up in the lake Langavatn. The river is small and sensitive, perfect for dry fly fishing. In June and July, anglers can expect to catch good-sized brown trout, and in July, the arctic char from the lake starts heading up the river to spawn.
Due to the variety of species that we will be fishing for, you may want to bring several rods. Your favorite 9 ft., 5 wt. will be perfect for casting dry flies to the big browns. For salmon, you will want something stouter to deal with their size and strength. I recommend an 8 or 9 wt. and if you are a spey fisherman, you're really in for a treat. We will be using floating lines throughout the trip and I'll be happy to advise you on terminal tackle and fly selections.
**Anyone joining us on a destination trip is welcome to attend any of our 2 Day Schools or Special Clinics free of charge**