Fishing in Norway offers the opportunity to practise what anglers from all over the world have experienced since the early 1800s in pursuit of big salmon, other game fish and some of the world's biggest deep-water cod, halibut and pollock.
Norway - the land of fjords and mountains, trolls and Norse legends, midnight sun and sparkling Northern Lights - combined with one of the most exciting places in the world to cast a salmon fly.
Norway's 21,000 km of coastal waters provide some of the best deep-water fishing in the world and is home to more than 200 fish and shellfish species. The most renowned of these is the spawning cod (37.5 kg), called 'skrei', caught in the icy waters off the Arctic and along the western coast. Other species are halibut, monkfish, mackerel, saithe, haddock, pollack, ling and catfish just to mention a few of the most popular.
With 323,802 km² of land of which 96% is mountains, forests and marshland, Norway offers a huge variety of brown trout, grayling and pike fishing in more than 25,000 km of rivers and 200,000 lakes and tarns spread all over the country.
Coast and deep-sea fishing
Norway is a good place for coast and deep-sea fishing. There are opportunities to fish both from land and boat. Cod, coalfish and mackerel can be caught almost everywhere along the coast. For seawater fishing you don’t need to have any licence (this refers to the fjord as well).
Freshwater fishing
For freshwater fishing, Norway offers top quality pike fishing in beautiful woodland and mountain areas. Freshwater lakes and ponds are also abundant with trout, carp, perch, eel and char. Fishing requirements are easy - you just pay the set fee for the licence.
Salmon fishing
Every year thousands of anglers visit Norway’s world famous salmon rivers in the hope of catching king-size fish. The powerful rivers of Norway produce the largest Atlantic salmon in the world and about 145,000 of them are caught each year. It is not unusual to be faced with the really big ones. Running and landing up to 20 kilos salmon can provide a stirring and exciting experience. Sea trout and red char also swim in many rivers.
