Autumn salmon fishing in Iceland usually start at the end of August and today you can find rivers offering salmon fishing licenses until the end of October. From the middle of September, the weather conditions can get a bit extreme but despite that autumn salmon fishing is something I prefer. This is the highlight of my salmon season since this gives me the great’s chance of catching a salmon. During the summer, the rivers run low but when autumn comes the rain also comes and the water level rises and fish start to run. This is also the season for the big ones.
This is the time when the rivers get cooler, water raises and salmon seek their native pools to prepare for spawning. When fishing in autumn, anglers need to be more adaptable and pick gear, lines, and flies depending on the conditions. Although there is no rule of thumb which gear you should use I will try to point out what has worked for me. Conditions can change quickly and you need to adjust your tactics fast. You might start fishing in a nice summer weather but out of nowhere, the conditions can change to heavy wind and even snow in few hours. The water level can rise quickly and the color of the river can go from crystal clear to green or even brown in seconds. You can read more how to fly fish in High water conditions here.
What gear should be used when fishing salmon in the autumn
As always this depends on the river and circumstances each time. Normally I have my double hand rods (11 - 13 feet) with intermediate and sinking lines. I also use single hands (9 - 10 feet) with floating and sinking lines line 8 with me. This gives me the opportunity to switch tactics quickly depending on the pool and conditions. Using the double hand rod can help in heavy wind and sinking lines can help reaching salmon which lay deep in the pools.
When fishing sinking lines I always use short leaders and if I'm fishing with larger and heavier tubes I usually use 25 lbs. tippet around 7 feet, not longer. This gives me more control of my casting since it can be frustrating to cast those heavy tubes.
Casting
Salmon are unpredictable in the autumn so I use all kind of casting. Salmon can be close to the bottom, near the banks or in pockets where oxygen is rich. That's why I normally do not cast squarely across the stream in heavy current since the fly will normally not reach the salmon in time and you might even spook them when the fly hits the surface. Normally I try to cast at a shallow angle and mend the fly many times to get the slow and steady drift of the fly. By doing this, you give the fly a chance to reach salmon laying closer to the bottom and the fly will fish longer and slower which give salmon the time to see the fly. Always keep in mind to keep the rod in the right position, pointing towards the fly and always keep the tension of the line. Let the fly fish all the way to the bank which you are fishing from since salmon can lay just a few centimeters from the bank.
If the water level is lower you can cast the normal cast across the stream with a 45° angle and move one step downwards every cast. Keep in mind to change you’re stripping, I normally do one dead drift, one slow strip and one by jerking the fly. By doing this, you will fish close to the bottom and also present the fly to salmon laying at a normal level in the pool.
Flies to use in the autumn
Choosing the right fly in the autumn can make all the difference when fishing for salmon. Imagine all the flies that have been presented for the salmon all summer. Have this in mind can make all the difference. Also, keep in mind that presentation and how it’s fished can make a difference also.
Water gets colder and the water level rises during the autumn and by nature, salmons will save energy by not moving too much and usually they stay close to the bottom of the pools. What has worked best for me is to fish slowly and let the fly dead drift close to the bottom of the pools. It’s easy to see and feel if you are fishing correctly by feeling when the fly hits the bottom of the pool, then you are sure you are fishing effectively.
I personally choose flies in black, orange, red, yellow and green in the autumn. This is the most visible colors for salmon and when water gets colored, the black and orange are the most effective for me. Flies I’m never without are heavy tubes (1") like red Frances, sun rays, dentist cone, collie dog and green highlander. If water is clear and not high I go for larger doubles and trebles sizes 8 - 12 and same or similar patterns as I use in tubes.
Autumn is a fantastic time to fish for salmon in Iceland. Salmons can put up an excellent fight in difficult conditions. Nature is as wild as it gets with colorful surroundings and days get shorter and winter is just behind the corner. I love the autumn and hope that you will also. Also, remember to get local advisers from anglers that have fish in the river for many years. This will make you fish more effectively during your stay in Iceland.
Tight lines and safe releases.