Iceland Fishing Tours

First Time or Family on a Summer Evening

Go to sea. Two trips suit beginners and families. Sea Fishing Boat Tour & BBQ with the Day's Catch runs 2.5-3 hours in Faxaflói Bay with rods and protective overalls supplied, and the crew grills the catch on deck with potatoes. It is the most reviewed listing here, with a 4.7 rating. Traditional Sea Fishing with BBQ Feast caps the boat at 12 passengers and includes hotel pickup and drop-off, waterproof clothing and a pan-fried lunch of your catch.

It is not recommended for children under 4, and lifejackets are provided for ages 12 and under.

The Longest Session on the Water

3-Hour Sea Angling Gourmet Experience Tour by Elding spends 3 to 3.5 hours in Faxaflói, the longest time on the water of the Reykjavik boats. Rain jackets and all tackle are on board, the crew barbecues the catch with homemade sauce and potatoes, and you keep what you catch. It is not suitable for children under 2.

You meet at the floating pier at Hlésgata 1, so there is no hotel pickup.

You Want Coffee, Blankets and a Warm Cabin

Reykjavik's Finest Catch: Guided Sea Angling Tour sails on the Jóhanna, a traditional Icelandic boat with an indoor cabin and a restroom. The crew teaches the sea-angling basics on the way out, then cleans, fillets and barbecues your fish with coleslaw and potatoes. Coffee, sparkling water and warm blankets are included, with home-made cookies on the way out.

It costs $179 and has a 4.8 rating.

Based in Akureyri or North Iceland

Whale Watching and Sea Angling Tour from Hauganes is the cheapest seat on this page at $100, and it combines whales with a fjord angling stop for cod and haddock. You sail on classic oak boats on sheltered Eyjafjörður, with flotation overalls and gear supplied and tea and coffee on board. Hauganes is 25 minutes north of Akureyri and there is no pickup, so you drive yourself.

Bring a hat and gloves.

You Want Rivers and Lakes

Freshwater is a different sport. Permits are required and every river system has its own rules. From Reykjavik: Lake and River Fishing Tour is the only bookable freshwater day here: a private guide picks you up around 08:00, drives through Thingvellir, then fishes 5-6 hours for brown trout and Arctic char by fly or spin. Permits, rods and transport are all included, and the price is $779 for the day.

Fly casting is taught, and you may keep up to 2 fish.

Visiting in Winter

Akureyri: Ice Fishing Tour with Hot Cocoa runs while the lake ice holds. A 30-minute drive from Akureyri takes you to frozen Ljósavatn, where the guide drills the holes by hand and you jig for Arctic char and brown trout with hot cocoa in hand. Licence, rods and transport are included, $157 for 3.5 hours.

Dress for standing still on a frozen lake. Sea angling in the north also runs on request all year with some operators, while Reykjavik boats stop by late September.

Day Tour, Lodge Week, Self-Catered, DIY

A guide to planning a trip splits Iceland fishing into four formats.

- Day tour. A half or full day from Reykjavik, with pickup. This is what most of the listings above are. Gear and permits are handled for you. - Full-service lodge. All meals, daily guiding and transfers are included. You turn up and fish. - Self-catered lodge. You rent the house and the beat. You cook, you plan the days, and the lodge sorts the water. - DIY with local permit support. You bring your own plan and gear. A local contact helps with permits.

If you have one free day on a city break, take a day tour. If fishing is the reason for the trip, the lodge formats give you several days on one river system. The sea trips from Reykjavik sit outside this split because they need no permit at all. See sea fishing in Iceland for those.

How a Salmon Beat Works on a Hosted Week

Hosted salmon weeks follow a fixed routine. On one outfitter's north Iceland trip, two anglers share a single active rod on each beat and take turns. There are two guided sessions a day on the river, and the ratio is two anglers to one guide. So you fish in turns. Pick a partner you get along with.

A week like this suits people who already cast. If you are new, a private day such as the lake and river fishing tour teaches fly casting first. For rivers, rod prices and permits, read salmon fishing in Iceland. What each kind of week runs is in the week prices.

Source: Flyfishing by Robert, Trout and Feather.

Spring and Autumn Trout

April and May are prime for big trout, and one guide to planning a trip calls that window the best time for them. Sea trout run from April, with April, May, June and September listed as the best months. Late August to early October is the stretch for sea-run browns, according to one fly-fishing outfitter.

Salmon work the other way. July and August are the best salmon months in the same outfitter's account. If you want a river with fewer anglers and a trout focus, aim for the shoulders. If you want a salmon, you need the summer weeks.

For trout waters in detail, see trout fishing in Iceland.

Book Early for June to August

June to August fill up, so book a date in the middle of summer before you fly. On the hosted north trip the lodge goes to one group only, so a week there is a fixed number of seats.

If your dates are fixed, check the live availability first and choose the trip that has a slot. If your dates are flexible, a shoulder-season date suits trout.

Source: Guide to Iceland, Orvis, Flyfishing by Robert.

What Happens on Board

The boats work Faxaflói Bay, straight out from Reykjavik. Rods, tackle and protective clothing are supplied on every trip here, so you need nothing but warm layers. Once at the fishing grounds, the crew lowers lines and helps beginners get started.

The best part comes afterwards: on Sea Fishing Boat Tour & BBQ with the Day's Catch the edible catch is grilled on board and served with potatoes, on Traditional Sea Fishing with BBQ Feast it is pan-fried with potatoes and sauce back at the harbour, and on the Elding trip it is barbecued with homemade sauce. You keep the rest of what you catch. Most fishing tours in Iceland let you take your fish home.

What You Catch

The reliable species in Faxaflói are cod, haddock, pollock and rockfish (redfish). Elding also lists mackerel and Atlantic wolffish (catfish) on its angling trip. One fish to know about: Atlantic halibut is endangered and should be released if you hook one.

On the Whale Watching and Sea Angling Tour from Hauganes in the north, the angling stop targets cod and haddock in Eyjafjörður.

Where the Boats Leave

Two meeting points cover the Reykjavik boats, and they are easy to mix up. Geirsgata 11 is the Special Tours ticket office. Hlésgata is the floating pier side of the harbour, where the Sea Trips office sits. Arrive early as instructed: some operators want you there 30 to 60 minutes before sailing.

The evening sailing is the 17:00 departure of Sea Fishing Boat Tour & BBQ from Geirsgata 11, and it needs at least two bookings to sail or you are moved or refunded.

Season and Departures

Reykjavik sea angling is a summer thing. Special Tours runs daily at 17:00 from May until 15 September, with pickup starting an hour before. Elding's season runs 1 May to 20 September.

Evening departures make sense in summer light, and on the way out Puffin island is often in sight. In North Iceland, some operators run sea angling on request all year. All boat trips can be cancelled or moved for wind and swell, so build slack into your plan.

Rules on the Water

Tourists fishing with rods for their own table need no permit at sea. The operator holds a permit for the vessel instead, and there are catch limits by boat size: boats under 20 passengers are capped at 7 rods and 49 fish a day, boats of 20 to 49 passengers at 15 rods and 60 fish, and larger boats at 25 rods and 75 fish. The catch cannot be sold. Dress in layers with a waterproof shell and non-slip footwear, and bring sunscreen in summer because the light stays strong late.

Every harbour, species and rule around the coast is in the full guide to sea fishing in Iceland.

Source: Special Tours, island.is, Visit North Iceland.

Every River Is Private

All rivers in Iceland are 100 percent private with no public access. You buy a rod on a beat from the owner or through an angling agency. Rivers hold a fixed number of rods: West Ranga runs 16 rods (some sources say 14), Nordurá 12, Miðfjarðará between 6 and 10, and Fossá is a two-rod river.

A freshwater permit is always required, and each river system sets its own rules. Fishing hours are regulated everywhere: two sessions, typically 07:00-13:00 and 16:00-22:00, with a mandatory rest in between and no night fishing despite the summer light. That is 12 hours a day at most.

Atlantic Salmon

Salmon season is about 90 days. Most rivers open in late June and run to late September, though some rivers open in early June, and one source gives a season from 5 June. The runs peak by coast: the west coast early to mid July, the east mid to late July, the north early to mid August. Names worth knowing: Eystri-Rangá, Ytri-Rangá (West Ranga), Langá, Nordurá, Miðfjarðará, Stóra Laxá, Laxá in Aðaldal, Blanda and Hafralónsá. West Ranga yields 4,000-7,000 salmon a year and Nordurá averages 2,500 a season. Many rivers are fly-only, and releasing two-sea-winter fish over 69 cm is common, with release mandatory in many places.

Prime rods sell as multi-day packages, not day passes. Sources differ on exact figures by season, so confirm with the river's own booking office.

Brown Trout: Þingvallavatn and Laxá in Mývatnssveit

Þingvallavatn, the lake in Thingvellir National Park, is the famous brown trout water. The season runs 20 April to 15 September, and one outfitter offers limited fishing through 30 September. It is national park land, so angling is from the shore only and boats are prohibited. Brown trout average around 8 lb and reach 30-36 lb, with the best window for the biggest fish mid-May to mid-June. A day pass costs $21 (2,500 ISK), or the Fishing Card covers the park except Kárastaðir. Sources differ on the kill rules: Veiðiheimar lists no quota and asks only that tagged trout be released, while Guide to Iceland says the lake is catch-and-release only, so check with the landowner before keeping anything.

Laxá in Mývatnssveit in the north opens from 29 May, capped at 14 rods a day. You keep two brown trout per shift, and fish under 35 cm and over 60 cm must be released. One listing ends the season 14 August, another 25 August, so check before booking.

Sea Trout and Arctic Char

Sea trout run April to 30 September, with the best months April, May, June and September. Arctic char live in lakes and highland rivers. In the highland river Kaldakvísl they average 3-4 lb and reach 7 lb. If you want to fish lakes cheaply on your own, the Fishing Card costs $81 (9,900 ISK) and covers a set of lakes across the country, though counts differ by source, and children under 14 fish free with a card holder. Most lakes open 1 May and close 30 September. The card is valid for the calendar year and does not cover rivers.

One rule applies to all freshwater: used fishing equipment must be disinfected before use and you must present a certificate. You can get this from a vet at home, at the disinfection service at Keflavik Airport, or from vets and recognized bodies in Iceland. New unused gear is exempt.

The Bookable Day: Lake and River Fishing Tour

You do not need to navigate the permit system alone. From Reykjavik: Lake and River Fishing Tour is a private guided day at $779. The guide picks you up at your Reykjavik hotel around 08:00, drives out through Thingvellir, then you fish 5-6 hours for brown trout and Arctic char on fly or spin. Permits, rods and transport are included, and fly casting is taught if you are new to it. Runs in wind and rain, so dress warm with a rain jacket. You may keep up to 2 fish, and catch and release is the standard. For a winter version, Akureyri: Ice Fishing Tour with Hot Cocoa fishes through holes drilled in frozen Ljósavatn with licence and rods included.

Go deeper: fly fishing in Iceland for regions, gear and lodges, salmon fishing in Iceland for rivers and rod prices, and trout fishing in Iceland for brown trout, char and sea trout waters.

Source: Veiðiheimar, MAST, Where Wise Men Fish.

How the Day Runs

Ice Fishing from Akureyri picks you up in Akureyri and drives 30 minutes to frozen Ljósavatn. The guide drills the holes by hand. Then you jig through the ice for Arctic char and brown trout.

Hot cocoa and refreshments are included. Meals are not, so eat before you go. The trip runs about 3.5 hours with roughly 2.5 hours on the ice.

Season and Price

The tour is $157. It runs in winter, roughly November to March while the lake ice holds. Sources differ on the edges of the window, so confirm dates at booking.

Ice fishing asks nothing of your gear. Licence and rods are included, which also means no disinfection paperwork for your own tackle. The main physical demand is standing still in the cold for hours.

Dress far warmer than you think you need.

Why Try It

No other listing in our comparison puts you on a frozen lake. It suits travellers based in Akureyri who want a real fishing experience without a full day or a salmon-river budget. If you are also planning sea angling, the Hauganes whales and angling tour is 25 minutes from Akureyri and pairs well with it.

Lakes, winter permits, ice safety and every guided option are covered in the full guide to ice fishing in Iceland.

Source: Visit Iceland, Guide to Iceland.

The Rules at a Glance

The table below sets out what you need for each kind of water, what it costs and what the gear rules are. Booked tours are the simplest case because the operator sorts the permits.

The Fishing Card in Detail

The Veiðikortið, or Fishing Card, is the budget route to freshwater. It costs $81 (9,900 ISK) and covers lakes only, never rivers. It is valid for the calendar year it is bought for.

Most lakes open 1 May and close 30 September, though a few are open all year. Children under 14 fish free when accompanied by a card holder. The number of waters covered differs by source: the shop page lists 38 lakes while veidikortid.is lists 36 areas in four regions.

Buy it online as an eCard or at petrol stations around the country. At each lake, register with the landowner or show the card to the fishing warden.

Gear Disinfection

The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, MAST, requires that used rods, reels, lures and waders be disinfected before use in rivers and lakes, and that you carry a disinfection certificate. There are three routes: have a vet disinfect your gear at home before you travel, use the disinfection service at Keflavík Airport on arrival, or have it done in Iceland by approved bodies such as angling associations and fishing-ground owners. New and unused gear is exempt under MAST's exemption notice.

The practical consequence for most readers: every tour compared on this page supplies its own rods, so on a guided trip you have nothing to disinfect and no certificate to carry. It only matters if you bring your own tackle.

What Guided Tours Include

On the Akureyri ice fishing tour the fishing licence is included in the price. On the private lake and river day from Reykjavik all fishing permits come with the trip. On Reykjavik sea angling boats no licence exists to buy, since the operator's vessel permit covers the rods on board.

The Fishing Card, every day permit and the gear disinfection steps are set out in full on the fishing license in Iceland page.

Source: island.is, MAST, Veiðikortið web shop.

Price Comparison

This comparison covers the two cheapest guided seats, the Reykjavik sea angling trips, the self-guided lake options and the two freshwater bookables. Durations differ, so read the price against the time on the water.

What Drives the Price

Salmon fishing is expensive because every river in Iceland is privately owned and each beat holds a fixed number of rods. Rivers such as the Nordurá run about 12 rods, and prime weeks sell as multi-day packages. The cheapest honest way to fish freshwater is the Fishing Card at $81 (9,900 ISK) a year for lakes, or the $21 (2,500 ISK) Þingvallavatn day pass if you bring your own disinfected gear.

For the lowest guided price on water, the Hauganes trip at $100 is the lowest price in this comparison.

Local Guided Freshwater Days in ISK

One local operator running freshwater days from several towns publishes a range of rates. Prices are per person and are quoted "from", and the two-person quotes assume two people book together. Minimum group size is two and permits are arranged before the tour. Check each rate with the guide before you pay.

The $779 private day listed on this page is a different product. It is one guide for your party out of Reykjavik. A per-person ISK rate that assumes two anglers is not the same as a private day, so compare party size first and the headline price second.

Source: Iceland Fishing Guide, Visit Iceland.

Lodge Weeks Side by Side

A hosted or lodge week costs more than a salmon rod day pass, but it bundles licences, guiding and lodging. This table sets out what three outfitters publish. Dollar figures are the outfitters' own, and the north trip is listed in ISK with a dollar estimate.

The north trip takes half at confirmation and the rest due in March, and the lodge goes to the group only. The Highlands lodge is about 2 hours from Reykjavik. Fishing is brown trout and Arctic char, the char averaging 3-4 lb.

Source: Iceland Fishing Guide, Visit Iceland, Hatch, Orvis, Trout and Feather.

Reykjavik

Most of the boats compared here sail from the Old Harbour into Faxaflói Bay, from budget trips to a boat with an indoor cabin. See sea angling in Reykjavik for meeting points and departure times. Inland sits Þingvallavatn, the big brown trout lake, the water the private lake and river day drives past on its way through Thingvellir.

Land angling there needs a day pass or a Fishing Card.

Akureyri and Eyjafjörður

Akureyri is the northern base. The whale watching and sea angling tour sails from Hauganes, 25 minutes away, on classic oak boats in sheltered Eyjafjörður. In winter, the ice fishing tour drives 30 minutes to frozen Ljósavatn.

Some North Iceland sea angling also runs on request all year, which is why the region works as an off-season option when Reykjavik boats are tied up for the season.

Mývatn

East of Akureyri, the Laxá in Mývatnssveit is a noted brown trout river. Its season opens 29 May. Sources differ on the closing date, so check the current rules before you plan a late-summer trip. There is no bookable day tour for this river in our comparison. Independent anglers arrange permits with the rights holder, and the licence rules on gear disinfection apply in full.

Source: Visit North Iceland, Veiðiheimar.

Getting to the Water

For Hauganes, drive north from Akureyri on Route 1 for about 20 km, then turn onto Route 82 and carry on for about 10 km. That is 30 km in all, and there is no pickup, so a rental car or taxi is the way. The Highlands lodge is about 2 hours from Reykjavik by transfer. Sea trips leave from the harbour in the city and need no driving at all.

Staying over: hotels in Reykjavik suit the sea trips, while a farm stay suits river fishing. Choose a base in the town where your trip leaves from and book it first.

Families, Fitness and Combo Days

Most tours are low-impact. Ice fishing and trips that include a hike to a remote lake ask for moderate activity. Sea angling in Reykjavik and the Hauganes trip are the family-friendly picks. Check the minimum age on each listing before you book.

Two tours combine fishing with something else. The Hauganes trip adds whale watching. One Reykjavik day pairs a 2-hour walking tour with sea angling, runs 7 hours with a maximum of 12 guests and ends with a dinner of the catch. Those suit people who want more than fishing from a single booking.

Source: Guide to Iceland.

Clothing

Wear layers with a waterproof shell on top and non-slip shoes. Bring a hat and gloves. The Hauganes operator supplies flotation overalls and still asks for a hat and gloves, which tells you how cold a fjord crossing can feel.

Choose clothing you do not mind getting dirty, since fish handling and barbecue smoke are part of the day on the Reykjavik boats. On the ice tour, bring sunscreen even in winter and dress for standing still on a frozen lake. For evening sailings, add warm clothes beyond what you would wear ashore.

What the Operator Supplies

Protective clothing is included on the Sea Fishing Boat Tour and BBQ, the Traditional Sea Fishing trip, the Elding gourmet angling cruise and the Hauganes whales and angling tour. Rods and tackle are supplied on every tour in this comparison, which also removes the gear disinfection requirement described under licences. You only need your own tackle if you plan to fish independently on a Fishing Card.

Source: Special Tours, MAST.