Reykjavik's Finest Catch: Guided Sea Angling Tour

Learning To Sea Angle

The trip suits anyone who has never held a fishing rod. You leave the Old Harbour, and once the boat reaches the fishing grounds the guide gives a short orientation covering the basics of sea angling. Rods, reels and tackle are all provided, so there is nothing to buy or bring.

The guide stays with you through the session and offers tips and techniques as you go. Several reviewers were first-timers. Brianna from the United States wrote that it was her first time fishing and still a memorable experience.

Myles from Hungary noted that the tackle was good quality and that no lines were lost among the ten anglers on his trip. If you already fish at home, the guide simply helps you get the gear working and finds the fish. Either way, you are not left guessing at the rail while everyone else hauls in cod.

The Fishing And The Catch

You fish in Faxaflói Bay, a short sail from Reykjavik, for cod, haddock and pollock. The listing describes the grounds as having high success rates, and the reviews back that up. Melissa from the United States said her group was on the fish right away, and when the bite slowed the captain moved them to another stop.

Sammi from Spain reported catching cod on the first attempt. Icelandic rules let you fish at sea with rod and line for your own consumption without any permit, and the catch cannot be sold. Atlantic halibut is endangered and should be released if hooked.

Seabirds often show up too: puffins and gulls are both mentioned as possible company while you wait for a bite.

From Rail To Plate

The part guests talk about most is eating the fish. When the fishing session ends, the crew cleans and fillets your catch on board, then barbecues it and serves it with coleslaw and potatoes. Jeff from the United States described the fish as cooked to perfection and enjoyed eating on the way back while still on the boat.

Myles from Hungary said the dinner cooked by the crew was amazing and that his group still took home a dozen cod on top of the meal. Coffee and sparkling water are included, and warm blankets are provided, which makes a real difference on a cool evening at sea. Home-made cookies come with the coffee on the way out.

The barbecue depends on the group catching something. One reviewer's group caught more than the crew could cook.

The Boat And The Crew

You sail on the Jóhanna, a traditional Icelandic fishing boat, from Hlésgata 1 in the Old Harbour. Viggson Sailing describes her as a typical Icelandic fishing boat with a cosy space inside and a restroom, so you are never stuck on a wet deck if you need shelter or a toilet, and the cabin gives you somewhere to warm up between hauls. The group is a shared boat, so you fish alongside other travellers rather than chartering the vessel privately.

Viggson Sailing staffs the trip with an English-speaking guide, and the reviews are consistently warm about the people on board. Radka from the Czech Republic praised the friendly and helpful staff. Myles from Hungary wrote that the skipper and his mate were always looking to offer help and solve problems, and that the boat had plenty of space.

Where And When To Arrive

The meeting point is Hlésgata 1, 101 Reykjavik, right on the Old Harbour waterfront in the city centre. There is no hotel pickup on this tour, so you walk or take a taxi to the pier yourself and meet the crew at the Sea Trips office on Hlésgata 15 minutes before departure. The itinerary on the listing is for reference only, and you confirm your exact starting time when you check availability.

The structure is a 25-minute sightseeing cruise out into Faxaflói, roughly two hours of guided fishing, then an optional 30-minute meal on board before arriving back at Hlésgata 1. One reviewer's account gives a sense of pace: the group was fishing within about half an hour of leaving the dock. Because the trip returns to the same point it leaves from, you can plan the rest of your evening in central Reykjavik around it without transport logistics.

Rules And What You May Keep

No fishing licence is needed for this trip. Icelandic law allows anyone to fish at sea with rods and hand reels for their own consumption, and the operator holds the permit for the boat. Catch cannot be sold, only kept or eaten.

On this trip the fish you catch are cooked for you on board, and at least one reviewer also took fish home, so keeping some of your catch is realistic. If you are weighing a freshwater alternative instead, know that lakes and rivers are different: freshwater fishing needs a permit from the rights holder, and most lake openings run from May to the end of September. For a broad view of what else is on offer across the country, compare Iceland fishing tours or read our guide to sea fishing in Iceland.

Private Charter Option

Viggson also sells a private 3-hour boat tour for up to 20 people with two Icelandic sailors, which can be a sea angling trip. That is a charter for a group booking everyone together, not a seat on a shared boat. Ask the operator about it directly.

Source: Viggson Sailing sea angling tour, Viggson Sailing.

Minimum Age and Access

Viggson Sailing's own page sets a minimum age of 5. The trip is not wheelchair accessible and not stroller accessible, and there are no infant seats on board. That settles the question for families with babies and toddlers: this is a trip for school-age children and adults who can step on and off a working fishing boat. If you need step-free access or travel with a pushchair, choose another operator and ask them the same three questions before you pay. The operator lists the trip as suitable for all physical fitness levels, and service animals are allowed. The indoor cabin and restroom make it a workable pick for school-age children and for older travellers who can step aboard and want a warm seat within reach.

Source: Viggson Sailing sea angling tour.

Coffee, Cookies and the Sauce

The operator describes coffee and home-made cookies on the way out to the grounds. On the way back the captain and chef barbecue the catch and serve it with potatoes, coleslaw or potato salad and a home-made sauce. The operator's own text names the sauce differently in different places, a home-made skyr sauce in one list and a garlic sauce in the body text, so treat it as a home-made sauce rather than a promised flavour and ask the crew on the day. If the weather is poor, the crew provide coffee and blankets, and the operator advises warm waterproof clothes either way.

Source: Viggson Sailing sea angling tour.

Side By Side

This trip sits in the middle of the Reykjavik price range at $179 for three hours. The main differences between these listings are pickup, group size and what the crew does with the catch. This is also the trip with an indoor cabin and a restroom on board, which matters on a cold evening.

If you want the shortest and cheapest session in the city, the Special Tours boat is half an hour shorter and $17 less.

Book Something Else If

Book Traditional Sea Fishing with BBQ if you do not want to find the harbour yourself, because it is the only Reykjavik listing here with hotel pickup and drop-off included, and it caps the boat at 12 passengers. Book Sea Angling Gourmet if you want the longest session on the water, three to three and a half hours, and a wider species list that adds mackerel and Atlantic wolffish. Book the sea fishing and BBQ trip if budget leads and you are happy with a shorter 2.5-hour session.

And if you are not based in Reykjavik at all, the whale watching and sea angling tour from Hauganes pairs whales with a fjord fishing stop from $100, though it sails from North Iceland near Akureyri.

What To Wear

Dress for a cool deck, not a warm summer's day, even in high season. Wear layers with a waterproof outer shell and non-slip footwear, the standard advice for Icelandic boat trips. Warm clothes and sunscreen are sensible in summer too.

This trip supplies warm blankets and an indoor cabin on board, which helps once you are sitting down to eat, but you will still be standing at the rail for about two hours of fishing, so your own insulation matters. Everything you need for fishing is already provided. Leave room in your day for the full three hours, and remember the meal on board means you do not need to plan dinner immediately afterwards.

If The Weather Turns

Faxaflói is open to the North Atlantic, and sea tours in Iceland can be cancelled or moved for wind and swell. That is the main practical risk of this booking, and it applies to every boat in the bay. Your protection is the cancellation policy: free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and reserve now and pay later, so you are not out of pocket while conditions are still uncertain.

If the fishing itself is slow, the crew has an answer. One reviewer described the captain moving the boat to a second stop as soon as the bite slowed, and the group still caught more fish than the crew could cook. Book early in your stay if you can, so a weather move does not cost you the trip entirely.

Finding The Pier And Small Print

The meeting point is Hlésgata 1, 101 Reykjavik, on the Old Harbour waterfront, and there is no hotel pickup. Allow a few extra minutes to find the pier on your first visit, and be at the Sea Trips office on Hlésgata 15 minutes before departure. Viggson Sailing's own page sets a minimum age of 5 and says the trip is not wheelchair or stroller accessible and has no infant seats.

Check availability to see starting times. All taxes and fees are included in the $179 price. The language on board is English, and the guide is described as an instructor, which fits the teaching focus of the trip.

The itinerary is for reference only and can change. Source: island.is recreational fishing rules, Special Tours sea angling.