The sea trout season has started in Iceland and the weather has for the most part been better than usual, the usual volatile weather nowhere to be seen so far, but without a doubt somewhere around the corner. So, we knew there were a lot of sea trout in the rivers, since last season was good, but when we get unusually good conditions, things always tend to look better.
What we have seen is that there have great numbers of sea trout hooked and landed. And what is more pleasurable is that there so many huge fish in the catch that it must be put down to more and more catch and release in the Icelandic sea trout rivers. There are quite a few in the South and Southeast…..and they have so far been producing brilliantly. Among them is the river Geirlandsá were each of the first four fishing parties exceeded a hundred fish to three rods, the highest being 140. Every one of the group had one or more old stagers 90 to 94 centimetres, many over 80 cm and even more from 70 cm.
Other rivers could state similar statistics, a 95 cm sea trout among a fine opening catch on river Tungufljót and 86 and 84 cm trout being caught in river West Rangá and Brunná, which is actually in the northeast.
Anglers are in agreement that there are more of the oversized sea trout this spring than over the past few years. Not that the odd 90cm+ sea trout was being caught, only far more of them. This is down to two main factors. There been a marked increase in sea trout stocks in Iceland, among other factors being down to far more catch and release, which in turn allows more and more of the trout to gain the old age they are capable of if they are not clobbered over the head as was the norm several years ago.
