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Salmon Fishing: Latest News 2010
New Lax Fishing Tackle Store at Winsnes
The new Lax Fishing tackle store has opened at Winsnes. The shop, which carries a huge range of fly fishing and fly tying equipment opened on July 3rd. The store carries a full range of Guideline equipment including rods, reels, fly lines, fly tying materials, clothing, waders, boots and flies. The Lax store is open to non-residents. The new Lax pub/cafe is also open.
Winsnes Casting Pool
A recent shot of the new casting pool at Winsnes. The pool is located behind the Lax Fishing Tackle store. Customers at the fishing lodge get free use of the pool as do customers at the shop wishing to try rod/reel combinations before they buy. The pool can also be hired for demos/events etc.,
Weeks 26 and 27
Week 26 saw the start of salmon fishing proper on the middle to upper parts of the Gaula. With fluctuating river levels due to thunder storms in the Tydalen and Haltdalen areas the river was carrying a lot of water at times. Nonetheless, the first serious runs of fish began to arrive at the beginning of the week and whilst sport was brought to a halt by a flood in the middle of the week by the end the fishing was coming good again. It seems that these early fish ran straight through and gave sporadic sport.
Only a handful of salmon were caught on the GFF/Malum Winsnes beats but they were good fish. I was filming for a new tv series called Wild Fisherman. I lost a big fish in Kroken on Monday night at Kroken and on Wednesday I caught a fresh ten kilo fish on Kjellflue. There were around eight fish caught for the roatation fishers during the week.
Kjellflue has really started to fish now and is holding a lot of fish. Kroken has changed a little in the floods but appears to be unaffected with a number of fish being caught by the end of week 27. Two fish were caught on Kroken on the last session of week 27 by Stuart, an Irish guest at Winsnes and I caught a fish of 10 kilos on Saturday night.
The rotation is fishing very well with a total of 60 fish caught in week 27. The fish came from a wide range of pools from pool number one through thirteen. With lower water, pools 9 (Oyan), 3 (Rottum) and 11 (Oksoy) have started to fish well. The biggest fish of the week was caught by Ken, a Winsnes guest and memeber of the Sportfish group. The fish weighed fourteen kilos and like all of the fish caught by the group (13 fish in total) was released. Per Westerlund, one of our guides, capped the week by catching a 11.1 kilo fish from Kjellflue on his third cast!
With lower water the fish are responding to smaller flies - tubes and doubles - with predominant colours of blue, yellow, grey and green. Sunray shadows are also working well and a new fly I designed around the sunray theme, the 'electric ray' caught my fish at Kroken. The sunray shadow produced several memorable takes during the week - fish are taking them head and shoulders style off the surface!
With lower water levels there are plenty of fish to be caught but they may be tricky unless we get further rain this week to freshen up the river. Anglers must concentrate on fishing quietly if they are to get the most from the pools in the coming week but I fully expect that there will be some good catches.
Week 25
Not the greatest weel 25 on record but at least we have begun to catch fsih. The week started with a huge flood that saw the flow guage peak out at 1500 cubic meters per second! Several of the fishing huts along the GFF/Winsnes beats were lost in the raging high water. By the middle of the week, however, the river had setlled down, enabling guests to catch their fish. Menno Van Damme, a fine fisherman and Gaula regular, did well to take two fish. There were seven fish taken during the week, biggest 11.2 kilos with one or two big fish hooked and lost. The lower pools, particularly Jorda Holen were best.
Whilst the fishing has not yet hit the norm the signs are good. The river is falling and warming up. We are still lacking the usual build-up of salmon in the pools that can make the fishing really good but being salmon fishermen we remain optimistic!
Week 24
A five year flood is predicted after twenty four hours of rainfall from Thursday until Friday evening. As I write this, it is still raining heavily and the Gaula is rising rapidly. There have been a few reports of fish above the Gaul Fosse but they are isolated captures and it is clear that the middle to upper river still lacks numbers of salmon. We are deperessed!
Week 23
The recent weather has been nothing short of appalling. Heav rainfall and wind has caused rapid snow melting and the river has been incredibly high. The weather so far for June has been the worst I can remember and has done nothing to improve the fishing.
So far I have only heard of one salmon being caught above the Gaul Fosse.
We await better conditions and the arrival of the fish!
Opening Week 22 2010
This year the salmon season started, unusually, in week 22 - making the first week of fishing a short one (Tuesday until Sunday).
Big water has restricted the number of salmon passing through Gaul Fossen and although fish are present in the middle to upper reaches, the water is high and very cold. So far, I have reports of just one fish being caught above Storen but there have been four fish hooked and lost on the GFF/Winsnes beats. Two fish have been hooked on pool 7, Saeter and 2 fish on pool 9, Reppe Bridge.
The weather has gone from quite warm at the start of the week to cold, wet and windy. This should make the river fall in the coming days, allowing more fish to pass though the fosse.
Winsnes Opens new Shop and Cafe/Pub!
Lax Cafe/Pub and Fishing Store
June 3rd 2010
After several months of work, the new Winsnes Cafe and bar will be open within the next 10 days. The Lax Cafe will sell alcohol, food and coffee. The Bar has been developed from the old barn at the Winsnes lodge which dates back to the eighteenth century. The new design keeps the character of the old building but gives it a new lease of life.
'The cafe/pub will be a meeting place for fishermen who come to the Gaula valley - they can come here to take a beer, eat a sandwich or maybe a deer burger and talk fishing. During the summer we will be showing the world cup on a large flat screen t.v - I am sure that it will prove popular...' says Anne Marit Winsnes-Hayes.
Lax fishing tackle is located on the second floor of the building above the cafe/pub and is a full-service fly shop. It is stocked with almost the complete range of Guideline fishing tackle including rods, reels, lines, waders, clothing, fly lines, leaders and, of course, flies.
In addition to the shop and the bar, the facility also includes a new casting pool where customers can try rods and lines before they buy. The casting pool, which is 30 meters long and 10 meters wide is perfect for both overhead and spey casting. Jan Erik Granbo recently ran his fly fishing school at the new site and was delighted. Customers visting the bar have the option of sitting outside to watch the casting.
The creation of a new cafe/pub and fishing tackle store makes Winsnes unique in the Gaula valley, providing a place for fishermen to meet, drink, eat, buy fishing tackle and talk fishing.
'The Shop is very exciting. We have over 175 different patterns of salmon flies alone,' says Matt Hayes 'and we also have all of Guidelines new range including the triple D lines, the latest rods and clothing ranges. The shop provides fly fishing kit not just for salmon fishermen but also for trout anglers whom will be catered for with a wide selection of rods, reels, flies, lines, leaders and accessories.'
Commeting on the significance of the new development, Matt said: 'I think that the Winsnes family of yesteryear will approve of what we have done. I feel their eyes on me when I am at the lodge and at first I am sure that they were sceptical. Yet, as time has gone by we have improved our service and now we have added new facilities. Winsnes is now returning to the glory days of 1882, the year when the first 'salmon lords' visited from the UK.'
Winsnes on YouTube!
New Google Earth Movies created by Matt Hayes
Matt has created a numebr of new movies using Google Earth Pro and Quicktime. The virtual movies, created in Google Earth, take you on virtual tours of the river and the Malum Winsnes salmon fishing pools while the Quicktime movies are images from Norway taken by Matt presented as a slideshow. When you click on the links you will be taken to the Winses site on Youtube where you can watch the movie you clicked on or view them all.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7uB4u3z0fo
Click on the above link to visit our YouTube site. There you will find a virtual movie that will take you on a tour of the Malum Winsnes Pools including a look at the characteristics of each pool and some of the hotspots.
The link below will take you to a virtual movie that takes you on a journey up the Gaula valley from Storen to the Winsnes. It also gives locations for the fishing lodge and the Malum Winsnes fishing area (includes a brief tour of the fishing area).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qZFmosiLtA
Slideshows by Matt Hayes
These slideshows can be accessed by clicking the links - you will be taken to the Winsnes Youtube site
Slideshow 1: Fishing in Norway - a collection of images by Matt Hayes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezF45naofUQ&layer_token=670742be6a5e438e
Slideshow 2: Images from Norway - a collection of images by Matt Hayes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcOFeSo-HtA
Winsnes - First Visitor from US
Just when we thought we knew it all about the history of Winsnes we uncovered an old photograph recently while going through an old trunk we found in the attic. The photo is incribed 'General Jorleif Thue takes time off from the Civil War to go salmon fishing in Norway, 1863." It appears that the general was fishing on Kroken.The photo is reprinted below.
August
So far August has been like the proverbial curate's egg - good in parts. Week 33 was outstanding with 46 fish caught on the Winsnes/GFF pools, biggest fish 13.2 kilos from Jorda Holen (aka 'the blue container'). Otherwise the fishing has been patchy with between 12 and 20 fish being the norm.
Conditions in August have been excellent with regular bouts of rain to top the river up. In week 32 the river was the highest that I have ever seen it in August - it was lapping against the fishing hut on Kroken! Even as recently as three days ago, getting to Oksoy (pool 11) involved deep wading and for several days Gaula was almost black, like Guinness...
At the moment the river is heaving with fish. Everyone is seeing salmon in all the pools but the story on the whole river is that they are suffering from lockjaw! Today we had guests down on Kjellflue (pool 10) and there we estimated to be at least thirty or forty salmon in the pool but could anyone hook one? No chance!
At this time of year, the expereinced anglers often fish big flies on sinking lines to annoy the salmon into taking (flies invading teeritory are often seen as aggressors) but even this extreme tactic is not working.
Various theories have been put forward as to why the fish will not bite: acid water run-off from the forest areas is the favourite among pundits but there are also those whom point to the incredible air pressure changes we are experiencing on an almost daily basis. Certainly, the barometer is up and down but the water also caries a tannin stain - both theories could be valid.
Earlier in the week I had an evening on the upper river at Haltdalen (I have not fished for salmon since early July) with Jan Erik Granbo. Neither of us could hook a fish, despite seeing salmon show in the pool on a regular basis. When someone like Granbo is struggling you simply know that something is wrong. We tried the full gambit of floating, intermediate, float/sink and sinking lines with a variety of flies from Francis to Sunrays, templedogs and small doubles - all to no avail!
With the river so full of fish at the moment we can only hope for settled conditions because this should spark a back-end bonanaza. This afternoon, however, we had a tremendous thunder storm and the sky took on a variety of colours I have never seen before: gold, purple, black, grey, and mauve were mixed togehter to form a heavenly strange brew that for a while simply brooded and rumbled its discontent and then the rain came! At Storen they had over 6mm in just fifteen to twenty minutes and as I write this it is hammering down outside and the gutters at the farm are overflowing.
Apologies for not updating the site regularly enough - I have been away in England rather a lot this summer and we have experienced some web access problems for techinical reasons. Special apologies to Cleeves Palmer and his group - I know that you like to read the site every week so I shall endeavour to keep it updated. I have also promised Cleeves to tell the story of the monster salmon I hooked and lost on Stryn this year. I will get round to wrting it at the end of the season - to be honest I am still shaking after the experience!
Weeks 26 and 27
Returning Joe Tallis' 8.5 kilo salmon
Sincere apologies for my absence - I had to go back to England for a week to film a DVD and then we lost the internet. Normal service is resumed!
Anyhow, weeks 25 and 26 were below par with twenty fish for each week - a big drop on last year. This was due, in the main to very cold weather and low water temperatures. The weather was very wintry with lots of rain and some snow on the higher ground. Salmon were slow to work their way up the system and those that did come in didn't seem at all aggressive.
Week 27 was a complete contrast. For a whole week we have endured boiling hot temperatures in the high twenties and up to mid thirties of degrees and a relentless sun beating down from a cloudless sky. The water temperature has rocketed and is now certainly well into the mid teens. The water has dropped too and Gaula is almost at August level.
Remarkably, however, the Sportfish group staying at Winsnes had a birthday. Despite the conditions, the fish took regularly and the tally for the group for the week was eleven fish. There were also several contacts and some lost fish with fish being hooked every day - not bad for a group of newcomers to the Gaula.
Joe Tallis caught four salmon, including two whackers of twelve and thirteen kilos. 'The Champ of the Camp' caught his two biggest fish on one of my Gaula Howler flies. Typical for a farmer, no money changed hands but payback was not far away!
Ken Bird, fishing with Joe, could not quite keep up with the old maestro but he notched up three lovely fish of 9, 7.5 and 3 kilos. Ken caught his fish on a variety of flies, starting with big templedogs at the start of the week and going down to doubles by the end. Ken's casting simply got better and better as the week went on and had he not lost a big fish on the last day there is a very good chance that he would have caught the master up...
Mick o Neill had two fish, a 3 kilo on a cascade cone and a 7 kilo beauty on one of Jens Kristiansen's templedog tubes. Mick told me that the fly was a Gaula Howler rip-off but Jens won't have it...
Dominic and sea-liced five kilos...
Dominic Matthews also enjoyed a great week landing superb fish of 5 and 8 kilos, the latter being a sea-liced fish. Dominic, a director with Ladbroke's, had a great time and it was rewarding to see his casting get better and better with every session. After a couple of near misses earlier in the week, Dominic came good and everyone felt he had thoroughly deserved his fish, having been'odds on' to catch one from day one.
Stuart and Jim failed to land fish but both had contact with salmon during the week and have vowed to come back and scratch the itch! Jim had a particularly tough time after losing a big fish on Kjellflue. Guide Per Westerlund told me that the fish was a 'good one' and anyone that knows Per (he has caught Gaula fish to over forty pounds) knows that this was almost certainly a very big fish. Stuart must also feel gutted after losing a nice fish down in the tail of Stadion early in the week. This was a good piece of pioneering fishing and Stuart's willingness to work the whole pool deserved a better fate.
The group were great fun to have at the lodge. Sometimes you get the right blend characters and this was one of those occasions: everyone was so relaxed and the craic was fantastic. Champ of he camp Joe Tallis simply has to be one of salmon fishing's greatest raconteurs, especially after a couple of glasses of Jamieson's!
Joe's class really shone through when I went down to Kroken with him for the night shift. I had my underwater camera housing with me and wanted a picture of a salmon being released. 'Go and catch me one, Joe,' I said 'but wait until the light is strong enough for me to use the underwater camera...' Sure enough, just as the light eased up a couple of f-stops at aroud five in the morning, Joe ambled away from the hut, made a few casts and stuck the hooks into an eight and half kilo amle fish. No panic, no fuss, just pure class...
Considering the conditions, the week was nothing short of remarkable. We will almost certainly finish with over forty fish on the Winsnes/GFF beats and in such hot, bright, sunny conditions the fishing has been almost miraculous. All of the fish bar one (which was deep-hooked) were released. Well done lads - you really earned your new 'Let it Swim' t-shirts, especially Dominic who was given a special pink one by guide Per...
The week was topped off in style when I went down to Kroken to enjoy a few hours fishing while the lads were sleeping in preparation for the trip home. I have fished for just three hours in the whole of the new salmon season but it the wait was worthwhile when on my third run down the pool my double hook Munro Killer was gently taken and the reel began to buzz. After an epic twenty-five minute fight, I caught and released a fourteen kilo (thirty pounds) Gaula salmon. Naturally, I released the fish and you can imagine how good it was to see a Gaula beast swim away strongly after giving me such a memorable battle. I love fishing...!
Yeeeehaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!! Matt with his thirty pounder...
Week 25
I have just seen a nine kilo sea-liced fish caught by Menno Van Damme on Stadion this morning. Menno also had a three kilo fish from Lillestrom last night. Arne Flagestad came by this morning and told me that he knows of at least two other fish caught last night and this morning.
The arrival of the salmon is the only bright spot in an otherwise dour start to the week. As I sit writing this, the rain is coming past the window not vertically but horizontally! We are in the middle of a huge low and it is cold and very wet. Currently the air temperature is around six or seven but with a stiff wind it feels colder.
Without a doubt, the cold weather has affected the salmon. The fish are in the river but they are lethargic, making their way slowly upstream and taking, for the main part, very gently. Menno tells me that fish are getting caught in the slack water by slow stripping and lifting the rod when the fish nip at the fly. Some fish have been lost as is usual when they are hooked on the dangle.
The river is running high but it is quite clear. It is at a decent fishing level and I suspect that catches would be higher if the water was warmer. We also hope for a dry spell to allow the fish to pass through the fosse.
Incidentally, for those whom are interested, I have updated the fly section of the 'Gaula Flies' page with a couple of new patterns and some better pictures of the existing ones.
Week 24 Report
The total fish caught for week 24 was eight - a big improvement on the opening week. The pools that produced fish were Kroken, Stadion, Reppe Bridge, Saeter and Jorda Holen, Lillestrom and Langora - so the fish were well spread!
The biggest fish of the week was 12.5 kilos from pool number one, Jorda Holen, also known as 'the Blue Container.'
Current conditions are high water but Gaula is falling and we expect more fish to be caught this week. Hurrah!
Saturday Morning, Week 24
I now have confirmed reports of several fish from the gff/winsnes pools. Best so far I have heard of is a ten kilo fish caught by one of our guests, Menno van Damme at Reppe bridge yesterday. I also heard of a small salmon around three kilos from pools 5 and 6 yesterday afternoon. Kroken has produced at least two fish that I know of. I am waiting for the end of week report and I will post it as soon as I news.
Current conditions are deteriorating. It has been raining on and off all over Trondelag for at least twelve hours and Gaula is big and dirty. With more rain forecast for the next few days I don't expect the river to drop too much but I think that it will begin to fall and that some of the colour will drop out. This should produce decent fishing for a while until we feel the effects of the high water cutting fish off from coming through Gaulfossen.
Mid-week Report, Week 24
At long last there have been the first two salmon caught on the Winsnes/GFF beats with fish of six and eight kilos from Stadion and Kroken. Several more fish have been sighted, especially in Kroken and it seems that the run has started.
The weather has been quite good - not too cold and not too hot with temperatures in the mid-teens most days with some sunshine and rain/cloud. With this wether pattern set to continue the fishing will steadily improve we think.
This report is based on captures up to Wednesday night so I will keep everyone posted.
Opening Week Report
The opening week ended quietly on the upper and middle river with just one fish reported on the beat immediately above Winsnes. Two fish were spotted at Kroken on Saturday night but there were no fish caught during the whole week on the GFF beats.
The fishing below Storen has been very good with over 180 salmon caught in the first four days, average weight 8.6 kilos, biggest fish 22.5 (a fifty pounder!)
Quite why the fish have not shown up yet is a mystery. The water is at a very nice fishing level but it is very cold. On Saturday night it was 4.5
The forecast for the coming week is quite good with warmer temperatures but not so warm that the river will rise too much. We await the salmon!
Day Five - Morning Report
Still no great news to report, I am afraid. The fish can now get through Gaulfossen but it seems they are slow to come. The weather yesterday was appalling - we had snow on the tops surrounding Winsnes.
The river below Storen has thrown up some very big fish. In addition to the 22.5 kilo monster (cauught and released) I have also heard of fish of 19 and two of 17. Jonas tells me that a large number of fish have left Gaulfossen and we await their arrival with baited breath.
Fishing conditions are now improving somewhat. The last three days have seen fluctuating water levels with very low water and air temperatures.Those fish that have trickled through have kept their heads down. The forecast for the next week is much better - milder but not too hot and not so much rain. You never know, things might be looking up!
Day Three - Morning Report
Whilst I have yet to receive a confirmed report of any fish caught above Storen, news has reached me that there have been some significant catches downstream. The cathces at Gaulfossen have been amazing with 83 fish caught in two days. Most of these fish have been released.
The biggest fish I have heard of so far is a fish from Melhus. It was caught on fly, apparently, and weighed a staggering 22.5 kilos! We are waiting forfurther details but the reports seem very positive.
Regarding the mid-to upper river, the weather is truly appalling with current air temperature around two to three degress. We had some snow this morning and although it did not settle here in the valley it will have settled at altitude. The river is falling - enough, I hope, for the fish to push on through the fosse and give us something to cheer about.
Day Two - Midday Report, 2/6,2009
So far no fish to report. The water level has been too high for fresh fish to make it through the Fosse but the river is now falling. I have heard no reports of fish above Storen but catches have been good in Gaulfossen.
The weather has now gone very cool with rain showers. With any luck the river will continue to fall and the fish will be able to make it into the middle to upper reaches of the river.
Yesterday I went up into the mountains where a lot of snow has already melted in the recent hot weather. Believe it or not, fresh snow is forecast at high altitude in the next two days!
A new Season Starts!
The new season on Gaula has started with the water at a very high level following several days of warm sunshine and winds. The resulting snow melt has raised the river considerably although the temperature has been quite high.
So far, no news of fish on the mid to upper river but I am waiting for the first reports. What I do know is that fish have been sited in large numbers in the Gaulfossen and we have also seen fish on our home pool, Kroken.
The new legislation that has further reduced the netting pressure on the fjord along with the catch limit legislation should have a positive effect on the fishing. Last winter the spawning redd count had increased considerably.
I will keep everyone posted as the week progresses. Cold weather and rain are forecast for at least the next week so I expect the river to fall and catches to pick up.
Matt
A new Winsnes is Born
Some of you may have heard that Anne Marit gave birth to a baby boy on March 24th this year. Here is the first picture of Joshua Jakob Winsnes-Hayes. Josh is the latest in the Winsnes line and will ultimately take over the farm and lodge.
There can be little doubt that the lad will be a fisherman. He is already forming a fist without breaking his wrist and he has sturdy forearms. He is a little young yet at just eight weeks to start fishing but I fully expect him to have wet a line before the summer is out!
Getting Josh's priorities right from the word go has been my major preoccupation. Supporting United and going fishing are pre-recqusites to his upbringing though Anne Marit keeps harping on about horse riding and dancing. I think that we will let the lad decide - I have every faith that he will do the right things!
Joshua Winsnes-Hayes at seven weeks old
2009 - Happy New Year!
A happy New Year to al of our customers - new and old friends. Now that Christmas is out of the way, the next big event to look forward to is the salmon fishing season. Many of you will be wondering about how Gaula will fish this year.
The early signs are good: the spawning redd counts revealed good news (see below) and we have also received very heavy snowfalls. Some of the snow in early January was among the heaviest in living memory and in Trondelag we had as much as five feet in 24 hours!
Since then, further snow has fallen followed by rain and warm winds. This is good because it causes the snow in the mountains to compress into dense layers, giving us a slower release during the thaw period.
It is possible that if we get a very warm spring the June fishign will be affected by high water levels but regular weather should see a steady trickle of water that will keep the river nicely topped up well into July. A sudden thaw will cause major flooding so lets hope that spring is not too warm...
We sometimes get questions from our guests about how Gaula looks in winter - take a look at this shot of Kroken taken by Matt Hayes...
Latest News on Spawning Redds...
Recent surveys on the Gaula between Storen and Trondheim have revealed a dramatic increase in the number of spawning redds when comapred to the same area of river last surveyed two years ago. The increase, from 500 to 1000 observed redds can only be seen as very good news for the future.
Whilst the precise reasons for the increased number of redds has not been stated, we can only conclude that the Trondheimsfjord netting buyout combined with further restrictions on the number of days on which netting is permitted during 2008 has borne fruit. It is also beyond question that the dramatic increase in the number of released salmon (a result of the bag limits introduced in 2008) has been a major contributary factor.
Whilst there are those landowners whom remain vehemently opposed to catch and release, the movement is gaining considerable momentum among those running and those fishing on the river. The Gaula is one of the most intensively fished rivers in Europe with around 20000 angling visitors every year but it is only in recent seasons that there has been a serious attempt to improve salmon stocks. The creation of sustainable fisheries in Norway is a thorny issue because it clashes with traditional Norwegian culture but the concept is gathering support at a rapid rate. Nonetheless, Gaula still lacks a comprehensive river management strategy that balances interests between landowners, local anglers and tourists. Slowly but surely, however, initatives are taking place that are having a much-needed boost on salmon stocks and we can only hope that the obvious benefits will lead to serious discussion of a managment plan for the whole river...
End of season statistics, 2008
The good fishing on Gaula that predominated from the beginning of the season continued until the end. The Gaula has enjoyed a record season, experiencing good water levels and a fantastic run of fish.
GFF had a record season, producing over 2.7 tonnes of salmon over the thirteen week period. The total number of fish caught was 507, a total boosted by excellent fishing not only in the traditional prime weeks of late June and July but also in early June and in August. Indeed, the end of August held up very well, aided by regular top-ups to water levels and mini-floods.
The Malum Winsnes fishing area accounted for 213 of the 507 fish catch - a fantastic result that underlines the importance of the 4 Winsnes pools to the thirteen pool rotation.
The statistics for the pools is as follows:
Kroken - 95 fish
Oksoy - 31 fish
Kjellfloa - 54 fish
Lillestrom - 31 fish
What makes the season so remarkable is the consistency of sport with August producing an average of forty fish a week to bost already healthy totals.
More to follow...
Week 30
A difficult week but one that nonetheless still produced 41 fish on Winsnes/GFF. The weather at the back end of the week was the hottest that Norway has experienced in 40 years with temperatures soaring into the high thirties and touching 40 in the sun.
Needless to say, the fishing has been tough. The Hartley group stayed at Winsnes and had tough fishing but all of them experienced action with takes, lost fish and a couple of grilse caught. Glyn Durston and Doug Babb experienced similar frustration - Glyn lost two fish in a week where chances are few and far between but he can take some comfort from the fact that his technique improved dramatically during the week and he went away a confident and competent caster.
Mat took some time between guiding shifts to snatch a couple of hours here and there, catching two fish of 4 and 4.5 kilos on Stadion and Kroken. The later fish was caught on a single hand with a new fly (more about this later).
Two of the other Winsnes guides, Simon and Per also caught salmon when stealing a few casts here and there. Simon nailed a ten kilo fish on Oyan (pool 9) - the fish took a sunray shadow while Per caught a fish of 4.5 kilos on Kjellflua (pool 10).
The river is very low now and the water temperature has rocketed. The weather shows no sign of relenting and the fierce conditions are bound to destroy the fishing in week 31.
Week 29
The week finished with 5 fish to the Winsnes/GFF Beats.
At long last Matt finally spent some time salmon fishing and promptly lost a fish on Kroken on Saturday night. The fish took a small bottle tube fished deep and promptly left the main pool to go up the rapid! The salmon went airborne several times before throwing the hook. The following day, determined to make amends, he went back and this time caught and released a seven kilo fish male) on a hooked on a 'Heart of the Sunrise' fly.
Winsnes guest, Renee Mazzocut from Switzerland got off to flier. He arrived early on Saturday and went fishing on the public zone. On Saturday night he caught a grilse and on Sunday morning he had a nice fish of six kilos. Well done, Renee!
The total so far in week 29, up until Thursday is between 45 and 50 fish. Matt has caught and released two more fish, both on the Jonas fly (one fish from pool 2, Stadion and the other from pool 7, Saeter). Renee Mazzocut has also caught four, topped by a superb salmon of 10.7 kilos on a 'flum (flood) fly. Tony Howard has caught a grilse and a 4.5 kilo fish. Yesterday, Jonas Hammerstedt after whom Matt's Jonas fly is named, caught an 8.5 kilo salmon on pool 9, Oyan.
Current conditions are the river running high with a dark peat-stain colour. We have had rain on and off all week with low air temperatures in the mid-teens. The river is hovering at between 11 and 12 degrees.
The latest news is that there has been a 20 kilo fish on fly around three kilometers above Winsnes. This makes it the third fish over twenty kilos from Gaula this season.
All of the salmon being caught are very fat - this is good news as last year we had a number of salmon that looked too thin.
Week 28, Record Week !
Week 28 proved just how fickle salmon fishing can be when, after a difficult week 27, the lid really came off and we enjoyed a record 7 day period on the Winsnes/GFF beats with 85 salmon being caught. The fish ranged from small grilse to high-twenty pounders and everyone caught fish. Cleeves Palmer and his group stayed at Winses and, as usual, the guys were a pleasure to look after. Much to everyone's dismay, Cleeves nailed three nice fish to over twenty pounds and he made sure that everyone knew about it. Richard and Andrew had casting lessons from Granbo and their verdict was 'worth every Kroner.' Both went on to catch fish - nice one, boys! Next year, everyone is determined to upstage Cleeves.
New to the Palmer group were Dougie, who ghillies on the Tweed for a living (he almost landed a very big fish that escaped just as he was about to land it) and Bill and Nigel, a father and son duo whom were real fun to have around. Bill won't mind me saying that he is almost blind but if you saw him casting you would not know it. 'Fantastic' was the general verdict who saw Bill fishing and had no idea he is partially sighted. Bill is a great guy and one of those people that you meet in life that restore your faith in human nature.
The Scottish duo, Tim and David both landed nice fish within the first 24 hours - in fact it took them all of fifteen minutes of starting to nail the first salmon on Stadion pool. These boys are keen and they are really getting to grips with Gaula. Jay got a nice fish toward the end of the week to ensure that Matt's stock of Winsnes Silver release t-shirts was severely depleted by this group.
Silver Release Shirts
As promised, WInsnes is giving away some catch and release shirts to guests who release their first Gaula salmon. Sponsored by Guideliine, the shirts have got Winsnes/Guideline logos on the front and 'Let them Swim - Silver Release' on the back. The shirts have proved to be a great success and there is quite a competition among guests to own the coveted shirt. They are not for sale, though, because you have to release a salmon to get one...
Week 27 -Allan's First from Gaula
This week Winsnes is host to a group from Sportfish UK. The group, comprising seven Brits is taking part in a new programme that combines fishing with tuition. The casting tuition, to learn modern spey (underhand) is being provided by Jan Erik Granbo.
On Monday night, group leader, Allan Sheppard, caught a fish weghing 10.5 kilos while being guided by Matt Hayes. The fish gave a thirty minute fight and was caught at one o' clock in the morning from the Stadion pool. Allan, who has fished Gaula on two occasions in the past, released the male fish in good condition. Well done, Allan!
The rest of the week was very hard. With temperatures soaring into the hight twenties every day, the river shrank and the temperature of the water more than doubled. Fish were in the river but inevitably they were reluctant to take. The week finished with around 35 fish, most caught at the beginning.
Despite the difficult conditions,the Sportfish group had a great week and the tuition from Granbo recieved a huge thumbs up. The improvement in technique was quite remarkable and it is fair to say that everyone went home with improved distance and casting skills, a beter knowledge of tactics ad, of course, a desire to improve at Underhand and learn more about shooting heads.
Winsnes would like to thank the two Tonys, John, Ray, Pat and Jim for being such fantastic fun - it was a pleasure to look after you boys and we look forward to seeing you next year.
Week 26
Week 26 saw the fishing slow down somewhat with the Winsnes GFF beats producing 30 fish, biggest 14 kilos plus. There are satil a number of big salmon in the river but the water temperature has remained very low for the time of the year. The 14 kilo fish was caught on Winsnespool, Kjellfua.
Grayling on Glomma
Fishing with Paul Mersh from the UK, Matt enjoyed some fantastic grayling fishing on Glomma. Between them Matt and Paul caught more than fiffty grayling. Paul has only just taken up fly fishing and was delighted with the day.
Most of Matt's fish came on dry flies following a hatch of vulgata mayflies. A snowshoe rabbit's foot emerger tied by Matt produced most of the fish with several over one and half pounds up to over two pounds. Later in the evening Matt switched to a gnat pattern of his own design to nail several more fish.
The following dya the fishing got even better - Paul learned to fish on dry fly and he caught several. Meanwhile, matt's snowshoe rabbit's foot emerger went on to nail apile of fish including a best measured at 50 com from nose to fork of tail or fifty-four centimetres from nose to tip. It was a three pound plus fish, for sure and a new pb for Matt.
Week 25 - the good fishing continues...
Week 25 continued the good form with a total of 45 fish on the Winsnes/GFF beats. Some grilse have started to arrive but the average size is still high with plenty of fish over ten kilos being caught. The river was at a good height with most fish being caught on sink 2/3 and sink 3/4 shooting heads.
Week 24 - Gaula Record!
Week 24 was a record week for the Gaula, the best week 24 so far with sixty fish recorded on the Winsnes/GFF pools. The average size of the fish was around 9.5 kilos. Biggest fish off Gaula to date has been seventeen kilos but there are reports of some monster fish being hooked and lost on our pools.
Menno van Damme from Holland, staying at Winsnes or the second year running did very well. Over a two week period, Menno landed salmon to over twelve kilos with a total of ten fish caught and seven lost. Most of Menno's fish were released. A consiultant for the Sage tackle company, Menno prefers early season on Gaula and his judgement was certainly justified in style. Well done, Meno!
Since writing this, we have recieved a letter of thanks from Menno which is as follows:
Kampen, june 2008.
To the river Gaula and the house of Winsnes.
Two excellent weeks of salmon fishing wears you out! So much that you forget to write your feelings in the guestbook. To share feelings, thoughts and love for a fishery and its people. I’m sorry that I’ve missed the book, please put this letter into it.
I have enjoyed two weeks that went for beyond my expectations. You can dream about great catches, a falling river, fresh fish on the move, beautiful people and a home away from home. But than when it happens you find yourself into such a flow, that you almost don’t realise what is happening. This is what happened to me during my stay at Winsnes in week 24 and 25 of 2008.
The fishing was challenging! Big fish were running deep; the river was high. A fishery demanding fast sinking lines and big flies. My cup of tea. I had my most successful week of salmon fishing in week 24. Everything worked for me. It all came together in that week. Hooking 8 fish and landing 7, with an average weight of just over 10kg. When you come to Norway to fish salmon that’s more than you may expect and certainly more than I deserve….
Salmon dominate salmon fishing trips. The people you meet dominate your feeling. That the way I feel about it. I’ve met the most wonderful people during my stay in the Gaula valley and especially at the Winsnes farm. A place filled with the love and care of dedicated people. A house of people who look after each other and they most certainly will take care of you! I felt at home. Found two weeks of happiness that filled my memories.
Many thanks to Ann-Bjorg and Jacob, to Anne-Marit and Matt for being such a great host and friend. Special thanks to the ladies; Lisa, Anita and Eirin for their smiles.
I hope to hear from you soon, to meet you again in good health and happiness. Skitt fiske. Have a good year.
God bless all of you!
Menno van Dam
Burgwal 99-II
8261 ET Kampen
The Netherlands
Monster from Trondheimsfjord?
We are getting reports that a huge salmon weighing in excess of thirty kilos was caught, tagged and released in a research project being conducted on the Trondheimsfjord. Although as yet unconfirmed, we are hoping for some concrete information and maybe a picture.
It has been known for some time that early season on Gaula ofFers the potential for truly gigantic fish but even by Gaula's high standards, a thrity plus kilo fish is a monster!
Opening Day 2008
Gaula Kicks Off in Style!
Opening day on the Gaula produced a number of salmon hooked caught and lost on the GFF pools. Low water levels in the previous week had allowed a number of salmon to pass through the Gaulfosse and the middle and upper beats benefited as a result.
At this time of the year the river levels fluctuate wildly according to the weather - cool weather causes the river to drop while bright, hot, sunny conditions cause the snow to melt and the river to swell. Opening night saw very high water but, importantly, the fish were already through the fosse. By opening morning the river had droped by almost a metre and fish responded immediately.
Jakob Winsnes with Opening Day 10.5 kilos salmon
A huge fish was lost on the Winsnes pool, Lillestrom, and several salmon were caught. The biggest fish so far was caught on Engan at 13 kilos.
Jakob Winsnes stole the show by going out to make a few casts to celebrate the new season. Fishing Malum Winsnes' famous pool, Kroken, Jakob hooked a big fish on his third cast. The salmon took a Green Highlander variant tied by Matt Hayes and took around half an hour to subdue.
Jakob Returns the Hen Fish to the Gaula
The hen fish was estimated at around 10.5 kilos and to his credit, Jakob released the fish in good condition. A textbook capture and release, the fish was netted, rather than being dragged onto the bank and she swam away really strongly after a few snaps to celebrate the event.
Well Done Jakob (you jammy so and so!)
Important - New Catch Limits in Norway
Recent important changes have been made in Norway regarding the number of salmon that anglers are allowed to take from the rivers. In a groundbreaking new initiative, not only have limits been imposed on all Norwegian rivers but also the fisheries minister has decalared that it is legal to catch and release fish in Norway. On Gaula, the new limit is one fish per day per angler, three fish in a week and a maximum of ten fish per season.
This is great news for Norway's salmon rivers and will almost certainly improve stocks.
Whilst the amount of netting both offshore and in estuaries remains a major concern, the angling community is showing its commitment to conservation.
It is fair to say that the new move will not prove popular with all salmon fishers whom live in and visit Norway, notably the wormers and spinners, but it will undoubtedly be hugely popualr with the majority of fly fishers. At Winsnes we are supporting the new catch and release initiative and we are encouraging our customers to the do the same.
Winsnes Lodge Supports New Catch and Release Initiative
Winsnes Lodge is fully in support of the new catch limits on the Gaula. For some time we have made a voluntary contribution to the Trondheimsfjord netting buy out and any constructive move aimed at improving the salmon fishing gets our vote.
Winsnes Director of fishing, Matt Hayes comments 'We welcome the new catch limits and we are very keen to support the new legislation by asking our guests to return as many fish as possible.'
To this end, Winsnes is going to provide its guests with nets and unhooking mats for the duration of their visit and we will be also providing t-shirts to our guests when they release their first gaula salmon. The shirts are being co-sponsored by the Guideline company.