Local Information: Gaula Seasons
Winter – the river is almost unrecognisable to the thousands of salmon anglers that flock to Gaula every year. Shrunk down almost to a trickle in places, most of the river is frozen and littered with chunks of ice caused by ‘pile-ups’ that occur when the ice briefly thaws and re-freezes again. The salmon that have not yet spawned will wait under the ice, hibernating and waiting for the spring thaw and the chance to fulfil the spawning urge.
Spring – with the first snow melt the Gaula grows into a huge, brawling, roaring river that bullies its way to the sea. It is flowing strongly, cold and very dangerous. The first new salmon arrive in the lower river sometime in May. Many of them are confined to the lower beats because the Gaul Fosse, a huge cascade of water in the Storen district is too powerful to let them pass upriver.
Early summer – the first day of the salmon season is June 1st. The river will be high, but hopefully not so high that the fish cannot make it through the Gaul Fosse. Anglers flood into the area and suddenly the roads are full of cars bristling with fishing rods. Fishing is with sinking lines and big tubes.
The mountains around Winsnes sport rich shades of deep green, clouds hang in the valleys between the peaks and the road that shadows the river winds its way up the valley to provide fisherman a spectacular view of one of salmon fishing’s Mecca’s. Winsnes area is probably the most attractive in the Gaula valley – Lord of the Rings country. Daylight is 24 hours a day with only a brief twilight period lasting perhaps an hour in the middle of the night.
Mid summer – by late June to early July, the twenty-four hour fishing is in full swing. Anglers come and go at all times of the day and night – making the most of the cream of the fishing. By now Gaula is at the perfect fishing level – enough flow to bring in fresh, silver salmon with not so much flow that fishing is difficult. Intermediate and slow-sink lines are the order of the day with medium size tubes and big doubles. Fresh, silver salmon are being caught up and down the valley. Every day monsters are hooked and either lost or caught.
Late summer – by the beginning of August the nights are beginning to get darker with around two to five hours darkness depending on the time of the month. By now the trees are beginning to prepare for autumn and the first signs of red and gold appear at the tail end of August. The river can be moody at this time of year, depending on rainfall. It will be full of fish but the proportion of fresh fish will depend on the heavens and some decent, wet days. With rain, the fishing can be excellent and the end of the season offers decent odds for catching a really big Gaula fish. Fishing is with floating, sink-tip and intermediate lines, small tubes, trebles and doubles.
Autumn – the valley is a mixture of red, yellow and gold by the middle of September. The river, a dark ribbon against the golden landscape, is full of salmon. Spawning takes place during October or November, before the big freeze up. In many ways, Gaula seems sad and haunted, deserted by the fishermen that only a few days or weeks previously lined its banks. Although salmon fishing is over, this can be a wonderful time to fish for trout, char and grayling. The hunters are out in full-force, stalking reindeer and elk.