Lofoten Islands, Norway

[Janne]

Hi good people!
I want to tell you about my passion. Fishing in the Norwegian Lofoten Islands!
I visted the Lofotens for the first time about 28 years ago. Discovered the natural beauty and the first class sea fishing. I got so 'hooked" that we spent our honeymoon there!

Fond memories from that trip..... Me fishing a kilometer off land, the new wife standing on the cliffs, waving and wanting me back on shore....
I have been going back to the same village, Reine, since, once or twice a year.
The sea is sheltered from the North Atlantic by the islands, so the water is relatively calm.

These are a couple of lakes on the Island with Trout, but I leave those to the locals.
I do only fishing for Sea species like Cod, Halibut, Ling,
in winter, during the famous Screi Cod season, the main catch is Cod. Summer time we get Cod, other cod species, Halibut, Mackerel.

The gear I use now are various one piece rods, around 40-80lb, Okuma Solterra 20L loaded with Spiderline.
My sons reel has Mono on, as he prefers it.

A 500 - 750 gram stainless steel pirk as weight and 3-4 hooks with a red plastic tube "shrimp" about 3 feet apart above it.

 

[Janne]

Nobody else has fished there?

 

[adestu]

I have fished there but it was when we were living on a dive boat for a week.its was quite a few years ago. We're off to sweden in September this year with the opportunity to fish.im taking a carbon lightweight spinning rod just looking for a reel

 

[baggins]

never fished there, but it truly is a wonderful spot. wish i could go back there and see the whales this time of year.

 

[adestu]

In Norway?

 

[Janne]

Yrs, plenty of whales there year round.
Personally I do not enjoy sitting and fishing on my boat, with whales around. They tend to play and jump out of the water, and I am aftaid that they could overturn my boat, or even worse, land on it.
They have a good sense of smell, and get close because of the fish blood that gets off the boat.

But I like to eat them! Whale steak is wonderful, marinated with herbs and pan fried medium - rare.
( hunted legally I should add)

 

[adestu]

Well we hope to catch plenty in Sweden

 

[Klenchblaize]

Pictures please Janne or it didn't happen!

Thanks

K

 

[Janne]

Well we hope to catch plenty in Sweden

The only decent sea fishing in Sweden is off the West Coast. When I lived in Sweden the best day trips departed of Fladen.
The Baltic is a joke these days.
If you have time, get to the South / South-West coast of Norway. Much better than Sweden, and just a short flight away!

 

[Janne]

Will take some photos when we go in late March!

 

[adestu]

We're on a canoe camping and bushcraft trip in the malingsbo kloten reserve

 

[Tengu]

How does the Maelstrom affect the fishing?

 

[Janne]

How does the Maelstrom affect the fishing

The Moskenestraumen is some kilometers away, close to the village Å. The actual whirlpool is no good to fish in, but people say you can get lots of Saithe just outside. They apparently hunt smaller fish that ate "whizzed by" by the current. But it sounds too dangerous, not for me and my small boat!

I fish outside the village Reine.
The tidal range is quite large in that part of the world and the fish bite in different places during the tides.

 

[Tor helge]

While I`ve not fished in Lofoten, I Fish in the same waters as I live on the main land and are born and raised in Vesterålen.
Even though I have relatives in Lofoten it seems like you visit the islands more often than I do.
it is excellent Fishing in all the Northern waters.

This is just outside Bodø some years ago (a pre photo until Janne post hers),a medium sized cod.

 

[Janne]

I am an adopted Son of Reine......

Nice, healthy cod you have there1
Perfect eating size!
I have not fished on the eastern side of Vesteralen for decades. Excellent there too, but a bit choppy when the winds come from the south. Before we bought the house in Reine, we were interested in buying a rorbu in a new development close to Bodo.

 

[nic a char]

Nice post + pics!
I am intrigued by the inland lake trout - do you have any details?

 

[Janne]

Well, on that island they have been stocked by man. You need a permit to fish them. In the rest of the Scandinavian mountain lakes and streams they occur naturally. But as the waters ate poor in nutrients they are quite small.

 

[nuggets]

i was reading a report of a diver from norway ? making a good living from harvesting the King crab that are making there way down the coast into the north sea , they were reportedly brought over from the baring sea by russian fishermen to populate the waters around Murmansk ?? Have you had any luck with them ??

 

[Janne]

My old friend, 89 years old, has told me that the crab has not reached that area yet. I did buy two crab cages, XXL size, so I am prepared!
When I go there for my summer vacation, I will try my luck. Plenty of the Devon crab there, so I should catch something!

Divers make a good business by harvesting Scallops too. I have seen one guy doing it around the small islands outside Reine.

 

[nic a char]

thanks Janne