JÖKLA

The Jökla is one of the most exciting and rapidly developing Atlantic salmon fisheries in the world. Flowing for almost 100km from the eastern slopes of Vatnajökull to the North Atlantic, this is a vast river system on a scale rarely encountered in Iceland. Once known as one of the country's most heavily glacial and silty rivers, the construction of the hydroelectric project high upstream transformed the character of the river, creating clear-water conditions and opening the door for the development of an exceptional salmon fishery.

Today, the Jökla system offers more than 100km of potential fishing across the main river and its tributaries, with new water and pools continuing to be explored and developed. The main fishery incorporates the powerful Jökla itself, along with smaller and more intimate tributaries including the Kaldá, Laxá, Fossá and Fögruhlíðará. 

The development of the fishery has been one of Iceland's great salmon success stories. A carefully managed smolt release programme, originally using fish from the Jökla system's tributaries, helped establish and build the salmon population. More recently, however, the fishery has become increasingly self-supporting, with salmon successfully spawning throughout the system and the need for stocking being substantially reduced. Fish continue to spread into new areas of the vast watershed, opening up exciting possibilities for the future.

A record-breaking 2026 season

The 2026 season has demonstrated just how far the Jökla has come. After a difficult and high-water start, the river exploded into life during July, with catches reaching exceptional levels. More than 300 salmon were landed during the final week of July alone, while the fishery was regularly producing between 50 and 70 salmon per day across its 14 rods. By early August, the total catch had already reached approximately 1,100 salmon — within sight of the previous record of 1,163 fish, set in 2024, and with plenty of the season still to come.

Just as impressive as the numbers has been the quality of the fish. A particularly high proportion of the early 2026 catch consisted of multi-sea-winter salmon, with many beautiful, powerful fish averaging around 12lb and regular salmon considerably larger. During the record 2024 season, an extraordinary 207 salmon measuring 80cm or more were recorded, underlining the Jökla's potential for producing exceptional numbers of large fish.

Two camps and an enormous amount of water

Fishing is split between the main Jökla Lodge operation and the upper river.

The main camp fishes a maximum of eight rods across the lower and middle reaches of the Jökla and its tributaries. The fishing is highly varied, with large, powerful pools on the main river complemented by smaller streams and tributaries where lighter tackle can be used.

From the second half of July, a further six rods fish the upper Jökla from a separate camp. This is some of the most exciting and unexplored salmon water in Iceland. The upper river was only opened to salmon fishing relatively recently, following the construction of a fish pass, and salmon have continued to colonise new sections of the river. Even today, new pools and productive lies are still being discovered across this enormous system.

The scale of the Jökla means that it never feels like a conventional small Icelandic salmon river. There is always new water to explore, and the rotation can take anglers from wide, powerful stretches of the main river to small, technical tributaries. It is a fishery with a real sense of adventure — and one which still feels as though much of its ultimate potential remains to be discovered.

The Fishing

The main river is large and powerful and is generally best approached with a 12–14ft double-handed rod, although some of the smaller tributaries are ideal for a single-handed rod or light switch rod. Floating lines will cover many situations, although tackle should be adapted to water levels and conditions.

The Jökla produces a good average size of salmon, with many fish in the 10–20lb bracket and a particularly exciting proportion of multi-sea-winter salmon during the early part of the season. As the summer progresses, fresh grilse also enter the system, providing excellent sport.

Accommodation

The main fishing camp is beautifully positioned overlooking the River Kaldá. Guests stay in comfortable private cabins, each with its own bathroom, while the main lodge provides a welcoming space for dining and relaxing after a day on the river. Accommodation is on a full-board basis and facilities include WiFi, a sauna and drying room.

The upper river has separate accommodation close to the fishing, allowing anglers to make the most of this vast and increasingly productive section of the system.

Suggested Package: Internal flights, airport transfers, 4 nights' full-board accommodation, 3 full days' and 2 half days' fishing.