Superb Sassanguit: Greenland Arctic Char Trip Report 

Words and images by Allan Liddle ~ July 2025

It was with much excitement and anticipation that most of the party met up at Glasgow Airport ahead of the trip to Nuuk, Greenland, via a short stop at Keflavík, Iceland.
Here we met up with Joe, the final party member, and the chat was full of the week ahead as we boarded the flight to the Greenlandic capital of Nuuk. We spent a lovely evening visiting an excellent Thai restaurant before enjoying a comfortable night in readiness for the short hop flight to Sisimiut, Greenland’s second-largest town.

After meeting with Leif Fontaine and his lovely family, who run the fishing at the Sassanguit River, and as we had to wait for high tide to enable access to the camp, we had a few hours visiting the very interesting museum and the original Danish Trading Post settlement from circa 1764. Then came a short fishing session chasing Atlantic cod with fly from the shore under the Asummiunut Bridge, where the clear waters allow you to sight-fish for this strong, hard-fighting species.

When the time came, we had an exciting two-hour high-speed boat run from Sisimiut to the Sassanguit camp, enjoying the rugged Greenlandic coastline and stunning mountain backdrops. We were very lucky to also briefly spot feeding humpback whales on the journey.

On arrival at the camp, everyone helped to unload all the cargo required for our stay before settling into the accommodation, which consisted of two new timber sleeping lodges with a shared eco-friendly WC and a small shower located to the rear of a small drying area.
The sleeping lodges sleep three to a room; however, Leif also offers the option of large bell tents should anyone wish for a little more privacy. Both options were very comfortable. Food was served in a separate lodge used by Leif and his family, which allows visitors to essentially become part of the family for the duration of the trip and ensures a more personal, connected feel to the stay. All the party loved this, enjoying the friendly, welcoming atmosphere it created.

The trip was timed to coincide with the main returning run of the indigenous Arctic char, which this year was slightly late in starting due to a late thaw of the ice pack Greenland winters are so famous for. That said, we still had an abundance of fish to hunt which, given they are straight off the tide, are seriously fit and very strong, resulting in many memorable moments for all the anglers. Bright silver with a slight olive colouration and light pink spots, when fresh from the salt water these fish are as stunningly beautiful as they are powerful. The average size was around two to two-and-a-half pounds, with a power that initially stunned everyone, testing both angler and equipment from the very first encounter.

The Sassanguit River is typical of the freestone, melting-ice spate waters that abound in Greenland—rock-strewn, fast, and crystal clear. It isn’t overly wide, which allows you to reach any target water you would like to try. The problem here is that there are simply so many fishy spots to search. At around 15 to 20 miles long (no one really knows for sure, given the upper stretches are yet to be explored by fly anglers), most of the fishing is concentrated in the lower 3 to 4 miles. Walking upstream is easy, but I do have to note that to get the best out of the trip, a degree of fitness is a requirement, as some of the very best fishing is found an hour and a half to two hours’ walk from the camp. Here the river runs in a series of slower-moving larger open pools, directly below the first of three lakes in the system.

You can fish the lakes as well as the river, and when you venture up to this area (known as the ‘Good Place’ to the Fontaine family), it is here you are more likely to encounter the orange- and red-bellied, brightly coloured iconic char as they don their spawning coats. Do not be fooled into thinking these fish are any less powerful—quite the opposite. Readiness to spawn brings more aggression to a species that already has this in abundance, so be warned and ensure both you and your fishing gear are up to the task.

It was around this section that the largest fish of the trip were encountered, with the biggest estimated at around six and a half pounds, along with many others from three pounds upwards taken by all the anglers who ventured this far.

Pink, orange, white, and purple were the standout fly colours, and streamer-style fishing was very effective and the initial choice for everyone. That was until they realised just how effective—and adrenaline-rush exciting—fishing foam surface flies was, and the switch to this as a first-choice approach quickly followed. Having found out just how fantastic and memorable this style of fishing was on my previous visit here, I was pleased to see the anglers having the same great success, as well as the unadulterated excitement I’d experienced. I did warn everyone that the foam-fly approach becomes truly addictive.

By way of offering something different, Leif offers a boat fishing option for cod that abound in the Greenlandic seas, which comes with more than a little chance of encountering the very strong and aggressive halibut that these waters are famed for. We didn’t land any halibut where we ventured out, although we did get to watch a local fisherman successfully catch some on his baited long line—jaw-droppingly large fish. Not that the cod were diminutive either, with these running easily between eight to twelve pounds among the several we caught while hunting them with leaded jig-type flies.

Sadly, as with all good things, it was time to return by boat to Sisimiut ahead of the return flight to Nuuk and onwards to Keflavík. One final overnight hotel stay, and it was back to Glasgow (Dublin for Joe) and onward journeys home.

Overall, everyone agreed they enjoyed the freedom and ability to wander the river and its surroundings at a pace that suited the relaxed nature of the trip, as well as the friendly, family atmosphere around the camp. The visit felt more like an experience than just a fishing trip—and one they would dearly love to return to.

Personally, seeing Greenland this way made it all the more memorable and enjoyable, and my sincere thanks go to Leif and his family for making us feel so welcome.