29Apr
By: NFC Team On: April 29, 2020 In: Announcement, Weekly Update

Dear all Norwegian Flyfishers Club friends and guests,

We hope regardless of where you find yourselves, that you are all staying happy and healthy with family and loved ones.

The most important thing at this point is that we are all staying safe, and working together to see that our world begins to heal and rebuild following this catastrophic global pandemic. At the same time, we are very much looking forward to getting back to what we love, spending time on the banks of the mighty Gaula River.

As the 2020 season rapidly approaches, we have been following all new developments about the coronavirus and its impact on travel. We felt it was appropriate at this point to communicate what we know, where we stand, and how we hope to operate during the upcoming 2020 season.

One thing that we are quite certain of at this point is that there will definitely be a fishing season on the Gaula starting June 1st, 2020. It appears that the season will only open up to Norwegians from June 1st, as the Norwegian border currently is not open to international travel. The Norwegian government will be providing further updates on travel restrictions and we will be in touch should they affect our operations.

Our hope, but there are certainly no guarantees, is that Norway will open up for foreign travelers sometime during the summer fishing season, but this may not be until July 1st, or even August 1st. This may only be for limited countries, possibly only other European countries, and may not include the US, UK, etc. But this is all speculation at this point.

At present we have decided that the NFC will open for fishing from June 1st for Norwegian anglers, but we will not open the NFC Lodge, as we do not foresee having a full rotation of guests to justify a fully opened lodge. Since we’re not sure about any potential health/service restrictions in terms of food service and accommodation, we are waiting to see what the Norwegian government comes out with as guidelines, and what we feel comfortable offering to our clients.

For all guests who have booked trips for 2020, we will be reaching out to you in the coming days and weeks to discuss your options. For June guests, our aim is to accommodate each and every one of you to the best of our ability. Our preferred solution at this juncture would be to rebook your fishing trip for the same week in 2021, thereby securing your week of fishing until next summer. It may also be an option to postpone your trip into the later part of the 2020 season- pending the opening up of respective borders, and comfort levels surrounding traveling to/from Norway. In any event, we will do whatever is possible to accommodate each and every one of you.

For all of our Norwegian guests, followers, and anyone interested in fishing the premier rotation fishery on the Gaula, we are open to offering individualized packages and solutions for your fishing trip.

If you are a Norwegian fly fisherman, looking for exclusive “fly only” rotation fishing, this is a great opportunity to fish some of the best fly water in all of Norway at a fair price, with very little fishing pressure, particularly compared to other operations.

As of June 1, the beginning of the season, only Norwegians will be able to fish the rivers of Norway, giving the Norwegian angler a plethora of opportunities to fish for salmon. We would like to point out that the Gaula is still consistently one of the top salmon rivers in Norway (if not the world), ranking 2ndfor highest catch rate in 2019.

The Gaula is one of the best opportunities in the world to wade, cast a fly line, and catch that fish of a lifetime; 20+, 30+ or even 40+lbs (20kg).

We are happy to offer anything from full week fishing trips, multi-day packages, or even individual day licenses for fishing our rotation fishery. While we will not be operating our NFC lodge, we will be offering accommodations at our various country houses throughout the valley. For Norwegians looking to book last minute fishing, particularly in June, and possibly throughout the season, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Should international travel begin again, we will reconsider on a rolling basis opening the lodge and recommence the full-service fishing, dining and accommodation to which so many of you have become accustomed, and for which we take pride in providing. As we always say to our staff at the beginning of each season, “The one thing we cannot control is the fishing, the rest, particularly the hospitality, is what we strive to be known for.”

The fishing season outlook: With far more snow in the mountains of the Gaula river valley than in the past 4-5 years, this should develop into a quite positive situation for the overall season, with plenty of good water flow throughout all of June, ensuring fish can enter the river in good numbers, and spread throughout all the reaches of the Gaula and the NFC waters. With so much water, and the possibility to enjoy the Gaula and its peaceful yet exciting salmon fishing, there is no better way to practice social distancing than swinging a fly through the cold clean waters of the Gaula!

We look forward to hearing from you all, and welcoming any returning guests, as well as any new friends who want to come and fish at the Norwegian Flyfishers Club!

With our deepest gratitude to the understanding of all of our longtime friends and guests, we thank you for your continued support.

Our thoughts and best wishes are with you and your loved ones.

Your team at the

Norwegian Flyfishers Club.