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Osen Gard, Norway |
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17th - 20th June |
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Countryside Luxury
Atlantic Salmon Fishing |
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Expectations. A difficult balance in the world of flyfishing,
especially when related to catches. The season on the Osen
river, since the opening of the first of June, has been their
best in over 2 decades! I was present for the opening of the
season myself, and it was just perfect, and has more or less
stayed that way since.
With that said you always get nervous getting a group of
anglers in, when the fishing has been so very good, as all
simply wonder if it can stay that way. Well, this time it
did, and we enjoyed Norwegian Atlantic Salmon fishing at its
finest.
A mixed group from Norway, UK and South Africa arrived on
Friday with a dropping river, and perfect tides, high tide
at midnight. Everyone got geared up and we had an early dinner
so as to maximize fishing hours thereafter. For the South
African, a week on the Gaula up North had not produced the
goods, and so there was no question, it was time to get him
a fish in Norway. It's a long way to come!
All geared up, well fed, and with the tide pushing, we made
our way to the river and got cracking. Stein Otto did not
waste any time, and within 5 minutes had hooked a good fish
in the Midday Pool. The Osen is a river where access to most
pools from the main lodge and in fact main pool, are no more
than a 10 minute walk from each other. So more often than
not, you get to enjoy fish being caught even when not on your
own line, which really adds to the whole experience. Stein
Otto landed a spanking silver, fresh as a daisy fish of around
12lbs, and she went off safely back to the river.
The action continued and before we closed off the first
evening, 4 fish had been landed and several more lost, all
around the 12-14lb mark and all fresh fish, still covered
in sea lice, and they all fought just superbly.
The evenings drag on, so a late breakfast and easy morning
then means getting onto the riverbank around mid day. Jako
and Louis pressed on up river, and there were fish showing
everywhere. A mid-day tide, down river, showed us fresh fish
moving up on it, and we just knew there was more to come.
The upper bridge pool was where Louis would land his first
Norwegian Atlantic Salmon on a fly rod, and likely join a
relatively short list of South Africans that can say the same.
A perfect fish of around 13lbs was landed after a strong fight.
It was the blue norsman that did the trick, and getting deep
on this occasion. Superb fish, and just all-round superb fishing.
The Osen is a place that when it fishes like this, there
a few better places to be on the planet. Majestic Norwegian
country side, big fjords, and superb salmon fishing. The way
the season is going now, I can't wait to get back in a few
weeks.
For more info on fishing in Osen, and availability for the
2012 season, contact mark@flyfishing.co.za
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