Mýrarkvísl Lodge

THE FISHING

Nestled within the picturesque landscapes of Northeast Iceland, the Mýrarkvísl River boasts a unique blend of pastural tranquility and canyon/gorge excitement for anglers of every skill level. This relatively small river is renowned for its healthy numbers of big Brown Trout, which are nicely complemented by significant runs of Atlantic salmon throughout the summer months.

The Mýrarkvísl varies a great deal in terms of its gradient and topography. Its beats are wildly different from each other, so much so that its almost like two or three different rivers all in one. Stretching through the plains of the Reykjaheiði plateau for its initial 15 kilometers, Mýrarkvísl offers the perfect setting for dry fly fishing. This part of the river flows through flat grasslands that provide easy access into the river, with few rocks and mostly grass banks. As the river weaves its way through a classic Icelandic canyon, the access points become more complex, with varying degrees of difficulty. The most challenging beats in the canyon section use ladders and ropes to get in and out and these parts of the river are not for the faint of heart. But for those who are willing and able to get down into the canyon, the rewards are many, including the opportunity to site cast to specific fish. Finally, as the river meanders its way down the plains by Laxamýri and into the Laxá in Aðaldal, approximately 5 kilometers from the ocean, anglers encounter an environment rich in diversity and teeming with a diverse quiver of angling options.

Whether you’re casting small flies across the plains, employing hitch flies, or engaging in sight fishing within the canyon pools, The Mýrarkvísl River delivers a quintessential Icelandic angling experience. With the fishing season kicking off on April 1st for Brown Trout, the Spring and early summer timeframe offer very good catch rates for trout. Anglers can expect 10 + fish days, with fish between 3-6 pounds being fairly common. Larger Browns are available throughout the season and eight to 10-pound fish are landed every month during the season on the Mýrarkvísl. The best dry fly fishing for big Browns runs from late May until about the third week of July, but as the autumn starts to set in, the bigger Browns become very territorial and will aggressively hit streamers, some dries and even salmon flies. Additionally, the highly productive trout beats at Laxá í Aðaldal can be accessed when fishing from the the Mýrarkvísl Lodge.

The salmon will start to run in June and will peak in July/August. The salmon will run well into September, right up until the Salmon season closes on September 24. The Atlantic Salmon of the Mýrarkvísl can get quite big, which may surprise some, given how small and intimate certain sections of the river is. Fish over 20 pounds are landed primarily in July and August, but it’s not uncommon to land one of the bigger fish right at the close of the season.   

Fishing permits for the Mýrarkvísl also include access to Lake Langavatn, providing anglers with additional options for some very big trout.

Due to its proximity with the Reykjadalsá Lodge, both lodges can be combined to create a fantastic multi destination trip, where anglers will fish the and Mýrarkvísl rivers, as well as the best Laxá in Aðaldal Brown Trout beats.

BOATS AND EQUIPMENT

This is largely a walk and wade destination. There are one or two instances where oar powered wooden row boats are utilized to access certain locations.

GETTING THERE

Guests will fly internationally to the capital of Iceland, which is Reykjavik. From Reykjavik, guests will then fly domestically up to the northern town of Akureyri, which is a 45 minute flight. Once you pick up your luggage at the Akureyri Airport and exit the terminal, you will be picked up and driven to the lodge by a member of the lodge staff.

Slipstream is a full-service travel company that can handle a variety of services relating to your trip. For assistance, please contact us directly at 1 866 644-7703.

RATES FOR 2025

Due to the sliding scale timeframe pricing that can vary week to week, catering options and other complexities for each of our Iceland trips, guests will be quoted on a per trip price basis.

Because of the fluctuation of the Icelandic Kroner, guests will be invoiced for the deposit at time of the trip purchase, in USD at the daily Kroner rate and again when the balance on the trip is due 90 ays before the trip starts.