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By Justus Felix Wehmer
Reisa (or: Nordreisa) is one of the major salmon rivers in northern
Norway. Located in a valley half way between Tromsø and Alta, Reisa
mouthes into the sea close to the town of Storslett.
The river is about 100 km long, holding Salmon and Arctic Char on about
90 km of its length up to Imofossen. A road along the banks of the stream
up to Bilto allows easy access to the river at many places. On this lower
part of the river stretches of faster and slower water can be found anywhere.
On average the river is here in this green and wide valley between 40 and
50 m wide.
Beyond Bilto one has to explore the river either by foot or - better - by boat. Boatmen can be hired to bring you some 20 km up the river from where you can hike back or float down the river in a canoe (which can be rented). The character of the stream changes in this area: entering the Nordreisa-Nationalpark the valley narrows to a canyon. From both sides of its rockwalls waterfalls feed the river with cold and cristall clear water. Accordingly, Reisa gets narrower also and width can at certain spots be less than 10 m. During weekends locals and tourists love to come and see the majestic Mollisfossen, where white water falls almost 270 m down into a roaring pool. They say there are even some people taking a 'bath' under this gigantic shower... Well, who knows?
Reisa has never achieved a similar popularity like its neighbouring Alta-river, although its salmon population produces healthy and strong fish in sizes up to 20kg! However, and this is a sad truth, catches have drastically dropped in recent years for reasons we can observe at many Norwegian salmon rivers, i.e.: net-fishing both in the fjord close to the river-mouth and even in the river(!), escaped fish from hatcheries transferring parasites and diseases to the river, etc...
Reisa holds a good stock of Arctic Char also. In the middle of July char start heading up the river in big numbers. Compared to the decreasing salmon-runs char's presence in Reisa has remained fairly stable over the years. Size of fish averages roughly 1kg with some specimen weighing more than 2 kg. [Read my article 'Fly-fishing for Arctic Char' for further information]
Sea-trout can be found in late summer. I never managed to catch one, but people say that the first dark nights in late August can provide excellent sport. Fishing licenses can be bought in the local Tourist Information Center in Storslett. A one-day-license will cost you 200 NOK plus a deposit (100 NOK) which you will get back when you are handing in your catch-report (prices of 1997 season). Weekend- and week-licenses are also available.
Justus, Patrick and Birger with a salmon
of 6 kg and an Arctic Char of 1,5 kg.
Both caught in the upper reaches while on a canoe
trip
