Norwegian Flyfishers Club, Norway

Included:

Single room accommodation, all meals and drinks (wine, beer and soft drinks), state fishing license, gear disinfection, guide service (shared with another angler) & rental car (shared with another angler).

Not Included:

International and domestic flights, fishing equipment, gratuities, phone calls, and items of a personal nature.

Region/Terrain:

The Norwegian Flyfishers Club is located in central Norway on the banks of the Gaula River. Surrounded by fir forests and rolling hills, the beauty of the Norwegian countryside is complemented by the tidy farms that dot the valley floor. Only 1 _ hours from Trondheim and the airport, the lodge is easily reached by car. All our fishing water is with 25 minutes of the lodge, most much closer.

Typical Weather:

The weather during the short Norwegian summer can be very unpredictable: Cool evenings, warm days with rain and even some snow on occasion (early June and late August)! Daytime temperatures will usually fluctuate around 10' to 20' C (50 to 70 F), but guests should be prepared for cold rain and wind. In late June, July, and August we often experience quite warm days over 25' (75 F) under good weather conditions. To be most comfortable, we suggest layering to meet the conditions.

Pricing & Dates for Norwegian Flyfishers Club

From $1,294 per person + State fishing license, and disinfection/Gaula card.

Contact the Orvis Adventures Team to learn about package options and rates.

Season:

The Gaula season runs from June 1 to August 31 each year, providing three months of fly fishing at the Norwegian Flyfishers Club. The river is open to fishing 24 hours a day, and each fishing day at the lodge is divided into four six-hour sessions, during each of which two anglers are assigned to a beat. Because of the long days, your guide may suggest fishing early or late in the day to maximize your chance of success. NFC guides are extremely knowledgeable about the river and will guide you for at least 8 hours each day. They all speak excellent English.

Species:

Atlantic Salmon

Gear Recommendations:

We strongly recommend that you take at least one packable rod that you can carry onto the flight if somehow possible. Airlines can and do misplace rods. If they do not arrive with you in Norway, we have rental tackle available (rods, reels, lines, waders). We recommend 14-16 ft. 9-12 wt. double-hand rod for fishing in June and early July to be able to handle heavy sinking lines. The 15 or 16-footer helps you to get a good distance in your cast, which is an important factor during this period. During spring months with high water levels and low water temperatures most anglers' fish with sinking lines and large tube flies. Copper tubes or a sinking leader can help to get your fly down. A common length for a fly during that period would be 5-12cm. Later on, in the season, or rather from the beginning of July, it is preferable to fish with smaller rods. A 13-14 ft. rod would be a good choice and some people even fish with smaller double hand rods or even single-handed rods in the upper reaches of the river or in lower water conditions. As the season progresses, with falling water levels and a rising water temperature, the flies get smaller and floating lines should be used. Successful flies during that period are micro tubes as well as double hooks in tradition patterns.

• Rods: 4-piece rods are easier to handle in airports.
• 14, 15 or 16 foot rods 9-12 wt.
• Sea trout and smaller salmon can also be fished with a single handed in 9 ft. 8 wt. or a shorter two-handed rod 12.5-13.5 ft, 7-8 wt.
• leaders can also come handy in some situations

Reels: Reels should be high-quality, for example disc-drag models loaded with a minimum of 200 yards of backing (high-quality, minimum 30 lb. breaking strength). We strongly urge you to be comfortable in disassembling and reassembling your reels should any field adjustments be required.

Lines: All should be mounted on extra spools along with adequate backing. To achieve the needed distance most fishermen use modern shooting heads or Skagit systems with running line or monofilament shooting line. Please bring lines from floating to fast sinking to match all possible water conditions. Poly-leaders can also come handy in some situations.

• Floating
• Intermediate
• Sinking
• Fast Sinking

*We have a full selection of shooting heads in the NFC fly shop should you need a specific line.

Leaders: Leaders should be between 9 and 16 feet long. The strength of the right leader depends on the water level and the pool you are fishing. During high water situations we need tippets up to 50 lbs. (Bridge Pool) although 30 lbs. would be suitable in most situations and lower water conditions, we barely use any leaders below 20 lbs. breaking strength as Gaula salmon are simply too strong. Flies: These days, tube flies with treble, double, or single hooks are standard in Scandinavia. Under low water situations, hook flies down to size 12 are normally used. We have a wide variety of flies tested on our water and tied to our own needs in stock. After some years of testing we truly recommend Ken Sawadas Tube Fly Treble and double hooks which we also have in stock. Temple Dog, all sizes (often called Phatakorva nowadays)

• Collie Dog
• Sunray Shadow, all sizes
• Thunder & Lightning, tubes & doubles
• Green Highlander, tubes & doubles
• Greenlander tubes & doubles
• Black & Orange, tubes & doubles
• Banana tube flies
• Black Green Highlander tubes & doubles
• Red or Orange tube flies for the early season or floods
• Garry, large tubes
• Willie Gunn, large tubes
• Silver Grey tubes & Double 4, 6, 8,
• Arndilly's Fancy Double 2, 4, 6, 8,
• Munro Killer Double 2, 4, 6, 8,
• Silver Stoats Tail Double 2, 4, 6, 8, 10
• Shrimp Fly Double 4, 6, 8,
• Hairy Mary & Blue Charm Double 4, 6,
• Lemon Grey Double 2, 4, 6,
• Akroyd Double 2, 4, 6,
• Jock Scott all sizes
• Nowadays micro tubes are successfully on the Gaula as well
• Red or Black Francis or Snaelda work well in the later season

We have all the 'fishy' flies in stock at our fly shop and our guides are happy to help you to pick the best ones.

What to Bring:

The best travel clothes are lightweight, can be washed easily on the go and are versatile. Savvy travelers usually carry layers of clothing that can be adjusted to the weather, and synthetic/natural blend fabrics are often the best choice. Fleece or the new generation of fishing clothes such as down jackets are the preferred material for all of your layering. They provide lightweight insulation, dry quickly and are the choice of veteran anglers who frequently fish in variable climates. Cotton has its place, but it does take a long time to launder and dry and should be packed and worn on dry days only. Wool clothing is a fine substitute for Polartec Fleece as it insulates even if damp and dries quickly. Cotton/Polyester Blends are extremely popular. They provide protection from the strong sun, dry quickly and offer the comfort of cotton and durability of nylon. Experienced travelers know that it's much easier to deal with soft luggage and duffle bags when you're headed off the beaten path. Hard-sided bags take up a lot of valuable space and are best left at home.

Safety Equipment & Medical Supplies
There is a medical centre in St'ren and the medical service in Norway is very good. In a worst-case scenario, a helicopter can fly in within a few minutes to an international hospital in Trondheim. Please check if your insurance covers for any medical help you might need in foreign countries. Please advise us of any allergies or pre-existing health conditions.

For eye protection, sunglasses should be worn while fishing. Also, for safety, anglers might consider packing yellow or clear protective glasses for nighttime fishing. Travelers should always pack a kit for such common issues as diarrhea, upset stomach, motion sickness, headache and irregularity, along with prescriptions. Insect repellent can be helpful during the evenings (during prime time there can be some Midges and mosquitoes around). Sunblock is also recommended on the warmer, sunnier days of the season.

Clothing & Accessories

• Shirts & Sweaters
• Long-sleeved cotton/blend shirt
• Polartec Fleece (100-200 weight)/similar down or puff jacket
• Fleece or wool sweater (Polartec Fleece 200-300 weight) /or similar down or puff jacket
• Fleece jacket (Polartec Fleece 300 or heavyweight wool) / or similar down or puff jacket
• Trousers & Underwear
• Full length/Fleece Under Wader Pants (200 weight), cotton pants for travel and lodge wear, breathable long underwear, mid-weight in both tops and bottom.
• Hats
• Waterproof hat with wide brim for sun and rain, warm hat for cold weather

Rain gear Waterproof & Windproof:
Rain and wind are possible on any fishing trip. A technical rain jacket designed for tough conditions is required. Our recommendations are breathable short wading jackets, which are smartly designed with fleece-lined pockets or neoprene cuffs and adjustable hood etc.

Footwear & Socks
Soft wool/nylon blend: Wader Socks, Light walking shoes for the lodge or country houses.

Waders:
Breathable Waders in the early weeks. 'Old school' neoprene wader can be a good choice for very cold days as well.

Regardless of the style you choose, it is imperative the wading shoe have a felt sole. Felt soles offer the best footing on slick river rocks. The addition of a wader belt is required to prevent your waders from filling with water should you fall in. Either boot foot or stocking foot waders are suitable for this region.

Wading Stick
Wading is normally easy in most of our pools but we recommend a wading stick for all fishermen who have never waded in a fast-flowing river or who are not comfortable/stable while wading.

Other Accessories

• Pocket knife
• Toiletries kit
• Polarized Sunglasses
• Insect repellent (especially for midges/mosquitos)
• Spare eyeglasses or contacts (if you wear prescription lenses)
• Forceps
• Hook hone for sharpening
• Line snips
• Small nylon bags or plastic baggies to keep small items organized.
• Small locks for luggage
• Camera and extra batteries
• Binoculars

Other:

1. Which airport to fly into?
You fly into Trondheim Airport. Some airlines now offer direct flights to Trondheim as well. Please check for cheap flights www.norwegian.no or www.flysas.com or www.klm.com or www.lufthansa.de

Most flights to Trondheim are via a connection through Oslo, Copenhagen or Amsterdam. From there the flight to Trondheim lasts 1 to 2 hours. By car, the Trondheim Airport is 1 1/4 hour away from the Gaula (St'ren center). Make sure you have enough time between your connecting flights (about 2 hrs minimum) to lower the risk of misplaced luggage.

2. How does the rotation fishery work?
Our main fishery is the group of rotating beats between Kots'y and Kv'l. It is an exclusive fishery where pairs of fishers move through a large number of excellent and varied pools in a rotation of 6 hours. During the 6 hours the beat is exclusively allocated to this pair of fishermen. In this way, you ensure maximum chances during your stay as these beats are spread over a big part of the river and include a variety of pools to suit all types of conditions. You can go out and fish whenever you feel for it during your stay with us, on the Gaula the fishing is permitted 24 hours per day.

3. What are the best arrival and departure times?
Our fishing week starts on Sunday at 8:00 P.M., following our Welcome Dinner and Meeting (6:00 P.M.). An ideal arrival time would be in the afternoon of the arrival Sunday. The fishing week ends on the following Sunday, 12 o'clock (noon), so an ideal departure would be at midday of the departure Sunday.

4. Can we hire/rent or buy tackle?
The NFC offers hire (rental) tackle at competitive prices. We have rods, reels, waders and complete outfits. The NFC has a small fly shop in the NFC Lodge, where you will find all the fishing equipment you need to fish the Gaula. If you are not fully equipped, it is not a problem, we can help outfit you with the right tackle. We have a good selection of the best local flies, Patagonia clothing and gear, several rods and reels, all weights and sinking rates of lines, leaders and hooks ' basically everything you would need for fishing on the Gaula.

5. Can we hire/rent a car?
A vehicle is essential as our fishing is done by a rotation principle where pools and beats are spread over a big part of the river. The best option is to book your rental car online and book it through your credit card. We can also help reserve a rental car from the airport for a discounted rate; please inquire if you would like us to reserve a rental car for you. A rod holder as well as a GPS (with all pools, lodge, country houses marked) will be provided at the NFC lodge for your stay.

6. Are guides available?
Yes, the NFC works with a team of very competent professional guides who are all accomplished fly fishermen, speak English and are always ready to help. You can book a guide for one or more days, or a whole week. Please make sure to book the guide in advance, ideally as soon you confirm your booking to make sure we have a guide available.

7. Is it all 'fly-only'?
The NFC beats on the Gaula are completely fly fishing only. On some pools, we only lease one bank, and you may see anglers on the opposite shore using different tackle.

8. Other fishing alternatives? Trout and sea fishing? If you would like to take a trip into the mountains around St'ren for trout, the NFC can organize a guided trout trip to idyllic mountain lakes (please contact us in advance). Most useful tackle is a single hand rods in 4-6 wt. In addition, there is some fishing in Trondheim Fjord. We can also help organize charter fishing out of the Trondheim fjord with various captains.

9. When does the Gaula salmon season start and end?
The season on the Gaula River starts every year on the 1st of June and ends on the 31st of August.

Additional Activities:

Trondheim offers many cultural and tourist attractions, as well as good shopping opportunities. There are also good bathing beaches situated at the head of the Trondheim fjord, or at the monk's island 'Munkholmen'. The cultural heritage site and mining town of R'ros is always worth a visit. Hiking and mountain sightseeing in breathtaking nature is possible as well close to the Gaula. The local tourist office in Storen is always ready to help. We recommend for any non-fishing person to book an extra rental car, to be independent from the fisher person in the group.

Reservations, Deposits & Payments

The deposit is 50% of the trip price unless stated differently in the trip proposal and materials (trip planner and confirmation email). In some cases, deposits are non-refundable, this depends on the destination and will be clearly noted in the trip proposal and materials as well. Deposits may be made by check or credit card: Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover Card. The balance of the trip cost is due 90 days before departure, except where specified differently on individual itineraries. The balance will be charged automatically to the credit card used for the deposit, unless otherwise specified. Any changes made to the method of payment after the final balance has been collected are subject to processing fees.

A reservation form and release are required prior to departure.

All prices must be paid in U.S. dollars. Deposits are not transferable from one trip to another.

Prices quoted are based on foreign exchange values and tariffs currently in effect and prices are subject to change. Orvis Adventures reserves the right to adjust prices accordingly until the time of departure.

Planning information

When your reservation is confirmed, you will receive planning information to guide you through trip preparations. Details about arrival and departure, clothing and equipment, trip cancellation insurance, pre- and post- trip extensions, visas and documents and activities are included in the planning information.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Although cancellation fees may be higher for some trips (stated in the trip proposal and materials), the following minimum cancellation fees will apply:

For trips that include an Orvis gift card or Orvis merchandise, the retail value of the gift card or merchandise is non-refundable upon delivery. Cancellation fees cannot be waived for any reason, including health, business or personal emergencies, or weather.

We strongly urge you to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

No refunds will be made for unused portions of a trip, including late arrival or early departure. Guide fees and hotel costs are not refundable if unused as outlined in the itinerary. Orvis reserves the right to modify an itinerary due to circumstances beyond our control. In the unlikely event that Orvis must cancel a tour, all payments received to date will be refunded, which constitutes a full settlement.

Orvis is not responsible for expenses incurred in preparation of any canceled trip, including airline tickets and visas fees.

Cancellation Insurance

Your planning information includes information for travel insurance covering cancel for any reason, cancellation for medical reasons, trip delay, medical expenses, lost baggage and medical evacuation. We urge you to obtain this coverage.

Share policies

Trip prices are based on double occupancy. Single rooms & cabins are limited. If you request a single room, a single supplement will apply as noted in the itinerary. We will confirm the single room as early as possible, but in some cases it may not be earlier than 30 days prior to the trip. If you request a roommate, we can usually pair you with another guest of the same gender, and no single supplement will apply. If you request a roommate, and one is not available, we will only charge you the single supplement if required by the lodge or facility used in the trip.

Children under 18 must share a room with a parent or other family member. In some cases this may be waived.

Passports and documents

International trips require a passport. Check your passport early and make sure it has six months validity at the time of travel. A visa is needed in some countries and we will send you complete details and instructions.

Arrival and Departure

Group transfers from a central location such as an airport are described in the itinerary, and are included in the land cost.. Transfers are not included in the land cost if you arrive early or leave after the scheduled departure day.

Equipment & Clothing

You will receive a detailed list of appropriate gear with your trip planning information.

Airline reservations

The land cost of your trip does not include airfare.

Limitation of liability

This section defines Orvis Travel’s responsibility with regard to all travel arrangements made by Orvis Travel, including individual travel and pre- and post- trip extensions. Please read it carefully.

Upon sending your deposit to Orvis Travel, you acknowledge that you have read and understand all the terms and conditions outlined here, and agree to be bound by them.

All trips that involve outdoor sporting activities such as shooting or fishing, or travel through remote places by vehicle, boat, small plane or on foot, put you at risk for accidents and serious injuries in the normal course of the activity. That is the nature of travel to such destinations and you acknowledge that you accept these hazards as a condition of participation.

Orvis Travel, its Owners, Employees, Associates and Agents give notice that they act only as the agent for the owners, contractors and suppliers providing means of transportation and/or other services and assume no responsibility howsoever caused for injury, loss or damage to person or property in connection with any service resulting directly from: acts of God, detention, annoyance, delays, expenses arising from quarantine, strikes, thefts, pilferage, force majeure, failure of any means of conveyance to arrive or depart as scheduled, civil disturbances, terrorism, government restrictions or regulations, and discrepancies or changes in transit or hotel services over which it has no control. Reasonable changes in the itinerary may be made where deemed advisable for the comfort and well-being of the passengers.

Baggage and personal effects, including items purchased, guns, fishing equipment or sporting goods are the sole responsibility of the owners at all times and no employee/agent of Orvis Travel, its subsidiaries, affiliated or associated companies is authorized to accept these for storage, safekeeping, or transportation.