On the other side of the rainbow

Rainbow trout are considered a second-class fish here in Norway. A reputation I believe is undeserved. Rainbows are originally from the north west of America and were imported to Norway as a farm fish. Over time the odd fish escaped and now they are caught in our fjords, river and lakes. They range from 0.5 kg and up to 3kg but there are a few lakes where these fish have grown to monster weights.

7.2 kilograms of the worlds best

The best lure on the best day

What a lake!

these are the top six on my list

One of these lakes is hidden in Fusa shire. Due to their isolation these once escaped farm fish have developed into a natural part of the local environment. It is clear to see the that these fish are longer and more muscular than their farmed counterparts .To add to this they have not had their fins clipped. This enables the fish to give as much as they take. In Fusa fish have been taken up to 10.1 kg. Not bad!!

On a perfect May day my mates and I were on a mission. This was to catch one of these monsters. We all had been working all to hard and needed the fresh air this country is famed for. Expectations were high because only the week before I had taken a fish over the three-kilo mark but my mate did not believe me. I had only one thing to do and that was take one twice the size. (That would shut them up). Whilst driving south from Bergen allconversations were based on one thing and that was what lure would we use? What I didn’t tell the boys was I had a secret weapon. I have learnt that red and bronze “Specials” are the best lure to catch rainbow with. I’ve tried them in both rivers and lakes with killer success. It was at this point my secret weapon hit the bottom. What the hell was I to do I only had one special. Then all of a sudden the bloody bottom began to move. My first conclusion was a snag floating with the current. Then the fish jumped.

It was that very moment I knew I was in trouble. I had chosen to use my light spin rod. I like to use a light spin rod but the 2kg line I was using was not the best idea. Now we had a battle on our hands. Times like that call for a cool head. I clearly understood the fish’s strength and had to rely on all my years of fishing to keep this situation under control. All I could do is let the fish runs while SCREAMING for my mates help. Paul and Glen were out in their belly-boats and were what seemed a mile away. My misfortune continued when I saw what was left of my 150 meters of line. At the best guess I had five meters left and I could see the black plastic of my spool. It was make or break. Slowly I lifted my rod and the fish turned. What a break, but the stupid fish didn’t read the script. It swam towards me at a million miles an hours and stopped with in a second. This was repeated over the coarse of the next 45 minuets. Paul and Glen finally showed up and it was time to land the fish. As it is with us we had no net. That was not a stress. I’m not that fond of nets anyway, they tend to be more trouble than they are worth. Paul climbed into the current and with steady hands landed my first monster. 7.2kg!

I was over the moon but at the same time saddened that such a beautiful fish was not in the lake system where it belonged. A fight of that magnitude was fatal. The poor fish had nothing left and was at the point of death. I had always dreamed of seeing a large fish on my office wall. A little macho but what the hell. I could see a reminder of my perfect day for years to come. You know after a pile of phone calls I couldn’t find a single person that had less than a six-month waiting list. What a shame. So it was a barbeque for the boys, if they could put up with more of my fishy stories. P.S I later handed that same lure to Paul who went on to land a 4kg fish!!

SEASON

Rainbow can be fished the entire year in both fjords and most lakes but contact
us for the exact season for the particular rivers that have rainbow.

EQUIPMENT
Most people I see in this country use huge fat rods designed to kill. Me I love
the sport of fishing and love nothing more than giving the fish half a chance.
My recommended line strength is no more than 5kg. (0.25). Lures or spinners all
work wonders with rainbow but my favorite is with out doubt copper and red
lures. The particular lure I use the most is an Sølvkrok Special between 6 and
10grams.

Accommodation
Fusa Friluftssenter is located in the middle of a village called Sævareid.
Perfectly placed just a stone throw from both the lake and the fjord. With in a
short walk you can catch a trout, cod, char and salmon before lunch! The
friluftsenter offers apartments for individuals and groups up to six. Prices
start at around 200 kroner a night (per person). For reservations and
information: telephone 56300902, mobile 91818581. Fishing cards ordered at the
local store just 30 meters from the friluftssenter.