EXCLUSIVE VVIP FLY FISHING
Fly Fishing is a fun way for Companies to treat their customers, partners and staff. It’s a great day spent outdoors in the hands of Fly Fishing experts who will not only instruct and guide your guests, but also entertain them with stories of the ‘one that got away’ and ensure they have a day to remember. The day is usually topped off by an evening of fun presentations and dinner at a selected local Hotel.
Haffjarðará - Iceland
Set in 17,000 hectares of privately-owned wilderness, this lake-fed river is one of the most exciting and reliable destinations for Atlantic salmon anywhere in the world. It is fished by a maximum of 6 rods on its 13km length, and due to the short fishing season and the high level of repeat bookings, very few people ever get to see this wonderful place.
Although in practice it is often fished by fewer than 6 rods, a current 10-year average of 1310 fish per season (mid-June to early-September) makes this one of the top natural rivers in Iceland in terms of fish caught per rod. And more than this, the privacy, wild beauty and sheer variety of the fly water, on pool after wonderful pool, are what keep the discerning salmon fisher returning year after year.
Early August is still prime time here with masses of grilse but still good numbers of multi-sea-winter salmon coming into the river. This is mid-summer in Iceland, and the backdrop to your fishing is carpets of wild flowers and the melodious calling of whimbrel and redshank. It is a paradise for wildlife lovers.
Salmon fishing at Haffjarðará involves fishing with small flies on a single-handed rod in crystal clear water for aggressive fresh-run fish. It’s really more like trout fishing, but for salmon. You can peer from a cliff into a pool and see the salmon you are going to catch, or watch a fish chase your companion’s fly while they remain blissfully unaware of the drama. Fishing the hitched tube, a tiny tube fly that skates on the surface, is one of the most popular techniques, provoking ferocious surface takes from fish that sometimes miss the fly several heart
stopping times before finally taking it.
Getting there: Flights and Transfers
Scheduled flights: Keflavik airport (about 30 minutes south of Reykjavik) is 3 hours flight from London Heathrow, and 5 hours from the east coast of the USA. The journey from Keflavik to the lodge takes 2 hours.
Private flights: Private planes fly into the domestic airport in Reykjavik, which is only 1½ hours from the lodge. The great advantage of a private flight is that you can time your flights to maximise the fishing hours without the need for an overnight stay
Heale Estate - Salisbury, England
The Heale Estate water runs through parkland surrounding the lovely Heale House, and is widely regarded as providing the best trout fishing on the entire Avon. This chalk stream is probably best known among flyfishers as the birthplace of the now ubiquitous Pheasant Tail Nymph. Heale House is the private home of the Rasch family and is our base for the day.
We have exclusive access to 2½ miles of main river and carrier streams which, in addition to a healthy population of wild trout and grayling, are well stocked with high quality brown trout reared on site by the river keeper Peter Major.
In 1651 the then owner of Heale, Mrs Hyde, famously hid King Charles ll from Cromwell’s soldiers for several days during his flight after the Battle of Worcester. If you come across a locked gate on the estate, this number is, naturally, the combination!
What to bring:
Premium Sage fly rods and all necessary equipment are provided but you are welcome to bring your own (we suggest a 9ft rod for a #4 or #5 weight line). All you need to bring is a waterproof jacket and some boots or wellingtons. Drab colours are best. Wading is not necessary but if you have your own waders, by all means do bring them, as there are a few spots where they are useful.
Guides:
Famous Fishing’s experienced guides, all qualified instructors, are available to help you. Novices are welcome and this is a great place to try fly fishing even if you have never done it before.
Keeping fish:
You are welcome to keep a brace of trout, which will be cleaned and bagged for you before you leave. If you prefer to return what you catch, that is fine, too.
Can I fish into the evening?
Yes, if you want to fish the evening rise you are welcome to do so,
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