THE GAULA RIVER IS REGARDED AS THE BEST SPORTS FISHING RIVER IN EUPOPE AS REGARDS QUANTITY AND SIZE OF ATLANTIC SALMON.The total fishable length, including the main tributaries, is 150 kilometers (90 miles).
Large stretches of the Gaula are ideal for fly fishing.
The Gaula River is also well known for its BIG salmon in addition to large quantities of medium size salmon and grilse ? averaging 8,000 – 9,000 salmon per season and with an average weight of around 10 pounds per fish. Throughout the entire season there is always the chance to catch that fish of a lifetime, normally on the lower part of the river early in the season and higher up during July and August. Every year there are a number of fish caught in the 40–45 lb. category.
Angling started on the Gaula around 1840 when English fishermen discovered the riches of this river. The Gaula became very popular among English anglers and rumors of record high salmon catches and sizes brought significant numbers of anglers to the Gaula during the summer months. Several built summer homes in the valley and a number of the farms today are influenced by this English period.
Directions and info how to get to Gaula river from Throndheim airport.
The Gaula is situated in the County of South Trøndelag, an important agricultural area of Norway. The City of Trondheim, some 50 kilometers north is Norway's third largest city. The Gauldal comprises three municipalities; the Melhus (near the Trondheim fjord); the Midtre Gauldal and furthest up the valley, Holtålen. It is a scenic area spanning mountain plains and majestic peaks.
The Gaula is the longest river in Central Norway and its catchment covers 3,650 square kilometers, around 20 per cent of the county’s total land-mass. Because the Gaula is not regulated for hydropower purposes nor linked to any major lakes, it can be an awesome spate river, probably the most powerful in Norway.
However, due to the long winter in the higher parts of the surrounding mountain plateaus, melting snow during spring time and the first part of the summer will normally provide a steady supply of fresh, clear water for the running salmon. During July and August occasional rain showers are needed to keep the river in optimal condition.
The river is a part of the huge Trondheimfjord basin and is among 30 rivers or so that will benefit immensely from the buy-out of net-fishing in the Trondheim fjord and nearby coastal areas. Indications from the 2005 season show higher average weight and a marked turnaround of river-caught salmon compared with net-caught on a ration of 2:1 in 2005 compared with 1:2 in 2004.
Fly fishing for salmon I Gaula in June is hard core fishing.
his is the best period of the season to catch a big salmon up to 40 lbs or even more. The salmon isn’t that numerous as later in the season but on the other hand the average weight is approx 20 lbs.
The water level is normally high and cold depending on how much snow there is still left in the mountains from the winter.
You will need heavy fishing equipment ‐ two handed rod for class 10 or higher, fast sinking lines and big flies. It’s also preferable if you are familiar with underhand casting technique.
Recommended tippet size is no less than 0,45 mm.
Good flies are brass tubes in black/orange, black/green and olive/yellow
It’s of course possible to rent suitable fishing equipment and also to buy flies in the lodge.
Our guides are also there for you if you like some advice or some training in casting technique.
Salmon fishing in Gaula in 2010 was a great success and we caught lot of salmon, and some of them very big up to 20.1 kg.
Due to the high demand of these high class salmon fishing programs, we have decided to offer them again for 2011, just the prime weeks during wholw month of June and some weeks of July. The following programs will be availbale for our customers, click on the link for more info:
Gaula Sandbrota
Gaula Rotation Program
Directions and info how to get to Gaula river from Throndheim airport.
Hotel if needed before or / and after fishing Gaula river.
There are two good opportunities for hotels here ; Rica Hell hotel close to the Trondheim Airport (email:
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, tel: +47 74 84 48 00) or Storen hotel (Tel: +47 7243 8800) approx 10 min by car from Sandbrota Lodge
Renta a car: Trondheim airport (check: http://www.avinor.no/en/airport/trondheim/services/Car+Rental for available car rental operators) it is easy to find the way to the Sandbrota lodge:-
Drive from the Airport along road E6 heading to Trondheim and Oslo.- Pass the turn off to Trondheim city and continue straight ahead along E6 to Oslo- Drive along E6 to Oslo, pass a roundabout and continue along E6- Pass turnoff to Melhus and continue against Oslo along E6- The E6 gets more narrow and you will pass Kvål village but continue against Oslo until you reach village Lundamo- Just after passing Lundamo village, turn right (Grinnivegen) across the rail road and pass a very narrow bridge across the river Gaula.- After the bridge turn left.- Drive approx 2-3 km, (you will pass a field on your left hand and a group of houses on your road) until you see a farm on your left hand with a wooden sign telling "Sandbrota".- You have reached your destination!Most welcome to us!
