Wild Fish, Wild Places: Fly Fishing Iceland

Producer: Loop

“In episode three of Loop’s fly fishing series Wild Fish, Wild Places with Emilie Björkman, free fly fisher Emilie Björkman fishes for Atlantic salmon in Iceland. Emilie teams up with her friend, guide, and fellow fly fisher Valli Ragnarsson while exploring this fairytale island. Valli is a fly fisher at heart. He ties around 4,000 flies each year and spends as many days as he can on Iceland’s wild rivers.

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) populations are in decline in many parts of the world, but Iceland is still considered a stronghold for this iconic fish. However, open-pen salmon farming and loss of habitat have begun to threaten wild salmon even in Iceland. Emilie meets up with NASF (North Atlantic Salmon Fund) representative Elvar Örn Fridriksson to talk about the state of salmon in Iceland. She also visits Big Laxá and Aðaldal—“the Queen of Icelandic Rivers”—to meet Andrea, Arndis, Alexandra, and Aslaug, four young women who have embarked on careers as fly-fishing guides and to hear their perspective on the future of the wild Atlantic salmon in Iceland.”