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Land of salmon (Jorgen Wouters) |
Nineteenth-century English aristocrats once piloted their yachts across the North Sea to fish for salmon in Norway. The lakselordane (salmon lords) were the first outsiders to discover what the natives have known for centuries: Monster salmon swim in Norway's bountiful rivers. Overfishing, pollution, and loss of spawning grounds have decimated many Atlantic salmon fisheries. But Norway remains an incredible exception to the rule, especially in the north. For far above the Arctic Circle flows the mighty Alta, arguably the finest Atlantic salmon river on the planet. Alta salmon average more than 25 pounds, and whoppers topping 50 pounds are regularly taken.
Besides the matchless fishing, Norway boasts some of the most eye-popping scenery on earth—scenery directly responsible for the superb fishing. Glaciers high atop mountains feed bottle-green rivers that roar down narrow valleys before pouring into fjords. Violent forces of unimaginable power shaped Norway's rugged beauty, as if Thor himself blasted the landscape into being with his thunderous hammer. It's a trip you'll never forget, but don't spend too much time taking in the breathtaking scenery or a Viking-size salmon may rip the rod right out of your hands.
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