FISHERY POOLS
The fishery is approx some 2.5km in length, with fishing on both banks, fly only. The first five beats are owned by the Malum Winsnes Landowner group and we have added a sixth beat immediately downstream, Håvåhølen.
We enjoy total control over the water and the fishing is reserved uniquely for our guests. The fishing is divided into 6 beats which our guests fish in rotation. Daily resting periods of 8 hours for all of the pools are in place in June and July.
August offers great opportunities and we take the mandatory resting periods out because there are several hours of darkness each night. August is a time to enjoy some cut price fishing and we have self-catering and full board options for those who prefer to avoid the peak weeks.
# 1 kroken
Wading: Easy
Our Home pool and one of the most famous salmon fishing spots on the Gaula, Kroken means ‘bend’ or ‘crook’ and the pool derives its name from the way the water turns sharply at the head before giving way to a half kilometer glide that is littered with boulders. Deepest on the far side, the channel runs along the full length of the pool, gradually becoming shallower as it approaches the tail. The channel itself is quite deep, around 4 meters at its deepest point, with the water deepest against the far bank and gradually shallowing as it approaches the fishing side. In effect, anglers fish down a slope with the fastest water on the outside. Perfect! The pool is best known for producing big fish and over thenyears it has earned a reputation for being one of the very best salmon pools on he whole river. With oits perfect current and even flow, fish can be caught at many, many points along its length with several hotspots along the way. No cast is without nthe possibility of a fish anywhere on this pool and it producers fish throughout the whole season. A dream to wade, it is an easy walk from the lodge.
#2 Lillestrøm - Rohølen - Right bank
Wading: Good
Lillestrøm is a fantastic pool which seems to improve with the passing of time. The tail of Kroken gives way to a narrow channel and a very fast rapid which splits left and right around an island.
Fishing off the right bank extends from the top of the island at Lillestrøm all the way down to the tail of Rohølen some some several hundred meters below. This beat includes the infamous “tunnel” stretch below the island – a noted area for intercepting running fish.
Fishing off the island is very effective and easier than off the left bank where longer casting is required. Casting off the shore of the island allows you to cover the whole channel until it opens out into Rohølen.
In summary this is a beautiful piece of water on the far side of the river with a lot of fishing and a habitat which changes from rocky and fierce to smooth glides and beautiful tail water.
# 3 Lillestrøm to Tail of Rohølen - Left Bank
Wading: fishing off bank and Wading
The wading on this beat is limited to the lower end of Rohølen in low water. Most of the fishing is from the bank and since the fishing is off the stones, it is tricky but very rewarding. If you are unsteady on rocks, it is better for you to fish the opposite bank where the slope to the water is gentle and gravelly.
Fishing starts in the narrow neck at the head of Lillestrøm, the swing of the current moving from left to right presenting some superb opportunities to surprise fish which lie mainly on the far side. The river here is narrow and pacy with some huge rocks in the channel. It’s easy to reach the far side.
As the pool widens into Rohølen the pace slows, longer casting is required to reach a spine or ridge that extends off the tip of the island, quite some way down the pool.
The water here is shallow and smooth but it is wonderful fishing and this part of the river will cope with a massive swing in water height, fishing well in medium/high water right down to low.
#4 oksøy
A pool that is not renown for holding large numbers of fish but a pool that contains some very big fish, including the estimated 55 pound beast caught by Matt Hayes in 2021. Oksøy is an important pool because it has great pace, especially in low water. When the other pools are starting to falter and suffer from low flows, Oksøy flows beautifully. It is hard to fish the fly badly on this pool which is ranked by many as the most scenically attractive on the fishery because of the strong flow.
It’s not a deep pool but it has a narrow head and gradually widens throughout its length. the deeper water can be found under the right bank but nowhere is it deep enough to be troubled by having to fish fast sinking lines. Because of its fabulous, even pace, the fly fishes really well on this underrated pool and there are some nice features in the form of large boulders which are obvious stopping points for travelling fish.
The flow on the pool fishes the fly quickly which is often an advantage on Gaula and leads to more and more aggressive takes. Because this is not a high water pool it really comes into its own from the middle of July onwards.
A place to catch a big fish…
#5 kjellfloa
Wading: easy/moderate difficulty bank fishing
Comprising two distinct sections: the run and the rock, Kjellfloa is one of the nicest pools to fish on the river with its shallow to medium depth and beautiful, even flow. The pool starts with a gentle cascade at the head which creates good flow. Below that, the run opens out slightly as it goes, until, as we reach ‘the rock’ at the bottom it is perhaps 70 meters wide. The water for the main part is shallow until the tail of the pool is reached. We call this section the ‘top run’ and because it is shallow it is a great place to catch running fish. with its perfect flow and fly swing, if the fish are running, this is a great place to get a grab!
Below, we find the large boulder at the water’s edge on the far side which is known affectionately as ‘The Rock.’ While one angler fishes the run at the top, the second can wade out a short way from a gravel beach to fish into the deep water surrounding the rock (up to 4 meters deep). The pool deepens and speeds up as the tail is approached making it a pool which has a track record of producing salmon from the very top to the very bottom. The Rock is a renown place for hooking big fish which often attempt to get out of the pool into the raging rapid immediately below. The tail of the pool too, is a hotspot and is a fine place to catch a running fish which drops into a nice pocket on the far side and rests for a few minutes before moving on.
Some battles are won, some lost but your heart always skips a beat when you fish Kjellfloa, having experienced the sheer power of a big salmon hooked there, regardless of the outcome.
#6 Håvåhølen
Wading: easy
New for 2026! This pool is very special and we are delighted to add it to our fishery. It was originally owned by Anne Marit’s ancestors but was sold off many years ago by her Great Great Grandfather so its great to reunite with it.
It’s a special pool which will accommodate two anglers as will the small cabin nearby which two of our guests will stay in each week. The cabin is rustic with basic facilities but its proximity to the water and idyllic location will make it very popular.
This is a holding pool, narrow at the head as it barrels its way down from Kjellfloa and widening throughout its short length until it forms a smooth and very productive tail. A large stone on the left bank is a major holding spot for salmon being deep, narrow and with plenty of current. The tail too is beautiful and a terrific place to intercept salmon running into the pool.
The numbers of salmon typically caught in this pool are very high but up until now it has been any method with spinning and worn fishing allowed.
its different to our other pools being shorter and offering less opportunity to wade and fish for hundreds of meters. However, it is a great ambushing point and a pool that has great hotspots so a more leisurely but thoughtful approach will pay off.
