Two days at classic Steinfossen, Alta – the BIG fish!

I took best buddy Håkan with me. He has his 60-year birthday, and this was my present to him. We have done so much together, and he never fished Steinfossen, so it was perfect. The water was down quite a bit which is not the best for this place. We started from the bank in the magic tail and I got a small grilse that we saved for the fireplace. Jörgen who was with us as a boatmen had to work next day and went to bed around midnight. There were very few fish to be seen.

I took Håkan with me in the boat. I have taken some nice fish in this tail and the stories of really big fish arenumerous, it’s as classic as a pool can possibly be. The fish took a bit up from the tail, fantastic! I managed to row it up and I will not give you too much of the story now since I have promised the full story for the next issue of Chasing Silver... But a big fish is never easy and after some time we managed to get it in close enough for me to tail it. The biggest tail I have ever tailed – just magnificent!  

The male measured 128 cm with a girth of 61 cm. A magnificent example of Salmo Salar, a proper Alta fish, a fish of a lifetime – 25 kilos…at least! After some photos and filming we lifted our caps and watched the great fish leave for the deep, so important genes, a trophy to dream of but way more important on the spawning reds.

Great celebrations, the 60 year birthday fish was caught and what a fantastic fish it was! Håkan who is one of our ambassadors has promised to do us a special blog on that big fish fly. How he ties it and why. Also coming up soon is a film of the whole adventure. When the fish took, I put the camera between my knees and then filmed it all – pretty special and as a fact it turned out bloody good. Rowing it up, the fight, landing and release of a 25 kilo fish. Someone said that this probably never been filmed before. Watch out for the film announcement coming up!

We didn’t fish much that morning, it was a surrealistic feeling, 25 kilo, Steinfossen, Alta, Håkan and I. My little sacrifice to “Gabokärringa” the watcher over Sautso and Steinfossen gave an unbelievable result. After a few hours sleep the clock turned 18.00 and a bit late we were back on the river. Jörgen went to take care of the tourists and old friend and super boatsmen Jan Vegar had joined us from Åkergjerdet.

I started fishing the tail from the bank. A fished showed, it pulled me and after a few fly changes I gave up. The take cake much further down in the first waves of the powerful rapid. 40 lbs leader and full press still the reel was screaming out line. Jan Vegar was fast with the boat and I went in and we prepared to go down. The fish took 50 m and showed himself in magnificent jump. I gave it 8-10 kilo. And takin the boat to the other side Jan Vegar managed to pull him slowly away from the rapids. It was stronger than a normal 20 lbs and when I finally mange to land it, it turned out to be 106 cm and about 12-13 kilo (26-28 lbs). A broad and powerful male, a beautiful Alta fish. But I must say that after yesterday’s madness it sure looked like a little grilse.

We fished thru the night and I got another grilse and we sum it up with 2+2 which was an OK result on this magic place. But the memory is the big fish – THE BIG FISH – the fish of all dreams, of a lifetime, 25 kilo (55 lbs) from the tail of Steinfossen.