Menu
Being just 110km to the east of Reykjavik (near mount Hekla and the town of Hella), the Minnivallalaekur River is easily reached. Around a two hour drive from the capital along the south coast brings you to one of the prettiest trout rivers in Iceland. A truly special place for those looking to target big, wild brown trout.
The lodge and river caters for just four rods at a time – you get the whole river and lodge, with the river being literally just in front of the lodge.
The Minnivallalaekur River (or Minni as it is often called) is a special river for those looking to target specimen brown trout on a small, intimate stream. The fishing is often challenging and this is not a numbers river, but for those fishing with stealth and patience, the reward can often be a fish of a lifetime – brown trout to 20 lbs have been recorded, with fish to 10 lbs being landed each and every season.
The river is largely a midge fishery, but there are also some sedge / caddis present, along with terrestrials – the trout are often opportunistic. Streamers and nymphs have their place, but most people visiting the Minni do so for the dry fly fishing.
The self-catering lodge caters for four anglers at a time, but rod sharing and non-anglers can also be accommodated – the lodge can accommodate up to eight people in total. The fishing is available to a maximum of four rods at a time – you get the whole river to explore at leisure.
This is a technical river. Do not expect to turn up and catch loads of fish every day – very much a case of quality over quantity. Also, stealth is of the utmost importance; a stealthy approach will produce the fish. The river usually runs crystal clear and the fish can become wary, especially as the season progresses.
Long leaders, accurate casts, and well controlled drifts are often key to success.
This is a dry fly anglers dream river (as long as the weather behaves itself!), with midge and sedge patterns often scoring well. Terrestrial patterns are often called for too, working well when searching and when there’s little fly life on the water.
The Minni is not a big river, but is home to some huge fish. As such, a 9ft for a #5 is a great choice on the dry fly front. When fishing with streamers, you can easily increase the line weight to #6 without fear of fishing too heavy.
The river and lodge is located near Mount Hekla in the South of Iceland. It is around half an hour’s drive north of Hella town.
There are four twin rooms at the well appointed lodge (renovated during the 2023 winter), with the lodge being self-catering. The lodge caters for just four anglers at a time, but there is room for up to eight people, making rod sharing or bringing non-anglers worth exploring and making it phenomenal value for money.
The lodge overlooks the river and is within very easy walking distance of some of the best pools on the river.
There is a well equipped kitchen, large living room, and even a hot-tub! It’s a great place to visit even without the fishing.
Catering and guiding can be added for an extra cost.
For costs and availability please contact FishTravel, who will gladly assist you and advise you on the best time to visit.
