Fishing trip Norway
Fishing trip to the Norwegian fjords: cod, coalfish, halibut
Deep water right in front of the cabin, sea fishing without a licence, boat included: the fjords between Bergen and Trondheim are the classic destination for a first trip to Norway.
Licence and rules
In the sea you fish with a rod or hand line without a licence. In fresh water you need a fishing card (fiskekort) from the owner, and for salmon, sea trout and sea char from age 18 the state fishing fee (fiskeravgift) as well. Minimum sizes and the export limit for fish apply to visitors too. All rules with source
Which fish when
Rules of thumb per month, weather and closed seasons decide on the day.
- January good timeSkrei season: big cod come to the coast to spawn, rough weather, short days.
- February good timeCod and coalfish, often the biggest fish of the year, boat only on calm days.
- March good timeCod, coalfish, saithe, first longer days.
- April good timeCod, pollack, ling in the deep, weather gets more reliable.
- May good timePollack, coalfish, wolffish, halibut starts, plenty of light.
- June good timeHalibut, coalfish, mackerel arrives, midnight sun in the north.
- July good timeMackerel in numbers, coalfish, halibut, peak season in the camps.
- August good timeMackerel, coalfish, pollack, often the most stable weather.
- September good timeCod stronger again, mackerel leaves, halibut into autumn.
- October possibleCod and coalfish, first storms, some camps close.
- November possibleCod from the rocks and the boat, short days, calm days only.
- December possibleCod, weather decides everything, many camps in winter sleep.
Species in the guide
Getting there
- Ferry By car via the ferry from Hirtshals (Denmark) to Kristiansand, Stavanger or Bergen, trailer with your own boat possible.
- Flight To Bergen, Ålesund or Trondheim, then a hire car; many camps collect guests.
- Car From Germany via Denmark and Sweden, long but predictable with toll bridges.
Boat and shore
- Camp with boat Most fishing camps rent cabins with boat and engine; sounder and life jackets come with it, ask about licence rules per engine size beforehand.
- From the shore Fjords often drop straight off, rocks and piers bring cod, coalfish and pollack, see the tip Cod from the rocks.
- Export There is a per-person limit for taking fish home, details and source on our Norway page.
Lodging and camping
Fishing camps with cabins (rorbuer, sjøhus) and boat are the standard, plus campsites on almost every fjord. Tent camping in open country is possible in Norway under the right to roam, keeping distance from houses and staying only briefly in one place; the rules are with the environment agency.
- Cabin in a fishing camp
- Holiday house
- Campsite with caravan
- Tent (right to roam)
Official sites: Visit Norway (official tourism site) · Right to roam at the Norwegian Environment Agency
Trip calculator: what does it cost per person?
Enter people, days, licence, boat, lodging and travel, Pescaday works it out per person and shows the season for your month. Everything stays on your device.
Fishing tips for the region
Quick questions
Do I need a fishing licence in Norway?
Not in the sea with a rod or hand line. In fresh water you need a fiskekort from the owner and for salmon, sea trout and sea char from age 18 the state fishing fee. Sources on our Norway page.
When is the best time for cod in Norway?
Winter and spring, when the big cod come to the coast to spawn, in rough weather. From May to September you catch coalfish, mackerel and halibut in steadier weather.
Can I wild camp in Norway?
The right to roam allows short tent camping in open country at a distance from inhabited houses. The exact rules and exceptions are with the Norwegian Environment Agency.
Other destinations
We do not broker lodging, boats or charters, the links lead to the official tourism and nature sites. You enter the prices yourself.
Know more?
Additions, photos of your catches or a mistake in the text: write to us and we will gladly credit you as a helper.
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