Fishing Norway Like A Local: A Bergen Fjord Experience

The Fishing Community – This trip only happened because the local fishing community came through. Geir Johannessen went out of his way to find someone who would be happy to take us fishing and show us what the local fishery had to offer. The surprise was that he didn’t just find any willing angler — he connected us with Endre Hopland, an experienced fisherman, media personality and long-time figure in the Norwegian fishing industry.

The Guide — Endre Hopland – Endre was fantastic to fish with. He was friendly, relaxed, incredibly knowledgeable and clearly passionate about what he does. He explained the fishing well, shared plenty of small tips throughout the day and made the whole experience feel easy and enjoyable from start to finish.

The Gear & Tackle – One of the bonuses was getting to use equipment from Seeberg and Prey, the company and brand Endre works with. The rods and reels felt light, strong and smooth, and were very well suited to fishing heavy rigs in deep water. It was a great opportunity to use quality Norwegian tackle in the environment it was designed for.

The Fishing Experience – The technique itself was fairly straightforward, but fishing in 130–160 metres of water changes the way you approach everything. Using multiple baited hooks made complete sense because constantly winding up just to check bait would waste a huge amount of time. Endre also showed us several small adjustments that helped keep the bites coming throughout the session.

The Overall Experience – This was one of those trips that became memorable for more than just the fish. It was made possible by a group of local anglers who were genuinely happy to help visiting fishos experience their home waters. Between Geir organising the connection, Endre sharing his knowledge and the variety of species we caught, it turned into a fantastic and very genuine Norwegian fishing experience. A great father and son fishing experience brought together by great people!

Plan ahead before you arrive – Private fishing options around Bergen were harder to find than expected. Most of what we came across were larger shared-boat trips, so if you want a more personal experience, start researching early.

Be flexible with how you find a trip – If a traditional private charter is not available, don’t assume you are out of options. Local clubs, tackle shops and fishing networks can often point you towards opportunities that never appear on the main booking sites.

Visit a local tackle shop – Bergen has knowledgeable tackle stores that can help with current conditions, gear and land-based fishing options. If you want to fish from shore, this is one of the easiest places to start.

Reach out to Bergen Sea Fishing Association – Their website has useful local information, and the club is active and welcoming. Members can help with questions, point you towards productive areas and, as we discovered, may even help connect you with someone willing to take you fishing. Visit the clubs website here.

Make the most of the local fishing community – This was the biggest lesson from our trip. A simple enquiry led to an experience we probably would never have found through a normal charter search. If you are visiting Bergen to fish, being friendly, respectful and willing to ask for local advice can open some unexpected doors.

Allow for the weather – Conditions around Bergen can play a big role in when and where you can fish, so build some flexibility into your itinerary rather than locking your entire trip around a single day on the water.

It is a bit season based, but in general I would target hake. This is a fierce predatory fish who has become common in the fjords the last 15-20 years. It looks cool, hunts for big prey, it puts up a good fight and it tastes delicious. Not to mention, it has become one of the most common species in the fjord.

I often go for various species with a goal of catching the biggest specimen possible for that particular species. A big specimen always gets me excited. Earlier this year I caught a lemon sole weighing 1.6 kilos and measuring 46 centimetres. That’s just 200 grams under the impossible Norwegian record from 20+ years ago. Not a big fish in general, but for the species. And it was caught just outside my harbour.

The variety of species is good all year around, but you will catch more fish in the shallows and from shore during spring and summer. I do most of my fjord-fishing from September to April. That’s when the fish has the best quality in general.

I seldom use sonars but I do study lots of charts and the land areas where I do my fishing. Structures are very important. Structures means current, current means food, food means fish. Depending on the species, I often look for vast sloops with deep waters nearby. A lot o f my fishing happens between 50 and 200 meters depth.

Bait is often the most efficient way of fishing in the Norwegian fjords. A few species will take artificial lures just as good as natural bait, but every species fall for the natural bait. I usually use mackerel or herring, fat fish with lots of oil. I vary the bait size for what I am after, but my standard setup is a paternoster with three hooks, and a fourth hook all the way down at the bottom.

The weather is always a factor, but the fish itself doesn’t care that much. There is often very good fishing in bad weather. I fish when I have the time, and I don’t pay much attention the tide. A lot of species however will be more active when the tide is going up and down, as this makes movement in the water. Top and bottom tide are usually very slow, as the water will be calmed. But no rule without exceptions. Several of the deep water species are most active when the tide isn’t running at all.

It depends, but every mountain drop is always exciting, alongside beaches. I also enjoy night fishing from shore, targeting big rays and conger eels. I then look for decent paces to surf cast onto sandy areas in 20-50 meters, with rocky formations close by. This is a very exciting way of fishing.

Our fjord are very deep, often 500+ meters over big areas. Any kind of structure is what I will be looking for, no matter how small. I have found small structures of 7-8 meters in 640 meters of water, on flat ground, and these have delivered really nice fish in the middle of nowhere.

Traditionally cod was the main fish around Bergen and the Norwegian coast in general, but there are far less cod here now than it used to. Warmer waters are the main reason, as the cod likes it cold. Still cod to be caught of course, but not like it used to. Hake has taken over as the main predator in the fjord.

The most important thing in fishing is being able and willing to adapt all the time. Have more than one plan for the day. If plan A doesn’t work, go to plan B or C. There is a lot of fish here, there is a lot of species and a great deal of them grow big. They all have different habitats and habits, and adjustment is of the key. If I had listen to the generation before me, I probably wouldn’t have been fishing at all. They mostly say there is no longer fish to be caught in the fjord. Fact is there is plenty, but maybe not the same species and with the same methods as 50 years ago. Be curious and patience. That is the key.