Grindal Salmon Lodge – Orkla
The most beautiful country in the world – Norway
Rods available July 8–12, 2026 – email mattias@fiskeresor.nu
Last winter, my friend Thrond asked me if I wanted to join him on a trip to Orkla and Grindal Salmon Lodge — a place I had heard a lot about but had never had the pleasure of fishing myself. The dates fit perfectly with Laerdal, which I was going to fish the week after. So I said yes, and in the days before Aunan, Thrond had booked the beautiful beat Grötte–Flå, located at the very top of the Orkla river.
The Norway trip began with three days at the Laerdal opening, which was very slow, but I managed to land a nice Laerdal salmon on the second day. June is high season for my company adrenalin.nu, so I have to plan work weeks in advance — a hectic period. But eventually, I finally made it to Orkla.
Grötte–Flå
I arrived at Grötte–Flå, and it felt like an opening day. Since no one had likely fished it yet, it felt hot! I called Thrond for some advice, and he guided me over the phone in Home Pool. I did exactly what he said, and right on the spot he described as the hottest, the fly got hit — I lifted the rod and… fish on! Wonderful!
In the middle of the fight, the rod broke, so for the last five minutes I had to fight the salmon with half a rod. It was a bit nerve-racking, but it worked out in the end. When I finally got a grip around the tail wrist, I felt pure euphoria. About 9 kg of bright, fresh salmon, in June, almost at the very top of the river! See video below.
Thrond and his friend Rune arrived at Grötte–Flå, and we fished for a few days. Rune landed a fantastic big salmon almost at the top of Orkla, near the power station. We saw some fish but didn’t manage to get any more.
The fly that caught my first Orkla salmon this year.
Go pro video on 97 cm salmon
Framme vid Grindal Salmon Lodge
Day 1
After some wonderful days at the very top of the river, we drove a few miles downstream and arrived at the beautiful Grindal Salmon Lodge. It is owned and run by former Liverpool football player Vegard Heggem, who greeted us on the grounds. Grindal Salmon Lodge is beautifully situated right by the river, and the entire estate has an amazing atmosphere. We were among the first to arrive, and after checking into our cabin and having some welcome coffee with the skilled and friendly guides Erik Lier and Piet Behrend, we quickly headed out to the river.
The fishing is divided into three different beats (Lower, Middle, and Upper Grindal) with a rotation schedule. You fish each beat at different times of the day to keep everything fair. We started on the Middle beat outside the lodge, with the pools Kotto, Strauman, Langhølen, and Aunhølen (Home Pool). I fished through the pools quickly with guide Erik so I could learn them for the days I would be fishing on my own.
When we later gathered for the welcome dinner, one of the guests had already landed a fish in Upper Grindal — Frode Langva, in Korshølen.
Frode got the first this week
Langhølen
Day 2
Pelle and I, who were fishing together, started before breakfast on the Upper Grindal Salmon Lodge beat, with the pools Korshølen, Utstuggu, Myrøya, Hoset, Frona, and Skjelsanghølen. We only had time for one, so we tried Frona. It was quiet there, and after breakfast we began in Langhølen on the Middle Grindal Salmon Lodge beat. It’s an incredibly beautiful pool where they don’t catch a lot of fish, but it fishes extremely well.
We divided the pool so Pelle started at the top, and I started a bit further down. After a while I felt a pull on the fly, but nothing more. A short moment after that, Pelle shouts: FISH! I reel in and grab the camera.
Pelle fought the incredibly strong fish with great calm and experience. After 5 minutes it came close, and just when we thought it was done, it shot upstream into a smaller current—so Pelle had to work it a few more minutes. Then he beached it nicely on the shore.
A really great way to start the morning, with such a beautiful fish!
Join us 2026! email: mattias@fiskeresor.nu
Pelle beaches 100 cm silver
Fantastic lunch at Korshølen
Then I had another good pull further down in Langhølen before it was time for an outdoor lunch in the beautiful weather. At Korshølen, the chefs set up a feast with grilled, incredibly tasty hamburgers in wonderful June weather.
In the evening it started to rain, and Pelle and I had the best pool: Igdhølen in the Lower Grindal Salmon Lodge beat. It felt hot, so I decided to skip dinner. I started fishing the spot that guide Erik had said was the best — and it also looked like the hottest spot. I fished for about 10 minutes, and then it smashed my 15 cm Sunray! A fantastically beautiful fish had taken the fly and gave me the best adrenaline rush I’ve had in years.
At first, the fish came in nicely, but then it went on a 40–50 meter run, then parked itself behind a big rock — I thought the line would snap. I had to climb up on a large rock to lift the line off the stone, but the fish stayed there for a few minutes before deciding to run again. Luckily, it ran in the right direction and the line came free from the rock.
After a very exciting fight, I managed to land a 101 cm, really fat salmon! (See video below.)
I stopped fishing and, still euphoric, went back to dinner — they had only made it to the starter.
101 cm adrenaline
Video from the fight
Day 3
Pelle and I slept in after celebrating our fish a bit too long, so we started after breakfast. We worked our way through the rotation, but it was a bit slow. Reports came in about a few fish being caught, including one in Igdhølen that was really nice.
From 15:00–21:00, Pelle and I had the Upper Grindal Salmon Lodge beat, and we fished through the pools Frona, Hoset, and Myrøya. Just before dinner, I had to rush through Utstuggu to reach a hot spot where a small tributary flows in. On the very last cast before heading to dinner, I hooked a big salmon while retrieving my Sunray Shadow! It came off in a huge jump. I made a few more casts and then went to eat.
During the entire starter and dessert, I kept thinking about the lost fish and decided to head back while the others were eating dessert! I got in the car and drove the 500 meters to the pool. I started just before the hottest area, and almost immediately a fish took! I had it on for a minute before it came off. Damn!
I kept fishing—and hooked another one! This time everything went well, and I managed to land a sea-liced 99 cm salmon. What a feeling!
I still hadn’t reached the hottest part of the pool, but I decided to leave it for the anglers who had the rotation after me, so they would get a fair chance. I drove back to the lodge and joined dessert, which they still hadn’t finished. I told the guys in the next rotation that I had saved the best water for them. To my surprise, I saw them drive to the other side after dinner—they didn’t believe the side where I had caught the fish was any good. The next person who fished “my” side ended up catching two fish there, but I’ll write about that later.
Day 4
The fourth day felt like a “middle day” for us, and we didn’t see many fish. I hooked a really big salmon at the deepest spot in Igdhølen after putting on a giant banana fly and an 850-grain line. I had it on for about a minute before it came off.
However, a few fish were caught by the other groups, and one of them was truly impressive: 11.1 kg, caught by Llionel Young.
Lionel Young ca 11,1 kg
Last day
I slept in since I was traveling to Laerdal the same day, and then went out for a short session in Home Pool. Pelle, who was staying to fish for two more days, also took it fairly easy before the new guests were set to arrive.
After finishing my fishing, I grabbed the drone to film a bit from above. Just as the batteries ran out and I had landed the drone, I heard a proper reel scream from Pelle’s rod! I ran over and filmed the fight, and while Pelle was playing the fish, the owner Vegard and a few staff members came over and enjoyed watching the battle. See video below.
After saying goodbye to everyone, I headed toward Laerdal. I had heard reports that it was very slow there, which made leaving even more disappointing. Pelle had Utstuggu Pool in his rotation that afternoon, and no one had fished that pool since I caught my last salmon there — plus I had lost two. Later in the day, Pelle called and said he had caught two fish in that pool! So he landed three in total that day — fantastic!
Both Pelle and I were really pleased with our days at Grindal Salmon Lodge. The fishing, the guides, the food, the accommodation — everything was great! So we’re hoping to return next year. Fishing the Orkla at this time of year is wonderful: bright nights, vibrant green trees, silver-bright salmon, and the feeling that the Norwegian salmon season has just begun.
Thank you to the whole team at Grindal Salmon Lodge for amazing days!
/ Mattias Helde
Pelles double
BILDER
Om Grindal Salmon Lodge
Grindal Salmon Lodge offers guided salmon fishing with accommodation and full board. A continuous salmon beat of 5.5 kilometers is unique by Norwegian standards, and the 17 different pools on the beat provide fantastic variety in the fishing. Grindal Salmon Lodge allows a maximum of 12 rods for their guests, giving them the extra space and time that is becoming more and more important for today’s salmon anglers.
The included guides are dedicated and skilled, and you can have a guide with you pretty much whenever you want. The food was outstanding, and if conditions in the river feel right, you can skip meals or have your food delivered out to the river.
Grindal Salmon Lodge offers a 5.5 km salmon beat that can mainly be fished from both sides. The beat is divided into 17 different pools with good variation between high- and low-water pools. A maximum of 12 rods are allowed on the entire beat.
The river flows from right to left in the images.
