Gaula River · access
Trøndelag, central Norway · Norway
- Melhus / KvålThe lower river, closest to Trondheim and the easiest to reach.
- Støren / SoknedalThe middle river, with the classic fly water and the strongest grilse run.
- Gaula tributaries (Bua, Forda)Smaller water for brown trout and sea trout; cheap day cards.
Licence and rules
Licence and rules. Norway requires a national fishing licence (fiskeravgift) for anyone over 16, plus a local day or season card for the specific stretch. The Gaula is divided into a large number of private and club-owned vald, and most sell day cards on site or online. Crucially, Norway allows catch-and-release only in the lower river after the quota is filled and the season can close early with 24 hours' notice if the run is weak.
Season
Salmon from 1 June to 31 August; sea trout from 15 June; brown trout in the tributaries
Flow
1,000–6,000 cfs; snowmelt keeps it high into June
The Gaula is fed by snowmelt from Dovrefjell and stays high through June, then drops steadily through July to a clear low-water condition in August. The best fishing shifts the other way: in June the big fish are caught in high, cold water on large flies fished near the bank; by August they are in the pools and taking small flies. The river can rise again after summer rain and that is usually the signal for a fresh run of fish.