Norway's Western Fjords: Chasing Coalfish and Cod in the Midnight Light cover art

Norway's Western Fjords: Chasing Coalfish and Cod in the Midnight Light

Norway's Western Fjords: Chasing Coalfish and Cod in the Midnight Light

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This is Artificial Lure with your Norway fjord fishing report. Around the western fjords from Hardanger to Sognefjord we’ve had a classic early-summer pattern: mostly stable high pressure, light to moderate winds, and cool mornings. Coastal forecasts from the Norwegian Meteorological Institute are calling for scattered cloud, a few light showers inland, and sea temps hovering around 9–12°C in the outer fjords. Air temps have been topping out in the low teens. According to the Norwegian Hydrographic Service, we’re on moderate tides with noticeable current in the narrows at both morning and evening peaks. That moving water has really switched on the bite along points and underwater saddles where the current pinches. Sunrise has been painfully early and sunset wonderfully late, with usable light almost around the clock in the western fjords now. The most consistent bite has been in the grey periods: a strong hour before and after “sunrise,” and again late evening into the first part of the night. Local reports out of Bergen and Ålesund tackle shops say the past few days have produced good numbers of **coalfish (sei)** in the upper 10–25 meters, **cod (torsk)** on the drops, and scattered **pollack (lyr)** tight to rock walls. A few nice **ling**, plus by‑catch of **haddock** and the odd **halibut** on sand–mud transitions in 40–80 meters. Several charter skippers are reporting small to medium cod in “basket loads” when the current is right, with better fish in the 3–7 kg range taken on structure edges. Coalfish schools have been thick in some outer fjord basins, with fish between 1–4 kg smashing lures just under the surface when the breeze chops things up. Lure choice has been straightforward: - For cod and ling: 100–200 g **metal jigs** in blue-silver or green-silver, worked near bottom with slow lifts. - For pollack and coalfish: 40–80 g **slim jigs** or 4–6" **soft shads** in natural baitfish colors, fished mid‑water and along drop‑offs. - For halibut prospecting: heavier 200–300 g softbaits in white or “motor oil” fished slowly just off sandy bottoms. Bait anglers have done well with: - Fresh **mackerel strips** and **herring** on running ledger rigs. - **Prawn** and **clam** pieces for haddock and smaller cod on paternoster rigs. Two hotspots to put on your list: 1. **Outer Sognefjord skerries:** The reefs and small islands near the fjord mouth have had strong coalfish and pollack action, especially on the flood tide. Work the up‑current sides of points and any visible current seams. 2. **Hardangerfjord drop‑offs near Jondal:** Steep walls falling into 100+ meters with shelves around 40–70 meters have produced solid cod and occasional ling. Drifting these ledges with jigs or bait during peak tidal flow has been the key. Overall fish activity has been “good when it’s good”: quiet in slack water, then fast action when the current starts pushing. If you can time your session to the tide and the low‑light windows, you’re in with a shout for a mixed bag and a couple of better fish. That’s your fjord report from Artificial Lure. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next trip. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
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