Fishing in the Todalsfjord
Two completely different fisheries sit two kilometres apart here: the fjord, open to anyone all year and free to fish, and the salmon river Toåa, tightly regulated and able to close at a few days' notice. Both are below — and first the two rules that decide whether the trip works at all, because one of them surprises almost every visitor.
Updated August 2026.
We rent out boats. That colours what we write, obviously. So we stick to what can be checked, link the authorities who actually manage the fish, and say it plainly where the rules do us no favours — on export, in particular, they are getting stricter, not looser.
Rule one: fishing the sea is free. Rule two: taking it home is not
Sea fishing with rod or hand line is free for everyone in Norway. No licence, no card, no fee, no season — you can walk down to the quay and start. That part is as generous as you have heard.
What you may carry out of the country is a separate question with a separate answer, and it has changed twice recently. Plainly:
| Period | Export quota per person |
|---|---|
| Since 1 January 2026 | 15 kg of fish or fish products, at most twice a year |
| From 1 January 2027 | 10 kg, at most twice a year |
The quota on its own is not enough either. You may only export fish if you are at least 12 years old and have both fished with and stayed with a tourist fishing business registered with the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries. Both, not one or the other — renting a boat from A and sleeping at B does not satisfy the wording.
The business issues you an export document. It is in your name, with date of birth and address, the name and organisation number of the business, and the dates of your stay — and the person named on it has to be present when the fish crosses the border. It cannot be issued until the business has filed its daily catch report.
Salmon, sea trout, char and freshwater fish are not covered by the quota at all. A salmon from the Toåa does not count against your 15 kilos — it falls under separate rules, which you should clear with Norwegian Customs (Tolletaten) before you travel.
And since people reasonably ask how seriously this is taken: the standard penalty for fish smuggling is 8,000 NOK plus 200 NOK per kilo over the quota, and it is enforced at the border.
If you plan to take fish home, ask us before you book — call +47 995 85 098 or write to halle@vedhavogfjell.no. You will get a specific answer for your trip instead of a general one that may not fit it. This is a question we would much rather have in advance than on the quay on your last day.
Sources: the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries (Fiskeridirektoratet — export quota, registration of tourist fishing businesses, catch reporting) and Norwegian Customs (Tolletaten). The amounts and weight limits were read directly at the Directorate in August 2026. Rules of this kind are set anew every year in Norway — check them again before you travel.
One more rule that applies to you and not to us
Foreign nationals without a permanent address in Norway may fish with hand-held tackle only — rod, hand line, trolling — and may not sell the catch. Nets, traps and fixed gear are not available to you, not even in the company of a local. Minimum sizes and local conservation rules apply regardless of who you are; they vary by species and area, so we deliberately quote no centimetre figures from memory here — the Directorate of Fisheries keeps the current list.
The fjord: Todalsfjorden
Todalsøra sits at the very head of the Todalsfjord, and the quay is the starting point. Fjord fishing here is low-threshold in a way deep-sea fishing never is: you go out in a small boat, you do not need a long run to reach deep water, and you are rarely more than a few minutes from shore if the weather turns.
What you can catch
The usual picture in these fjords is cod, saithe, pollack and flatfish, with mackerel in the surface water from midsummer onwards. Pollack is the species most people underestimate: the Norwegian record pollack, 13.8 kg, was caught in the Halsafjord on Nordmøre in 2013 — the same fjord system. That is not a promise of what you will catch, but it says something about what swims here.
You can also fish with a pilk rod straight off the quay, right below the apartments. No boat and no card needed — for children that is often the best part of the week.
When in the year
| Period | What to expect |
|---|---|
| May–June | Cod and saithe close to shore, quiet mornings, few people |
| July–August | Mackerel at the surface, warmest water, high season |
| September–October | Often the best fjord fishing of the year — but fast-changing weather |
| November–April | Perfectly possible, but short days and cold. Check the forecast carefully |
Sea temperature, wave height and wind forecast for today are on our activities page, straight from met.no (the Norwegian Meteorological Institute). Look at it before you cast off: the fjord is sheltered, but the wind runs straight down the valley once it takes hold.
Do you need a boat licence?
In Norway, anyone born on or after 1 January 1980 needs a boat driving licence (båtførerbevis) to operate a recreational boat that is over 8 metres long or has more than 25 hp. Below both limits, no certificate is required at any age. Foreign certificates are generally accepted, so bring yours rather than leaving it at home assuming it will not count.
The Øyen 620 and the Øyen 530 have a recorded length well under 8 metres, so engine power alone decides those. We haven't recorded a length yet for the Gimo or the Pioner dinghy, so the table says so rather than assuming. As of August 2026:
| Boat | Engine | Licence if born 1980 or later |
|---|---|---|
| Øyen 620 | 50–60 hp | Yes |
| Øyen 530 | 30 hp | Yes |
| Gimo | 25 hp | Not on engine power — at the limit, not above it. Length unrecorded, ask us to be sure |
| Pioner dinghy | 20 hp | Not on engine power. Length unrecorded, ask us to be sure |
In other words: the Øyen 620 and the Øyen 530 need a licence for anyone born from 1980 onward. For the Gimo and the Pioner, engine power alone wouldn't require one, and they're small fjord boats unlikely to be over 8 metres — but say so when you enquire and we will confirm the length and point you at the right boat rather than let you discover it on arrival.
Rule and thresholds: the Norwegian regulation on minimum age and boat driving licences for recreational craft (Sjøfartsdirektoratet, regulation of 3 March 2009 no. 259). Engine outputs read from our own unit records in August 2026. We have not recorded the exact length in metres for the Gimo or the Pioner dinghy; both are small fjord boats far below the 8-metre limit, but if that distinction matters for your certificate, ask us and we will measure rather than guess.
The river: Toåa
The Toåa runs through Todalen and reaches the fjord right next door. It is managed by Todalen Elveeigarlag (the river owners' association), and fishing is regulated with zones, a rotation system and a rod limit — not for the love of paperwork, but because the salmon stock tolerates very little.
This is how the arrangement has looked in recent seasons:
- Season: salmon 1 June to 31 August, sea trout 15 June to 31 July
- Daily quota: 1 salmon per angler per day. Sea trout has no daily quota — it is capped at 2 for the whole season
- Protected: all female salmon, the entire season. Salmon under 35 cm and male salmon over 65 cm are released
- Total quota for the river: 30 salmon killed. Once it is reached, the river closes for the season regardless of the date
- Catch and release counts too: at most 2 released salmon per day and 10 per season
- Bait: spoon, spinner, wobbler, fly and fly/float only. Worm, shrimp and artificial worm (Gulp and similar) are prohibited
- Fishing card: sold through Elveguiden, with zones and rotation
- State fishing fee: payable in addition to the card by everyone over 18 who fishes for salmon or sea trout. It does not apply to rod or hand line fishing in the sea
The important caveat: the river can be closed at short notice. In July 2025 the river owners' association closed the Toåa to salmon and sea trout fishing because of low water flow and high water temperature. Closures like that come with a few days' warning and last until conditions improve. If you are planning a trip around the river, check the status before you book — and have a plan B on the fjord.
The figures come from the fishing rules for the Toåa at Norske Lakseelver (lakseelver.no) and the card sales at Elveguiden. Season, quotas and card sales are set anew each year, so this is the arrangement as it has been — not a promise for the current season. One warning when researching: the Toåa is not the «Todalselva» in Aure, a different river with its own quotas.
Our boats
The boats at the quay all come with outboard and life vests included, all at the quay directly below the apartments:
- Øyen 620 — 6.2 metres, seaworthy, our recommendation if there are several of you or you want to go further out
- Øyen 530 — 5.3 metres, easy to handle, good for fishing trips and excursions
- Gimo — roomy and stable, suited to calm trips on the fjord
- Pioner dinghy — small and simple, ideal for evening fishing and short trips
Boat rates are temporarily off the site while we get the season ready. Send us your dates and you will get a price for them by email — ask about a stay. If you would rather call or write, it is +47 995 85 098 and halle@vedhavogfjell.no. See the boats with photos.