Wolffish and cod in spring: February to June at Rystraumen

Spring is the quiet season at Vikran, and for wolffish it is the main one. Our season data runs wolffish from February to June. Cod bites all year. Both fish live close to the camp, on the Rystraumen strait, 30 km from Tromsø airport. Rules checked on 05.10.2026.

Why February to June on the strait

Three things come together here.

• The stream. Rystraumen is a narrow strait, and the tidal stream carries feed through it twice a day. Fish hold where the water moves.
• The ground. Wolffish like rocky bottom close to shore, and the strait offers it within 10 to 15 minutes by boat. Cod grounds lie between 5 and 25 minutes out.
• The shelter. Vikran is well protected from the wind compared with many camps on the coast. That is why we fish twelve months a year, and why spring days in the strait are often workable when open water is not.

Light is the price. The polar night runs from late November to mid-January, and in February the days are still short. They lengthen fast. We do not promise catches, only a place where the fish are usually within reach.

Month by month, by our season data

February and March: this is the early part of the wolffish season, with short days. Online booking covers 1 May to 30 September. For February to April, write to us on the contact page and we put the trip together on request.

April and May: the days grow long. From around 20 May the sun stays above the horizon in Tromsø. Source: Visit Tromsø

June: wolffish season closes. Redfish may be fished north of 62°N only with a jig, from 1 June to 31 August. Source: Fiskeridirektoratet

Halibut arrive in March by our season data, but from 20 December to and including 20 April every viable halibut must be released north of 62°N. Details are in halibut fishing at Rystraumen. Source: Fiskeridirektoratet

Methods

Wolffish sit on rocky bottom and take a lure or bait worked right on the ground. Use a pilker or jig near the bottom, or a leader with hooks and soft baits, and keep the line tight for the bite. Expect to lose tackle on rock. Rod and reel are in our rental list, so you can leave rod tubes at home.

Cod is simpler. It bites close to the pier and in almost any weather the boats can handle, which makes it the reliable catch when wind closes other grounds. Pilker, jig and soft baits all work. Our records on the site are 32 kg for cod and 15 kg for wolffish. They are records, not a plan.

Tackle must be handheld: line and rod. Nets, pots, traps and longlines are not allowed for tourist anglers. Live animals or fish may not be used as bait. Source: Fiskeridirektoratet

Our boats, the Sting 535 and the Kaasbøll 19, carry a Lowrance chart plotter and fish finder. Boats stay in when the wind goes above 10 metres per second. See the boats.

Minimum sizes

Cod north of 62°N: 44 cm outside 4 nautical miles of the baselines, 55 cm inside. Rystraumen is a strait inside the baselines, so 55 cm probably applies at the lodge. Confirm with Fiskeridirektoratet before you rely on 44 cm. Source: Fiskeridirektoratet

Wolffish has no minimum size for recreational fishers. Haddock north of 62°N has 40 cm. Saithe has no minimum if you do not sell. Spotted and Atlantic wolffish are not listed as protected on the official page. Source: Fiskeridirektoratet

Reporting and taking fish home

Cod, wolffish and saithe are among the five species a registered tourist fishing business must report every day, released fish included. You tell the camp what you landed and released, and the camp reports. Source: Fiskeridirektoratet

In 2026 the export quota is 15 kg of fish or fish product per person, up to two times per year, age 12 or older. From 1 January 2027 it is 10 kg. Source: Fiskeridirektoratet

All rules in one place: Fishing in Norway 2026. Rods, reels and flotation suits are rented at the lodge; the price list shows the cost, and the fishing page shows the whole fishing year.