How to Fish from a Sea Kayak in Lofoten
Fishing from a sea kayak can be a great addition to a multi-day kayaking trip in Lofoten. Not as the main goal of the trip, but as a simple and practical way to add fresh food to camp meals when the conditions are right.
Only take what you need, follow the local rules, and make sure the kayaking always comes first.
Fishing Gear
You don’t need to bring this if you join one of my trips, I usually carry a spare hand-rod.
My personal setup is intentionally small and easy to handle from the cockpit:
Wooden hand rod / hand line
Sølvkroken lures
Fiskars K40 knife
Foldable telescopic landing net
Waist bag
From a sea kayak, I prefer simple gear over complicated setups. You want everything to be easy to reach, easy to pack away and safe around your legs, paddle and spraydeck.
Personally, I do not like fishing with a normal fishing rod from a kayak. It makes you less stable, takes up more space, and once you have a fish on the hook, it can be harder to reach and handle safely from the cockpit.
Where and When to Catch Fish in Lofoten
-
I usually look for places where the underwater landscape changes quickly. Steep edges, rocky points, small channels, drop-offs and underwater mountains or humps are often good places to try.
From a kayak, I like fishing in manageable depths. Around 15–30 metres is often a good starting point. If the bottom drops quickly from shallow water into deeper water, that is usually more interesting than a flat sandy area.
For cod, I often try to fish closer to the bottom. For sei, I also fish higher in the water column, especially when I see activity near the surface.
If nothing bites after around 10 minutes, I usually change position. Small adjustments can make a big difference. So far, underwater mountains and humps have worked best for me.
-
Fishing in Lofoten can be a bit of a mystery. Sometimes you catch fish in one spot, and the next day you try the exact same place and nothing happens. That is part of it.
For me personally, the incoming tide has worked best so far — especially around 1–2 hours before high water. I usually prefer some movement in the water, but not so much current that kayaking becomes stressful. A little tide movement can help, but strong current is not worth it from a sea kayak.
-
C-MAP App
My favourite app for checking detailed nautical charts, depth contours and underwater structure. Very useful for finding drop-offs, underwater humps and interesting places to try fishing.Norgeskart
A good free option for checking Norwegian maps. It can also be helpful for understanding the coastline and some underwater information.Se havnivå
Very useful for checking tide, high and low water, and water-level forecasts in Norway.Yr
Useful for checking wind and weather in Norway. From a kayak, the fishing spot only makes sense if the paddling conditions are safe.
Ready to put this knowledge to use? Join me for a guided multi-day kayaking trip in Lofoten!
Where to Buy Fishing Gear in Lofoten
If you do not have the gear yet and plan to come to Lofoten, please support the local shops and buy locally.
Good places where you can usually find most of the items mentioned above:
Svolvær: Sport 1 Sportshuset Svolvær — good selection
Henningsvær: Joker — small but effective selection
Leknes: Rigg Lofoten — in my eyes the best shop for fishing gear and good recommendations
