Gudmundur Sigurdsson — Iceland Fly Fishing

About

Gudmundur Sigurdsson — known to his clients simply as Gummi — is one of Iceland's most experienced and sought-after salmon and trout fishing guides. Based in Akureyri in northern Iceland, Gummi has spent twenty-four years guiding on the volcanic rivers that drain toward the Arctic Ocean, waters that produce some of the finest Atlantic salmon and brown trout fishing in the subarctic world. His primary rivers include the Laxa i Myvatn, Midfjardara, and several smaller streams that he has developed relationships with over decades of careful stewardship and negotiation with local landowners.

Icelandic salmon fishing operates on a beat rotation system, and Gummi's deep knowledge of each pool on his rivers — their holding lies, optimal water heights, and the specific fly patterns that have historically produced on each beat — gives his clients a significant advantage. He favors traditional presentation methods, swinging small flies on floating or intermediate lines through the tail of each pool, a technique that demands patience and casting skill but produces heart-stopping takes from fresh-run Atlantic salmon averaging eight to fifteen pounds.

Gummi is equally passionate about the brown trout fishing on the Laxa i Myvatn, where the river's extraordinary insect life supports trout that feed selectively on the surface throughout the endless Icelandic summer days. His dry-fly fishing for large Laxa browns, conducted under the midnight sun with visibility stretching to the volcanic horizons, represents one of the most magical experiences available in the Northern Hemisphere.

Specialties