Fishing on Hardangervidda

Along the national park route, there are plenty of fishing lakes and opportunities. Be prepared that the best fishing spots may be a bit of a walk from the road. Trout and Arctic char are the most common types of fish.

You can buy fishing permits (Fiskekort) at:

• Tourist offices in Rjukan and Rauland
• Various accomodations and sports stores
• Many petrol stations
• Inatur

Fishing permits for bigger areas of Hardangervidda:

• Fiskekort Møsvatn
• Fiskekort Rauland 
• Fiskekort Haukelifjell - Havradalseigedomen

There are different permission cards (fiskekort) for the lakes along the National Park.

Fishing spots along National park route:

• Tilrettelagt fiskeplass ved E-134 over Haukelifjell

Fishing on Hardangervidda

The realm of Mountain trout  "Fjellørreten"

Few mountain regions in Southern Norway offer as rich and varied fishing opportunities as Hardangervidda. The variety applies both to the size of lakes and rivers, as well as the chances of catching fish. Trout is the dominant species, with some presence of Arctic char. Hardangervidda is the largest continuous high mountain plateau in the world where trout is almost exclusively dominant.

Common fishing permits for Hardangervidda?

The opportunity for good fishing is one of the reasons why many choose Hardangervidda. Good fishing is often a recurring theme when the "dream of the plateau" is described in words and stories. However, a common fishing permit for Hardangervidda is far off, as there are too many landowners and other stakeholders involved. Still, good fishing opportunities are offered all around the plateau, often in combination with the rental of a cabin and a boat. Many prefer to trek across the plateau with a tent and sleeping bag and camp wherever they find a suitable place.

Recreation or livelihood?  

Fishing in Hardangervidda today, like much of today's hunting, is viewed more as a leisure activity than a necessity. Therefore, the recreational value may be just as great as the utility value of the meat and fish. Nevertheless, there are still many who engage in commercial fishing in the large lakes on the plateau. This is also seen as necessary to maintain the good quality of the fish. Overpopulation is in this regard a bigger problem these days than overfishing on the plateau.