The beat Fornesøyan is situated approximately 15 kilometres from the mouth of river Gaula, by the crossing bridge nearby the village of Kvål. This is a 600 metres long, double-sided beat with a wide gravel shore on one side, stretching over almost the entire beat’s length, and a stone bank on the other side. Both sides fish well in all water conditions, in high June water flows, as well as during low August levels.
This beat is easily accessible and easy to fish from both sides, regardless of your choice of fishing methods. At the top of the beat there is a typical Norwegian wind shelter – ”gapahauk” – with lots of space for the big group’s ”tactic talks”, coffee and lunch breaks.
From the ”gapahauk” you have a good view of the entire beat and can sit back and enjoy the environment and maybe spot some salmon rising on its way up the river.
The beat makes an S-turn from the top and downwards, which gives this it that very special look of a classic salmon fly fishing beat. This S-shape of the main stream gives a quite fast and even water flow, even at low water levels. The full beat is divided into two pools; Bruhølen and Fornesøyan.
We greet you warm welcome to Gaula.com at Fornesøyan!
How to fish Fornesøyan
POOL #1 – BRUHØLEN
The full beat of Fornesöyan is divided into two pools; Bruhølen and Fornesøyan.
Bruhølen stretches approximately 50 metres upstream and downstream the Kvål bridge, 100 metres on both sides, in total. This pool presents two fantastic and deep ”cavities” where the salmon usually stop and hold for a while during the early season runs. The bridge itself also gives good cover for big salmon, that commonly seek places to hold where they are exposed to sunlight from above.
Bruhølen quickly becomes deep from both sides and can sometimes be quite demanding to fish with the fly; it can easily become a thrilling experience to fight and to land a big fish here, taken into account the bridge, some obstacles in the water from an old bridge foundation, and the rocky bank you are standing on. But the potential rewards outweigh the risks by far in this exciting pool!
POOL #2 – FORNESØYAN
The pool Fornesøyan is upstream Bruhølen and strecthes slightly more than 400 metres on both sides of the river. The east side has vast gravel shore which turns into a complete island on lower water levels. To get out to the gravel shore/the island, you simply wade across a a narrow stream. On normal and low water levels, this is not an adventure whatsoever, but on very high June water levels, you have a security rope to grab on to, for your own safety in the strong current.
Well out on the gravel shore/island you endless fishing possibilities to explore, with lots of holding spots, challenging pits and currents. The pool Fornesøyan is a pool that is very easy to fish and the salmon usually swim very close to the bank on most water levels.
Also from the top west side of the pool, where the deep mainstream runs very close to the bank, you can reach several natural holding spots for the fish – on the very top of the beat from this side, you find maybe the hottest spot of them all.
Both pools show great catching statistics year by year and we rate this beat as one of the finest fly fishing pools of the lower Gaula.
