Fishing tips

You can read more here about fishing from shore or boat, and the types of tackle and fishing knots you will need.

Rental

At Polarcamp you can rent boats and fishing tackle. All our boats have GPS and chartplotters. GPS makes your outing safer, and enables you to find the best fishing spots. Feel free to ask us for tips, and we’ll point out the best fishing spots for you.

Fishing tackle

Whether you will be fishing from the shore or a boat, it’s important to have the right fishing tackle. As an occasional casual angler, you can get a long way with a reasonably-priced, standard set of tackle. Your collection of tackle will vary according to your experience and the kind of fish you want to catch. For example, if you go fishing for big halibut, you should have a fishing belt, shorter rod and strong line. Many accidents have happened with standard fishing tackle and a huge halibut on the hook.

Fishing from the shore

Fishing from the shore requires a long cast and a little technique, so that the lure doesn’t get caught on seaweed when you reel it in. We recommend a longer rod here (8-10 ft) with a little flexibility. Use a lure no heavier than 30 grams, so that it doesn’t sink too fast. But if you are looking for fish which tend to stay nearer the bottom, you can use a heavier lure.

When choosing the colour of the lure, we recommend that you are guided by the time of day. Light lures during the day and darker lures at twilight and for night fishing.

Whether you choose thick or thin line will depend on how far you intend to cast, and what kind of fish you are aiming for. Thicker line can bear more weight, but can’t be cast as far. Thinner line can be cast a long way, but could break if you get a big fish on the hook. For shore fishing, we recommend between 0.30 and 0.40 mm. Don’t forget to fasten the line to the reel.

Fishing from a boat

Fishing from a boat gives you a better chance of catching the bigger fish. We recommend a shorter, stronger rod and thicker line. Try to estimate the weight of your catch before you go shopping, and buy line on the basis of the weight of the fish you expect to land. It’s a good idea to buy line with stretch, as this improves your chance of reeling in the fish. The lure and bait you choose will depend on which method you use.

Boat fishing methods

Hackle fishing: Fishing with a long line with several lures that resemble shellfish and/or shiny spoon lures. Also called a sea winder. You lower the line and pull it in at varying speeds. Used both for trolling and static fishing from boats, for herring, mackerel, coalfish, pollack and cod.

Handline fishing: Fishing with a special handline weighing no less than 250 grams. Also known as a pilk. The line is let out down to the bottom and pulled up half a metre, before the pilking starts. Fishing with a pilk can be from a boat or through a hole in the ice when the fjord is frozen over. Used for bigger fish.

Trolling: Fishing with a rod from a slowly moving boat. A troll line is fishing tackle consisting of a line with a sinker and one or more lures. A popular method of fishing for mackerel.

Bait fishing: Fishing with squid, snails, mussels or shrimp on the hook. Used to fish for certain fish species such as whiting or flounder.

Fishing knots

Use a simple clinch knot or fisherman’s knot to attach the lure to the line. Always tie fishing knots while the line is wet, because a dry line creates friction and a high temperature when you tighten the knot. This increases the risk that the line will break.

Clinch knot:

Fisherman’s knot: