Fishing holidays in Helnessund
For over 20 years, the Swedish tour operator Fiskebussen has taken hundreds of fishing tourists from Southern Sweden to fishing adventures in Helnessund.
Now you have to drive yourself, or fly to Bodø and take the one-hour express boat to Helnessund. But Helnessund is still sought after for its deep-sea fishing!
Book your fishing holiday in Helnessund 2026
Our fishing trip packages below are just suggestions. You are of course free to put together your own package with arrival, departure, room type, boat and equipment that best suits you and your travel companions.
Build and book your trip in our Online Booking - or send an email to post@helnessund.com
Everyday fishing
4 fishing days
Arr. Sunday - Dep. Thursday
- Four nights in a double room.
- Four people share a boat (20ft/60hp).
From NOK 3,250 / person.
Long weekend fishing
3 fishing days
Arr. Thursday - Dep. Sunday
- Three nights in a double room.
- Four people share a boat (20ft/60hp).
From NOK 2,650 / person.
Fishing week
7 fishing days
Arr. Sunday - Dep. Sunday
- 7 nights in a double room.
- Four people share a boat (20ft/60hp).
From NOK 5,550 / person.
Find more info and book in our Online Booking
In our Online Booking you will find specific information, prices and pictures of all our rooms, apartments, boats, kayaks, canoes, and soon also of our bicycles, float suits, fishing rods and meeting rooms as well.
So click in and find out more!
(enter current travel period and click "check availability")
WE CAN FISHING HOLIDAYS:
- Plenty of room on the quay to settle the day's catch.
- Wall-to-wall freezer container with gutting compartment. Place the fish directly in your own Styrofoam box, which you take home at the end of the trip.
- Large drying room for your fishing suits, so they are dry and ready for the next day.
Adapted fishing facilities
- Only guests at approved fishing tourist facilities like us are allowed to take fish home and out of Norway.
- The permitted export quota is 18 kilos. You will receive the necessary written documentation from us until you pass customs.
Approved fishing tourist facility
A floatation suit provides both good safety and protects your clothes from blood and fish odor. If you don't already have one, you can rent both a floatation suit and a deep-sea fishing rod from us.
You can read more about and book all the equipment we have for rent in our Online Booking. We recommend that you book early, as we have a limited number available.
Equipment for rent
Fishermans Lounge is the fishing tourist base here in Helnessund. Here you can gather and exchange tips and stories, and relax with a coffee after a long day at sea.
Those tours that have breakfast/meals included will have these served in the Feskarkroa Lounge, unless otherwise agreed.
Fishermans Lounge
Fishing species and methods
The waters around Helnessund are home to a variety of fish species, and there is always a season for something. Here you can learn more about some of the most popular ones, and get some tips on how to catch them:
Halibut fishing
Cod fishing
Redfish fishing
Stock and recommended withdrawal:
- The halibut population has increased in recent years, with catches ranging from 8 to over 200 kg.
- Large halibut (30 kg ) should be released – they are important for the stock and inferior as food fish.
- Halibut over 200 cm are required by law to be released.
- Good Food Fish: 8–30 kg.
Best fishing time:
- Approximately 2 hours before and 2 hours after high tide often gives the best results.
Tips:
- When fishing for cod: Place a passive jig in the rod holder – very effective.
- Halibut thrives in sandy and gravel bottoms with currents.
Jigging fishing
Equipment:
- Rubber jiggs 250–510 g
- Heavy duty split rings/wooden hooks
- Nylonline 1,0–1,2 mm
- Solid rod 9–14 kg and robust reel
Technique:
- Drop the jig to the bottom, crank up one turn.
- “Dance” the jig calmly for 1–2 minutes.
- Crank 1–2 more rounds and repeat.
- Work your way up the water layers all the way to the surface.
- If you get a halibut that follows without biting: Have a fisherman quickly drop a new jig next to it – the halibut will often take this.
Bottom trolling
Here's how to do it:
- Same equipment as for jig fishing.
- Drive the boat in gear without throttle (approximately 1.5–1.8 knots).
- Drop the jig to the bottom, crank up one turn.
- Move the rod slowly back and forth – with occasional slightly stronger pulls.
- Drop back to the bottom if nothing happens. Repeat.
Important: Don't give up - bottom trolling often involves long stretches without a bite. Let the boat's momentum do the "hitting", don't jerk.
Dead baitfish
- Live bait is prohibited.
- Dead saithe (800 g–1.5 kg) works best.
- Drop the bait to the bottom, crank up a few turns, and let the boat drift without the motor.
Tip: Halibut often bites weakly – small “ticks” are enough. Work the jig slowly and avoid hard, jerky movements.
Good halibut areas at Helnessund
- North of Helnessund – Måløya (Shark Fin):
- Lots of current, sandy bottom, perfect for bottom trolling.
- Depth 10–20 m.
- Westwards towards Husøya and Andholmen:
- Fine sandy bottom, some stream channels.
- 10–25 m deep.
- Halibut are caught right at the pier.
- South of Helnessund, past Brennvika towards Vettøya:
- Most electrified area.
- Varying depths: 15–30 m in the strait, but steep edges down to 100
- Bottom trolling works best.
Halibut fishing in Helnessund - short guide
Cod fishing in Helnessund - short guide
Good cod grounds all year round:
Cod are less dependent on tides than halibut, but we often fish 2 hours before and after high tide. The key is to find the baitfish – the cod are often right under it.
How to find cod:
- Choose an area with several grounds and stay there while you search.
- Drive up to the first shoal and see which way the boat is drifting.
- Go to the leeward side, where it starts to get deeper.
- Drive slowly around the edge of the bottom and use the sonar to find concentrated schools of baitfish a few meters above the bottom.
- If you see lines going up and down under the bait fish, it means the cod are hunting – this is where you should fish.
Equipment:
- Same basic equipment as for halibut fishing: jigs 250–510 g, solid split rings/wooden hooks, 1.0–1.2 mm nylon, 9–14 kg rod, reel with plenty of space for line.
- Very effective: Swedish jig 300-400 g with a rubber bait (worm, squid, etc.).
- Pre-tied hooks also work, but avoid too many hooks – several heavy fish at once are difficult to handle.
How to fish with a jig:
- Drop the jig through the bait school and down to the bottom.
- When the line slackens, crank up a little (1–2 turns).
- Fish with calm movements – often the waves are enough to move the jig.
- If you feel that the cod are taking, set a specific bid.
- Cod jerks (powerful lifts) work well – the cod is triggered by quick movements.
Bonus: Halibut also often take the jig when fishing for cod, so be prepared for heavy bites.
Fishing with dead bait fish
- Live bait is prohibited.
- Dead saithe in the size 800 g–1.5 kg works best.
- Drop the bait to the bottom and wait.
- Careful nibbles can be tricky – wait until you feel real weight before you set the trigger.
- Cod often take the bait and swim up a bit before swallowing – don't stress.
Summary
- Find the bait fish – the cod is below.
- Fish on the leeward side of the shoals, in the area where it goes from shallow to deeper.
- The Swedish jig and a simple hanger are extremely effective.
- Dead saithe works very well, but requires a little patience and the right timing.
Redfish fishing in Helnessund - short guide
Deep-sea fish in a steep sea
Redfish (red sea bass) is a typical deep-sea fish that is found in dense schools along steep edges, often from 100 meters down. It thrives best where the bottom drops steeply to the depths, and often near major water changes.
Where do you find the redfish?
- Along drop-offs and deep walls where it quickly goes from 80–100 meters down to 200–300 .
- Typical areas in Helnessund:
- The edges of Måløya and Skarholmen lighthouse, north of Helnessund
- Other deep bluffs where you see clear steep drops on the chartplotter
- Redfish often form compact schools, so once you find them, there's a good chance you'll find more fish.
Equipment and rigging
To reach depth quickly and stay in contact with the bottom:
- 500 g pipefish or Swedish pollock
- Heavy tackle with several bait hooks – preferably the pre-rigged tackle sold in Helnessund
- Rod with a solid back, robust hooks and a reel with a large line capacity (deep water requires a lot of line)
Agn:
- Strips of saithe, mackerel or other oily fish
- Redfish are voracious and usually take the bait hard when they are in a school.
How to fish for redfish:
- Quickly drop the tackle to the bottom with the heavy jig.
- Crank up 1–3 meters – the carp rarely stays completely down in the bottom mud.
- Keep the tackle still. A slight, steady movement from the waves is enough.
- Look for quick, clear bites – once the bream bites, several more often come on the same hook.
- Crank up slowly and in a controlled manner. In deeper water, the pressure difference means that the fish cannot be released again.
Safety – redfish have poisonous spines:
Redfish have poisonous thorns on their gill covers and dorsal fin. If you get stung:
- Cut out the eye of the fish, make a small cut in it and rub the liquid on the sting.
- The eye fluid neutralizes the poison and reduces pain.
- Rinse and clean afterwards.
Tips for better carp fishing:
- Use the sonar actively – schools of otters often appear as thick, dense echoes slightly above the bottom.
- Deep currents can affect where the fish are; try several edges.
- Fish calmly: Too much movement can scare the school.
- Be prepared that redfish may stand completely still for several seconds after it bites – but its weight quickly reveals it.
Fishing stories from Helnessund
Fishing in Helnessund is more than just an activity; it is an experience that binds people together. Every catch has its own story, and every trip to the sea provides memories for a lifetime.
Kjell Eriksen
Former Fishing Guide, Helnessund Brygger
post@helnessund.com
47 900 78 597
Helnessund Brygger, 8283 Helnessund, Norway
