Plaice have a special place in our hearts. Excellent fishing can be found only a few hundred metres from camp. It can be maddeningly frustrating and enormously rewarding. Consistently catching larger numbers and bigger fish requires close control of the bait and more finesse than many visitors expect.
We favour a small multiplier or baitcasting reel, of the sort used for perch or pike, with thin line and a fairly powerful jigging rod. Our experience is that this gives better bite detection than a fixed-spool outfit. Even with suitable tackle and experience, takes can be almost impossible to see and barely perceptible by feel. Sometimes it seems as if you need “the Force” to know exactly when to strike. Once it clicks, catch rates can increase five- to tenfold. It is deeply satisfying fishing.
Our usual rig has a sliding pirk, a trailing hook behind it, and an upper hook on a short boom level with the pirk. Beginners tend to catch most fish on the trailing hook. More experienced plaice anglers often take over two-thirds of their fish, and most of the larger ones, on the upper hook. Prawns and strips of haddock are excellent baits. Small spinners, beads and tubing add movement and attraction.
Skipping plaice fishing on a northern Norway trip means missing something special. We have spent a great deal of time on this fishing and are happy to help you get the most from it.
Plaice fishing is good throughout our open season.
A 2 kg plaice is a very fine fish and a realistic target for anyone willing to put in the time. The camp record listed is 3.088 kg, caught just outside camp by guide Alexander Strid.
