Fly fishers are drawn here for a chance to catch huge Baltic salmon

Many salmon anglers have an itch that never goes away—an unending desire to achieve a new personal best. This compulsion sends many salmon-obsessed fly fishers to the Torne River in Sweden.

The water of the Torne River in northern Sweden starts in icy lake Torneträsk near the border with Norway and flows southeast for 324 miles before emptying into the Gulf of Bothnia. This wild and scenic river supports an impressive population of huge Baltic salmon, and, over the years, the fishery has become a fly fishing mecca.

Gear
What kind of gear does it take to land a Torne River salmon? Given the size and strength of a full-grown Baltic salmon, anglers opt for double-handed rods that are designed to cast spey-style lines. Rod length ranges from 13ft up to 16ft and salmon rods are made to handle line weights from #9 to #11.

The reels most salmon anglers use on the Torne River hold at least 200 yards of line and feature a smooth,  tenacious drag. The ability to swap spools to change line is a must—when salmon fishing, it’s typically necessary to adjust your fishing technique as conditions dictate. Anglers usually carry two or three weights of sinking line to better pinpoint the strike zone.

How to fly fish the Torne river
In the colder months, a common salmon fly in the Torne River is a large, highly visible streamer pattern, often tied as a tube fly. These flies must be presented at the same depth the salmon are swimming, which typically means using a heavy sinking line.  Later in the season when the water has warmed, anglers downsize their flies slightly and fish with floating or slower sinking lines. Popular fly patterns include Green Highlander, the Usual, and the Red Butt.

Many stretches of the river feature powerful rapids, but such unfishable water doesn’t deter Torne River salmon anglers. They present their flies to migrating salmon in the comparatively shallow, calmer runs near the bank, targeting current breaks and fishing near the head and tail of every pool. To locate salmon that are on the move, a traditional Torne River approach involves casting a 45˚ angle downstream, swinging the fly until it’s near the bank, and then taking a few steps downstream before beginning a slow, stripping retrieve. In warmer months, anglers present large dry flies to salmon as they rest in pools.