We welcomed a group of excited anglers for the opening week at Erfalik Lodge. It’s always with great anticipation that we start the season in this remote wilderness at the most luxurious fishing lodge in Greenland. Situated right at the mouth of the Erfalik River, our lodge has a convenient Homepool that is freely accessible to guests at all hours. With each high tide, fresh Arctic Char ran through the Homepool, and guests were catching fish at odd hours when they weren’t fishing upriver during the day.

At the beginning of the season, Lake One and Lake Two were already full of fish. The density was so great that guests enjoyed foamfly action daily, which is usually more common in the river. In particular, Lake Two’s The Beach and Fishing Point offered consistent action. When hiking to the river, the route passes right by these spots, so many guests enjoyed a break and some foamfly action on their way back from fishing the river.

The water was clearer and lower than last year, which is probably why the lower part of the river was not very productive in the first weeks. The fish were simply running fast upriver due to the low water conditions. However, things started to change at Big Pool. The fish usually hold there in good numbers in the early season, and this year was no exception. In the first couple of weeks, the fish were not too keen on hitting our foam flies in Big Pool. Some guests succeeded in getting the fish to rise to the skated surface flies, but fishing subsurface produced more consistent results.

The pools and pockets between Big Pool and the first waterfall were filled with fish! This spectacular stretch of the river had the best fishing in the entire system during the first half of July. Initially, the fish were eager to eat large pink streamers, but later on, guests had to use smaller streamers and nymphs to connect with the fish, likely due to the hot weather at the end of July.

By mid-July, a large run of fish had reached the second waterfall, and guests who were willing to hike the extra 20 minutes enjoyed intense fishing in the first pockets downstream from the falls. The fast water between the first and second waterfalls was not particularly productive, with the exception of the Reindeer Pool, located just upstream from the first waterfall—one of our Camp Manager Aurelien’s favorite spots to fish. It seemed the fish were holding here before continuing further upriver.

Even though the river rose due to rain at the end of July, the water level had been low throughout the first month compared to the previous year. This is probably why there were more fish than usual at the second waterfall—they could run faster than normal through the fast rapids. For this reason, the first expeditions to Paradise Valley exceeded expectations.

Our Camp Assistant Mikkel hiked up to Paradise Valley with clients several times from late July to early August, each trip moving further up this remote valley where we have yet to do much exploring. On the first expedition, they found many fish gathered in fast water of the gorge between the second waterfall and Paradise Valley ends. This discovery gave him the motivation to hike even further up to see what the distant pools were hiding. Mikkel persuaded two guests to accompany him, and they hiked deep into Paradise Valley. There, they found a pool with only large fish and caught some beautiful char between 60-70 cm.

After the warm period at the end of July and the start of August, it suddenly started to snow. Unusually, the snow stayed in the mountains for a couple of days before it began to melt. This caused several caribou to come down to the valley, and guests saw dozens of these gorgeous animals each day during the brief time it lasted.

In the beginning of August, streamer fishing started to get tricky. Many of the fish had been in the river for some time, making it more challenging to get them to commit. Small nymphs turned out to be the most effective flies in early August. Nymph fishing is usually good for fish of all sizes, but during these weeks, the average size of the fish seemed to increase when guests switched to smaller flies.

Some of the Arctic Char had already started to change color in July, and by now, many had taken on that distinctive red hue. In Big Pool, there were some large, colored fish holding. A couple of guests tried many different flies before finally tricking them into taking a nymph. Further upriver, it was the same story. Our Camp Assistant Nikolaj caught some stunningly colored fish—beautiful red Arctic Char that he had dreamed of catching all year. As a result, he got to name the pool “Dream Pool”.

In Lake One and Lake Two, there had been a large number of Char throughout the season. Sometimes guests could even see the fish running as they ferried across Lake One. By mid-August, fresh fish were still running through the lakes, and several large ones were caught or lost. One particularly large fish, estimated to be 70-75 cm, was lost close to the net frame.

This season, we encountered much more wildlife than usual. One day, guests couldn’t believe their eyes as 11 muskoxen were cooling down in Long Pool. Seeing even one muskox is a privilege, so spotting 11 bathing in the river is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Near the lodge, a litter of Arctic Foxes was intrigued by the visitors, and probably drawn by the smells coming from the kitchen. Guests had plenty of opportunities to take pictures, as the foxes became frequent visitors during their time at the lodge.

The second half of August marks the end of the season on Erfalik, and by this time, many of the Arctic chars are in full spawning colors, glowing like red lanterns in the pristine, clear water. Fishing on the river remained productive, but the best action required hiking to the more remote and fruitful beats. Not everyone could, or would, make the trek, so we spent a significant amount of time fishing the lake, which turned out to be highly rewarding.

We wrapped up the last week of the season with style, hosting a group of great guys who explored every spot that had been rested the previous week. They covered ground from the outlet of Lake One to Paradise Valley – the latter even in a snowstorm, but more on that adventure later!

Some of the most consistent fishing was found in Long Pool, Dream Pool, and Reindeer Pool. Yet, some of the most exciting action came from fishing our way down from the second waterfall, working through small pockets and lies with short, precise casts. Each spot seemed to hold one or more brilliantly colored chars, though convincing them to take a fly was another matter. Larger, territorial males patrolled these pools, offering a challenge for even the most seasoned angler.

One of the most impressive char of late season was caught at the inlet of a small stream on Lake Two, a spot known from old maps as Fishing Point. True to its name, this area provided consistent action for those willing to hike out, and it rewarded one of our guests with a stunning bruiser of a char. With its silvery scales, it seemed fresh from the ocean, not long removed from its salty summer home.

In an attempt to scout the fishing conditions, a few of us made a short trip to Paradise Valley. The session was brief (the hike was not), but the foam fly action we encountered was enough to entice us back the following day with a couple of adventurous guests.

However, the weather decided to remind us of the approaching winter on our second-to-last day. We woke up to light rain, but by the time breakfast was done, it had turned to snow. This set the scene for some striking photos, and with extra sandwiches in hand, we pressed on to Paradise Valley despite the intensifying snow.

It was one of those decisions that felt adventurous in the moment but questionable in hindsight. The wind picked up as we climbed, and by the time we reached the first pool, aptly named The Aquarium, slush ice had formed in the slower currents, and 4-5 centimeters of snow covered the ground. Realizing there was no way we’d fish further into the valley under such conditions, we snapped a few photos of this crazy, memorable expedition and made a hasty retreat.

On our final day of the 2024 Erfalik season, we were greeted by blue skies and a clear river running through a green valley, dusted with a light sprinkling of snow. The mountain tops were capped in fresh snow, which had brought down a large number of reindeer. The chars were biting well, though signs of spawning activity signaled the end of this summers fishing adventure.

After capturing some beautiful drone footage of the reindeer, I made one last cast across the river. As the current swung the light Cowboy streamer through the pool, I felt the familiar tug of an Arctic char. One last fight, one last fish in the net. After a few quick photos to commemorate the final catch of the season, the char was released back into the river, ready to fulfill its spawning mission. It was the perfect conclusion to an unforgettable Erfalik season.