Western Fjords Fire: Sei and Cod Biting Hard on the Ebb

This is Artificial Lure with your fjord fishing report for the Norwegian coast. Around the big western fjords from Hardanger up past Sogne- and Nordfjord, we’ve just come off the evening high tide with a steady drop toward a weak pre‑dawn low. That falling water has been pushing bait off the skerries and out of the side pockets, and the predators have been using the edges of the drop‑offs like a dinner table. Wind has been light to moderate from the southwest along much of the coast, with broken cloud and stable pressure – classic, comfortable fjord weather that usually keeps fish active right through the twilight. Sunrise is coming early, just after four in the morning along the west coast, with sunset hanging on close to eleven at night up towards the mid‑Norway fjords. That huge stretch of grey light either side of “night” is prime time. The last couple of days the best bite windows have been the hour before sunrise and the first push of the afternoon flood. Inshore reports from local skippers out of Bergen and Ålesund say the **coalfish (sei)** have been thick over 20–40 meters, smashing small bait balls along current lines. Anglers jigging light metal and slim soft plastics are putting good numbers of pan‑sized fish in the box, with a few proper bruisers mixed in. There’s also been a steady pick of **cod** on broken shell and gravel in 50–80 meters, not huge winter fish, but plenty in the 2–6 kilo class, with the odd bigger one for those working slowly just off bottom. Closer to the rocky walls and points, folks casting from shore have found **pollack (lyr)** tight to structure. Slow‑rolled shads in natural sandeel colours have outfished everything else. A few fine **ling** and **tusk** are coming from the deeper ledges where the fjords pinch and drop past 100 meters, mostly to bait. For lures, pack: - 40–80 gram slim jigs in silver, blue, and green for sei and cod. - 4–6 inch soft shads on 20–40 gram jig heads in olive, brown, and pearl for pollack. - Fluorescent Gulp‑style strips or scented soft baits when the drift slows. For bait, salted **mackerel strips**, **herring fillets**, and **squid** are hard to beat on simple paternoster rigs. Fresh if you can get it; lightly salted if you’re fishing deeper or in stronger current. Scale down the hooks a touch if the bite gets finicky in clear water. Two hot spots to keep in mind: 1. The outer islands and reef edges at the mouth of **Sognefjorden**. Work the current lines where the ocean swell meets fjord water. Drift those 30–60 meter contours with jigs, and you’ll find sei high and cod lower down. 2. The steep rock faces and points at the entrance to **Hjørundfjorden** in Sunnmøre. On the last of the ebb and first of the flood, cast shads tight to the wall and let them swing down the slope for big pollack and the odd surprise cod. If you’re heading out tonight into early morning, start shallow on the last of the ebb, then follow the bait as it slides off into 40–60 meters once the flood begins. Keep an eye on your sounder: when you see bait stacked mid‑water, swap to lighter jigs and work the column rather than hugging bottom. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe for more local fishing reports and tips. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn