Angling eldorado in Tokkeåi and Bandak

Fishing regulations

IMPORTANT: Out of consideration for the stocks of ice age trout  it is not allowed to kill fish between 0-25 cm and fish over 30 cm in zone 1. These fish should spawn to recruit trout stocks and must therefore be released. Remember to use hooks without barbs.
For more detailed information see the fishing regulations for river Tokke and Lake Bandak at fishspot.no 
The licenses  are valid for both Zone 1 and Zone 2. 

Fishing licence can be bought at fishspot.no

The area is situated in Telemark county. Lake Bandak and River Tokke are located in Tokke community. River Tokke flows into the Lake Bandak delta, which is the western part of the lake, surrounded by steep mountains reaching up to 1000 m. Further to the east the landscape flattens out towards Lake Kviteseidvatnet and Lake Flåvatn. 

Ice age trout in Lake Bandak and River Tokke
When the ocean was at its highest level after the last ice age 10,500 years ago, the first sea trout migrated into the Telemark fjord which at that time extended from the coast all the way to the valley in Tokke. After a few thousand years the inland glaciers melted and the land surface rose. And so the sea trout was trapped in several lakes that today are called Vestvatna (Lake Bandak, Lake Kviteseidvatnet and Lake Flåvatn)

This was the foundation for the unique stock of huge trout that live in Lake Bandak. Around the year 1800 River Tokke was famous all over Europe for its excellent fishing.  Since then a lot has changed in this watershed, and in recent years a major effort has been made to bring back fish stocks to historical levels. This work can be followed at the webpage bandakkanalen.no.

General description

River Tokke belongs to the Tokke Vinje watershed, Lake Bandak is the upper part of the Telemark Canal. The catchment area of the river system covers large parts of the Hardangervidda.
Lake Bandak (72meters above sea level) is one of the largest lakes in Telemark measuring 26,40 km2. Maximum depth is about 340 meters, and Lake Bandak is thus one of Norway's deepest lakes.

Lake Bandak holds trout, mountain whitefish, char, perch, eel, three-spined stickleback and brook lamprey.  Trout in Lake Bandak and River Tokke can be over 15 kg. The largest documented trout caught on rod in River Tokke was 11.6 kg (2004) The largest documented trout caught in Lake Bandak delta was 15.6 kg/100cm (2003) During spawning in 2011 trout over 15 kg was filmed and documented in River Tokke.

Normal size for trout in River Tokke and Lake Bandak delta in summer season would be between 250 gram and 1, 5 kg. These trout stocks in Lake Bandak can be distinguished by an extreme k-factor. Some specimens  are measured at over 2.0. Large trout achieve this condition by feeding  for many years on the lake’s mountain whitefish population. Recent research has shown that Lake Bandak trout can achieve a particularly high age while having an enduring growth.

See bandakkanalen.no for more information

Tips for better fishing

Spring and early summer are exciting times for fishing in River Tokke. Brook lamprey have their spawning migration in this time,  trout follow them upstream River Tokke and they feed on the lamprey. The trout are in feeding mode and are willing to take a lure.

Autumn fishing in River Tokke and the Lake Bandak delta can be especially interesting. Lake Bandak’s giants are migrating to their spawning grounds in River Tokke. Tricking a real big trout from Lake Bandak is far from easy. Large trout in Lake Bandak is particularly shy and it requires a lot of ingenuity to trick one into taking an artificial bait.