Angling takes over!

The end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s were in many ways a turning point for salmon in the Drammenselva. In 1977, the state bought Ullern fiske under Hellefossen, and from June 20, 1978, all fishing with nets was banned in the Drammenselva. From that date, only fishing with rods has been permitted.

Modern sport fishing for salmon in the Drammenselva River began on June 20, 1978. From that day on, traditional commercial fishing with nets ended, and this year the first formal agreements between landowners and fishermen were signed.

Now, of course, salmon fishing with rods was going on for many years before these first agreements were made. Many of today's active fishermen started their sport fishing in the Drammenselva River long before this. For some, we can go all the way back to the 1940s and 1950s to find their first attempts at fishing for salmon with rods. In the 1950s, there were a number of English and Scots who fished in the Drammenselva River, and local people were brought in as rowers.

The reason why we choose to date the new era to June 20, 1978 is several factors:

As mentioned, net fishing in the Drammenselva River was banned from this date. Net fishing in rivers was generally banned a few years before, but the rivers in Eastern Norway were exempt from this provision.

Secondly, the first formal agreement between landowners and the Østsiden Jeger- og Fiskerforening (ØJFF) regarding the disposal of fishing rights below Hellefossen was entered into this year.