Alver Havfiskeklubb ran the festival on its own last year, at Isdalstø. This year it has moved to Hjelmås Kai, with three local partners on board. Here is who they are.
Alver Havfiskeklubb
Alver Havfiskeklubb is a gathering point for fishing enthusiasts across the region. There is room for everyone — from the youngest member, born in 2025, to veterans with decades at sea behind them.
The club is passionate about everything to do with fishing: from quiet coastal angling for flatfish to hard deep-water fishing on the open sea. The club has no boat of its own, but a network and a togetherness that gets members out anyway. Personal records in the club include large trout — and an Atlantic bluefin tuna of 350 kilos and 297 centimetres.
Last year the club ran the fishing festival entirely on its own, at Isdalstø. To take the event further, this year it has moved to Hjelmås Kai, together with UL Heimhug, Bygdelaget 5915 and Hjelmås Handelslag.
You will meet club members on the quay throughout the weekend. Come over for a chat about fishing, for tips on knots and tackle, or to hear how you can join.
Hjelmås Handelslag
Hjelmås Handelslag runs Matkroken Hjelmås — the grocery shop in Leknesvegen, and one of the village's regular meeting places. It has eight employees, and Sebastian Midtgård, who runs the shop, is also the festival's contact person.
During the festival the shop is more than a shop: this is where competitors can shower and change after fishing.
UL Heimhug
Ungdomslaget Heimhug is the youth association at Hjelmås. Friday's course evening with Endre Hopland takes place at Ungdomshuset Ljosheim.
Bygdelaget 5915
Bygdelaget 5915 is the village association for Hjelmås and Leiknes — the postcode gave it its name. The area runs from Mundalsberget near Knarvik eastwards along the E39, and covers around 700 households and close to 1,500 residents.
The association works for village life: meeting places and events, local history and dialect, and awards such as the Gladihaugpokalen and Årets sambygding. The website 5915.no is the village's own noticeboard.