Beat 1 is lowest part of the river. Starts at the junction pool of the Austurá and the Vesturá. Almost 15 km of water for the 2 rods to share. Many good pools, specially when fish are running. The famous Grjóthylur (Airport pool) is on beat 1.
Beat 2 is the lower part of the Austurá. All the way from the junction of the Núpsá and down to the junction of the Vesturá… the shortest beat of them all but can be really productive when fish are running. When the water levels are right the whole Núpsá will be fished as well on beat 2 adding 15 km to it.
Beat 3 is the upper part of the Austurá. The whole canyon sections plus the whole river above the waterfall Kollafoss and the fish ladder. The largest of all the 5 beats with some of the most beautiful and productive pools. Many angler think that the canyon section of the Austurá is one of the most beautiful places in this world to fish for salmon.
Beat 4 is the lower part of the Vesturá. All the way from the waterfall Kollafoss down to the junction of the Austurá and Vesturá. Many beautiful and productive pools are in beat 4. Literally there are small waterfalls around every bend that the salmon tend to stop around on their way up river. The beat is a mix of deep slow flowing pools below waterfalls and shallow fast running pools that are made for skating hitch tubes.
Beat 5 is the most upper part of the Vesturá. Starts at the waterfall of Rjúkandi and is all the way down to the famous bridge pool Túnhylur which often you can see salmon in hundreds. Most of the pools on beat 5 are shallow and up there can be heaven for those who like to fish with floating lines, small flies or skated flies.