 |
|
| Fishing in all its different forms offers a mixture of relaxation and competition (with the fish if not another human). |
|
The pastime of angling and fishing is widely practiced in Finland which should come as no surprise because, with its thousands of lakes, this country is an angler’s paradise.
Angling, which means fishing with a simple rod without reel, a float and hook is, together with jigging and ice fishing, part of “everyman’s right” in Finland. In other words, this popular and relaxing pastime is free because no licence is required. During the summer one often sees young and old sitting together on the jetty and along the shore, waiting for the float to be pulled under the water surface.
If you go angling, expect lots of small fish like särki (Common Roach), sorva (Common Rudd) and ahven (European Perch) to be your main catch. While you can eat them, they aren’t usually seen as the most edible fish and are usually put back into the water. However, because they are relatively easy to catch it is a lot of fun to go fishing for them, and it is nice, especially for the young, to have a feeling of success – something that is not always a given when one goes fishing!
|
You should know this about fishing
Fish should be returned to the water if they are under a certain size (e.g. Northern Pike should be at least 50 cm long, Brown Trout 45 cm) as these are young fish that haven’t yet reproduced – taking them out effectively kills future generations of fish.
Some fish are not allowed to be caught for a short period of the year. Information about these can be found online or at your local tackle shop.
Fees and licences
Angling, jigging and ice-fishing fall under the Everyman’s Right and are free for everyone, with the exception of rapids and waterways rich in salmon and whitefish, where it is not allowed.
Fishermen between 18 and 64 years need to pay the national-fishing management fee (currently €22 a year or €7 for one week), as well as purchase the provincial lure fishing fee (€29 a year or €7 for one week). Both can be bought online at http://kalastuslupa.smilehouse.com/PublishedService (only in Finnish).
More information
For more information, the internet is your best source. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry overseas fishing in Finland, and information can be found here: www.mmm.fi
Also, your local tackle shops are a great source of information, and the owners can help you get started and give tips on good fishing spots.
To find out more about the author’s tenkara and lure fishing trips, visit www.hikinginfinland.com.
|
Angling equipment can usually be found for just a few euros in tackle shops, service stations and the larger supermarkets. The most common item is a line with a hook and a red-white float, rolled up on a line holder, and it will cost usually less than five euros. A rod, which can be anywhere from two to five or more metres long, is a good investment if you go fishing more often, although a thin, long branch can be used as well. Attach the line to the top of the rod, unroll, hook some bait – worms, maggots, corn – and you are ready.
From angling to fishing
Fishing is technically angling with the addition of a fishing reel – a device for winding and unwinding the line, allowing the fisherman to throw the bait further out into the water and to have a “fight” with bigger fish. Fishing requires the fisherman to pay the provincial lure-fishing fee as well as the national fishing management fee, either for a week or for a year. The most practiced form of fishing in Finland is fishing with artificial lures like wobblers, spoons, spinner baits and jigs; Rapala and Kuusamo Uistin are well known Finnish brands and are usually a good start.
Fishing with artificial lures involves a lot more activity – the fisherman is constantly searching the water for the fish, throwing the lure out and reeling it back in. The lure usually tries to imitate smaller fish, and attracts the prey fish through its motions, colours, sound or a variety thereof. Fishing with lures, you can catch different salmonids like taimen (Brown Trout), nieriä (Arctic Char) or harjus (Grayling), or predatory fish like hauki (Northern Pike) and kuha (Zander). All of these are very tasty fish, and you will be in for a treat if you catch one.
If you plan to go lure fishing, be prepared to spend a bit on equipment. A decent rod and fishing reel will set you back around 50 euros, and a net for landing the fish is essential as well. Add in the different lures and you will have spent about 100 euros, which should be more than enough for the beginning. With your licence in hand you are free to fish at your local lake or pond.
Fly fishing – the supreme discipline
Fly fishing is considered by many to be an art that takes a lifetime to master. In this style of fishing, the fisherman attaches small imitations of insects, called the fly, to his line and then casts the line with the fly to the spot. Western fly fishing uses a special fly-fishing rod, reel and line, while the Japanese form of fly fishing, called “tenkara” only relies on the tenkara rod and line.
Tenkara fly fishing is a lot easier to learn but will take a long time to master. It is similar to angling as described above, but instead of lakes it is more suited for rapids and fast streaming waters. For fly fishing, be it tenkara or western style, both the provincial lure-fishing fee and the national-fishing management fee need to be paid, and if one wishes to fish in rapids then a separate licence is required.
Salmonid fish like the Brown Trout, Arctic Char and Grayling are the most common catch, though there is an increasing number of fly fishers who pursue the Northern Pike and Zander. Attending a course on fly fishing is a good first step if you are interested in this area because you will learn the basics of tackle and casting methods.
HENDRIK MORKEL - HT
|
