Finland is a country of unspoiled nature. The surface of Finland is mostly covered by forest and lakes. Boreal and broadleaf forest belts, deciduous woodland, and tundra vegetation can all be found in Finland. The clean, pure waters of Finland provide a great variety of fishing waters and fish species. Finland also has what is called “everyman’s rights” which ensures access to the countryside for everyone: as long as you stay out of homes and cultivated fields you can camp freely. However, clean up after yourself so that the surroundings will remain pristine for everyone after you.
Recreational fishing is the most important nature activity for Finns. About 40 per cent of the Finnish population, more than 2 million people, take part in fishing events at least once a year.
The most common fish species in Finland are perch, roach and pike, which are abundant in almost all waters. Because of the cold climate, the salmonids are common in Finland.
Southern part of Finland offers great sea fishing opportunities. Northern pike (up to 10 kg), perch (up to 1 kg), sea trout (up to 5 kg), Atlantic salmon (up to 20 kg) are all abundant in the coastal areas.
Finland is a country of thousands of lakes. In the middle of the country the lakes are so numerous that the area is called Lake Finland. Pike, pikeperch, perch, brown trout and lake salmon are fisherman's target species.
In the northern part of Finland there are a lot of free flowing, wild rivers. Natural brown trout, grayling, pike and whitefish are present in almost all rivers and lakes in Lapland. Arctic char is also present in some wilderness areas.
Finland’s waters have a rich and varied fish population. The most common predators in Finland are perch, pike, and pikeperch, which are abundant in almost all waters. Other common fish species are roach and bream.
Because of the cold climate, the salmonids are also common in Finland with Trout being the most common. Brown trout can be found almost everywhere in the country and can grow to a respectable size. On the Baltic Sea you have the chance to get into serious fights with sea trout and Atlantic salmon. The trout population in Finland is both stocked and wild. The Atlantic salmon population relies heavily on hatcheries.
Rainbow trout are also stocked in many areas, because they cannot reproduce in our conditions. Brook trout are more rare, though they are also stocked in some places. Arctic char and lake trout can be found in the north and it is well worth the trip to the remote areas where the best populations are found. Whitefish provide good sport in lakes and some rivers throughout the country.
Grayling are very abundant in the north of the country, but there are some decent populations in central and eastern Finland as well. The average weight for grayling is between 0.5 and 1 kg, but specimens of over 2 kg are not uncommon.
The season for trout, char and salmon is closed in rivers between the 11th of September and the 15th of November. The closed season for Grayling is in April and May.
The southern part of Finland offers great sea fishing opportunities. Northern pike (up to 10 kg), perch (up to 1 kg), pike-perch (up to 5 kg), sea trout (up to 5 kg), and Atlantic salmon (up to 20 kg) are all abundant for spinning and trolling in coastal areas. Angling for bream and roach can be very successful as they are numerous in coastal areas and are easy to catch.
The main attraction of southern Finland is the unique archipelago, which stretches from the Åland islands to the border of Russia. There is some very fine sea fishing to be had in these beautiful and varied surroundings, from the stark beauty of the outer archipelago to the inlets of the lush inner islands.
Southern Finland can offer excellent fishing inland as well. There are many lakes in the south as well as rapids and ponds ideally suited for spinning, trolling and fly fishing.
There are two true fishing lodges in Helsinki region. One is in the Porvoo area, about 1 hour (75 km) drive from Helsinki to east.