ICE FISHING IN FINLAND

The ice fishing season begins in winter when lakes freeze. Hundreds of lakes in Central Finland offer excellent possibilities for ice fishing.

You need a rod and a jig for ice fishing. A seat and a sludge ladle are also important, as well as warm clothes. You will also need an ice drill if you don't want to use old ice holes.

Perch, roach and powan are the most usual catches when ice fishing.The middle of winter it is excellent season to fish burbot, and late winter is good time to fish pike.


When you want to ice fish you have to drill a hole or it is also possible to use old holes. You should either move actively or fish from the same hole for a long time, depending on the type of fish you're trying to catch.

The jigging technique is different with different jigs. An upright jig with an chironomid larva or fly larva as a bite is lowered about 30 cm above the bottom, after which you have to lift the jig about 0,5 metres up a couple of times. This makes the jig move attractively. Next you have to hold the jig in the same place for a moment and follow the point of the rod or line to see if fish bite on the jig. If a fish bites on it, you have to strike upwards and pull the fish out through the hole on to the ice. After you have released the fish back you have to check your bite and lower the jig back into water as soon as possible. If fish do not bite, you have to lift the jig up again a couple of times and wait again for a while. An upright jig imitates a small fish.

A jig swims attractively and in balance and it is usually used without a bait. It is useful to familiarize yourself with the way how the jig swims by jigging near the hole and following the motion of the jig. Jigging is started near the bottom. You should hold the jigger in the same place for a moment and wait for a bite after a couple of lifts. If a fish bites you have to strike and pull the fish on the ice from the line. If the fish escapes, you should raise the lure about 30 cm and make new attractive motions and wait for another bite. Especially perch can follow the jigger directly under the ice and then bite. if you loose contact with fish you should begin the jigging again near the bottom.

The third general jigging method is to fish with a so called "Mormuska" (little weighed hook) with an chironomid larva or fly larva as a bite is lowered near the bottom. Then you should tremble and lift the "Mormuska" near the bottom. It is important to keep the "mormuska" in motion. The "mormuska" is light and therefore it is important to use also light fishing tackles. The "mormuska" can also be used below an upright jig with a 5- 10 cm long line. If you do this, you need to fish with the same method as with an upright jig.

Basic equipment: Ice fishing rod, ice drill
Accessories: Sludge ladle, warm clothes

Perch Ice fishing in Finland

Perch is the most popular ice fishing fish. There are a lot of perch in all waters.

You should search for perch systematically. You should begin ice fishing near a shore. It is not useful to jigg from the same hole for longer than one or two minutes if you do not catch any perch in this time. You should drill the next hole about 5 - 10 metres away, further away from the shore. Once you find a perch swarm you should jigg on the same hole for as long as you catch perch. You should drill the next hole to the same depth where you caught perch before. Old holes in the ice give you a good tip on where to find the right ice fishing places.

Perch are found in deep water in early winter. Later in winter they come into lower water.The best ice fishing season for perch begins in spring when the snow melts and lighting under the ice improves.

Morning is the best time for perch ice fishing but also the afternoon is quite good. Noon is not usually a good time for ice fishing.

Light ice fishing tackles are enough for perch ice fishing.
Read more Ice fishing Perch

Perch Ice fishing on Lakes:  Lake Päijänne © Kotapilkintää Piilostenniemessä

Perch Ice fishing on Lakes:  Lake Vesijärvi © Pilkkipäivä Vesijärven jäällä

Perch Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Pohjois-Savon vapaa-ajankalastajapiiri ry

Perch Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Pohjois-Savon vapaa-ajankalastajapiiri ry

Perch Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Pohjois-Savon vapaa-ajankalastajapiiri ry

Perch Ice fishing on Lakes:  Lake Päijänne ©

Pike Ice fishing in Finland

You should provide your carefully for pike ice fishing.

You can lose your lure when a pike bites if you do not have strong enough fishing line and a cast. Ice fishing technique and tackles are different than those for other fish. You should first drill 5 - 10 holes along side of rushes. You should jigg on one hole only for a short while and then change to the next hole if you do not catch any pike. You should go from a hole to another and jump back to the first hole every now and then. You do not necessarily need a seat because you need to move a lot between the holes.

You should jigg pike near rushes or ranges of rocks.

Late winter is the best season for pike ice fishing.

You need a 5 or 6 in. ice drill because the fish can be extremely big. You will need a stiff rod, some strong line and a cast. Jiggers and upright jigs are excellent for pike ice fishing.
Read more Ice fishing Pike

Rainbow trout Ice fishing in Finland

Rainbow trout ice fishing is possible on some special fishing grounds in Central Finland. The biggest advantage of rainbow trout ice fishing are the big fish caught by using this method.

When you are ice fishing rainbow trout you should fish from the same hole for a while and wait until rainbow trout swim to the hole. You should beging ice fishing from the bottom and chance the fishing depth every now and then. It can also be effective to jigg directly under the ice. If you catch a rainbow trout you should stay in the same place.

Rainbow trout is fished on special fishing grounds. The best lodges are usually full of holes. It is easy to notice catch places on ice afterwards. Rainbow trout often swim near shores. Abrupt banks near shores are often excellent lodges.

The best time to jigg rainbow trout is early in the morning.

You should use heavier ice fishing tackles than those for perch when ice fishing rainbow trout. You should use a 5 in. ice drill and strong enough fishing line to be able to pull a big rainbow trout on the ice.
Read more Ice fishing Rainbow trout

Rainbow trout Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Taivasalla

Rainbow trout Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Samusenlahti

Rainbow trout Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Pohjois-Savon vapaa-ajankalastajapiiri ry

Rainbow trout Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Pohjois-Savon vapaa-ajankalastajapiiri ry

Rainbow trout Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Suonenjoen Talvionkijat

Rainbow trout Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Suonenjoen Talvionkijat

Rainbow trout Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Pohjois-Savon vapaa-ajankalastajapiiri ry

Rainbow trout Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Pohjois-Savon vapaa-ajankalastajapiiri ry

Rainbow trout Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Pohjois-Savon vapaa-ajankalastajapiiri ry

Rainbow trout Ice fishing on Lakes:   © Pohjois-Savon vapaa-ajankalastajapiiri ry

Rainbow trout Ice fishing on Lakes:   ©

Burbot Ice fishing in Finland

Burbot spawns in the middle of winter, when burbot ice fishing is at its best.

You should jigg burbot on probable spawning places. You should sink a special burbot jig to the bottom and then swing it slowly. If you notice motion on your fishing line, you should twitch the line and soon you'll have a burbot on your hook. You also can jigg burbot with a baited jig before and after spawning.You should jig near the bottom with a baited jig. You should pull your line so strongly that the bottom makes dust. You should drag the bait, which hangs on a snell below the jig, along the bottom and then pull up slowly.

1-5 metres deep ranges of rocks with sandy, stone field or mud bottom are excellent burbot spawning places. Spawning places are at side of rushes, bays, sounds and near ranges of rocks, and places are the same every year. Prior to spawning, the best lodges are near spawning places in a depth of 5 - 10 metres.

Night is the best time to jigg burbot, but with a baited jig it is also possible to catch burbot during the day.

You should use heavy ice fishing tackles for burbot ice fishing. You should use a 5 in. ice drill and strong enough fishing line to be able to pull a burbot on the ice.
Read more Ice fishing Burbot

Burbot Ice fishing on Lakes:  Lake Päijänne ©

Whitefish Ice fishing in Finland

You can occosionally catch powan on your ice fishing trips. If you want to concentrate on jigging powan, you should go to a special fishing places where there are a lot of powan.

A clear-watered lake is an excellent place to jigg powan. It is possible to watch fish which are in shallow water in late winter and then try to fish them. The powan swim along shores to find nutriment. You should stay on the same hole for awhile and change the fishing depth every now and then.

You can occasionally catch powan on your ice fishing trips. If you want to concentrate on jigging powan you should go to special fishing places where there are powan. Ranges of rocks, ends of capes, sounds and mouth of brooks.

The whole day is a suitable time to catch powan, but mornings and evenings can be better.

Light ice fishing tackles are enough for powan ice fishing.
Read more Ice fishing Whitefish

Whitefish Ice fishing on Lakes:  Lake Päijänne ©

Whitefish Ice fishing on Lakes:  Lake Päijänne ©