Lake Saimaa is the fourth largest lake in Europe

Lake Saimaa in Finland is the fourth largest lake as well as the largest contiguous lake district in the whole Europe. It is a national treasure of over a hundred lakes and thousands of islands, a unique collage of big open lakes, steep rocky shorelines and an abundance of islands.

The Saimaa archipelago has more than twice the length of shoreline that Brazil has, and the area is also under consideration to be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. One of the rarest freshwater seals, the Saimaa Ringed Seal, lives only at Saimaa.

The lake basin of Lake Saimaa is well-known for its salmonids. Landlocked salmon and brown trout are the most revered and sought-after fish of the area. To learn more about sustainable fishing of these species on Lake Saimaa, you can visit the website of the Lake Saimaa Salmonidae Project.

I will offer you another perspective on the size of fish caught in Finnish lakes by spinning and trolling, by showing you the measurements of the biggest fish caught in a very popular Finnish fishing cup. The cup consists of catch-and-release fishing events in which competitors are after pikes, perches and zanders only. The fish are released back into the water alive after taking a photo of the length of the fish and another photo in which the fisherman poses with the fish he caught. The competitors are trying to catch 3 perches, 2 zanders and 1 pike as big as possible. The lengths of these 6 individual fish are added together and the team with the biggest total sum of lengths wins. This competition cup runs from May to October every year and it gives us statistics on the size of fish caught by experienced competing fishermen here in Finland. Read complete article here!

Landlocked Salmon and Brown Trout of Lake Saimaa

The minimum landing length of Landlocked salmon and Brown trout on Lake Saimaa area is 60 cm. Daily quota is one fish / 24 hours for one fisherman. Due Finnish law, it is forbidden to kill any wild landlocked salmon or brown trout species with adipose fin. Compensation of killing wild landlocked salmon or browntrout with adipose fin can be almost 8 000 euros.

• It is totally forbidden to kill any landlocked salmon species (with or without adipose fin) during period from 1. June to last day of August.
• Landlocked salmon and Brown trout of 60 cm are weighted from 2 to 2,4 kg`s.
• Average size of Salmon caught on Lake Saimaa is from 2 to 5 kg`s. Salmon of over 6 kg are concidered big. On Lake Saimaa the max size of Salmon can be 10 - 12 kg`s.
• Average size of Brown Trout caught on Lake Saimaa is from 2 to 5 kg. Brown Trout of over 5 kg are concidered big. On Lake Saimaa the max size of Brown Trout can be 9 - 11 kg`s.

Pike, Zander and Perch of Lake Saimaa

• Average size of Pike caught on Lake Saimaa is from 1 to 5 kg. Pikes of over 6 kg or 100 cm long are concidered big. On Lake Saimaa the max size of Pike can be 14 - 18 kg`s. We recommend that you release big pikes that weigh more than 7 kilos or are longer than 1 meter, because these big pikes are important in terms of reproducing new healthy pikes and keeping the eco system as well as the number of other species of fish in good balance. For food, we suggest that each fisherman keeps max. 2 or 3 pikes of 2 to 4 kilos per day. There is no minimum landing lenght for pike in Finnish fishing law, but it is recommended to release pikes smaller than 55 cm long.

• Averagel size of Zander caught on Lake Saimaa is 1 to 3 kg`s. Zander of over 4 kg are concidered big. On Lake Saimaa the max size of Zander can be 9 to 12 kg. Minimum landing lenght for zander on Lake Saimaa area is 45 cm. We recommend that you release zanders that are shorter than 50 cm or longer than 75 cm. This way the smaller zanders will reach the age of maturity and the bigger zanders have the opportunity to reproduce many times. We suggest that each fisherman keeps max. 2 zanders per day.

• Average size of Perch caught on Lake Saimaa is 100 to 900 grams. Perches weighted over 1 kg are concidered big. On Lake Saimaa the max size of Perch can be 2 - 3 kg. The best perches for cooking are 200 to 400 grams in weight. We recommend that you release perches bigger than 1 kilo or +40 cm as they are valuable for breeding. We suggest that each fisherman keeps max. 1 to 3 kilos of perches per day. There is no minimum landing lenght for perch in Finnish fishing law.

Fishing areas on the northern parts of Lake Saimaa

We operate on the areas of Northern Karelia (towns/villages of Joensuu, Rääkkylä, Liperi) and Southern Savonia (towns/villages of Savonranta, Enonkoski, Kerimäki).

Lake Paasselkä in Savonranta is a lake that lies in a crater caused by a meteorite millions of years ago. It is known nationwide as a great salmon lake but it’s also good for pike, perch and zander.

Lakes Savonselkä and Orivesi on the border between Savonranta and Rääkkylä are known as fine zander fishing areas. They are also good for pike, perch and ide.

Lakes Samppaanselkä and Kuhakivenselkä are known for their big zanders, but also for pike and perch.

In Liperi, Lake Ukonselkä is known for big pikes, and lakes Jänisselkä and Tikanselkä are good for catching zander and perch.

Lake Pyhäselkä in Joensuu is a fine area for zander and perch. It is also conveniently near to the many shopping and accommodation services of the town of Joensuu.

Raikuu canal – a hidden treasure

Raikuu canal is one of the canals, that was made by local people more or less in the middle of the 1700 -century. Later by general Suvorov's order canal was expended about 200 years ago. Suvorov was responsible of border between Sweden ja Russia of those days. Suvorov wanted to ensure the service lines from Olavinlinna (in the city of Savonlinna) to Lappeenranta, where was the fortress of Lappeenranta.

In the second world war canal was part of the huge fortress called Salpalinja or Salpa Line. Salpa Line was built between the Winter War and Continuation War to defend Finland against Soviet Union. Line was totally 1200 km long.

Nowadays canal is not an official boat route, but it is legal to go trough by one's own risk. Canal is very shallow and narrow. Smallest depth is 80 cm and most narrow point is 3,5 m. That means, that only small motorboats, jet skis, canoes and rowing boats can go trough.

Paasselkä Devils

There was a time when locals living around Lake Paasselkä (earlier - Paasivesi) did not turn much attention to the lights howering above this large lake. Paasselkä Devil was just a play of spirits, who should care about them?Nowadays, when people have no logical explanation to existance of spirits and ghosts, this light phenomena is very intriguing. It is observed rather often nowadays as well.

Impact crater

Specialists had a supposition that the large, deep Paasselkä lake has been formed by meteorite. Geological investigations in 1999 proved it - this enormous depression was created by a large meteorite hitting the Earth approximately 229 million years ago, in the middle - late Triassic period. Paasselkä lake has roughly circular form and has no islands in central part, it is unusually deep - up to 75 m. Through several channels this lake is connected with other lakes of this area, forming a part of the picturesque Greater Saimaa complex.

Light balls over the lake

Light phenomena over the Paasselkä lake have been observed for centuries (mentioned in written sources since 18th century) but in recent years the interest was revived by a wonderful book of the enthusiast of local history Sulo Strömberg. This book, issued in 2006, contains a collection of the stories of eyewitnesses who have seen these lights. Eyewitnesses tell that Paasselkä devil can be seen at night and looks like a ball of bright light. It is not easy to determine the size of these formations: for most part they are seen in great distance, howering above the lake. It is assumed that they reach a size of football.

For most part these balls are white, also red ones have been seen. Eyewitnesses tell that the light is very bright, much more powerful than the distant lights of car headlamps, driving along the lake. In most cases they are seen over the lake, but there are cases when these lights have been seen also in nearby forests and marshes. For most part is seen one light, but there might be several. Paasselkä devil can be calm, resembling a bright lantern. But these seemingly calm lights might start to move around very quickly. Local people report that sometimes these lights behave as if they have their own will. They might follow the boats of fisherman, it has been also observed that lights evade from the beam of torch. Thus once, in the beginning of 20th century a group of people were returning with a boat from a wedding. They noticed the light howering above the lake and decided to approach it. As they did it, the light moved away for several hundred metres very fast and was standing calm again.

In earlier times local people considered that these are some evil spirits, there are known cases of offerings to Paasselkä devils up to early 20th century.Nowadays several tourist companies have included "watching of Paasselkä Devil" in their tours, as additional attraction to the usual fishing tours. From time to time tourist groups report about sightings of this phenomenon, there are taken images and videos.Convincing explanation to this phenomenon has not been found. There are attempts to explain these lights - like the old and multiple times disproved theory about some easily ignited gases rising from the sediments of lake or some rare piezoelectric effects.

Old School Trolling • Jari Käyhkö
GSM +358 400 523 819 • jari@oldschooltrolling.fi
Business ID 2326440-4