December November 2002
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Velkua 27.12.
SFM-toimitus, Eki and Jari
Icefishing perches on a old hot spot. The schools were scattered. Th icecover was like emmental. Anyway, we caught perches enough for three families to eat, all together a bit under thirty kilos. Medium was under 200g, the biggest one 420 g. in the afternoon we tried zanders in deeper waters. Eki caught 15 pcs, SFM-toimitus 2 and Jari one. The only legal size fish was caught by Eki. So only one of 18 was big enough.
Blue and orange balance jig (50 mm) with orange treble hook was hot for perches. Steel colored vertical jig with Berkley maggots (red) or living maggots was best for zanders.
Sauvo, Syvalahti 26.12
Kari and Kake
Digesting the Christmas meals on Boxing day. The day was fine for ice-fishing, no wind and the temperature was ok. And fish we caught even too much, the small ones we put back to grow up. There were a lot of other fishermen on the ice, too, apparently the fine weather was the reason. I caught fishes to clean six kilos (perches) and seven zanders. Kake, the old icefox caught again the biggest ones, ten kilos perches to be cleaned of which the biggest one was 590 g.
Aland, Hammarudda 15.12.
Pingo
Fishing on our island is now really good. Last sunday we were fishing Hammarudda waters on the western side of Aland. The weather was perfect, western wind 5 m/s and air +2 centigrades. Even if the waterlevel was very low, we had 27 seatrout contacts, of which 13 fishes were hooked and landed. The medium size was quite poor, most of the trouts were1,2- 1,4 kgs. Anyway, really nice to have so many contacts!
Piikkio, Aavikki 14.12
TomiL
Perch/zanderfishing round Aavikki island. Perches were in the hitting mood, even the big balance jigs fished well. Abag full of perches was the result of the day, medium about 200g, biggest ones 350 g. Two zanders 38 and 39 cm. A sea-eagle flying around was the crown of the day!
Sakyla, Pyhajarvi 7.12
TomiL
Fishing small perches for our cat round Soronkari. Perches were in familiar places. SO, in three hours I ice-fished 6,5 kgs fishes witn vertical jig Ini. Temperature -16 centigrades freezed my fingers as icepins, so I had to go home.
Tammela, Vaha-Ilmetty 6.12
TomiL and Teemu
Two weeks ago I had some nice pike hits on this lake. Now I took good equipments for heavier fishes with me. This time there were no monster class fishes, but only smaller ones were active. The catch was two kilo size pikes and seven perches, the biggest one 300g. The lure was vertical jig Hopeasiipi with orange treble hook.
Velkua, Teersalo 7.12.
Jari and Eki
We had to stop fishing at 15.00, because we both had two plastic bags full of perches. The catch was mostly small fishes, biggest ones 300-400 grams. Some minor zanders we caught, too. Balance jigs and mormyskas were the best lures. Now we have protein for our families about two next weeks time.
Sakyla, Pyhajarvi 30.11
TomiL
Ice-fishing perches round Soronkari. In the morning I had to seek two hours before I found the large schools. When I found them, no more need to drill holes. Perches about 7 kgs, some over 300 g, but medium only 80 g. The icecover 22 cm and splendid circumstances to move with kick-sledge. Perhaps the freezing wind hold all others at home. I did not see another fisherman.
Uusikaupunki sea-area, Lepainen 30.11.
JaniO
Icould have guessed this: once I have possibility to go fishing, the winter hits on. But I did not mind the freezing winds, I had to go fishing, because it has been so long time ago since last time. Originally I thought, that floating with belly-boat would be nice, but heavy eastern wind changed my plans. Luckily I got a boat to borrow, so I rowed to an island. There I flyfished the shores.Eastern wind (13 m/s) and freezind air (-6 centig) made the fishing challenging. Icepieces and all kind of trash was floating on the surface. Large guides on the rod helped against the icing problem, I had to clean them only once in two hours session. Anyway, my waders under the knee level were like ice and my feet were freezing. Saldo was once again NF (No Fish), but perhaps next time I will catch my Xmas fish. It was enjoyable to watch winterly nature and drink hot coffee at the same time.
Try.. You can not get disappointed...
Tammela, Vaha-Ilmetty ja Pernunjarvi 23.11
TomiL
KariA has told, that in Tammela small lakes there is quality ice-fishing possibilities. On the lake Vaha-Ilmetty the morning began with a heavy pike hit. Then me and the oppponent had pulling contest of line about ten minutes. The pike got tired, but the hole in the ice was only four inches, that was much too small. I saw only half of the head of the fish, nobody near to help me. The advantage was on the pike's side. A couple of heavy kicks and the lifting hook was straight, the line broke and the fish was away. This made a nice treble on my rod hand, the treble was needed when fishing perches. I found fishes every now and then, but not really large schools of perches. Saldo 1,4kg perches. Finally I tested the neighbouring lake, Pernunjarvi, with six holes and caught two perches.
Sakyla, Pyhajarvi 16.11
TomiL
Opening of the icefishing season on the lake Pyhajarvi in Sakyla. Round the Iissalo area with leaderjig 2,4 kg perches, medium 60g. Ice on the open lake 10 cm, no snow.
Keuruu, Reinikkarapids 16.11.
SFM-toimitus and co
The first fishing day after the spawning protection. The water level was crazy down, about 20-30 cm under normal. Fishes were really timid, tens of fleeing waves were seen. Veikko caught the biggest, black 46 cm trout and one smaller one, Ari had two fishes , too, and Jari one. Jarilla lost at least 6 fisheskpl. The same fleeing waves game was in in Kotala rapids, too.
Veikko and 46 cm trout, and behing the dry Herrasrapid.
USA, Eastcoast weeks 44-45
JakeK
Here some fishing news of two last weeks: The 2nd of november I was in Sandy Hookissa with local Flyfishing club, Coastal Flyrodders. The idea was to go around the whole area, and then make the telephone lines hot, when fishes are found. We began at 5.45 in the morning. I got a place, where there were a lot of seaguls hunting small fishes, but they were about hundred meters out. The wind was so heavy, that I did not want to fish with my kajak. So I had to wait the fishes come nearer. I saw some really nice tailings, but for some reason the fishes did not accept my flies. 4 hours of blind casting I finally had a heavy hit, a moment reeling and I pulled on the shore 32 inches, 5.5kg of striper. The fly was again the same bunker imitation dressed on 1/0 hook. Because I never had tasted a fish like that, I had to invite it to supper. It was really tasty made in oven with lime juice and whitewine and my home grown chilies.
Last sunday was the day to research a new place for me in state New Yorkin. In the morning there were six kajaks waiting. All others went fishing, but me I had to get my breakfast. Mistake! When I got on the sea the others had caught and released 10-20 stripers per person. I was there at the last hot moments and caught 6 stripers in half an hour. Pity, all the fishes were very small, the biggest one a 22 inches fish, which took popperfly. The ebb and tide calmed andno more fishes. We waited about one hour talking fun on the shore, and then the water started to move again, and so moved the kajaks on the sea, too. Paddling the sweat falling down me and Art found again the fishes with the help of about 500 seaguls. About 1.5 hours time we had really hot fishing, the best of us had 5-6 casts in the row and always a fish on.The fishes were still really small ones. There was no meaning with which fly you fished, they took everything. I fished with this kind of fly dressed on 1/0 hook:
Tail: White curly artificial hair, three saddle feathers on both sides and a bit of flash.
Body: White cross-cut rabbit turned on the shank
Wing: Flash under and fl. green fox on
Eyes on the head and epoksy on
My personal saldo was about 30 stripers. Those who fished the hottest moments too got saldo 50-60 fishes. Not a bad day! Next weekend again, I hope there will be schools of bigger fishes then.
Tammela, Pikkuilmetty 10.11.
KariA
Icefishing from 8.30 to 11.00 on the lake Pikkuilmetty. The catch: 58 perches and one pike, all together 5,4 kg. Today I had stronger lines, but still one pike took my jig, it straightened the flylock. The biggest perch today:480 g.
Sysma, Tainio 10.11.
Pete and Tawny
Aday testing our new rods. No sign of the fishes. The water level was really low, but the weather was ok for flyfishing.
Tammela, Pikkuilmetty 9.11.
KariA and Pappa
Me and Pappa we were ice-fishing today on the lake Pikkuilmetty from 9.00 to 14.00 o'clock. In the morning we had to seek the fishes, only some small perches and 7 small pikes were caught. We had bigger ones on, too, but they broke our lines (we lost 3 jigs). At noon we found a great place, we caught fish after fish. Saldo 178 perches, biggest ones 400 gramms, totally 17.5 kg. Vertical jigs with coloured hooks were hot.
Merikarviariver 3.11.
MarkkuR, Olli and Nikolai
We had heard, that there is a massive run of whitefishes to the river going on. Sunday morning it was 11 minus grades, but me on Olli we had to see the schools of fishes. The weather got better in the daytime, but I have never casted with a tippet rounded with one centimeter icecover. Monoline frosted up in Holmankoski, the water temperature was under zero. Even the stones underwater had an ice cover. Only some hot spots were to be flyfished. You could have icefished in the calm parts of the river.
Fishing in Lankoski was easier. Nikolai came from Pori and joined our company. He knew the best whitefish placed and showed them to us.The fishes had only spawning in their minds, so no flies were interesting them. Nikolai caught one about 1 kg Whitefish, but it was hooked outside. anyway it was fun fishing inthe wintertime, too. Problem was that 20-30 cm trouts were too active, so we changed the species to rainbow fishing. Saldo: MR 1, Olli 3 and Nikolai 4 rainbow trouts, all about 40 cm, a bit under and a bit over the limit. A interresting trip, fun fishing and nice experiences.
Helsinki 3.11.
KimmoM
Seatrout fishing in the water area in front of Helsinki. Saldo:
Inkoo 26 g / GHTR: a seatrout 2,1 kg + another about the same size lost just by the boat
Inkoo 18 g / GHTR: a seatrout 3,2 kg
+ some "perhaps" hits (= no evidences or wittnesses)
Other spoon baits (Trutta-copies, Viking, etc): seatrouts 0 pcs. I have to say, that after the first fish and the lost one we did not fish so much other baits than Inkoo.This GHTR seems to work fine!
Nauvo 1.11.
OlliT
Flyfishing seatrouts. One seatrout, 47 cm. The fly was again a mylar bodied small fish imitation tied on number 2 long shank hook.