Fishing trips · LAKE AND RIVER FISHING TRIPS IN FINLAND
Good lake and river fishing trips in Finland fill up weeks ahead and the best skippers go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Join Beyond Arctic for a 3.5-hour ice-fishing trip from Levi to a frozen lake. An English-speaking guide, including guides such as Yann, teaches you to drill and fish through thick ice, find new spots, take photos, and enjoy hot drinks, snacks, and possibly fried fish by the fire.
“So cool and so cold!! Yann the guide was so nice !!”
Travel by snowmobile-pulled sleigh from Ivalo to a quiet fishing spot on Lake Inari, then visit Tina and Tapio’s island home. Your guide provides thermal clothing, fishing gear, local stories, and a hot lunch in a traditional kota. Reindeer, a friendly dog, and a warm fire make this a good choice even if fishing is not your main interest.
“L'esperienza è stata molto bella ed organizzata bene. Laurie è un'ottima guida, gentile e disponibile, pronto a spiegare curiosità sulla Lapponia. Viene fornito un abbigliamento adeguato alle condizioni di freddo che si affrontano durante l'attivita. Bello l'incontro con le renne ed il pranzo offerto sotto alla tradizionale tenda sami con braciere.”
Travel by snowmobile-pulled sledge from Inari village to frozen Lake Inari, then learn local ice-fishing methods with modern gear, sonar, and custom flies made by Atte Ikkala. Your guide drills the holes, helps with technique, and provides a tent and hot drink when the cold bites.
“Super expérience avec un guide patient tant avec les adultes qu'avec les enfants. Merveilleux moment passé au milieu du lac et poissons direcetement préparés, cuisinés et mangés!”
Meet David outside Storyville in Helsinki for a five-hour small-group trip to Bodom Lake. You’ll walk on the ice, drill your own fishing hole, learn to use a pilkki, and warm up at a traditional laavu with grilled sausage, vegetarian food, glögi, and piparri.
“Expérience hors du commun avec un guide GÉNIAL ! Rien à dire, c était magique et à refaire. De plus il est très prévenant : bottes supplémentaires, gants au cas où votre tenue ne serait pas adaptée ! Prévoyez des bottes hyper waterproof + des vêtements de ski bien chauds ! Pour couronner le tout, à la fin de l'activité, le guide propose de griller des saucisses avec du pain traditionnel accompagné d'une boisson chaude finlandaise et des réglisses + petits biscuits. 10/10, rien à dire !”
Travel 20 minutes from Rovaniemi to a frozen lake, learn ice-fishing basics from an English-speaking local guide, and try your luck through roughly 1 meter of ice. You will also have time for photos, hot drinks, snacks, and a campfire BBQ. Warm clothing, boots, equipment, and edited photos are included.
“Attività adatta a tutti..!! Posto meraviglioso!!! Alla Fine Non abbiamo pescato niente…ma l attività ne è valsa la pena!!!”
Travel 10 kilometers from Levi to frozen Rautusjärvi for a three-hour English-guided ice-fishing outing. Your guide teaches you to drill a hole and use traditional gear, while a fire, heated shelter, salmon soup, cookies, and hot drinks keep you comfortable. Reindeer and huskies may appear nearby.
“Attività simpatica che ci ha dato la possibiltà di uscire da levi. Abbiamo interagito con gli husky e visto le renne. Buona la zuppa di salmone. Molto disponibile e simpatica la nostra guida che ci ha seguito personalmente per tutto il tempo dandoci tante preziose informazioni.”
Travel from Saariselkä to Lake Inari with an English-speaking guide, warm clothing, and snowmobile-pulled sleigh transport. Try ice fishing, visit Tina and Tapio’s island home, feed two reindeer, and eat a homemade three-course lunch in a warm teepee. Fishing is not guaranteed, but the setting and meal carry the day.
“Génial! Belle expérience unique au milieu du Lac Inari !!! Repas local excellent dans une ambiance chaleureuse !! Une équipe professionnelle au petit soin !!”
Travel from Ivalo to frozen Lake Inari by minibus and snowmobile-drawn sleigh. With guides such as Tina, Tappio, and Maksim, you will try ice fishing, meet reindeer on an island, and eat lunch with hot drinks by an open fire. Thermal clothing, shoes, hotel pickup, and equipment are provided.
“It was an amazing experience. Perfect place for sledges and ice fishing. The lunch was a gastronomical masterpiece and the cute reindeers at the end made this trip fully completed. 12/10 Thank you!”
Head into the Finnish wilderness from Rovaniemi for a 3.5-hour ice-fishing outing on a frozen lake. Your guide drills through up to one meter of ice, explains where fish hide, serves hot drinks and snacks, and may cook your catch. Vinnie is one named guide, and warm clothing, boots, transport, and edited photos are included.
“We had a really nice experience. Our guide Vinnie was really good and ensured we were enjoying our trip.”
At Lucky Ranch near Pyhä, a professional English or Finnish-speaking guide shows you how to drill through the ice and fish for perch, white fish, or rainbow trout. Guide Jonas is praised for his patient instruction. The two-hour outing includes gear, warm drinks, snacks, and the chance to cook your catch over an open fire.
“Notre guide s'est bien a notre portée. nouds a bien tout expliqué, c'était super sympa ! je recommande.”
Leave Saariselkä by minibus for frozen Lake Inari, after collecting thermal clothing and boots at Ivalo Safaris. A guide such as Max or Miko leads the snowmobile-sled ride, ice fishing, campfire lunch, and reindeer feeding. The five-hour trip is capped at 10 people and includes equipment, warm clothing, lunch, and hot drinks.
“Such a fun experience! Our guide, Miko, was amazing and so accommodating. It starts off by getting equipped with warm clothing and equipment, then getting driven to the lake which is like a 20 minute journey. Then you ride on the sleigh on the lake, such a cool yet cold experience (the wind) ! Then the fishing starts! He demonstrates how to make the hole and you take turns trying to make your fishing hole (he ends up making them when we’re all tired). Then he demonstrates how to fish and you spend 30 minutes trying to catch something - seems short but it’s a long time when it’s cold.…”
Spend about five and a half hours near Rovaniemi learning salmon ice fishing and driving a husky sled. Parpalandia supplies thermal clothing, fishing gear, instruction, and a warm kota snack. José may lead the outing, and groups stay at 16 people or fewer. Pickup is offered, with sled teams shared by two adults.
“Fantastic experience! We had a great Husky tour in the south west of Rovaniemi, followed by a nice barbecue and interesting stories from our guide José who told us a lot about finish traditions and history!”
Meet at Sámi Village in Nellim for a two-hour winter outing on frozen Lake Inari. Your English-speaking guide takes you by snowmobile sleigh to an ice-fishing spot, explains Sámi fishing with rods and nets, cooks fish over a fire, and serves a hot drink. The group is limited to five people.
“La guía es una auténtica Sami que conoce bien la cultura y el lugar. Nos llevó en moto de nieve hasta el lago helado donde ya había hecho ella previamente los agujeros para que nosotros pudiéramos pescar. A pesar de eso no conseguimos pescar nada. Ella cocinó pescado que ya llevaba y nos dio zumo caliente de arándanos.”
Meet your English- or French-speaking guide at the Safari House beside Lake Ylläsjärvi. Walk onto the frozen lake, drill your own fishing hole, and learn to use a pilkki for perch or pike. Warm clothing, equipment, a hot drink, biscuit, and local stories are included. Guide JP is praised for helpful tips about the area.
“Wunderschönes Erlebnis 😍 JP hat uns viel zum Ice-Fishing erklärt und hat uns sehr viele Tipps für unseren Aufenthalt gegeben. Wir können dieses Erlebnis nur weiterempfehlen, aber zieht euch warm an. Bei uns war es leider sehr kalt. Der warme Saft hat wirklich gut getan, dazu gab es leckere Kekse. Man durfte sich sein Eisloch für die Angel selbst bohren, was ebenfalls interessant war. Die Landschaft um den gefrorenen See war wunderschön.”
You’ll travel from central Rovaniemi to a snowy primeval forest, where a Chinese, English, or Finnish-speaking guide leads a snowshoe walk and ice-fishing session. Afterward, warm up in a Finnish kota hut, help light the fire, and enjoy open-fire salmon with blueberry tea. Thermal clothing, equipment, transport, and hotel pickup are included.
“Tutto ma la ciaspolata è stata la cosa più bella in assoluto...”
Salt, fresh or frozen.
