Fishing activities and rental gear
Utsjoki region is a fishing paradise, far from the crowds. We offer a wide range of guided and self-guided fishing holidays to different types of water areas and catch, from day trips to multi-day programs.
Depending on your preferences, we can tailor anything from luxury to budget travel, to pure wilderness fishing excursions.
Send us email
to inquire any tours and rental gear, or read more about fishing in Utsjoki region
here, or scroll down to see the guided fishing tours we offer for online booking!
Teno river grayling chase
Welcome to our guided fishing excursion: fly fishing by Teno River! Target species: grayling, trout, pike (and russian salmon on uneven years).
This fishing activity is available from June to early August.
River Utsjoki fishing
Utsjoki river is a tributary of Teno river. From Utsjoki river, you can fish with spinner or fly for grayling, trout or pike.
Welcome to our guided fishing excursion to Utsjoki river with a local guide! Tours available from early June to end of August.
Ice-fishing on wilderness lakes
Ice-fishing is a special fishing method for winter conditions. We drive to the wilderness lake with snowmobile and sled, drill a hole in the ice and use a special rod and bate for attracting the arctic char from the cold waters. Use the link to book a 2-3 hour ice-fishing excursion, or send us email for tailored, full day tours!
Ice-fishing tours are available from January to late April
Private Premium 5-day fishing holiday at River Teno
Relax and enjoy a fully guided 5-day fishing holiday, in a beautiful wooden villa by Great river Teno in Utsjoki, Northernmost Finnish Lapland! Arctic waters have a unique catch!
This fishing holiday is available from June 20th to August 3rd, only on request!
What is so special about Utsjoki region as a fishing destination?
The mighty Teno river, right by good road connection, connects the whole region and most water areas to the Barents Sea. Teno is famous as the biggest spawning rivers for the Atlantic Salmon. Atlantic Salmon used to be the favorite catch of locals and sport fishers, but now as the number of Atlantic Salmon is alarmingly low, this special fish is protected. Even though Atlantic Salmon is not any more a target fish, fishermen keep coming back to Teno for the special atmosphere of indigenous Sàmi homelands and the freely running waters - and also for the sea trouts and trophy-size grayling!
The highland areas around Utsjoki – Kaldoaivi and Paistunturi wilderness areas – have several wilderness lakes and ponds with cold water. Some within reach of a day trip, and by some you can spend the night at a wilderness hut or traditional lávvu-tent. Some lakes have a steady stock of arctic char and trout, some of perch, white fish and pike.
The waters are in excellent condition: water is so clear, you can see the rocks in the bottom and the fish swimming around. The cleanest air and cleanest water on earth is already an experience it-self!
Our pristine, arctic nature is indescribably beautiful, and so are our fish.
For wilderness fishermen, the most beautiful catch is the red-bellied Arctic char. Arctic char is what many people seek during winter ice fishing here in Northernmost Lapland, but can also be caught throughout summer and autumn from our cool waters with flies or spinners.
River Teno is one of the best sites to catch grayling, a true beauty of the pure, Northern waters. River Teno is also a spawning river of the pink salmon and brown trout. Pink Salmon spawn in Teno from late June to end of summer, in a two year cycle, on uneven years (2023, 2025, 2027…).
In most rivers and also in some wilderness lakes, you can also catch Northern pike, which we call with the nickname ”Arctic crocodile”, especially when you catch the big ones. Throughout summer and also in late Autumn, a nice catch is also the whitefish, which is a delicacy caught especially from the bigger lakes. Another very common fish in many lakes is perch.
Fish as the means of surviving in the Arctic
Utsjoki is in the Sámi Homeland area, nowadays better known as Northernmost Finnish Lapland.
Fishing has been an important livelihood for the Sámi for centuries, the fish providing nutrition for families. Even today, there is not much fish products sold in local grocery stores, as many people still catch fish to eat. Ask almost any local about what they had for dinner today, the answer will be either fish or reindeer.
What this means for fishing tourism, is that the catch and release -type of fishing or fishing as just a leisure activity is very rare in our region. When we go to catch fish, it is to provide a meal to someone (if not to the one who catches the fish, then to for example older members of the community, who are not able to go fishing them-selves anymore).
The only types of fish that are released are the species that are restricted, such as Atlantic salmon or other individuals that do not meet the regulatory criteria. With some fish species in wilderness lakes, we encourage our guests to release the bigger catch (if not injured), to support the reproduction of the stronger individuals in the small ecosystem.
Catching fish to eat is a long tradition in our remote community, but this culture might change at some point, with the increasing popularity of fishing as a sport. But as long as the fish stock seems to be in steady condition, we are happy to cook your catch for you on open fire, smoked in traditional way or as traditional raw salted fish (”gravlax”). If you don´t enjoy eating the fish you catch, you can always choose to release your catch or donate it to elderly people in our village!
It is difficult to find any other place with such good fishing opportunities in the most peaceful surrounding, good services and spectacular wilderness setting.
With population density of 0,2/square kilometer, and about 150 km of Teno shoreline for fishing, few thousand square kilometers of wilderness areas, you are sure to have peace and quiet during your fishing trips in Utsjoki. Tourism is an important livelihood in the region, but as most companies and guides serve only private guests or very small groups, you can spend an entire day fishing, without even meeting anyone else.
So if you are looking for a very unique, Arctic fishing holiday, we are happy to help with arrangements! Send us email at arctic@travelutsjoki.com, and we can start from there. We always follow local fishing regulations on our tours and all fishing permits and license are always included on tour prices.
Interested in our tours or private guiding? We’re here to help!
You can always send us email to inquire tours and if you have any questions. We reply within 1-2 business days!