Saarijärvi

Character of the water

Saarijärvi lies in the cold north — a northern humic brown forest lake. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length.

The surroundings

The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.

Moderately deep (8 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Saarijärvi FVOF. Day permit ~100 kr · annual permit ~500 kr.

• Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
• Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Fishing Saarijärvi

Saarijärvi holds 6 species, with perch, pike and burbot at the top of the chain and roach, bream and ruffe schooling beneath them. The modest depth keeps most of the fishing within reach of the bank.

The fishing here follows the water's own rhythm: dawn and dusk have their windows, fronts close and open them, and the season moves the fish. No two sessions at Saarijärvi are alike.

General rules of thumb for this kind of water

• Brown, humic water dampens the light — fishing can be good even in the middle of the day.
• Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.