Ylinen Kilpisjärvi

Character of the water

Ylinen Kilpisjärvi lies in the cold north — a northern clear oligotrophic deep lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light.

The surroundings

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

Large and deep (48 m): a central basin ringed by drop-offs and shallow bays around the edges — varied bottom with many spots to read.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Ylinen Kilpisjärvi FVOF. Day permit ~60 kr · annual permit ~300 kr.

• Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
• Trout & Arctic char: protected during the autumn spawn · catch-and-release on certain stretches.
• Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Fishing Ylinen Kilpisjärvi

The species list of Ylinen Kilpisjärvi runs to 4. The predators — pike, burbot and Arctic char — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size every bay becomes its own fishery.

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 Ylinen Kilpisjärvi are alike.

General rules of thumb for this kind of water

• Clear water makes fish light-shy — dawn, dusk and night are usually best.
• In deep, oxygenated lakes the predators seek cool depth in summer, shallower in spring and autumn.