Lake Inari: nature and fishing

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:53

Inari (Inarijärvi) is a large lake in northern Scandinavia, belongs to the territory of Lapland (Finland). This reservoir is located beyond the Arctic Circle. The area of the lake is about a thousand square kilometers. The bottom goes to a depth reaching 92 meters in some places. The volume of water in this natural reservoir is 15.9 km3. If we compare its area with that of other lakes, then it will turn out to be 17.7 times less than that of Lake Ladoga, 9.7 times less than Lake Onega, and 1.3 times less than Bely Lake. Thus, it is far from the largest of the existing lakes in this region.

Geography

The lake is located on a hilly area, at an altitude of about 120 m above sea level. The total length of the coastline is 3308 km. The average water depth is 15 meters. The distance from coast to coast is 80 km in length and 50 km in width. The lake itself is elongated from southwest to northeast.

The climate in this region is cold, with long, moderately frosty and snowy winters and cool summers. Continentality is weakly expressed. The climate is affectedthe warming influence of the warm Gulf Stream and the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean. Strong winds often blow and waves rise. The severity and remoteness from civilization make this lake wild and inaccessible for visiting and fishing. The reservoir is under ice from November to March.

Hydrology

Over twenty rivers flow into Lake Inari (Finland), the largest of which are Ivalojoki and Kaamasjoki. At the same time, the reservoir is the source of the Patsojoki River. At the outlet, a hydroelectric power plant has been built, which is regulated by Russian operators. The salinity of Lake Inari corresponds to freshwater reservoirs.

Nature

Pine and birch trees grow along the coasts and on the islands. They form forests and woodlands. The total number of islands is 3318. One of them was a cemetery island, where the ancient Sami were buried. The other is known for being a place for sacrifices of the ancient inhabitants of these harsh lands. One of the islands may be on the UNESCO list.

The bottom of the lake is uneven, with deep depressions and rocky ridges. The islands also have a rocky base. On the map, the lake looks very fragmented, with a heavily indented coast, and this is typical for both the northern and southern parts. There are swamps along the banks.

In the waters of this reservoir there are such species of fish as perch, pike, trout, freshwater salmon, brown trout, grayling, arctic char. The presence of valuable fish attracts many anglers here.

Thanks to the sparing attitude towards nature, the lakepractically does not change and remains the same as hundreds of years ago.

Fishing Features

This object is very far from civilization. Therefore, the economic use of Lake Inari is small. And those who want to fish in it should know the following:

• The distance from the object to the border with Russia is 45 kilometers.
• If you drive from St. Petersburg by car, you will need to overcome over 1000 kilometers.
• The closest airport to the lake is located in the city of Ivalo.
• Infrastructure on the shores of the lake is poorly developed. There are few cottages, but the conditions there are much worse than those in southern Finland. There may be no running water, electricity, and even solar panels familiar to Europe. The toilet may be outside. However, for seasoned travelers, all these inconveniences, of course, are not a hindrance. After all, you can stock up on candles, lanterns, which are in great abundance on the modern market, and take water on the street (after all, this is an ecologically clean area).
• There are separate hotels with comfortable conditions, but there are very few of them, and therefore getting a room can be a big problem.
• The weather on the lake is very unstable and may not be very comfortable. Here in the summer there are cold, long rains, bothersome winds. For seasoned fishermen, all this, of course, is small things, but it is still better to choose the period from July to October.
• For those who prefer motor water transport for fishing, there are no suitable conditions here.
• Before you can get a fishing permit in Finland, you need to pay a state fee, as well as get two territorial licenses: for lake fishing and for river fishing.
• Fishing accessories can be purchased in the city of Inari, which is located on the western shore of this reservoir. You can also buy local souvenirs there.

Catching Methods

Inari uses such methods of catching fish as casting, trolling, fly-fishing. For trolling, baits such as silicone, wobblers for great depths and dynamic spinners measuring 10 centimeters or a little more are used. Trout is found in abundance in the rivers flowing into the lake. Good places for catching it are their mouths. Grayling fish is found in bays near the islands at a depth of about 3 meters. It can be caught using fly fishing or spinners. The optimal depth for trolling is 10 meters or more. Therefore, baits must be used in conjunction with a deepener.

Thus, despite all the inconveniences, fishing in Lake Inari will give you an unforgettable experience and great outdoor recreation.