Going fishing is a great idea, and if you go fishing in Karelia it’s generally cool, and if you also go as a savage, then it’s just an unforgettable trip, but where to go, where to go. The republic is not small, there are a lot of lakes and rivers there.
Yes, indeed, the Republic of Karelia occupies one of the first places in terms of natural beauty in Russia, as well as in the number of fishing spots. Judge for yourself on the territory of the Republic there are about 60 thousand lakes and 22 thousand rivers and streams in which you can and should fish.
The variety of fish that live here is simply amazing; while fishing in Karelia, you can even choose who you want to catch today, and there is plenty to choose from. Pike, grayling, perch, bream, pike perch, pink salmon, a lot of fish species. If you have someone with you who is not interested in fishing in principle, trust him, he will have something to do. The nature in this region is very picturesque; in some areas there are churches and buildings preserved from the time of Peter the Great.
Believe me, there is something to see here at any time of the year, no matter when you come. Once you come here once, you will definitely want to return to these picturesque places more than once. Here, the development of tourism and fishing has government support, so the prices here are not high.
Large selection of recreation centers and campsites. Most of them are located in picturesque places on the banks of rivers or lakes, and there are over 50 thousand lakes here. You can stay in comfortable rooms, or you can hire a guide who will show you places where you can stay in a tent on the river bank.
How to choose a lake in Karelia for fishing
The most difficult thing in Karelia is to decide on a fishing spot, since the choice of lakes and rivers is simply colossal. The most common choice for beginners are lakes with developed infrastructure. These are Ladoga, Onega, Yulyajarvi, Syamozero, Vygozero and a whole bunch of other lakes that already have access roads and equipped descents to the water.
For fans of extreme fishing, there are lakes where there are no entrances or descents to these lakes, you need to fly by helicopter or go along the river by boat. There is simply no other way to get to them. Fishing in these places is especially good. Because the fish in such lakes have not yet been scared by any person. And there is definitely fish there. Look at the photos posted by fishermen who have been fishing here. Look at these happy faces of people who are hugging huge pikes, graylings, and much more you can catch here.
The choice of fishing location is also determined by the type of fish desired. Thus, on the southern side, fishing for pike, perch, and pike perch flourishes, and on the northern side, salmon species predominate. So before choosing a place to relax, you should decide who you would like to catch in this place, still untouched by civilization. But remember the most important thing is not to harm nature with your presence. Just clean up after yourself the place where you rested. .
In order for your vacation to go as best as possible, you should choose a good and proven team of like-minded people. Because you shouldn’t go to unfamiliar places first and alone. You may need a friend's help. And together it is much more fun and easier to overcome the difficulties that arise along your way.
Study the map of the area and the nearest recreation centers well. Think over the route. Upon arrival, find a guide who will show you places for fishing and recreation.
It is also worth deciding on the transport on which you will move around the republic and its wooded areas, but often if you have found a guide, he will tell you about transport and about places and about what is worth taking with you and what will be unnecessary.
Advantages and disadvantages
Now there are many bases that provide comfortable conditions for fishing.
However, many people prefer to live in the wild. This method of traveling and fishing has its advantages:
- Romance. It is an incomparable pleasure to independently find among the many Karelian reservoirs the very one where fishing will be successful. And in the evening, make a fire on the shore, cook aromatic fish soup and sing songs with friends with a guitar.
- Lower financial costs. You won’t have to spend money on accommodation or pay for additional services.
- Privacy. An opportunity to be alone with nature without a crowd of other fishermen nearby.
- Mobility. If you didn’t like fishing in one place, you can move to another at any time.
But even this jar of honey has its own fly in the ointment.
The disadvantages of “wild” fishing include the following:
- You will have to take a lot of things on a trip. You need to provide everything you need for sleeping, cooking, not to mention how many necessary paraphernalia you will need for the fishing itself. When traveling to an equipped vacation spot, the list of what you need is much shorter.
- Ignorance of the area. In Karelia, the forests are quite wild, so there is always a chance of getting lost, wandering into a swamp, or meeting a not-so-friendly animal. And you can simply end up on a bad body of water, with an inconvenient approach and sparse fauna.
- Lack of comfort.
What at first seems unusual and original can later cause severe inconvenience:
- Karelia is a northern region, so if you spend the night in a tent you can get very cold.
- Mosquitoes and other insects threaten with bites and other troubles.
- Lack of shower and other usual amenities.
- The need to cook food in spartan conditions.
Where to go fishing in Karelia
Next, I will describe several lakes that are worth paying attention to, especially if you want to go to this region for the first time.
Of course, to get acquainted, it is better to choose proven places and those that are in demand both among fishermen and just those who like to relax. The most famous lakes in this republic are Vygozero, Ladoga, Onega, Segozero, Topozero, Vygozero, Pyagozero. On the shores of these lakes there are hotel complexes with everything necessary for active recreation, fishing and hunting.
Fishing on Lake Ladoga
Let's start with Ladozhsky. On this lake, and it is one of the largest in this region. There are just plenty of fish, you just need to know where to look for them. In this lake you can catch the following types of fish:
- Bream.
- Salmon.
- Zander.
- Sterlet.
- Trout and this is just one of the famous ones.
In order for your fishing to go well, you will have to rent a boat, and you will be given a guide with the boat who will show you the most fishing spots. A boat is needed to get to the fishing spots, since the lake is large and it’s easier to get to the cool spots by water.
Fishing on Lake Onega
The lake is so large that its area is comparable to a small European state; judge for yourself, about 10,000 sq.m.
There is definitely fish here and there is a lot of it, so you won’t be left without a catch, namely, on this lake you can catch:
- lake salmon
- Smelt.
- Whitefish.
- Yelets.
- Guster.
- Bream.
- Chekhon.
- There are two types of crucian carp here: regular and golden.
- Lake trout.
- Burbot.
- Pike.
And this is not a complete list. There are also hotel complexes on the coastal areas that will be happy to see you all year round. There is a bathhouse, a sauna, free wi-fi, and there are hiking routes. Your catch will be gladly prepared and served to you for dinner in the best possible way, or as you wish. Of course, you can fish on the lake if you have a license, which you can easily purchase on the spot. Many recreation centers purchase a certain number of licenses in advance under which you will not have problems with the law.
The open water fishing season is quite long from about the 20th of May to mid-December. Temperature range from +10 to +35. Of course not the south, but not the far north either. Of course, every self-respecting fisherman would like to fish in such a historical place.
After spending several days on Onega, you will replenish your collection of memories with very large reserves. Come fishing to Lake Onega.
Fishing on Segozero
This place also ranks among the top fishermen. Segozero is also quite large, its area is approximately 90 sq.m. The depth reaches up to 25 meters. The water is clean and transparent. It can be seen about 5-6 meters away. A great place to go fishing with a spinning rod or a simple float rod. On Segozero you can catch the following types of fish:
- Salmon.
- Grayling.
- Pike.
- Trout.
- Perch.
- Ide.
- Roach.
- Burbot.
Segozero is famous for its islands, which you can get to by boat and stay there overnight or for three or four days. This is definitely a real fusion with nature. Just the lake and fishing. You can relax in comfort. There are also hotels and fishing bases. Gear can be rented along with the island; the price for renting an island is approximately from 1.5 to 3 thousand per day. There are also guarded parking lots where you can leave your car and not be afraid that something will happen to it.
But fishing in wild places, of course, has its pros and cons that are worth mentioning.
One of the advantages, of course, is romance. Fish in wild places where no human has ever set foot before (well, almost never set foot before)
