Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 6 March 2026
Last weekend was something we have never done before, at least this time of the season. Before Covid we use to have night over in Rovaniemi or if lucky even two nights. Afterwards it feels funny as before Covid you could actually find hotel room with decent price and even get one.
Now if you look prices in short notice in Rovaniemi, you have to pay easily 300e/night, which is double before Covid. So when we started to have idea having break, Rovaniemi was out from list, not only because price. Another reason was that we had no desire to spent our holiday with tourist.
Therefore we decided to head Sweden. We knew that it will be with great company, good food and time to relax. I had some snooker games and I have to say that you could clearly saw how game has changed as those guys have been practising and also their approach had changed. If there was not clear possibility to pot... they went safety, so less room for errors.
I was struggling totally even if I had some good moments, anyway it was great to play. Sunday turned kind of highlight even though it was long drive to home. I had taken our rods with us, just in case, like last time, Stefan told us that they normally have indoor casting possibility on Sunday.
Satu said that we could use that possibility if we stop in IKEA on the way home. That was easy decision to make even I hate IKEA shopping. Eventually it was not so bad than I remembered —the shopping part — as we bought some kitchen items also.
Back to casting, there was few other guys also casting from Piteå club. You could see that they have been casting whole winter already. I did some warm up and started to cast. It was absolutely awesome do casting inside, warm, no wind, just concrete on technique.
I have lot to do with launch still, I just can't get it right everytime. Some times I truly hit it, mostly not. Carry was same than earlier, 22 meters was pretty easy, so no improvement there, which is normal as I haven't trained enough. It was so nice to watch AK and Stefan, how effortlessly they cast. It was easy to see years of practise and what it brings.
I have issues with holding rod too tight, kind of squeeze it. It comes when I start to be on limit of casting skills, and that surely kills cast. If I can keep cast relaxed, there is no problem. It is like bad habit and I need to learn off from it.
Stefan watched my casting and mentioned about it. When he told how to get small fix on that, I remembered that Paul told same thing.
It seems that I forget those small things as there is too long time between sessions. I would say knowledge is there but it is not in muscles memory. And that's where I need to get it. I truly enjoyed casting and I could see some good things anyway, it is just not relaxed enough yet.
I have never been able to do casting in such perfect circumstances, it felt really nice. Roof was little low yet it forced to keep loops tight and it didn't bother me at all.
We have never before being able to have so many day offs and break in middle of high season from farm, not at least after Covid. And we have never before being able to have casting session in such nice circumstances.
It was truly great weekend and now looks like weather is getting decent here so maybe it is time to have some outdoor sessions also.
Have a nice weekend
Mika from North