Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 7 November 2025
Last Friday I almost missed my fishing window. Some issues as always came up and clock was running. Eventually around 2 pm I made it to our lake. Daylight was allready turning.
As I arrived lake it was still dead flat and no rises. I was not really expecting huge amount as it is late autumn. Cloudy, grey, misty.... you name it AND water temperature was 3 celsius, air 5 celsius. I turned boat and got gears ready.
Still no active fish, I rowed one spot and checked that and waited if something will come up. And there was as in one "bay" I could see 2 or 3 active fish rising and eating. I went closer, and started fishing. I kept good distance on fish, 15 meters or more as I was worries to spook them and also it was good chance to practise distance and accuracy.
I didn't anchor boat as I thought it would be faster and more silent to move if need. Boat moved really slowly in the bay and as there was 3 different risers so I was able to cast all of those and train my snakehead casting. I have marks on line so casts where 15-18 meters, risers was great fun to watch and it felt really good when you hit sweet spot. Only problem was that my fly was wrong one.
I got one chase like snakeheads were doing in Malaysia, it happened as I had perfect shot next to rise, nothing happened and I decided to change fly, as I started to take line in... trout decided that is something interesting, that fucker just couldn't open mouth and take it.
So I started with dry fly, small fly, with foam as wing and cdc hackle, no body. Just hook wing and small hackle, I have got salmon and trout with that fly, it is good fly in certain situation. It is 3 in one, as it works as dry, emergent and pupa.
I changed fly and continued, nothing. Ismo's pupa was not right one, probably wrong colour. Excitement kept me warm and I didn't notice anything else than daylight is fading more and more. I changed again, I couldn't find fly I was really looking for as I thought, small streaking caddis type fly would do the trick. I could see flies place on my computer yet file was not there in box.
I selected close enough one and continued, now I got a second rejection as fish came and turned just before fly. Sun had set over 30 minutes ago and clock was reaching 4 pm.
It was getting dark and difficult to change fly anymore or even see it. Rising was dying only few there and there, just like it is getting louder before it ends. I checked few spots where I thought could be something and I was there when fish rises yet no result.
I went back to shore as now I started to feel little cold. As I started to pack gears I realized that my fingers were really cold and toes even worse. Excitement kept we warm until that.
Sunday I had new session, this time I had good gloves and still wrong shoes. I was earlier at lake and stopped ealier as wind came and weather turned.
I had two great last minute sessions, no luck with fish yet absolutely excellent sessions. Forecast is that on Sunday it is turning minus degrees, so season could be really over. I have small hope that Sunday could be still fishing day if no wind and no reindeer work.
If no fishing, I finished still with happines. Even if my toes were pretty numb from cold after each day. Looks like there is another way to keep yourself warm instead of clothing, excitement is one.
Have a nice weekend and go fishing.
Mika from Finland