Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 7 August 2026
We arrived late Saturday evening to Kraddsele and had nice dinner from friends. We have small cottage with table and beds, there is coffee machine yet cooking, toilet and shower are in other building. Really nice cabin for sleep, and have morning coffee as it is only purpose to be inside.
Sunday I went check upper part of Vindelån, not really up part yet area which requires walking pretty much. I took bicycle and shortened time to reach area. I found a lot rising trout yet small ones. I saw few bigger fish rising yet either on other side or totally in middle, so out reach. Wind died totally during evening and there was even hatch yet I couldn't find decent trout. I got one small up. It was absolutely peaceful day by the river.
Monday we went together with Satu to fish Vindelälven. It was windy day and I started fishing with floating pupa and nymph, I got few smaller graylings. Satu fished with nymph with no result. I changed dries for me and had few rises fast, two which I couldn't hook properly as not ready at all. I told Satu to change white ismo's pupa and she got pretty fast +40 cm grayling. Everyone else seemed to fish with nymphs.
I kept fishing with dries and ended up to land 50 cm grayling. And some smaller ones eventually. It was good day despite heavy wind during whole day.
For Tuesday forecast was heavy wind with some sun. So we decided explore some new waters for us from Vindelån. We saw lot of small trout yet again bigger ones were missing. It turned more like outdoor day than fishing, on the way to accommodation I checked one spot yet beaver didn't agree with me about fishing there so it was just walking session.
Wednesday... Forecast sunny and calm. This could be THE day. We started day on fishing new spot, nice neck area. I got rise on bibio fly pretty soon. Then everything died out, some wind yet not bad. I changed on mayflies and got good grayling, 47cm. Some other people came around so decided to move.
We went on nice dry fly fishing stretch, I really love that area as you can see fishes and there are some super deep spots where big ones can hide and just pick food from surface. There was some rises little bit everywhere not big fish yet activity anyway. Satu stayed to fish spot and I kept going upstream to see what's behind corner. While waiting and watching big Ammarnäs trout decided to show his location, jump about 1 meter above water. There was either new fish coming or he just wanted to show off. Short moment I was thinking to but streamer and try trout but dry fly fishing mode won again.
I got few fish as biggest was 48 cm. We had lunch and then Satu moved car downstream as I fished myself down. I got few decent graylings on the way down and crossed river. I can tell you no-one would do crossing from there except me, rafting history gives sometimes advantages :D. It is all about reading water.
Satu had came also yet didn't have any success. I told her to check one spot but there was no success either. Then I told her to change white Ismo's pupa and less than 5 min she got fish. I fished down with mayflies which had worked well all day. We just bought new walkietalkies and those are super useful. I can fish more by myself and still help Satu with flies and spots.
Satu crossed river also and I fished spot from downstream. I was just about change flies as mayflies didn't work anymore when Satu called with walkietalkies.... I have huge grayling, it is record one. Then angry voice came up... I can't land it as leader is fucking long. I told that she can take leader inside yet be careful and be sure that fish is ready to be landed in net. I was already going upstream to help her. If she can't land record fish because I made long leader for her... it is not good news for me.
I had like 200 meters distance from her and I knew that I won't be there on time to help her. As I need to cross river partly to reach her. She yelled on radio that she got it and I could relax. I went to measure and took photos, well it was not her record grayling. Record is 52 cm and this one was only 50 cm. It was still biggest for day and absolutely stunning grayling.
I stayed with her as hatch was starting where we were. Satu fished some yet she was so happy about fish that she had picnic and slowed down. I kept fishing and landed few around 30 cm grayling and even more between 35-45 cm graylings. Fish were super picky and I had to go down size 22 before they really showed interest. It was great evening hatch with superb dry fly fishing.
Sun started to went behind trees and mountains, hatch died slowly and it was time to return to car. We had spent +10 hours on river, and I had waded pretty rough waters. I started to felt that on my legs.
We had great day and absolutely great fishing. Still I was little disappointed, I know river can offer more and better. There was absolutely nothing wrong about day or fishing and still....
This what happens when river has set bar high and you know what it can deliver. It just doesn't give it easily. At the moment is windy and cloudy here, yet I have to run... river is calling. I have dinner to make in the evening to our friends here. I have pressure on cooking also, bar has been set high on that also. They say pressure makes diamonds, or crush material either way, it is great day to be alive.
Things are happening at the moment in Sweden
Mika the Legend