Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 8 August 2025
Waters started to cool. There was some heavy rains and thunders. Daytime temperatures are between 19-24 celsius and nighttime 11-14 celsius. So waters are cooling little during the night also. That is happening just in time.
We have wolf problem at the moment, there are few close by and those killing reindeers, not really eating just killing. Closest has been 400 meters from our fence where we have few reindeer boys, 600 meters from our home.
Wednesday I had guiding, water was 20 celsius and now it is 18 and dropping. We had casting practise at farm and lunch and then short fishing session in Kuusinki river.
I knew it would be gamble to go Kuusinki as they are finishing renewal. Piilijoki, one of original river which has made possible for trout to come upstream, has been open already from mid June, and they have seen grayling and trout there already.
They built 1955-56 dam to kuusinki and dried out Piilijoki, electricity purpose. Last summer we started to open Piilijoki, clean bushes, and take sole out from river, this June all the building was done there with bottom dam and they let river run free.
Then it was time to build bottom dam and finish main stream. They built dam to keep lake level with at least certain level. Dam was built up from electricity dam which is not allowed to remove as Finnish museum department has to museum it. Stupidity as it finest there. Anyway, it will be closed now and floodgates are always fully open.
So that "natural" dam will keep water level on lake and river can basically run free, thanks to Piilijoki. It is huge win for trout. Now they have 190 km new waters to explore and lot of new rivers and streams to spawn. In theory, trout could reach all to way to our private lake. Anyway in future there is possibility to have good fishing in smaller rivers around as trouts will have chance to find them again. It won't happen in few years yet, someone will have great fishing in future.
Today is grand opening of Kuusinki river, dam is ready. Piili and Kuusinki can run free forever now. There is seminar in city hall and then in the evening party with bands. I'm not sure if we are able to join party as second round silage making is on hand. Anyway team who made this possible surely deserves party and huge thank you.
Why fishing Kuusinki was gamble on Wednesday? As they just started to open last working dam and let river slowly run free. There was lot of sediment and sand coming from working area and it coloured river as milk coffee, never seen that in here before. When we arrived to river it was okay, but before we were able to start fishing as they were total beginners, river got colour. We had one bite and we saw one fish as we spooked it.
It is celebration time and grand opening, new start for Kuusinki and Piili rivers, new start to trout.
Have a great weekend and go fishing
Mika from Finland