Best Time for Fishing in Lapland
Some Days Are Long. Some Lakes Are Frozen.
Every Season Has Its Own Fishing Adventure
From spring ice fishing to summer dry flies and autumn colours, Northern Lapland offers something special throughout the season. The best time depends on what you’d like to catch and how you want to experience the wilderness.
Dreaming of a large grayling rising to a dry fly, a sea trout in a Norwegian fjord or an arctic char taking your lure beneath the ice? Use the charts below to find your time.
Fishing Seasons at a Glance
Typical opportunities for our main species and experiences, March to September. The ratings are a guide, not a guarantee – conditions vary between years and places.
| Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grayling | Excellent | Closed / not a good time | Very good | Excellent | Excellent | Very good | |
| Arctic char | Excellent | Closed / not a good time | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | |
| Brown trout | Good | Closed / not a good time | Very good | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | |
| Sea trout | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Fair | Good | |
| Ice fishing | Very good | Excellent | Fair | Closed / not a good time | Closed / not a good time | Closed / not a good time | Closed / not a good time |
| Dry-fly fishing | Closed / not a good time | Closed / not a good time | Closed / not a good time | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good |
| Midnight sun | Closed / not a good time | Closed / not a good time | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Poor | Closed / not a good time |
| Northern lights | Excellent | Good | Closed / not a good time | Closed / not a good time | Closed / not a good time | Poor | Good |
April ratings for grayling, brown trout and arctic char refer to ice fishing. Brown trout are protected in our rivers in September, but fly fishing on the fell lakes can still be very good.
Winter and Spring Ice Fishing
March & April – Arctic spring
Longer days, bright sunshine and frozen fell lakes. We concentrate our ice fishing on March and April, exploring remote lakes from Kilpisjärvi to the Käsivarsi wilderness for arctic char, grayling and whitefish – often sight fishing through the ice.
March is a really good month for northern lights, and April opens some excellent coastal sea trout fishing in Northern Norway.
Sea Trout Fishing Seasons in Northern Norway
May & June – sea trout and the return of summer
As the snow melts and the rivers open, the season changes. May and early June are prime time for sea trout along the Norwegian coast – fjords, shorelines and shallow bays.
June also starts the river season in Lapland. As the water settles and insects hatch, the first dry-fly fishing appears – and the fish have been waiting for it. With the midnight sun, there’s daylight for long fishing days.
Summer Fly Fishing in Lapland
July & August – the heart of the fly fishing season
For dry-fly fishing in Lapland, July and August are usually the most attractive months: warm days, insect hatches and long evenings for wild grayling, brown trout and arctic char.
This is also the main season for our longer expeditions, including the Lapland Grand Slam and Heli Fishing.
Weather and the Midnight Sun
September – autumn colours and quiet waters
September brings golden and red landscapes, darker evenings and fewer people. Early September can still offer rewarding fishing for grayling, arctic char and brown trout where regulations allow – many rivers close, so we choose the spots carefully and avoid trout in rivers.
The midnight sun lights up the summer nights, while the darker skies of spring and autumn bring the northern lights back.
Not Sure When to Visit?
Tell me which fish you’d like to target, what kind of fishing you enjoy and when you’re thinking of travelling. I’ll help you pick the right time.
Ready for the Arctic?
Have a particular fish in mind? Or just dreaming of a few days somewhere in the northern wilderness?
Send me a message. We’ll figure out the details together.
Tight lines! – Teemu