Angler holding a big grayling by a Lapland river

Grayling Fly Fishing in Lapland

Big Fins. Tiny Flies.

Large grayling with a dry fly in the corner of its mouth

Trophy Grayling. Dry Flies. Wild Arctic Rivers.

Northern Lapland is home to some extraordinary grayling fishing. The rivers are clear, the landscape is wild and the long Arctic summer gives us something special: hours and hours of daylight to fish.

For many anglers the highlight is watching a large grayling rise to a dry fly in clear water.

Young angler and guide holding a trophy grayling

Why Lapland for Grayling?

Grayling are one of the defining fish of the northern rivers, and they can grow really big. We call a grayling a trophy when it reaches 50 cm (about 20 inches), and there are a lot of trophy grayling here.

The largest fish are not caught simply by casting more. They are found by understanding the river, the conditions and the behaviour of the fish. River levels change quickly, and my job is to find the spot that matches the day. That’s where local knowledge matters.

Fly fisher netting a grayling in fast water

Dry Fly Fishing for Grayling

Dry fly fishing is my favourite way to fish for grayling. About 90 % of the time we use dry flies. When the fish are looking up, there is nothing quite like seeing a grayling rise through clear water and take the fly from the surface.

Grayling are often not that picky, as long as the fly drifts without drag. Good patterns are for example the Klinkhammer, Parachute Adams and different caddis flies. When conditions call for it, we fish nymphs or other techniques. The goal is always the same: find feeding fish and give them the best possible presentation.

The Rivers and Waters of Lapland

We fish across Northern Finland, Sweden and Norway, and choose the area by your target species, dates, conditions and experience.

One of our main destinations is the Könkämäeno, the border river between Finland and Sweden. I call it my home river. Some spots are easy to reach; others need a longer walk, a rubber boat, or a floatplane or helicopter ride. We’ll discuss this before your trip.

When to Fish for Grayling

The main season runs through the summer, and the best period depends on the river and the year.

When to Fish for Grayling
	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep
Grayling		Excellent	Closed / not a good time	Very good	Excellent	Excellent	Very good

ExcellentVery goodGoodFairPoorClosed / not a good timeIce fishing

March–April: the sun is back and sight fishing through the ice is possible.
June: changing water levels and active fish in smaller streams and slow-moving stretches.
July: long days, strong insect activity and excellent dry fly fishing, also in the bigger rivers.
August–September: excellent grayling fishing in increasingly autumnal conditions, still on dry flies.

Guided Grayling Fishing Adventures

Private full-day guiding

€725/ 1–2 anglers

Fishing time: about 8–10 hours
Additional angler: €150

Check availability

Half-day guiding

€500/ 1–2 anglers

Fishing time: about 4–5 hours
Additional angler: €100

Check availability

Our grayling trips start from Palojoensuu and Kilpisjärvi. For multi-day trips, tell me your dates and goals and I’ll build a trip around them, or have a look at the Grayling Adventure package.