Fishing in Karelia in autumn, autumn fishing in Karelia. Guest complex Voroniy Island.

Fishing in Karelia in September

Fishing in Karelia in September, at this time on Onega it is no longer hot like in summer, but not cold like in late autumn, mosquitoes and midges have practically disappeared. In September, grayling, perch, roach, bream and pike bite well in the coastal part of the lake. Having left at dawn, you can stand on a boat near the shore and catch lake grayling, perch, pike with a spinning rod and fishing rod. When fishing with a spinning rod in the coastal part of the lake, instead of the expected grayling or perch, the bait is often attacked by pike, and this is where the fun begins. The bait for catching grayling and perch has a very small size and weight, respectively, and a spinning rod with the corresponding dough is 2-15 or 5-25g. It’s not uncommon when fishing that a pike weighing up to 3 kilograms may become interested in a small spinner, and the result of this fight directly depends on the experience and professionalism of the fisherman. Believe me, such an unequal fight remains in the fisherman’s memory for a long time as the best fishing in Karelia.

When fishing in Karelia in September, you can catch not only predatory fish, but also more peaceful ones, such as roach and bream. If everything is simple and clear with catching roach, its main habitats are the coastal part of the lake, the muddy bottom, and if you catch it near a rocky shore, you will have to wait until the sun disappears behind the tops of the trees. As soon as the sun sets behind the forest and the fishing spot is in the shade of the trees, this will be a turning point in fishing. Bites from perch and grayling will become very rare, but the activity of roach, on the contrary, will increase sharply. The shores of open Lake Onega are predominantly rocky, as we all know; bream prefer muddy shores so that there is somewhere to dig. This does not mean that there is little bream in Onega, it’s just that the tactics of catching it change a little. The most important thing is to find a place where, for one reason or another, whirlpools form, and if you sit there with a fishing rod in the morning, the result will almost always be positive.

When fishing in Karelia in September, you can also use fly fishing gear. The tackle, which was originally created for the river, works great on Onega, the main thing is to choose the right rod structure and choose a suitable place on the bank, a stone bank or ridge, and during the fishing process select the right fly. The main trophy for such fishing will be the king fish, grayling.

In September, you can fish in Karelia on Onega in the sea way, i.e. troll. This type of fishing is unique and unlike anything else. The main trophies for autumn fishing will be large pike, pike perch, salmon, trout and pike. In September, the water in the lake becomes cooler, a large predator begins to rise from the depths and willingly attacks the bait, the main thing here is not to yawn, to have time to hook and not to give in when fishing, but also not to force the process. If you do everything correctly, it will be difficult to return from such fishing without a good trophy.

I wish you all success on autumn fishing in Karelia!

Summer season

At the very beginning of the summer season, float rods and spinning rods, and in some cases fly fishing, are popular. At this time, in large reservoirs the water has not yet had time to heat up - the period of ice melting and spawning lasts longer there. But this has its advantages, for example, if in small reservoirs the pike’s zhor has already ended, then on large lakes it is just beginning.

On hot summer days, roach moves along the reeds and banks, where the water is already quite warm. But bream gather in a small flock of 5-10 individuals and live in pools with a pit.

June is not the most successful month for catching perch; at this time it is near the shore, and there are no large specimens there. But pike perch is actively caught in the morning and at dusk. They catch it with a “donka” or a side fishing rod. In addition to pike perch, ide is actively biting, preferring to stay near the coast and feed on almost everything that comes across the surface of the water.

In July, water begins to bloom in reservoirs. First of all, it blooms in small ponds, and after 6-10 days in deep places. It may seem that in July the bite decreases compared to June, but this is not the case. The fish simply changes its location and feeding area. For example, ide and roach bite as actively as in June. You need to catch them at dawn and at dusk, gradually switching to night fishing.

In the first half of August, fishing is similar to fishing in July. Predators can change their preferences for bait; this must be determined experimentally.

In the second half of August the situation is already changing. Now you need to catch perch near the reeds, in the coastal part of the lake. In addition to perch, grayling and pike can be caught using spinning rods.

general information

The Republic of Karelia is a northern region, which imposes certain restrictions. You can read more in the article “Karelia”, where you will find out all the necessary and basic information about the region. You should not go here before the end of May, especially in the northern regions (Belomorsky, Kalevalsky, Loukhsky). Even if the reservoirs are free of ice, the water may be cloudy and too cold, and the fish are just beginning to spawn. In addition, fishing restrictions are usually in effect during this time. You can read more in the article “Fishing rules in Karelia”

What kind of fish is found in Karelia

In total, more than 60 species of fish and more than 120 of their forms are found in the Republic of Karelia (some species, such as whitefish, can have many forms even within the same body of water). Most species are found in Lakes Onega and Lake Ladoga, which is not surprising given the size of these reservoirs.

About 20 species are of commercial importance, but those of interest to fishermen are: trout (trout), salmon, perch, pike, burbot, whitefish, roach, bream, pike perch, grayling, vendace, silver bream, rudd, smelt, dace, salmon, ide, paliya. Of course, these are not all the types of fish that are found in the Republic of Karelia; we will also mention minnow, ruffe, sculpin, spikefish, bleak - this trifle interests few people. There are crucian carp, tench and even catfish, but these species are not traditional Karelian species and are extremely rare.

In almost every body of water you can find pike, roach, burbot, and perch. In approximately 60% of lakes vendace is found (in significant quantities), whitefish are found in 40% of reservoirs, ide and bream in 33-35%. Grayling is extremely rare in lakes; it is usually found in rivers. Pike perch is found in 15% of water bodies, trout in about 30%. Salmon and salmon are quite rare and their catch is often limited.

We have a section “Fishes of Karelia”, in which you can find a description of all the main species and the characteristics of their behavior. Here we note that Karelian fish do not have any pronounced features. Yes, there are bodies of water in which you need to know some nuances for successful fishing, but you shouldn’t think that local fish are special and require an individual approach.

In the descriptions of the lakes on our website you can also find information about the fish that live in them. If you look at the overall picture, in the vast majority of lakes the species composition is quite limited, usually pike, roach, perch, burbot and vendace - these fish can be found in almost every lake, even small ones. In larger bodies of water the species composition is usually richer.

Millions for big shoulder straps. How the main fish of Karelia was killed. Part two

Tell

The Shuya salmon herd in Lake Onega, removed from the Red Book in the early 2000s, is today again on the verge of destruction. Read the second part of our journalistic investigation.

The first part is HERE.

Without exaggeration, we can say that salmon fishing in the republic today is a well-developed and organized network. To understand this, I talked to several sources from the fishing and tourism community, took a ride around Onego, and also found out ways to sell fish.

The more I learned, the more I realized that everything they were telling me was just the tip of this salmon iceberg, a tiny part of it. But it seems that for now, the existence of this iceberg suits someone very well.

Crime, punishment, repentance In July 2017, leading Russian media wrote that the striker of the Zenit football club Alexander Kerzhakov posted a photo on his social network page where he was holding four salmon in his hands. The laconic signature “Salmon Hand”, as well as the “Karelia” tag, left no doubt - the fish was caught in Lake Onega, where a ban on catching this fish has been in effect since 2015.

There has been a buzz in the media about the impunity of VIPs. The scandal reached Kerzhakov himself, who admitted that he actually vacationed on Lake Onega, but was not informed about the fishing ban. In addition, he said that it was not he who caught the salmon in the photo.

Whether a football player is lying or telling the truth, it doesn’t matter. It is important that this case did not go unpunished. Rosrybolovstvo sounded all the trumpets that it would not leave and would not forgive, and opened an administrative case against the attacker. To the credit of the football player himself, he not only calmly accepted this decision, but also promised to release the fry, purchased at his own expense, into Onego, so to speak, as atonement.

At the end of September, a thousand fry from Alexander Kerzhakov actually went to Shuya to grow and put on weight. The incident was over.

photo by Igor Podgorny

Caught in the net In the story with Kerzhakov, however, many questions remain. Honest fishermen were perplexed: why did Rosrybolovstvo so fiercely rush to fight poaching in this particular story? Why aren't other salmon selfie-takers fined? The answer, it seems to me, is clear. Apparently, it was this episode that called into question the ability of fisheries protection to combat poaching. Indeed, there are plenty of photographs of the capture of Onega salmon on the World Wide Web. You can find not only the faces of fishermen and last names, but even coordinates on the map and fishing methods. And here there is no need to create a conditional “department “K”. Just surfing the Internet for a day is enough. It will immediately become clear that there are many who like to pose with salmon. And these, I emphasize, are only those who recklessly post photos with forbidden trophies.

Among those who most clearly manifest themselves in the public space is Mikhail Zharsky, a well-known entrepreneur and photographer in Petrozavodsk.

Mikhail Zharsky. Photo from Facebook page

His page is essentially a colorful photo album of a poacher. Mikhail not only regularly posts photos of salmon caught in Onego, but also writes comments about the water temperature and bait on the photos. He does not hide the fact that he fishes on Onego. Moreover, he tries to write for a Finnish audience. In addition, he advertises his own group “Fishing in Karelia VIP” on Onego. The photo, of course, shows him with a trophy salmon. Knowledgeable people say that Mikhail has enough orders. At the same time, it is naive to believe that he does not know about the ban on salmon fishing.

Mikhail Zharsky. Photo from his Facebook page

By the way, I wrote him a letter on social networks, where I asked him to briefly comment on the photo on his page and answer what he thought about the legality of the catches. However, Mikhail chose not to answer.

Hedgehogs and netters However, photographs of salmon on social networks are harmless pampering compared to what a massive poaching empire actually is. Here we should remember the long-standing confrontation between two fishing groups - netters, that is, those who fish with nets, garves (fixed nets) and other industrial fishing gear, and trollers, lovers of trolling, in simple terms, tracks, when fishing is carried out with several spinning rods - on average from six to ten installed on the boat. Trollers, by the way, are sometimes called hedgehogs as a joke because of their external resemblance.

Hedgehogs are ready for battle. Photo by Igor Podgorny

Both groups have long blamed each other for the destruction of salmon. Both are actively destroying this Karelian brand. Both today in the topic of salmon fishing are outlawed, with the exception of scientists and small indigenous peoples of Karelia (namely the Vepsians), who are still allocated small quotas for salmon fishing with nets. The first is for scientific purposes, the second is for food.

Shoulder straps help? I was able to talk to two trolling enthusiasts. Although they are only amateurs. Both are actually professionals who know how, where, what and when to catch salmon. Both agreed to speak only on condition of anonymity. The topic is dangerous, as they say, and you can drown. So who causes more harm to the handsome Onega - trolling or networks?

“I am absolutely sure that the damage from net fishing is many times higher than from trolling,” Alexander (name changed) immediately states. – Yes, I catch salmon by trolling. I take as much as I can eat myself, no more. I can say that everything is not so simple in this fishing. You can go three days and not catch anything at all. At the same time, you will spend a lot of money on fuel. This is expensive and laborious fishing.

A flotilla of trolling enthusiasts on one of the piers of Petrozavodsk. Photo by the author

With networks it's different. Here, I know this for sure, the work is serious. And specifically for salmon. It is not ordinary people who are often caught in nets. I know several people who work in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, imagine, and they catch people in a net. These are not ordinary police officers, but people in good uniform. They catch salmon for sale, so much so that your hair stands on end.

— I was told about 600-700 kg of salmon per catch (checking the network). They sell fish for 500-600 rubles per kilogram. 300-350 thousand rubles is a one-time income. I think we are talking about millions per season. Normal, in my opinion. I won’t name names. But these people drive very expensive cars, obviously not for their salaries. If it wanted, the Ministry of Internal Affairs could figure them out, but for some reason it doesn’t.

There is also permitted fishing for scientific purposes. According to my information, this fish is not disposed of as it should, but is sold. And I'm not sure that the quotas are met one to one. This is, in general, a shadow business. Here our clients are regular and reliable. You can't come from outside.

Salmon “through friends.” Photo by the author

My second interlocutor, Nikolai (name changed), also told me that some employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and scientists are connected with poaching, although both conversations took place at different times. He is also a professional troller, has taken tourists around and knows who, where and how to catch salmon on Onego. After our first meeting, having revealed only a small part of his knowledge, he suddenly disappeared - he stopped answering calls and messages. I guess I was afraid of the consequences. “Yes, cops and scientists,” he confirms. – And police boats also guard these nets. From time immemorial, “scientists” have been feeding on the lake. We're talking about summer now, but don't forget about winter. In winter, salmon are also caught in kilometer-long nets. Now every grandfather in the village has a motorized dog. So put them all together.

Both of my interlocutors also said that the provision of salmon trolling services also did not go away with the ban. As they caught, so they catch. Trolling is allowed. Only salmon should be released when caught.

Does anyone let go? This question brought a smile to both Nikolai and Alexander.

And pike perch too . One way or another, in our conversation we constantly touched upon not only catching salmon, but also catching other types of fish. “Okay, salmon, we have a lot of pike perch now,” Nikolai continues. “And everyone is sleeping and seeing how to kill the herd now.” I know that St. Petersburg fishermen were preparing to transfer ships here from Ladoga, somehow get licenses and rawl them out in one season. It hasn't worked out yet. But they won’t shovel it, it’s ours. The researchers have the entire Jerusalem bank. They live there and don't let anyone in. They started a rumor that they urgently needed to kick him out before the St. Petersburg team knocked him out. And they will knock you out. And you say salmon...

Lake Onega. Photo by the author

“Salmon is not a problem at all,” Alexander unexpectedly confirms. “He’s not under pressure like that.” Now mostly pike perch. Trolling salmon fishing - autumn. In the fall, only a few can afford to fish. Treacherous weather, cold, waves, long distances. And they catch pike perch in the summer. Sit on any inflatable and off you go. — Is it true about 600-700 kg for a similar item? – I ask Nikolai, trying to check Alexander’s words. — Are you surprised, or what? We always caught so much on the net. And you say trolling... Yes, during the season these St. Petersburg residents with spinning rods come to fish along the southern shore of Onego. They catch salmon fry - 1.5-2 kilograms each, and they are happy to post pictures. Badly? Badly. Poaching? Poaching. But the main damage does not come from them. They are not the ones who catch the main fish.

They have nothing to eat. We also talked about poaching in areas remote from Petrozavodsk. “I know that there is complete chaos in Zaonezhye,” says Alexander. - It’s no better on the Pudozh shore. People there, excuse me, have nothing to eat. They live on fish. They have a season - vendace, whitefish, salmon. And this is already a social factor. There is no work. I was able to talk with one of the residents of Zaonezhye, who knows a lot about salmon net fishing. He also asked that his name not be used.

In the center of Zaonezhye, Velikaya Guba, buying salmon is not a problem. Photo by the author

According to him, there are several groups working in Zaonezhie that specialize specifically in salmon fishing. They sell the caught fish among local residents and visiting tourists, often not directly, but through intermediaries. Some are even taken to cities. The average price is 500-600 rubles per kilogram. Each salmon contains 4-5 kg, that is, each fish costs more than 2000 rubles.

“It happens that the entire bottom of the boat is strewn with salmon,” says my interlocutor. - Now count the income of the local brethren. So is it business or fishing?

- Can you show me where we catch salmon? And it’s even better to show the nets, the harves... - I ask Alexander, not really hoping. — I can, I’m just warning you that it’s summer (our conversation was in July - author’s note), and the main movement there is in September-October. Salmon walks through cold water. But maybe it’s for the better - let’s not loom too much there. It's a dangerous matter...

Autumn in Zaonezhie. Golden time for salmon fishing. Photo by the author

It's sad at Brusno. Literally a few days later, having caught good weather, we went on a conditional fishing trip. It was a windless weekday, the sun was shining. It’s not often that Onego is so kind.

The task was set to be simple: to show the main places for salmon fishing, try to find the very harves with which they are caught, look for netters and trollers. It is clear that in the summer there are more hunters for pike perch and pike in the lake, but salmon are also caught. The only difference is that fishermen mainly catch single specimens. In autumn, salmon follow vendace, gathering in groups. Then the main feast begins. A powerful motor carried our boat from Petrozavodsk along the southern shore of Onego towards the village of Kvartsitny. To the right are the village of Derevyannoye and the Pukhtinsky Islands.

Here is Kvartsitny. A short stop to record a video (the author of the text, that is, me, is in the frame).

It was immediately clear that the fishing season was in full swing here. Many expensive boats along the coast.

The village of Kvartsitny, Prionezhsky district. Photo by the author

“These pike perch are being caught now,” Alexander waved in their direction. “But sometimes salmon also comes in.” It is clear that they will not release him. From Kvartsitny we rushed towards Brusno Island, where salmon are usually caught in the fall. Along the way, we filmed suspicious garves - fixed nets. The recording shows (the floats are about 100 meters from the boat) that they were installed by the top swimmer. Whether they are legal fishing gear or poachers, we don’t know. But in any case, the salmon that ends up in them ends up on the black market.

But here comes Brusno. In the fall there will be no boats here, but for now there will be only a few boats. July. Warm. Day.

A long journey awaited us to the other side of Onego, in Zaonezhye, to where, according to my interlocutors, what was happening was simply “horror, horror.” The boat rushed us along the quiet Onego towards the Bolshoi Klimenetsky Island, from which Zaonezhye begins, and Mayachny Island, the mecca of netters and salmon trollers. We were lucky and managed to film one of the netters, who was checking his gear right before our eyes.

Our journey came to an end, it was time to move towards Petrozavodsk. Of course, we didn't see anything supernatural. Nets, netters, boats - everything is as usual. But salmon fishing doesn't like hype. No one waves trophies from the boat to passing boats. I have no doubt that on this warm day someone caught Onego’s main fish.

There seems to be salmon, but there seems to be none . Everything I heard and saw made me think - so how many salmon are there really in Lake Onega? How long does it take to catch him? Perhaps the only question is that the fish simply do not reach the spawning grounds, and not at all a threat to the entire population?

According to official data from Rosrybolovstvo, statistics indicate that the salmon catch is at least ten times less than what is actually caught.

In 2013-2014, the volume of Shuya salmon catch in all areas of fishing (including poaching and recreational fishing), according to the same department, was estimated at 108 tons.

It is unlikely that the numbers changed much in 2015-2017. At the same time, scientists, Vepsians and fish farmers are officially allowed to catch only 2.5 tons in 2021. The rest is poaching. However, these data are relative, since none of the poachers writes reports.

But even they suggest that the volume of salmon in Lake Onega is actually quite impressive. There is salmon in the lake, but the main problem is that it is actively caught, including on the way to spawning, which is why its reproduction has actually stopped.

We don't sell. But how do poachers manage to sell such large quantities of illegal redfish? In order to make sure that it was very easy, I didn’t have to infiltrate any secret Masonic societies. You can buy poached salmon in Petrozavodsk, sorry, even in a store.

An ordinary fish pavilion on Drevlyanka. I go to check - what if? And please. The hero of my material lies on the counter and is sold for 600 rubles per kilogram. And the signature is “Salmon.”

photo by the author

— Do you have Onega salmon? - I ask the seller.

- Onezhsky.

- Do you know that you can’t catch it and sell it?

- Isn’t it possible? It’s possible, they seemed to allow it... - the woman is surprised. - It’s definitely not possible. Where did you get it from? - That’s how fishermen bring it. - Can I have the phone number of these fishermen? - Why do you need it? - Yes, I’m writing an article about salmon fishing. - Oh, I don’t even know these people, they bring it themselves, we don’t have phones. - Well, then give me the phone number of your director...

Individual entrepreneur Natalya Rakei, owner of a chain of fish pavilions in Petrozavodsk, immediately picked up the phone. — Natalya Igorevna, are you aware that they sell salmon on your shelves? - No, I don’t know. And where? - On Drevlyanka. Do you know that you can’t catch it and you can’t sell it either? “We don’t sell them.” They offer it to us, but we don’t take it. - Who offers? - So fishermen. They drive around the city and offer. Not regular suppliers, but others, but we refuse. - So it turns out that you don’t refuse, because here it is, the fish, on the counter. — At the moment, it apparently turned out that the seller did not call me, she decided to earn money herself. I'll deal. Thank you for informing.

photo by the author

Our conversation took place in August. Out of curiosity, I returned to this store several times. The salmon is lying, it's cute. Sold in both September and October. The price is still the same - 600 rubles per kilogram.

It’s possible without friends To find out where else you can buy salmon, I called the first group I came across on a social network with the simple name “Fresh Fish”. They said on the phone that they don't have any salmon at the moment. But this is a fixable matter. - We'll call you as soon as possible. How much do you need? – a male voice asked me. “A couple of fish, 5-6 kg each,” I lied. - There are no such big ones, the weight is now 3-4 kg. Price is 500-600 rubles on average.

photo pixabay.com

As you can see, I didn't make any special effort to buy the salmon. It is quietly sold by shops and sellers on social networks. But there are also those same shadow deliveries through friends and acquaintances. There are poachers who sell salmon to tourists and local people in the areas. My trollers Nikolai and Alexander also told me about entire salmon sales channels.

“Many sell exclusively through their own,” Nikolai confirmed. - This is a closed world. There must be an order through friends. It's understandable that people are afraid.

However, as we see, not everyone is afraid. It is not at all necessary to join these conventional sects. You just need to come to a small store in a residential area.

To be honest, the entire time I was collecting the above information, I was thinking about only one thing: where is the fisheries protection looking, why aren’t the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Internal Affairs doing anything, who is generally responsible for protecting Onego’s main asset? Finally, what to do next with all this? We will talk about this in the final part of our investigation on November 10, that is, tomorrow.

Part three is HERE.

This investigation was carried out with the support of SCOOP Russia - a network of investigative journalists, i-scoop.org."

Where to go fishing in Karelia?

For many fishermen, it is very difficult to choose a suitable lake or river in Karelia due to the fact that there are simply so many of them. You can find a list of all of them (descriptions of which are on our website) in the materials: “Lakes of Karelia” and “Rivers of Karelia”. Here we will give you general information that will certainly help you decide on a place. So:

If you are interested in comfort, then you need to choose areas with many recreation centers and a well-developed road network. These are Kondopoga, Sortavala, Lakhdenpokh, Pitkyaranta, Pryazhinsky, Medvezhyegorsky. The downside of the coin here is that most rivers and lakes cannot boast of having a large amount of fish (when compared with the richest reservoirs in this sense in the region);
If you prefer wild fishing with tents, but don’t want to go completely off the beaten track, then you should pay attention to the Suoyarvi, Pryazhinsky, Medvezhyegorsky, Muezersky, Kalevalsky districts. Here you will find a large number of lakes and rivers, on the banks of which you can find good parking, they are rich in fish and are not too far from populated areas and main regional roads;
If you are not afraid of difficulties and you prefer wild fishing in places where the likelihood of meeting other people is very low, then you should go to the Kalevala or Louhi regions. There are a very large number of lakes and rivers here, which are difficult to get to, but people very rarely visit them. The downside is that you won’t find descriptions of most of them not only on our website, but also on the Internet in general - these are little-studied bodies of water. There are practically no reports or reviews;
If you want to fish in inland waters, then the worst choice would be the Prionezhsky, Sortavala, Pitkyaranta, Pryazhinsky and Lakhdenpokhsky districts. There are very few inland bodies of water in these areas, for example, in Sortavala the largest lake is Lake Yanisjärvi, but from a fishing point of view it is definitely not among the top. People usually go to these areas to fish on Lake Onega (Prionezhsky district) or in Ladoga (all other regions).

Fishing in Karelia as a savage, where is the best place to go fishing?

Going fishing is a great idea, and if you go fishing in Karelia it’s generally cool, and if you also go as a savage, then it’s just an unforgettable trip, but where to go, where to go.
The republic is not small, there are a lot of lakes and rivers there. Yes, indeed, the Republic of Karelia occupies one of the first places in terms of natural beauty in Russia, as well as in the number of fishing spots. Judge for yourself on the territory of the Republic there are about 60 thousand lakes and 22 thousand rivers and streams in which you can and should fish.

The variety of fish that live here is simply amazing; while fishing in Karelia, you can even choose who you want to catch today, and there is plenty to choose from. Pike, grayling, perch, bream, pike perch, pink salmon, a lot of fish species. If you have someone with you who is not interested in fishing in principle, trust him, he will have something to do. The nature in this region is very picturesque; in some areas there are churches and buildings preserved from the time of Peter the Great.

Believe me, there is something to see here at any time of the year, no matter when you come. Once you come here once, you will definitely want to return to these picturesque places more than once. Here, the development of tourism and fishing has government support, so the prices here are not high.

Large selection of recreation centers and campsites. Most of them are located in picturesque places on the banks of rivers or lakes, and there are over 50 thousand lakes here. You can stay in comfortable rooms, or you can hire a guide who will show you places where you can stay in a tent on the river bank.

Fishing in Karelia in September

Autumn Karelia is a true miracle of unity with nature, observing its beautiful, proud and majestic withering, preparation for the long northern winter. But I am still ready to give my farewell gifts to all connoisseurs of the wondrous beauty of these unique places. Bright and exciting fishing in Karelia in October attracts those who love interesting and unpredictable water hunting to these places. October here means not only fishing and mushrooms, but also admiring the beauty of Karelia, active games and simply getting healthy on the Ladoga skerries, which have no equal in the world.

Happy September fishing!

At the beginning of autumn, fish in Karelian reservoirs begin to group in schools and gradually move away from the shore. Leaves that have fallen on the water in some places form a fairly dense layer, and roaches, perches and breams love to rest under it. But predators do not sleep during this period either. It's time to catch burbot, pike or grayling. So great fishing in Karelia in September is guaranteed!

Fishing is an interesting hobby for everyone

Fishing not only brings true pleasure, but also helps to achieve self-realization. For many men, this is real passion, excitement and even love, which does not make their women very happy. However, you can combine business with pleasure. Holidays in Karelia in September from Karjala Park involve not only excellent fishing, but also an excursion to places worthy of attention. So the whole family can go on a trip, and everyone will find something to their liking here in September.

A person who has been fishing in Karelia at least once will always be drawn to the vast world of mossy swamps with ridges of hills encircling the horizon. Mirror-calm lakes and playful fast rivers, as well as waterfalls rustling with foam - all this will help you escape from everyday life, forget about problems and fully relax.

Trust the forecast, but don't forget to take your raincoat!

However, the September weather is capricious, so it can drizzle or feel cool in the morning, so you should take care of warm clothes ahead of time. In Karelia, the beginning of autumn does not spoil fishermen, but the most persistent of them are always worthily rewarded with a generous catch, especially in the second half of September.

And fishermen should know that this month the underwater vegetation becomes dark brown in color, begins to curl up and sink to the bottom. This suggests that roach, rudd, ide, dace, perch and some other species of fish move further and deeper from the shore. Pike also disappears from the thickets of plants; it hides in deep pools. And she, like many other fish breeds, begins to eat during this period. Inhabitants of reservoirs tend to feed intensively, accumulating fat reserves. Therefore, it is better to move fish in September from the shore to more open and deeper parts of reservoirs, where there are holes and luds. In Lake Onega in September you can even catch salmon - for this, of course, you will need a license, but Karjala Park provides one, so an avid fisherman will find real freedom here.

In the second half of September, burbot begins to be caught on the rifts. In autumn, after the summer lull, this fish is most active. It is good to take pike with a spinner and live bait, and perch with the same spinner, fry and worm. But the bream bites poorly at this time. Roach and dace readily go after bloodworms and worms. Moreover, in inclement weather, fishing will be noticeably more successful.

A couple of days of fishing and unity with nature, aromatic freshly cooked fish soup and leisurely conversations around the fire will appeal not only to inveterate fishermen, but also to amateurs. Any person who spends at least one day in Karelia in September will feel rested, full of energy and cheerful. The rich catch, aromas of herbs and picturesque Karelian nature will forever remain in his memory. Author: Pike.Pinsk©

Happy September fishing!
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Where to go in the fall and what novice fishermen need to know

Before deciding where to go fishing in Karelia in the middle of the autumn season, you should study the recommendations of experienced fishermen and travelers. Here's what they advise you to pay attention to when planning your trip route:

Comfort of living. The fact is that mid-autumn for Karelia in some years is practically the beginning of winter. Even if you are lucky and the weather remains quite warm and sunny during the day, the nights are still quite cold, and frosts are not uncommon. Therefore, it is optimal (especially for those traveling with the whole family, with children) to choose a comfortable place to stay with all amenities. For example, the recreation center “Khutor Salokyulya”, where there is everything you need to warm up and relax after an exciting and difficult October fishing trip.
Availability of additional “comfort zones” – bathhouse, kitchen, grill. All these “little things” can be fully appreciated only by those who visited Karelia in October and experienced the vagaries of the northern weather.
Providing rental of fishing boats and fishing equipment. Since fishing in Karelia in the fall, as already noted, is a special matter, special equipment is needed for it. Moreover, it is impossible to guess and plan in advance what exactly will be needed. October will be warm and fine - you will need float and bottom fishing rods, spinning rods. If it gets frosty, like at the beginning of winter, the fisherman will need a completely different arsenal. For beginners and those who travel from afar, purchasing and transporting all this is cumbersome and expensive. At Salokylä, everything you need can be rented for reasonable money.

Recreation centers on Lake Onega

To fulfill your dream and fully enjoy the process of fishing on Onega, you need to start by finding a good recreation center to stop at. Recreation centers on Lake Onega are varied; today there is a choice for every taste and budget. There are recreation centers for “not expensive”, there are for very “not expensive”. There are decent options for reasonable money. Why is it important to make the right choice? Yes, it’s simple - where you decide to stay will determine your fishing in Karelia and your mood! First you need to select the body of water where you want to fish. It could be a small lake, or just a river bank. But the most correct option is “two in one” - both a lake and a river. Where is this, you ask? At the source of the Svir River from Lake Onega! By choosing this location for a recreation center in Karelia, you immediately get two options for fishing - in Onega and in the Svir River. This is a great opportunity not to depend on the whims of Lake Onega and not be left without a catch. A recreation center in Karelia on the shore should be built with all amenities, since autumn and spring weather is not always calm and warm. Therefore, a house at a recreation center in Karelia should be warm and comfortable. On Onega, most recreation centers offer light houses for fishermen, which do not even have minimal amenities. Just imagine, having arrived 400 km away and caught in a downpour, how will you dry your things and wash yourself? How do you warm up your dinner? And where will you store the caught fish? How will you spend a long dark evening after a successful fishing trip in Onega? So it's worth thinking about this. And the right choice is a cottage on the shore! With all conviniences. For a comfortable stay and pleasure from fishing in Karelia!

Separately about fishing in October: what to catch and what to use

A holiday home and fishing trip in Karelia will meet your expectations if you rely on the experience and advice of those who have been to these places many times and know their features well.

Of course, the brightest and most unique fishing in Karelia in October is on Lake Ladoga itself (on the shore of which there is the recreation center “Khutor Salokulya”). But you can also fish on the river (near the base there is the Vehkauso River) and on the lakes that make up the luxurious and attractive Ladoga skerries.

Depending on the weather conditions, October fishing on Ladoga is:

Active fishing for large ide and pike, which are beginning their pre-winter (and if the year is cold and the reservoirs are covered with ice, also winter) feeding.
Large and predatory fish bite no worse - pike perch, burbot, chub, and underbream.
If October is warm, you can count on bream and rudd. But this is rather an October gift, a great rarity for Karelian October fishing. For these fish, it’s still mid-autumn – it’s already very cold for biting.
The middle of the month is the beginning of the fishing season for trout, salmon, and vendace. At this time, the fish begin to form schools. But in order to track and catch her, you need to develop your own strategy and spend a lot of time and effort. But the result will reward all the fisherman’s expectations!
At the end of October, those who find a good place for the autumn bite can count on grayling and perch. And the worse, rainier and colder the weather, the higher the chances of success!

Tackle of the October fisherman in Karelia

You need to prepare thoroughly. It’s good when you have the opportunity to rent everything you need. After all, even the “required minimum” will be impressive:

girders;
donks;
spinners, including winter ones, if the weather is already frosty and resembles the beginning of December in the middle zone. For Karelia, such an October is not uncommon;
jigs;
trolling equipment for those who plan to fish for salmon.

However, if October is warm, it is quite possible to try traditional and proven fishing technologies - you should not forget about “wiring” or “fly fishing”. Even from the shore you can still catch enough grayling, and even novice fishermen can do this from a boat with a spinning rod in a warm year.

Another advantage of staying at a camp site is the opportunity to get consultation, practical advice from experienced fishermen. As a rule, they do not change their habits, and year after year they return to fishing in familiar places. Having secured useful recommendations, a beginner will open his Karelian fishing season without any problems. And, as practice shows, he will probably become a regular at the camp site, where luck smiled on him.