Last icefishing trip of the season

Last Thursday I made a trip to a lake at southwest Finland. The Lake is called Pyhäjärvi. The water at Pyhäjärvi is quite clear and that’s why it’s possible to stalk what’s happening under ice.

My primary target species on this trip was Whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus). The lake also has a very good population of Bullhead and the rocky bottom of my fishing spot was an ideal habitat to them. There’s always a small chance to Vendace (I have caught couple of them many years ago) and Brown Trout too.

Pyhäjärvi. The lump on the right is my father laying on the ice and stalking under.

 

That was a one silent day. I saw only one Whitefish. It came out of nowhere sniffed my bait, dashed straight to my father’s hole about 10 meters away and swallowed his mormuska.

A bit later I found a nice rocky place and decided to go after Bullheads. I took my another ice fishing rod which was equipped with couple of split shots and a #26 hook. I put a small piece of maggot on the hook and started to fish from the holes between the rocks. It was second or third hole when I noticed a small dark fish peeking from under an rock. It came and took my bait. There it was my 13^th species of the year.

There it is, one HUGE Bullhead.

 

The rest of the day was as quiet as it was earlier, only few Ruffe and Perch accepted my baits. But no species from genus Coregonus this time. Oh well, the spring has come, icefishing season is finally over and it’s time to prepare for open water fishing again. Next target species will be Flounder and of course Whitefish. This time from the shores of Finnish archipelago….