To the north of Mikkeli in South Savo sparkles Lake Kyyvesi, which is part of the headwaters of the Mäntyharju route.
Kyyvesi is a diverse and beautiful lake located in Lakeland Finland, spanning the municipalities of Mikkeli, Kangasniemi, and Pieksämäki. The lake covers an area of approximately 129.95 square kilometers, with its deepest point reaching 35.4 meters. The character and diversity of Kyyvesi are shaped by its 1,373 islands, providing numerous sheltered spots that offer excellent living conditions for fish.
Kyyvesi is a tranquil, atmospheric, and diverse lake. Its many islands, varied landscapes, and abundant fish stocks make it an outstanding destination for those seeking to enjoy the Finnish lake scenery and fishing. Every angler can find a peaceful and fish-rich spot to cast their line.
The lake is easy to navigate thanks to marked boating routes, and there are camping harbors where visitors can stop and take a break. Boat launch sites make it convenient to put your own boat into the water. Kyyvesi is located in Finland’s Lakeland region, about a three-hour drive from Helsinki, and is easily accessible by car or by train to Mikkeli.
The fishing pressure on Kyyvesi is relatively low compared to its abundant fish stock, making it an excellent destination for anglers. The lake is known for its large pike and zander, but it also boasts good populations of perch, bream, and vendace.
Some of its brown humus-rich waters flow from the north through River Nykälänjoki, renowned for its brown trout, whereas discharge flows run from the southwest corner into the Läsäkoski Rapids, which is also a well-known fly-fishing site for trout.
By nature, Lake Kyyvesi is very fragmented and dotted with islands. The number of islands counted on this lake of 130 square kilometres is as high as about 1,400. You can find shelter even from strong winds, especially if the wind is not blowing in the northwest-southeast direction.
Although there are quite a lot of holiday homes by Lake Kyyvesi, it is also easy to find unoccupied shores. Due to the work carried out in 1869–70 that lowered the water level by almost 2 metres, the shores are shallow, reedy and rocky far into the lake in many places, so you’d do well to watch out when moving around on a big boat. The average depth is only about five metres, but the Hulkonselkä-Reposelkä area has about a ten-kilometre stretch of uninterrupted deeps, where the bottom plunges as deep as over 30 metres.
Although Lake Kyyvesi is located between renowned trout rapids, a trout is not a very common sight on a lure on the lake itself. Instead, there are plenty of pike, perch and especially zander – even to the extent that the lake is considered to be one of the most reliable fishing grounds in the district. Zander stocks are promoted by stocking the lake with fry on a yearly basis and the fish have proven to grow fast.
Rocks and hot spots
Trolling is the most common way to catch zander, but there are also plenty of good jigging banks in the area. Due to the strong northwest-southeast alignment of the lake, it is good to bear in mind that the waters around the tips of islands and points are often shallow far into the lake, in particular on the southeast side, even if you could not make out any rocks from the surface. These hidden shoals are dangerous for propellers, but their edges are also places where fish thrive.
You can pursue pike both by casting from reedy areas and flanks of rocks and by trolling a lure in mid-lake waters. Ten-kilo specimens are not common here, but you stand a good chance of breaking the five-kilo limit. Relatively colourful plugs and spoons work well here.
Information about Lake Kyyvesi
| Type: | Lake |
| Area: | 130 km² |
| Length: | 37 km |
| Shoreline: | 857 km |
| Mean depth: | 4 m |
| Maximum depth: | 35 m |
| Number of islands: | 1 400 |
Fish Species: Bream, Brown trout, Burbot, Ide, Perch, Pike, Roach, Whitefish, Zander
