Lakes Kulovesi & Rautavesi - home to asp

Asp thrive in torrents

The Hulttistenvuolle, Kutalanvuolle, Myllyvuolle and Hiedanvuolle straits are also good sites for catching other species besides asp.

Slim plugs and spoons as well as soft-bait jigs are effective lures for asp. The traditional form of catching zander and asp on torrents involves fishing from a drifting boat swinging a weighted lure close to the bottom.

Photo: Ismo Kolari 

Asp typically weigh from 2 to 4 kilos, while the largest specimens weigh more than 5 kilos.

In the summer, torrent sites are swarming with small bleak and other cyprinids, which are devoured by asp, zander, pike and perch. Fish feed best when there is a proper current. Generally, currents begin to flow during morning hours after the power plants upstream and downstream start releasing water. Soft plastic jigs are good lures on torrents. Depending on the depth and current, a 10–20 gram jig head is suitable.

Photo: Ismo Kolari 

A pike has struck a lure.

Perch and zander found where seagulls strike

In the summer, anglers go trolling for zander in deep open mid-lake areas and at the edges of shoals. You can also catch asp in wide open mid-lake areas. In the summer and autumn, there are often fervent seagull attacks going on in the shallows of Lake Rautavesi and around their banks. Big, half-kilo perch strike soft plastic jigs at 4–8 metres.

On a good day, the whole column of water from top to bottom is swarming with humpbacks. You can often find zander hunting at the same spots. Perch often bite at mid-depth, while zander strike at the bottom.

Photo: Ismo Kolari 

Torrents are good zander spots.

Good fishing grounds

In addition to torrent sites, reedy bay waters, mid-lake shallows and deeps are swarming with fish. The string of islands stretching from Kutala Village to Lake Rautavesi is a pike area through and through, similar to the numerous mid-lake shoals throughout the water route.

Good zander grounds on the Lake Kulovesi side of the water route include Lukkilansalmi Sound and the mouth of Sarkolanlahti Bay. In Lake Rautavesi, zander thrive in torrents as well as around Selkäsaari Island, the deep area heading south to Kuivaluoto Islet, in the Vammaskoski Rapids and in the mouth of Soukonlahti Bay.

Photo: Ismo Kolari 

The typical ice-fishing depth is less than 5 metres on Lake Rautavesi.

Ice-fishing in national heritage scenery

In late summer and early autumn, the lushness of the water area can be seen in occasional blue-green algal blooms. In winter, the Kulovesi-Rautavesi water route is an excellent ice-fishing area for big perch. When you go ice-fishing out on these waters, you should take extra care, because the ice can be treacherously thin in certain places due to the very strong currents.

Settlements on the shores of Lake Rautavesi are among the oldest in the region. The area is one of Finland’s national heritage landscapes and you can find both majestic forests and medieval churches on the lake shores.