Sea trout fishing

Sea trout is the dream catch of many anglers. This article provides a window to the places these fish can be caught through the eyes of fishing guru Kalle Paavola.

Casting for sea trout is primarily done in the spring and autumn. In Finland, spoons and so-called coastal plugs are most commonly used to catch sea trout. As we can see in one of the enclosed videos, it can prove useful to up something slightly different than your favorite spoon, such as the Bete Lotto spinner.

Places where sea trout are most commonly sought comprise rugged shores of islands and islets covered in rocks and bladder wrack, where the water depth is 1–3 meters. In the spring, sea trout can be caught even in the coastal archipelago, where they have followed the Baltic herring. Particularly in early spring, Anglers should keep an eye on the water temperature to find heat pockets where the water temperature is higher than the surrounding areas. As the waters continue to warm, rising well above ten degrees Celsius, trout begins to move further out to the sea, beyond the reach of casting anglers. The spring season can often be cut short from the perspective of casting anglers if the waters warm quickly, which means you should start your season as soon as the ice clears.

In the autumn, sea trout casting typically begins in September–October, during which time trout are primarily sought near the open sea. As the autumn progresses and the waters cool down, trout find their way toward land and can once more be reached from the shore. The autumn season is often significantly longer than the spring season and typically offers better catches.

Keep in mind that sea trout will often attack a suspended lure, which means that you should intermittently stop the retrieve. This technique is particularly suited for fishing in shallow water using lightweight spoons.

Permitted catch size and close seasons

According to the Government Decree on fishing, fish caught in natural waters must meet the following size requirements after January 1, 2016. The fish is measured with its mouth closed from the tip of the jaw to the end of the straightened and squeezed tail fin. Source: Eräluvat.fi 

• TROUT WITH ADIPOSE FIN
  Minimum length 50 cm north of the 67º00´N parallel.
  Minimum length 60 cm between the 64º00´N and 67º00´N parallels.
  Maximum length 45 cm in a brook or pond that does not have a migration route from the sea or a lake.
  Close season: In rivers and streams September 1 – November 30.

Fully protected in all sea areas from the beginning of 2019.

• Fully protected in inland waters south of the 64º00´N parallel. This does not apply to trout caught from a brook or pond that does not have a migration route from the sea or a lake.
  In rivers and streams September 1 – November 30.

• TROUT WITH CLIPPED ADIPOSE FIN
  Minimum length 50 cm.
  Close season: In rivers and streams September 1 – November 30.