Ice Fishing in the Light of the Polar Night

The Polar Night in Kilpisjärvi does not mean complete darkness. Although the sun stays below the horizon, a few hours of twilight bring soft light and changing colors to the landscape.

On a clear day, the horizon may glow in lilac, violet, pink and gold, while the snow reflects cool shades of blue. When snow is falling, the view becomes smaller and the mountains may disappear completely. Then the world around you is reduced to softly falling snow, the frozen lake and the quiet company of your guide.

Every day looks different, and the weather becomes part of the experience.

By Sledge to a Frozen Lake

Settle into the passenger sledge pulled by your local guide’s snowmobile. Depending on the weather and ice conditions, we travel to Lake Kilpisjärvi or a nearby tundra lake.

From the sledge, you can watch the winter landscape pass by without having to concentrate on driving. Once we stop and the snowmobile falls silent, there is time to take in the stillness around you.

Ice Fishing, the Local Way

Your guide first shows you how to use an ice drill to make a hole through the lake ice. You then place bait on the hook and lower the line to the right depth.

After that, ice fishing is mostly about patience. Settle onto a reindeer hide in the middle of the snowy landscape and wait to see if a fish will bite. Your guide stays with you, teaching, helping and sharing local knowledge along the way.

We cannot promise a catch, but ice fishing is part of winter life in Lapland. It is something every visitor should try at least once.

Around the Laplanders’ Television

Here in Lapland, we often call an open fire our television. We gather around it, watch the flames, share stories and enjoy the warmth.

Your guide brings along a selection of Finnish snacks for the fireside break. We roast sausages over the open fire and serve coffee brewed by the fire and hot Finnish berry juice. It is a simple and enjoyable way to end the time spent out on the frozen lake.