Herrings at the bridge

The herrings are back at the coast of Helsinki. They come here to mate each year around this time. And this is also the perfect opportunity to catch some of those small delicious fish yourself.

And it's fairly easy. Just get a fishing rod or even just some fishing line, attach a few hooks and throw them into the water. Yes, you don't even need any bait. If you move the rod a little bit you will have your first catch in no time.

One of the best places to go in Helsinki is the bridge between Lauttasaari and Salmisaari. For fishing here in the open sea you don't need a license.

Good luck!

So many things to do today

No idea yet what you want to do today? Well this Saturday there are lots of options.

First of all today is Ravintolapäivä again. Most of you will already know it. Everyone can open a restaurant, café or snack bar for one day. Over 400 pop-up restaurants will be welcoming visitors today in the center.

Or follow the Kalamaraton. Fishermen from all over Finland will come to Helsinki today to show their fishing skills. From noon till midnight they have 12 hours time to catch as much as possible in the Helsinki waters. If you are interested in fishing you might still be able to learn something from the professionals today.

And in the evening don’t forget to watch the semifinal of the ice hockey championships. It’s a classic: Finland vs. Sweden. That’s the most emotional game you can imagine in Finland. So if you want to have the real experience watch it in one of Helsinki’s sports bars and root for the blue and white lions. The game starts at 16:00 and will also be shown on MTV3.

Another event that involves Finland and Sweden will be the final of the Eurovision Song Contest taking place in Malmö, Sweden today. And Finland’s candidate Krista Siegfrids is considered to have good chances for a high ranking. The event will be broadcasted live on YLE 1 and YLE HD starting from 22:00.

Enjoy the weekend!

The herrings are back

It’s time for fishing again. Every year in May the herrings come to the shore for a few weeks to mate. At this time it’s fairly easy to catch some yourself with just a fishing rod and a few hooks. You can find a more detailed explanation in this post.

Good fishing and tight lines!

Fishing for everyone

You like herring and would love to catch some yourself right here in Helsinki? You don’t know how it works and where to go? Well, it’s quite easy. One really good spot is at Salmisaari next to the bridge to Lauttasaari. Basically all you need is a fishing line with three to six hooks and a heavy weight at the end. You can get all that at any fishing shop or places like Clas Ohlson for a reasonable price. Of course a fishing rod makes it easier but it’s not necessary. Also don’t forget to bring a bag or box for the fish. Since you fish at the open sea and not a lake you don’t need a fishing license.

You don’t need any bait. Just lower the line into the water till the weight hits the ground, let it hang there, move it a bit from time to time and wait. Pretty soon the first fish will bite. Since they confuse it with their food and they just bite the plain hook. As soon as you feel something is on the hook, pull the line up and collect your catch. 

In no time you can catch quite a big amount of herring there. Consider to disembowel it right away since it is quite a mess and smelly to do that at home. The seagulls will also appreciate it.

The fresh fish makes a great dinner if you fry it and eat it together with some potatoes. Here you find a nice recipe. If you want to go through the trouble you can also make pickled herring.

During the next days and weeks is the best time to catch herring. So don't wait too long!

Good fishing!

Caution! For pregnant women it is not recommended to eat Baltic herring more than once per month.