River Kiiminkijoki - free river with 70 rapids
Photo: Kiiminkijoki ry Sea trout start migrating upriver in the spring.
The 170 kilometre long River Kiiminkijoki, which empties its dark waters into the bottom of the Gulf of Bothnia to the north of Oulu, is one of the very few unharnessed rivers in Finland, where migratory fish are not hindered by anything apart from some traps.Especially sea trout and migratory whitefish – but in lesser numbers Atlantic salmon too – seize this opportunity when searching for places to spawn. Ranging from 15 to 90 metres in width, River Kiiminkijoki is ideally suited to fly-fishing and spinning from the banks or while wading. The river covers about 70 rapids, and since most of these are classified as easy, it also offers a canoe trail worth considering. Furthermore, as the entire main river channel from Lake Kivarinjärvi in Puolanka all the way to the sea is covered by a combined licence, fishing is straightforward in this respect too. Photo: Jari Tuiskunen  River Kiiminkijoki is a splendid place for fishing. The most common catch is grayling, which are found in large quantities, particularly in the stretch between the Kurimonkoski and Juopulinkoski Rapids, and in moderation elsewhere as well. Fish exceeding the 35-cm smallest permitted size are caught frequently, while even 40-cm specimens are not uncommon. Sea trout start migrating upriver soon after the ice breaks up in the spring. The average weight of migrating fish is around 1.5–2 kilos, but the stream has yielded over 10-kilo chance catches too. However, you stand a better chance of making a catch with angling-sized trout released into the waters in quantities of 1,000 to 2,000 kilos every year starting in May. You can recognise restocked specimens by their clipped adipose fins and the smallest permitted size applicable to these is 50 cm, whereas the limit for wild trout is 60 cm. Photo: Kiiminkijoki ry  You can also catch salmon on River Kiiminkijoki. It’s worth going after trout in the special fishing areas, in particular, where the restocking operations take place. Starting from upstream, these are the Kalliuskoski, Kurimonkoski, Inninkoski, Myllykoski, Jokikokonkoski, Juopulinkoski, Aittokoski, Koitelinkoski, Venekoski and Sämppikoski Rapids. There are also maintained lean-to and campfire sites in many places, making the rapids suitable for family outings as well. You can also catch salmon here, since the river is stocked with salmon fry in considerable quantities every year. The best salmon pools are located downstream in the Haukipudas and Kiiminki areas, including the Haapalahti pool, the bottom of the Alakoski Rapids, the lower section of Sämppikoski Rapids as well as both the upper and lower sections of the Venekoski Rapids. Photo: Jari Tuiskunen  By canoe you can also reach remote places of River Kiiminkijoki where there are only few other anglers. | 
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