Lake Naakajärvi (Sweden) 

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 Photo contrib. P.Majeran  

Lake Naakajärvi lies in the arctic circle, at the border between Sweden and Finland. It is accessible by car, driving a few kilometers on a dirt road through the woods. We have just landed from the chaotic, polluted metropoles of Europe and eager to bathe in the silent nature. The place charms us at first sight and in a moment, in the realm of our emotion it gains the nickname of Lake Nirvana.


The Naakajärvi is not fly fishing only. Nevertheless the few course anglers we came across did not really seem to have an impact on this beautiful lake, that is big enough to allow a complete isolation by just walking some minutes along its banks. The good news is that this is an ideal water for fly fishing.


The water is gin clear, the bottom solid enough to wade to the limit but be careful, even if you think of being on lake Nirvana you still want to make sure you will come back to your Samsara, thus do not take useless risk, there are some deep holes. The fish rise all around us. Often the rings closer to the bank are of small grayling or trout but a bit outside, big ones feed on the surface.


The hatches of insect are generous, during our staying it was full of emerging light-brown sedges, I think a Molannidae but regrettably I did not take any sample for examination.
We were warned about the size of the fish but I have to admit that the first big trout caught me unprepared. I had seen the fish rising at the edge of an emerging weed line. By the way it broke the surface, I'd realised it was a big one. After I presented my sedge and the fish took it, I did not expect the violent reaction and the run to the weed. Despite of the 0.18 leader, the nylon broke.. well here dwell trout between 4 and to 5 kg. and they feed on insects.


Among the many rings, it is often possible to spot the big trout by the way they rise and to focus on the right area. Mind that the place where you have seen the ring, might be not exactly where the trout stations. If the first casts are not successful, it is worthy to place the fly in a radius of 5 or more meters from where the take of the insect was first detected. In the picture a Naakajärvi trout, estimated 2.5 kilo, caught on a dry sedge and promptly released.


Take warm clothes, even in summer the temperature can drop or rain may fall, fish don't mind and keep on feeding.
We had good hatches and fish activity regardless of weather conditions and till after midnight sun.


Expect unforgettable sunsets, and hope that you do not have to change your fly in the precious moments of dimmed light.


Many times the raising fish are grayling. Above, the rod bends on a nice grayling during a magic coloured sunset.


There are grayling of respectable size, exemplars up to 50 cm. are not seldom. Above the release of a nice over-40.


This lake, relatively easy to reach by car, it is a place where one can breath the magic of nature and there is to hope that it will be preserved from unnecessary civilization. We often long to be able to fish there again and enjoy the charm and quitness that we have experienced in year 2010.


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