Fishing

Vantaankoski is one of the most popular fishing spots in Vantaanjoki and southern Finland. The area comprises Vantaankoski, flowing below Kehä III, its backwater and Mustakoski. The popularity of the area is based on the abundance of rainbow trout. Tikkurilankoski, located next to the Tikkurila railway station and bus station, is another whitewater fishing spot where Vantaa plants rainbow trout. 

Vantaanjoki and Keravanjoki flow through large clay soil areas. The water can become very muddy especially in the lower reaches, making fishing more difficult. The mean flow of Vantaanjoki is 17 m3/s at the mouth of the river, but the flow rate fluctuates strongly. When the river floods, the flow rate can be as high as 200 m3/s, while in summer, the flow rate can drop to 2 m3/s. 

Vantaanjoki is 100 km long and its drop height is 111 m. Keravanjoki is the largest tributary of Vantaanjoki and it is 65 km long. 

Vantaanjoki has suffered from a heavy wastewater load and engineering projects, which almost completely destroyed the river’s original trout stock. Improved wastewater treatment, removal of migration barriers, restocking, improved condition of spawning areas, and the regulation of sea fishing have successfully improved the condition of the river. The trout stock of Vantaanjoki has increased considerably in recent years. Today, thousands of trout swim up-river to spawn every year. 

When fishing in Vantaanjoki and Keravanjoki, you are most likely to catch planted rainbow trout. You might also catch pike, perch, trout, salmon, grayling, carps and minnows. 

The City of Vantaa’s fishing permit entitles you to fish with one rod at a time in Vantaanjoki and Keravanjoki and to catch up to two (2) fish of the salmon family (trout, salmon, grayling and rainbow trout) per day. Vantaanjoki has been defined as a migratory fish waterway. Thus, it is prohibited to fish and ice-fish in the river’s whitewaters and streams. You always need a fishing permit. 

It is strictly forbidden to move around and fish on private property without the permission of the owner of the property. 

The minimal size and close seasons of different species and other fishing regulations can be found in the Fishing Grounds Map of Vantaa and Fishing Regulations of Vantaankoski appendix. 

The largest water areas owned by the City of Vantaa are located in the recreation area of Bjurs in Inkoo. Here, you can fish pike, perch and even pike-perch. Sea trout is not an impossible catch either. You might also catch powan, bream, orfe and roach. If you do not have your own boat, you can hire one in Bjurs to expand your fishing opportunities. 

The recreation area of Vetokannas in Porkkalanniemi is popular with those who like to fish on the shore. Here, your fishing experience can be affected by the weather and currents. Local species include perch, carps and minnows, sea trout and flounder. 

The Tallholmen recreation area in the Sipoo archipelago is suitable for fishing for sea trout and powan. 

The City of Vantaa is a shareholder in the fishery of Krämarö operating in Sipoo. Vantaa sells a limited number of fishing permits for the waters of the fishery to local fishers. 

The fishing permit for Vantaankoski and Tikkurilankoski entitles you to spin and fly-fish in the designated areas in Vantaankoski and Tikkurilankoski. The permit also entitles you to lure-fish in other areas where fishing is allowed under the City of Vantaa's fishing permit. 

The City of Vantaa’s fishing permit entitles you to troll, spin and fly-fish in water areas managed by the City of Vantaa: 

• Vantaanjoki, approximately 10 km excluding the Vantaankoski fishing permit area (Vantaa) 

• Keravanjoki, approximately 20 km excluding the Tikkurilankoski fishing permit area (Vantaa) 

• Recreation area of Bjurs 314 ha (Inkoo) 

• Recreation area of Vetokannas 98 ha (Kirkkonummi) 

• Recreation area of Tallholmen 27 ha (Sipoo) 

The fishing permit also entitles you to go spearfishing in the waters of the recreation areas of Vetokannas and Bjurs (only south of the Orrörarna-Gubbskägget-Ekornsholmen line). 

The City of Vantaa’s fishing permit does not limit the number of lures you can use. You can fish with up to two rods with a reel in Bjurs, Tallholmen and Vetokannas. The fish stock management fee entitles you to use one additional rod in these areas. 

In addition, fishers aged between 18 and 64 who practise forms of fishing other than angling and ice-fishing must pay the state fish stock management fee. 

EUR 5,50/day 
EUR 36/year 

In order to support young people’s fishing activities, the City of Vantaa allows local young people under the age of 18 to fish in city-owned waters without a fishing permit, with the exception of the fishing permit areas of Vantaankoski and Tikkurilankoski. 

Fishing permits for Vantaankoski and Tikkurilankoski are sold at Kioski King's Corner in Vantaankoski and the Martinlaakso Swimming Hall and online. 

EUR 12/day 
EUR 100/year
EUR 6/day (under 18) 
EUR 50/year (under 18) 

Kioski King’s Corner and online shops charge a handling fee. 

As a result of improved wastewater treatment, the water quality of Vantaanjoki has improved. This has enabled the restocking of trout and the planting of fish in Vantaa. 

In addition to improving water quality, the fishing grounds of Vantaa have been restored by removing migration barriers, improving the condition of spawning areas of migratory fish, planting fish, and enforcing fishing regulations. Today, Vantaanjoki has an increasing stock of trout. The spawning season of trout tends to attract a large number of locals to the river. 

For several summers now, the City of Vantaa has hired two students as “stream caretakers” to clean and take care of the city’s waters. The caretakers have organised restoration events for volunteers and participated in the restoration of the spawning areas of trout. The tasks of caretakers have also included cleaning streams and river beds by removing debris and waste that has accumulated there, removing barriers that hinder fish migration, and eliminating invasive alien species such as Himalayan balsam. To learn more about events organised by the city’s summer caretakers, visit the Vantaan Purotalkkarit Facebook page. 

In Vantaa, fishing is controlled by restocking fish and selling fishing permits for the main channels of Vantaanjoki and Keravanjoki. Smaller side channels and streams are conserved as trout spawning areas. Fish are mainly restocked in Vantaankoski and Tikkurilankoski. 

Thanks to extensive restocking, the Vantaankoski fishing permit area has become one of the most popular fishing grounds in southern Finland. Tikkurilankoski, on the other hand, is located close to excellent public transport connections, offering great opportunities for fishers who do not have a car. 

When fishing in Vantaankoski or Tikkurilankoski, all fishers, including young people under the age of 18, must have a valid fishing permit for the area in question. In addition, fishers aged between 18 to 64 must pay a fish management fee. 

When fishing in city-owned whitewaters and streams, you are allowed to catch up to two fish of the salmon family (trout, salmon, grayling and rainbow trout) per day. The aim of this catch quota is to improve the likelihood of catching fish in these areas. 

A trout with an intact adipose fin is likely of wild natural stock and must be released immediately back into the water. 

In Vantaanjoki, the close season for trout and salmon is 1 September–30 November. 

Fishing is prohibited in Vantaankoski and Tikkurilankoski between 1 October and 30 November and in other whitewater and stream areas between 1 September and 30 November. 

In order to secure the development of trout spawn, it is prohibited to wade in Vantaankoski and Mustakoski between 1 October and 31 May. In other whitewaters, the wading ban starts on 1 September.