In April 2019 a 116 cm pike took a Megabass Kanata in a shallow Åland bay. Our scales stopped at 12 kg, so we settled on 13 kg. The full, honest story.

Do you need a fishing licence on Åland? How licence waters, municipal, state and private waters differ, what a licence costs and why the boundaries matter.

Fly fishing for pike on Åland in late November: 35 cm flies, two fly anglers per boat, slower drifts. A guide's honest view of whether it really works.

Where and how to catch big perch on Åland in spring: shallow bays of about 2 m with last year's weed, from ice-out to June, on 10–15 cm suspending lures.

June on Åland: peak pike in the first ten days, zander and perch in the second half, water at 16–20 °C and weed to watch. A guide's month-by-month view.

Should you hire an Åland fishing guide or fish on your own? Leonid weighs it up honestly, and explains why a guide on day one is often the sensible choice.

Is May a good month for pike on Åland? Cold water, spawning, herring runs and why a fish over 5 kg can take on any day of the month. A local guide's view.

The five lure types I take for pike in the Åland archipelago, ranked: soft shads, jerkbaits, twitch baits, spoons and spinners, with sizes and weights.

Can you go ice fishing on Åland? Finnö lies in a fjord sheltered from strong winds, so ice forms in most winters. What to know before you plan a trip.