Hiring an Åland fishing guide: is it worth it?
Is hiring an Åland fishing guide worth it? If your days on the islands are few, I'd say yes: a guide gives you what you can't pack in a suitcase, knowledge of this water on those particular days. I'm a guide myself, so take that with a pinch of salt. On a budget, take a guide for day one only.
What a good fishing day rests on
In my experience, a successful day on the water rests on three things: knowing the water, having tackle that suits the conditions on the day, and the skill to catch fish. And that's before the small things: fuel, licences, rocks just under the surface, how quickly you can get from one spot to the next, and simply good service.
If you already have the skill, the rest is something you need at a specific time: the few days you've set aside for Åland. That is exactly what a guide gives you.
The sensible middle: a guide on day one, then on your own
Some people can book a guide for the whole stay, but we all know the perfectly reasonable wish to save a little. "A guide for the first day, the rest on my own" is a very sensible plan: you get to know the water and how the fish are behaving, and then you try your own hand.
Åland fishing guide or self-guided: at a glance
With a guide | Self-guided | |
Knowing the water | The guide knows where the fish are this week, and at what depth | You learn as you go; we're happy to point out spots |
How much water you cover | More: the guide knows the routes, so you range further | Usually closer to spots you already know |
Route, rocks, fuel | Someone else's worry | Your responsibility |
Cost | Higher | Lower |
Suits | A short trip, a first visit, a particular target fish | Return visitors and confident boat handlers |
What it costs
It isn't cheap, but everything is relative. On a guided day the boat, the fuel and the route are someone else's concern; you don't worry, you simply fish and enjoy the day.
At Finnö, every one of our packages already includes a villa with sauna, boats, fishing licences, cleaning, linen and transfer; how much guiding you get depends on the package. Packages start from €435 per person, and flights, ferry and food are extra.
A wider map of the water
When you fish with a guide, your fishing map grows considerably. On some days that alone is what makes the difference.
If you'd rather fish on your own
I think I've made my case, but the choice is yours. And if you decide to fish on your own, please don't be shy about asking us for advice. We'll gladly show you a few spots and talk lures. The main thing is to enjoy yourself. There's more about the water on our fishing on Åland page, and you can look over our boats before you come. If you want to know who you'd be fishing with, here's a little about me.
Write to me with your dates and the size of your group, and I'll suggest which of our packages makes sense. See you on the water.
Read next: how the Åland fishing licence works, and what to expect from pike fishing on Åland in May.
