Åland fishing in June: the month when almost everything works
Åland fishing in June is, to my mind, the most interesting of the season. The first ten days are the peak for pike, both for numbers and for big fish; in the second half zander and perch take over as the pike ease off. Almost every method works, as long as you keep an eye on the weed.
This post follows on from my earlier one on fishing in May, and is part of a series on fishing the Åland Islands through the seasons.
Why June matters for fishing on Åland
June is, I'd say, the most interesting month for fishing at our latitudes, across Sweden, Finland and the northern Baltic, and Åland is no exception. Light and warmth are at their peak, and nature is at its busiest. This is the month when the main processes that decide how hard the fish feed, and where, run their course.
First, the spawning of many species, predators and others alike. Second, the change in water temperature. And third, as a result, the growth of underwater weed. Understand how these three are linked and you will almost always find the fish. So what actually happens in June?
What changes underwater in June
Predators finish spawning
As a rule, by mid-June all the predators have finished spawning, and pike, zander and, to a lesser extent, perch reach the peak of their feeding.
The baitfish change
The same goes for the main food source on Åland, Baltic herring. As far as I understand, their spawning is over too, and the once-enormous shoals more or less disappear. In their place come bleak and the ever-present roach.
Water temperature and weed
The water sits between 16 and 20 °C. Underwater weed appears on all the shallows, and almost every fish in the area moves onto them. By shallows, I should say, I mean water up to 3 metres deep.
At the start of June, Canadian waterweed (elodea) reaches about halfway up the water column, which makes for near-ideal fishing. By the end of the month it covers almost all the shallows down to 3 metres, and although the fish are still there, fishing for them is no longer so simple. It always pays to watch these changes and react to them straight away.
First half vs second half of June
The fishing on 1 June and on 29 June will still be quite different, but nowhere near as different as at the start and end of May.
First half of June | Second half of June | |
Pike | Absolute peak in the first ten days: numbers and big fish | Slowly easing off and moving deeper |
Zander | Finishing spawning by mid-month | Their time begins; moving up onto the shallows |
Perch | Biting at all depths, 1–6 m | Still at all depths; their peak is yet to come |
Canadian waterweed | About halfway up the water column: near-ideal | Covers almost all shallows to 3 m: harder fishing |
Water | 16–20 °C through the month | 16–20 °C through the month |
Pike and zander in the same spot
I'd put it this way: the predators are heading in opposite directions. The pike start to sit deeper, while the zander do the opposite and move up onto the shallows. So at this time of year you can catch both pike and zander in one place.
Perch at every depth
Perch bite at all depths now: in one place you'll find them in a metre of water, in another you can fish successfully at 6 metres. Perch fishing can be good in June, but the peak of the perch season is still ahead.
Which methods work in June
To sum up, I'd call this the time when you have the most options. You can vary your method and your target species, and almost every approach will catch fish:
jigging
jerkbaits
twitching
vertical jigging
A modest view
This article makes no claim to be the final word. It is simply my view of fishing on the Åland Islands in this wonderful season of white nights. For the bigger picture, see our fishing on Åland page; for how we get about on the water, see our boats.
If you'd like to see June here for yourself, write to me and I'll tell you how the dates are looking and which of our packages suits your group. See you on the water.
Read next: where to find big perch in early spring.
