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Fishing Rautavesi: what the data says
7,471-acre lake in Finland. The lake tops out around 82 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
On the chart, Rautavesi draws 7,702 acres inside 54.8 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 4.5, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Roughly 57% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives.
Ilmainen interaktiivinen kalastuskartta — Rautavesi, Suomi: syvyyskäyrät todellisista syvyysmittauksista 25 metriin (82 jalkaa) asti, parhaat kalapaikat lajeille ahven, hauki, kuha ja muut. Syvyyskartta on mallinnettu järven todellisesta rantaviivasta ja suurimmasta syvyydestä — käytä sitä suuntaa-antavana, älä koskaan navigointiin.
European Perch fishing at Rautavesi
The spring pattern is a shallow one: european perch in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 28 ft before dropping to 12 to 33 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in spring. Plan around early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small crankbait (perch pattern) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner #1-2 |
| Summer | 8 to 28 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small crankbait (perch pattern) |
| Fall | 10 to 33 ft | midday | Deep basin (70 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Drop-shot on deep flats |
| Winter | 12 to 33 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + maggots, Small balance jig |
Northern Pike fishing at Rautavesi
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Zander fishing at Rautavesi
The spring pattern is a shallow one: zander in 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 35 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. The spot to know is Secondary point, a point in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for zander in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a vertical softbait over humps or a deep crankbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (3 ft) | Softbait on jighead (10-12 cm), Shallow crankbait at dusk |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (18 ft) | Vertical softbait over humps, Deep crankbait |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Secondary point (18 ft) | Big softbait (12-16 cm) slow-rolled, Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (18 ft) | Vertical jig / mormyshka with bait, Slow blade bait |
Lake Whitefish fishing at Rautavesi
Early season lake whitefish use the shallows, holding in 15 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 25 to 82 ft, then a winter hold in 25 to 70 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 70 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 25 to 82 ft | dawn | Deep basin (70 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (3 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (70 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Burbot fishing at Rautavesi
Spring puts burbot in skinny water — 25 to 70 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 25 to 82 ft, wintering in 15 to 60 ft. Spring burbot concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 70 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and midday. A heavy jig + cut bait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 25 to 70 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (70 ft) | Glow jigging spoon + cut bait, Rattle bait (dark) |
| Summer | 25 to 82 ft | night & midday | Deep basin (70 ft) | Heavy jig + cut bait |
| Fall | 30 to 80 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (70 ft) | Glow spoon + minnow head, Blade bait (slow) |
| Winter | 15 to 60 ft | night & dusk | Deepest basin (66 ft) | Glow tungsten + cut bait, Rattle spoon + minnow head |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 70 ft
- Deepest basin: deep basin, around 66 ft
- Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 20 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 18 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 9 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 5 ft
- Shoreline point: point, around 5 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
- Rock reef: rock pile, around 3 ft
- Rock reef: rock pile, around 3 ft
- Rock reef: rock pile, around 2 ft
- Weed flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Rautavesi fishing regulations
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Finland waters are set by the Kalastusrajoitus.fi (official Finnish restriction service) — and special regulations can apply to Rautavesi specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Finland fishing regulations →
Common questions
How deep is Rautavesi?
Rautavesi is about 82 ft (25 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Rautavesi?
Anglers target zander, northern pike, european perch, lake whitefish, burbot on Rautavesi. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Where is the best fishing spot on Rautavesi?
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for european perch in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Rautavesi?
For european perch, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
What are the fishing regulations for Rautavesi?
Fishing on Rautavesi is regulated by the Kalastusrajoitus.fi (official Finnish restriction service). Check the official Finland regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Nearby waters
Riippilänjärvi 3 mi · Houhajärvi 8 mi · Mätikkö 8 mi · Kulovesi 9 mi · Tupurlajärvi 9 mi · Ylistenjärvi 10 mi · Mouhijärvi 10 mi · Kourajärvi 12 mi · Kiikoisjärvi 13 mi · Suonojärvi 13 mi · Mahnalanselkä Kirkkojärvi 15 mi · Puurijärvi (ump.kasv.) 16 mi
See how Rautavesi stacks up: best zander lakes in Finland · best northern pike lakes in Finland · best european perch lakes in Finland · best lake whitefish lakes in Finland
Browse all Finland fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.