Fishing season: The entire year (Elehvä fishing association: 1.6. -30.9.)
Area overview: Waterfall and backwater fishing sites, lake fishing.
Locations: Near the Oulu-Kuusamo road (no. 20), about 13 km from Taivalkoski.
Area: Kostonjoki is about 25 km long, a northern tributary of the Iijoki River, situated entirely in the municipality of Taivalkoski. This river has a relatively large volume of water. It starts from the regulated Lake Kostonjärvi. There are plenty of rapids and waterfalls in the river, such as Ulmajankoski and the Korpua and Koitila rapids. Kostonjoki flows into Iijoki near the parish village of Taivalkoski.
Close to the Oulu-Kuusamo highway, in Koitila, there is a fishing area governed by the Jokikylä fishing association and Metsähallitus, with alternating waterfalls and backwaters. Downstream from Koitijärvi, fishermen are lured by the waterfalls Koitikoski and Kutinkoski, while Kypäräkoski, Rääpänkoski, Kaupinkoski and Pyörrekoski entice them upstream. There are other, smaller rapids and currents in this area as well.
Pyörrekoski and Kaupinkoski in the upper part of the area belong to the waters of Metsähallitus. The shared waters of the Jokikylä fishing association begin from Kaupinkoski. Some waterfalls are accessible by car. There are paths on the eastern bank of the river that lead to Kallioisenkoski, Naapankoski, Rääpänkoski and all the way to Kypäräkoski. Downstream from Koitijärvi, the paths to the rapids are on the western bank.
In this area, you are likely to catch trout, grayling, whitefish, pike and perch. The main catch of the rapids and streams of Kostonjoki is grayling; every summer, you can hear about the largest catches on the grapevine. When the conditions are right and the currents are slower, you can catch grayling by fly fishing already in April. In early summer, you can catch trout from the river. There are no obstacles for the trout moving upstream, so they may travel quite far. The most common catches from Lake Koitijärvi and the backwaters are pike and perch. Skillful fly fishing could land you hefty whitefish swimming around in the backwaters.
Services: There is a boat ramp on the northern shore of Lake Koitijärvi. There are campfire sites on Harjaniemi, which reaches to the middle of the lake, and at the Koitisalmi parking area (covered).
Natural fish stock: Trout, grayling, whitefish, pike, perch.
Introduced species: Introduced rainbow trout, trout and grayling stock.
Permitted gear: Trolling and fly.
Catch quota:
Jokikylä fishing association 3 rainbow trout/24 h (no quota for other fish species).
Elehvä fishing association: no catch quotas.
Kostonjoki fishing association: 3 salmonids/24 h from the stream and rapids
The lure permit from Metsähallitus includes a catch quota for the stream and rapids, 3 salmonids/24 h
Other restrictions: Normal closed seasons for trout.
Permit prices:
Jokikylä fishing permit:
5€ / 24h
10€ / week
25€ / season
Elehvä fishing permit:
10€ / 24h
20€ / week
30€ / season
More information/permits:
Jokikylä Owners’ Association
Ville Soronen, Koitilantie 41A, p. +358 44 336 1112
Osmo Taivalkoski, Särkitie
Auvo Taivalkoski, Kuusamontie 83A
Jorma Taivalkoski, Kuusamontie 83B
Elehvä fishing association
Teijo Inget, Inkeentie 33, Inget, tel. +358 500 194 051
Mauri Rääpysjärvi, tel. +358 40 540 0287
Rod fishing permit, Northern Ostrobothnia-Kainuu rod fishing permit 5411
www.eraluvat.fi
More information from the Kostonjoki fishing areas:
Ville Soronen, Jokikylä fishing association, tel. +358 44 336 1112