Food taking and moves
Young salmons in the river eat small crustaceans, insects and larvae. They take food also from the surface.
Young salmons turn silver sided, forget their territories and start getting into shoals in spring. When water gets + 10-12 C, wandering to the sea begins. Descending a river is at the busiest in May-July. Some male salmons become mature in the river and they stay to wait ascending females. When young salmons reach the sea they feed at first on variety of spineless but soon they start take fish and increase their weight quickly. For example salmons from the Bothnian Bay mainly wander to the south and middle of the Baltic to take food.
Lake salmons take food similar to brown trouts: they feed on vendace, smelt, bleak and sticklebacks.
Spawning
In this case from lake Inari.
Salmon population in Finland is not well. It suffers because man have destroyed almost all it's reproduction areas with hydroelectric plants. In Finland were before 18 salmon-rivers that descend to the Baltic, today only 2 still remain. Salmon population in the Baltic is practically relying on sowings. From the polar sea salmons still ascend to 2 rivers. Population of legendary river Teno is considered good.
Salmons return to their birth rivers to spawn. Wandering in sea begins in spring. Ascending the river takes place at he time when ices come out. Ascending is the most intense in June.
Spawning starts at late of September and is over by mid-October. Spawning areas are in 0,5-2 m waters with gravel bottom. Female picks up a suitable place and digs a spawning pit. Salmon is a portion spawner.
After spawning salmons descend the river back to the sea. When winter comes sudden and by surprise, salmons spend the winter in river.
Lake salmon populations in Finland are completely relied on sowing.
Catch, records, ways to fish
In 2006 pro fisherman caught slightly over 300 tonnes salmon in Finland. In same year share of recreational fishing was 200 tn.
At the time of writing, current Finnish salmon record is 27,4 kg. The biggest lake salmon is 12,4 kg, caught from lake Puula. Previous now turned unofficial records were dominated by 43 kg salmon caught from Tornio-river in 1904.
Comparatively big size of salmon is always made it an important resource. It's great strength also is always tempted recreational fishermen. Salmon had reputation of expensive delicacy, but today prices are dropped, thanks to Norwegian fish hatchery.
Pros have been fishing salmons with nets and lines from the sea. Ascending fishes' route has been blocked with special "salmon-barrages" and traps. Recreational fishermen try to catch salmons by trolling and casting.
Sources:- Koli, Lauri, Suomen kalat
- FGFRI's stats (In Finnish)
- Fish records (In Finnish)