7 minute read
Jasper Pääkkönen: The Fly Fishing Viking
You’ve probably seen him covered in blood and soot on the gory hit series, Vikings – or you’ve been glued to the screen as he starred as Felix Kendrickson in Spike Lee’s 2018 drama, BlacKkKlansman. But did you know that Finish actor and rising star, Jasper Pääkkönen is a keen fly fisherman and a fierce advocate for the environment and our precious wild fish stocks? We’ve sat down to have a chat with Jasper, among other things, about his passion for fly fishing, and how he divides his time between acting jobs and his penchant for fly fishing adventures across the globe.
When did you get started fly fishing and why?
I started fly fishing at the age of 11 after getting mezmerized when I saw some fly fishermen in the rivers of Kuhmo in Eastern Finland, where I had learned to fish for trout years earlier with my dad. I remember seeing someone catch fish with self-made flies and I thought it was simply magical. ”This guy made his OWN flies from hairs and feathers, and he’s catching more fish than anyone else? And on top of that, his casting is so much more beautiful than my ”chuck-the-Rapala-with-myAbu-reel” spin fishing!” is pretty much what I thought in amazement. From that moment on, I decided that I’ll be a fly fisherman. I didn’t have anyone to teach me so I went to the local library and got all the books about fly fishing and fly tying I could find and learned from the books. Damn - nowadays everything is so easy with Youtube tutorials! It probably took me 30 times longer to learn how to tie a March Brown than it would today, hahaha.
Anyway, a couple of years later my dad (who by then had also given up his spin rods and converted into fly fishing) and I were among the founding members of the Helsinki Fly Fishers Club, and at the age of 14 I started working in the best fly shop in Helsinki, both behind the counter as well as tying flies for the shop to sell. Ever since then, fly fishing has been my biggest passion.
What is it about fly fishing that fascinates you?
I don’t know if there is one answer to this question. Or more accurately: Throughout the years the answer has changed. In the beginning it was all about the aesthetics of fly fishing: The beauty of a nice back cast, the beauty of flies.
Then the difficulty and the challenge of catching a trout with a self made fly. Then the realization that, as a fly fisherman, you are never ”ready” or ”complete”, but that it is an eternal learning process. And later on, the appreciation and understanding of the importance of free flowing rivers and healthy fisheries, and the passion towards protecting them. And, as my favorite poem on fly fishing states, when you are fishing you ”can find solitude without loneliness”.
Fly fishing is not just a hobby, but more of a passion and a whole lifestyle.
Has fly fishing become more important to you over the years as you’ve become increasingly involved in the film industry?
Not really! Haha. I’ve always thought of myself as first and foremost a fly fisherman, and all other titles (such as being an actor) are secondary.
If I had to choose between acting and fly fishing, it would be an easy choice.
Do people in the film industry “get” why you’re into fly fishing?
It depends. Some do, and some are even envious of me having such a strong passion towards something else than film or acting. Others find it weird, or even confusing: Some actors think that in an actor’s life, acting should always be priority #1, and they don’t really appreciate it when I say I would quit acting any time if I had to choose between the two.
Does fly fishing help you mentally prepare for work – or is it merely a distraction?
Both! Haha. Whenever there are no schedule problems, meaning work doesn’t interfere with my fishing plans, they can complement each other. Fly fishing is a great balance to the hectic nature of my work. But sometimes work is a huge distraction. When we were shooting Vikings, I really had to get creative with scheduling so that I was able to squeeze in some epic salmon fishing trips to Norway and Iceland when we were shooting all summer long in Ireland..
What are your fly fishing ambitions for the future?
My most important ambition is being able to help fund dam removals in Finland, and raising awareness on the destructive nature of hydro power. But purely on the fishing side...
I’m hoping to get a chance to fish the Atlantic Salmon Reserve sometime. I’ve fished pretty much every single other river in Kola, but the three rivers of ASR are still something I haven’t experienced.
You’re heavily involved in conservation and political lobbyism on behalf of the environment. Any projects we should be aware of?
I was able to play a part in the biggest dam removal project in Finland, where 3 major dams will be removed starting next year. I donated 25,000 euros to the removal and was able to raise a couple of hundred thousand euros from wealthy fly fishermen I am friends with, and that money was the last missing piece in the multi-million-euro removal project.
Besides that, on a slightly smaller scale, we started a charity campaign on a fly shop that I co-own. We donate 1 euro per sold fly to an amazing non-profit organization that restores habitat for endangered trout populations. The campaign page can be found here:
https://www.superflies.com/category/ charity-flies?noredirect=en-GB
The story of Superflies is actually quite funny: last year I was shooting Spike Lee’s new film Da 5 Bloods in Chiang Mai, Thailand. On my days off I visited a couple of fly tying workshops and found a perfect partner to commercially tie the flies, a small ”factory” where workers were very happy and taken good care of, with higher than minimum wage salaries, health care etc.
I had a concern that fly tying factories are sweatshops that exploit cheap labor but the one we chose is far from that. So, I made a huge order of flies and we opened Superflies.com. Spike Lee thought I was crazy when I told him what I’d been doing on my days off... Haha!
How can other fly fishermen get involved and help our aquatic environments and fisheries across Europe?
The power of social media is something that shouldn’t be underestimated. I have seen first hand how big companies, politicians, and other key players have been forced to change their irresponsible ways after receiving negative comments from fishermen on their Facebook and other social media profiles.
Public feedback, especially negative feedback, has really forced many industry players to change their policies when it comes to management of fisheries and rivers. I urge everyone to comment on the social media walls of hydro power companies, and to express their opinion on what is right and what is not.
The more negative feeback these companies publicly get, the more pressure rests on their leaders when it comes to re-evaluating their future policies. And the same goes with politicians and their decision making.
What are you’re fishing plans for the upcoming year (with the corona pandemic in continued effect)?
As mentioned, I’m hoping to be able to travel to Russia to fish the ASR, but safety must come first, so even if the border opens, I have to make sure it is a responsible idea to cross the border. Besides that, I’m continuously monitoring the news regarding the border situation between Finland and Norway: if the border opens, I’ll squeeze in some salmon fishing in Finnmark where I have a summer cabin.
Earlier this year I was lucky to fish Rio Gallegos and Solid Adventures’s Glacier King program in Patagonia – followed by Jurassic Lake, right before the corona madness started. I caught my biggest ever sea run brown trout and chinook during those weeks, so the season started nicely.
Jasper is involved in the Superflies Charity Campaign, which supports Virho; a Finnish non-profit organization that has successfully helped native salmon in Southern Finland return from the brink of extinction. For more info:
