Vene 26 Båt – fishing trends and quides at the Helsinki International Boat Show – fishing tourism and fishing boats
The Helsinki International Boat Show, Vene 26 Båt, also serves as a meeting place for anglers. This time, in addition to fishing trends and fishing guides, the event will feature more fishing boats than ever and an expanded programme related to fishing tourism. Helsinki International Boat Show is also the largest fishing event in Northern Europe and will be held on 6–15 February 2026 at Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre. Visitors can enjoy ten days of summer, boating and fishing.
Helsinki International Boat Show has its own hall dedicated to fishing and water activities. The Aalto area will showcase more boats specifically designed and equipped for fishing. Throughout the fair, visitors can meet plenty of fishing guides from all around Finland, with Mikko “Peltsi” Peltola serving as the host.
For the first time, the Fishing Guides’ Guild will have its own stand, providing nationwide information about fishing guides at a single location – and there will also be presentations on the programme stages. Fish artist Sakke Yrjölä will once again bring his impressive fish-themed artworks, and this year he will also give demonstrations on fish handling. These demonstrations will take place particularly during the weekends on the fishing programme stage.
“The programme also includes information on clothing for boating, nautical charts, outfitting fishing boats and safety. The Boat Show’s sustainability partner, WWF Finland, will highlight the situation of Saimaa and Baltic ringed seals, ghost nets, anglers’ responsibility on the water, and the restoration of rivers and its benefits for migratory fish stocks and nature. There will also be discussions on the state of fish stocks in the Baltic Sea – a diverse programme indeed. Alongside the more serious topics, the event will feature various casting competitions for visitors, including an invitational precision-casting competition in the big pike class. Fun activities are planned for the pool as well: stand-up paddleboarding, water polo, radio-controlled sailing boats, weekend mermaids, and rescue demonstrations,” says programme producer Sami Pitkänen from Pulp Agency. “Diving will also have an even larger presence at the Boat Show.”
Fishing tourism and travel stories
The Fishing Guides’ Guild will organise a fishing tourism seminar on Tuesday, 10 February. Fishing tourism and travel stories will have an increasingly prominent role at the Boat Show in general. Visitors will hear stories about fishing in the turquoise waters of the Maldives, in the big-perch waters of the Netherlands, in Northern Norway, Lapland, Åland and the Baltic Sea region. Among those sharing their experiences are Henri “Henri of Åland” Helminen, Jarmo “Vekkuli” Vähämäki, Grayling Guide Teemu Vesterinen, Jouni Tompuri and Mika “Haukikoira” Vornanen.
Writer Hasse Härkönen, who has studied the history and current state of fishing in the Baltic Sea countries, will talk about cultural differences and observations from Baltic Sea sea trout shores. Fishing culture has evolved differently in each Baltic Sea country and at different times. The sea trout fishing cultures of Finland, Sweden and Estonia differ from one another, though similarities also exist.
Fishing-related awards
At the Helsinki International Boat Show, the Fishing Boat of the Show will be selected. The aim is to highlight fishing and especially fishing boats, as many fishing-equipped boats are showcased each year. The winner will be chosen by a jury that evaluates how well the competing boats are suited to fishing. A public vote is also underway. The awards will be presented on Saturday, 14 February. In addition to the Fishing Boat of the Show, awards will be given for Fisher of the Year, Fishing Guide of the Year, and Fisheries Inspector of the Year.
Predator Masters with Ruoto 2026 will once again bring together a large group of recreational and competitive anglers when the spectacular final episode of the competition is shown on the fishing programme stage. Finland’s top sport fishers will compete in catching perch, zander and pike. The competition waters are the Gulf of Finland. The teams and anglers are: CWC Andreas Seger & Mika Mäkelä, GARMIN Tomi Tikkanen & Jani Haavisto, SHIMANO-HUMMINBIRD Mika Mujunen & Mikko Riekkinen, OKUMA Tomi Zerhat & Salvatore Vitale, RUOTO Kalle Koivusalo & Janne Huhtanen and
WESTIN Ville Puustinen & Mikko Kukkonen.
Kalastajan Kanava participates
Fishing media Kalastajan Kanava will produce several programme segments on the Tohatsu Stage focusing on fishing and fishing electronics, including topics such as catching eating-size perch throughout the open-water season and utilising chart plotters in fishing. This time, the versatile fishing expert Jyri Kuusisalo will also present fishing boat equipment at his stand and will be present every day of the fair.
Helsinki International Boat Show in February
Messukeskus Helsinki will organise Northern Europe’s largest boating event, Vene 26 Båt – the Helsinki International Boat Show, on 6–15 February 2026 at Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre, commissioned by the Finnish Marine Industries Federation Finnboat.
Images for media: http://mediabank.messukeskus.com
Further information:
Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre, Communications Manager Teija Armanto, tel. +358 50 376 0804, teija.armanto@messukeskus.com
Finnish Marine Industries Federation Finnboat, CEO Jarkko Pajusalo, tel. +358 40 673 4032, jarkko@finnboat.fi
www.venemessut.fi #venemessut #suomiveneilee
www.messukeskus.com/sustainability
Follow the Boat Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/venemessut
Follow the Boat Show on Instagram: @venemessut
