The Lule river begins near the Sulitelma massif on the Norwegian border. With an average discharge of 506 cubic meter at its mouth, the Lule River is the second water-richest in Sweden. The Lule River saw early hydroelectric development, and today the 15 power plants on the river account for almost 10 % of Sweden’s energy production.

The salmon fishing, which made the Lule River famous in medieval times, is now a thing of the past, as the river has been subjected to such extensive hydropower development. In order to compensate for ruined fishing opportunities, salmon and sea trout travelling up the river are caught with hand nets, downstream from the Boden power plant. These are used in breeding, and the fish are then introduced into the river. That is why Lule River salmon and sea trout can still be caught in the lower part of the river and in the Luleå archipelago.

See map and description of the trip in our guide ”Fishing in Luleå”.