Ältsjön
clear oligotrophic forest lake · 60°N
clarity 6.8 mmax depth 5 mpH 6.7oligotrophicstatus goodforest track · 22 min for the last stretch
Character of the water
Ältsjön lies in central Sweden — a clear oligotrophic forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light.
The surroundings
The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.
Moderately deep (5 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Ältsjön FVOF. Day permit ~60 kr · annual permit ~300 kr.
- Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
- Trout & Arctic char: protected during the autumn spawn · catch-and-release on certain stretches.
- Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.
Species in Ältsjön
perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm
Perch moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
pike predatory fish
typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm
In the clear water pike picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
roach coarse fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
Roach moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
trout salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
In the clear water trout picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
Fishing Ältsjön
perch, pike and trout sit at the top of the food chain in Ältsjön, carried by roach. The clearer water makes the fish wary — and rewards a careful presentation.
The fishing here follows the water's own rhythm: dawn and dusk have their windows, fronts close and open them, and the season moves the fish. No two sessions at Ältsjön are alike.
General rules of thumb for this kind of water
- Clear water makes fish light-shy — dawn, dusk and night are usually best.
The catch board
- 1Lars Strandpike54 cm
- 2Elin Viklundperch18 cm
- 3Mikko Sandströmperch18 cm
- 4Mikael Korhonenroach16 cm
- 5Emil Boströmroach15 cm
- 6Sara Fischerroach14 cm
Species records here
pike54 cmLars Strand
perch18 cmMikko Sandström
roach14 cmSara Fischer
The same water, for real
