Angler Legend
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Ässtjärnen

clear oligotrophic forest lake · 61°N
Real lakereal shoreline10 species on recordsources & method
clarity 5.8 mmax depth 4 mpH 6.7oligotrophicstatus goodpaved road

Character of the water

Ässtjärnen 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 sits close to town with a road right up to it — easy to reach, but hard-fished and exposed to nutrient runoff from the buildings and fields all around.

Moderately deep (4 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Ässtjärnen 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 Ässtjärnen

perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm
Here perch lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.
bream coarse fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm
Bream holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.
pike predatory fish
typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm
Pike is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.
grayling fish
typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm
Here grayling lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.
id fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 75 cm
Here id lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.
burbot bottom fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm
Burbot lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
roach coarse fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
Here roach lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.
trout salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
Trout is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.
regnbåge fish
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
In the clear water regnbåge picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
Arctic char salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
Arctic char is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

Fishing Ässtjärnen

perch, pike and grayling sit at the top of the food chain in Ässtjärnen, carried by bream, id and roach. The clearer water makes the fish wary — and rewards a careful presentation.

Every session at Ässtjärnen is fished in whatever conditions hold right then — the same pressure, wind and light as over the real water. What bites today isn't what bit the day before, and those who return learn the water for real.

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

6 anglers · 12 catches
  1. 1Per Nyströmpike50 cm
  2. 2Mikael Björkburbot38 cm
  3. 3Jürgen Åströmbream36 cm
  4. 4Petra Brandttrout30 cm
  5. 5Erik Sandströmregnbåge30 cm
  6. 6Mikko Holmgrayling23 cm
Species records here
pike50 cmPer Nyström
burbot38 cmMikael Björk
bream36 cmJürgen Åström
regnbåge30 cmErik Sandström
trout30 cmPetra Brandt
grayling23 cmMikko Holm
The same water, for real