Åskaken
acidified forest lake · 61°N
Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 9 m15 species on recordreal water chemistrysources & method →
clarity 1.5 mmax depth 9 mpH 5.3eutrophicstatus poorgravel road
Character of the water
Åskaken lies in central Sweden — a acidified forest lake. Acidification has thinned life down to the hardiest few.
The surroundings
The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.
Moderately deep (9 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Åskaken FVOF. Day permit ~140 kr · annual permit ~700 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 Åskaken
perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm
Perch grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
bream coarse fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm
Down on the bottom bream sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
elritsa fish
typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps elritsa moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
pike predatory fish
typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm
In the murky light, pike shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
grayling fish
typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm
Grayling grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
id fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 75 cm
Id grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
burbot bottom fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm
Burbot works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
roach coarse fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
Roach grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
trout salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
In the murky light, trout shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
regnbåge fish
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
Regnbåge hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.
Arctic char salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
In the murky light, Arctic char shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
whitefish whitefish
typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm
Whitefish follows the schools through open water — here today, gone tomorrow.
vendace whitefish
typically ~16 cm · can reach 28 cm
Vendace roams the open water after the feed — a moving target.
stäm fish
typically ~16 cm · can reach 30 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps stäm moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
stensimpa fish
typically ~8 cm · can reach 15 cm
Down on the bottom stensimpa sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
Fishing Åskaken
Åskaken holds 15 species, with perch, pike and grayling at the top of the chain and bream, elritsa and id schooling beneath them. The modest depth keeps most of the fishing within reach of the bank.
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 Åskaken are alike.
General rules of thumb for this kind of water
- Acidified water yields few, hardy species.
- Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.
The catch board
- 1Elin Nieminenregnbåge33 cm
- 2Per Bakkewhitefish25 cm
- 3Astrid Hedlundgrayling24 cm
- 4Kjell Vogelvendace14 cm
- 5Bjørn Boströmelritsa7 cm
- 6Emil Strandstensimpa6 cm
Species records here
regnbåge33 cmElin Nieminen
whitefish25 cmPer Bakke
grayling24 cmAstrid Hedlund
vendace14 cmKjell Vogel
elritsa7 cmBjørn Boström
stensimpa6 cmEmil Strand
The same water, for real
