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Österbotjärnen

humic brown forest lake · 61°N
Real lakereal shoreline11 species on recordsources & method
clarity 1.3 mmax depth 12 mpH 6.2mesotrophic · humicstatus moderateforest track · 22 min for the last stretch

Character of the water

Österbotjärnen lies in central Sweden — a humic brown forest lake. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length. In summer a thermocline settles around 6 m and splits the lake into two worlds.

The surroundings

The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.

Moderately deep (12 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Österbotjärnen FVOF. Day permit ~100 kr · annual permit ~500 kr.

  • Zander: minimum size 45 cm · protected during the spawn (Apr–May).
  • 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 Österbotjärnen

perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps perch moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
asp fish
typically ~48 cm · can reach 90 cm
Asp hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.
bream coarse fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm
Bream works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
pike predatory fish
typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm
Pike hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.
zander predatory fish
typically ~50 cm · can reach 95 cm
Zander hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.
grayling fish
typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps grayling moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
burbot bottom fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm
Down on the bottom burbot sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
trout salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
Trout hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.
regnbåge fish
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
In the murky light, regnbåge shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
Arctic char salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
Arctic char hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.
whitefish whitefish
typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm
Whitefish roams the open water after the feed — a moving target.

Fishing Österbotjärnen

Österbotjärnen holds 11 species, with perch, pike and zander at the top of the chain and asp, bream and regnbåge schooling beneath them. The modest depth keeps most of the fishing within reach of the bank.

Every session at Österbotjärnen 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

  • Brown, humic water dampens the light — fishing can be good even in the middle of the day.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches
  1. 1Lars Wagnerpike49 cm
  2. 2Mats Hansenasp45 cm
  3. 3Lars Johansenasp38 cm
  4. 4Emil Vainiobream30 cm
  5. 5Linnea Vogelbream30 cm
  6. 6Karin Johansengrayling26 cm
Species records here
pike49 cmLars Wagner
asp38 cmLars Johansen
bream30 cmEmil Vainio
grayling26 cmKarin Johansen
The same water, for real