Östra Gässlingen

Character of the water

Östra Gässlingen lies in central Sweden — a acidified brown forest lake. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length. 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 (11 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Östra Gässlingen FVOF. Day permit ~60 kr · annual permit ~300 kr.

• Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
• Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Fishing Östra Gässlingen

Östra Gässlingen holds 6 species, with perch, pike and burbot at the top of the chain and ål, ruffe and roach schooling beneath them. The modest depth keeps most of the fishing within reach of the bank.

Whoever fishes Östra Gässlingen regularly builds something of their own: a log of what took, where and when. That's how the water gives up its patterns — cast by cast, never all at once.

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.
• Acidified water yields few, hardy species.