Bästselet

northern acidified forest lake · 64°N

Real lakereal shoreline12 species on recordsources & method →

clarity 5.4 mmax depth 2 mpH 5.3oligotrophicstatus unsatisfactorygravel road

Character of the water

Bästselet lies in the cold north — a northern acidified forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. 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.

Shallow throughout (max 2 m), with reeds and vegetation over large areas — water that warms fast in spring.

Permits & rules

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

perch predatory fish

typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm

Perch moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.

bream coarse fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm

Bream lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.

elritsa fish

typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm

Here elritsa lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.

pike predatory fish

typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm

In the clear water pike picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.

ruffe perch family

typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm

Ruffe lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.

grayling fish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm

Grayling moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.

id fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 75 cm

Id moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.

burbot bottom fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm

Burbot holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.

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.

Arctic char salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

In the clear water Arctic char picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.

whitefish whitefish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm

Whitefish holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.

Fishing Bästselet

The species list of Bästselet runs to 12. The predators — perch, pike and grayling — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.

Every session at Bästselet 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.
Acidified water yields few, hardy species.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Axel Nyströmpike49 cm
2Stefan Korhonenburbot42 cm
3Mikko Lindqvistburbot39 cm
4Jürgen Nilssontrout28 cm
5Emil Wagnergrayling24 cm
6Stefan Åströmelritsa6 cm

Species records here

pike49 cmAxel Nyström

burbot42 cmStefan Korhonen

trout28 cmJürgen Nilsson

grayling24 cmEmil Wagner

elritsa6 cmStefan Åström

The same water, for real

This water's real catch reports — and the logbook for your own.Fångstrapport.sein Swedish

The real bite table for this water — for your next real session.Huggtabell.sein Swedish