Bårsten
humic brown forest lake · 59°N
Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 11 m10 species on recordreal water chemistrysources & method →
clarity 1.6 mmax depth 11 mpH 7.2eutrophic · humicstatus unsatisfactoryforest track · 22 min for the last stretch
Character of the water
Bårsten lies in central Sweden — a humic brown forest lake. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length.
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 — Bårsten 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.
Species in Bårsten
perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm
Perch grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
ål fish
typically ~55 cm · can reach 110 cm
Ål works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
björkna fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 35 cm
Down on the bottom björkna sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
bream coarse fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm
Down on the bottom bream sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
pike predatory fish
typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm
In the murky light, pike shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
ruffe perch family
typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm
Down on the bottom ruffe sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
burbot bottom fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm
Burbot works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
löja fish
typically ~12 cm · can reach 20 cm
Löja grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
roach coarse fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
Roach grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
nors fish
typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm
Nors roams the open water after the feed — a moving target.
Fishing Bårsten
The species list of Bårsten runs to 10. The predators — perch, pike and burbot — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.
Whoever fishes Bårsten 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.
- Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.
The catch board
- 1Sabine Vainioperch18 cm
- 2Fredrik Hedlundperch18 cm
- 3Elin Ekperch18 cm
- 4Per Häggbjörkna15 cm
- 5Wolfgang Eklöja10 cm
- 6Eva Viklundlöja10 cm
Species records here
perch18 cmSabine Vainio
björkna15 cmPer Hägg
löja10 cmWolfgang Ek
The same water, for real
