Bodasjön
nutrient-rich lowland lake · 62°N
Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 17 m18 species on recordreal water chemistrysources & method →
clarity 2.2 mmax depth 17 mpH 6.8eutrophicstatus unsatisfactorygravel road
Character of the water
Bodasjön lies in central Sweden — a nutrient-rich lowland lake.
The surroundings
The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.
Moderately deep (17 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Bodasjön FVOF. Day permit ~60 kr · annual permit ~300 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 Bodasjön
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.
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.
zander predatory fish
typically ~50 cm · can reach 95 cm
In the murky light, zander 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.
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.
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.
ruda fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm
Down on the bottom ruda sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
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.
Fishing Bodasjön
perch, pike and zander sit at the top of the food chain in Bodasjön, carried by ål, bream and ruffe. The nutrient-rich water means plenty of baitfish — and predators that grow fat on them.
Whoever fishes Bodasjön 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
- In deep, oxygenated lakes the predators seek cool depth in summer, shallower in spring and autumn.
- Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.
The catch board
- 1Mikko Holmzander43 cm
- 2Kjell Falktrout36 cm
- 3Per Schmidtwhitefish30 cm
- 4Stefan Falkperch18 cm
- 5Linnea Björkruda15 cm
- 6Johan Karlssonnors10 cm
Species records here
zander43 cmMikko Holm
trout36 cmKjell Falk
whitefish30 cmPer Schmidt
perch18 cmStefan Falk
ruda15 cmLinnea Björk
nors10 cmJohan Karlsson
The same water, for real
