Brillingen
nutrient-rich lowland lake · 60°N
clarity 2.5 mmax depth 2 mpH 7.4eutrophicstatus unsatisfactorygravel road
Character of the water
Brillingen 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.
Shallow throughout (max 2 m), with reeds and vegetation over large areas — water that warms fast in spring.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Brillingen 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.
- Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.
Species in Brillingen
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.
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.
roach coarse fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
Roach grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
ruda fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm
Down on the bottom ruda sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
sarv fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 38 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps sarv moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
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.
sutare fish
typically ~35 cm · can reach 60 cm
Down on the bottom sutare sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
Fishing Brillingen
perch, pike and zander sit at the top of the food chain in Brillingen, carried by ål, björkna and bream. The nutrient-rich water means plenty of baitfish — and predators that grow fat on them.
Whoever fishes Brillingen 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
- Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.
The catch board
- 1Anders Karlssonpike54 cm
- 2Anna Nieminenål49 cm
- 3Elin Åbergbream30 cm
- 4Torbjörn Brandtvendace15 cm
- 5Wolfgang Korhonenruffe10 cm
- 6Oskar Wagnerruffe9 cm
Species records here
pike54 cmAnders Karlsson
ål49 cmAnna Nieminen
bream30 cmElin Åberg
vendace15 cmTorbjörn Brandt
ruffe9 cmOskar Wagner
The same water, for real
