Flaten

clear oligotrophic forest lake · 60°N

Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 4 m15 species on recordsizes from survey fishingsources & method →

clarity 7.1 mmax depth 4 mpH 6.7oligotrophicstatus goodpaved road

Character of the water

Flaten lies in central Sweden — a clear oligotrophic forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light.

The surroundings

The lake sits close to town with a road right up to it — easy to reach, but hard-fished and exposed to nutrient runoff from the buildings and fields all around.

Shallow throughout (max 4 m), with reeds and vegetation over large areas — water that warms fast in spring.

Permits & rules

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

perch predatory fish

typically ~12 cm · can reach 34 cm

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

björkna fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 35 cm

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

bream coarse fish

typically ~24 cm · can reach 36 cm

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

elritsa fish

typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm

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

pike predatory fish

typically ~52 cm · can reach 55 cm

Pike is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

ruffe perch family

typically ~8 cm · can reach 12 cm

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

zander predatory fish

typically ~50 cm · can reach 95 cm

Zander is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

burbot bottom fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm

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

roach coarse fish

typically ~14 cm · can reach 20 cm

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

trout salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

Trout is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

Arctic char salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

Arctic char is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

ruda fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm

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

sarv fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 38 cm

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

vendace whitefish

typically ~16 cm · can reach 28 cm

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

sutare fish

typically ~35 cm · can reach 60 cm

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

Fishing Flaten

Flaten holds 15 species, with perch, pike and zander at the top of the chain and björkna, bream and elritsa schooling beneath them. The modest depth keeps most of the fishing within reach of the bank.

The fishing here follows the water's own rhythm: dawn and dusk have their windows, fronts close and open them, and the season moves the fish. No two sessions at Flaten are alike.

General rules of thumb for this kind of water

Clear water makes fish light-shy — dawn, dusk and night are usually best.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Linnea Häggtrout37 cm
2Mats SjöbergArctic char29 cm
3Kjell Krügerruda15 cm
4Linnea Nieminenvendace13 cm
5Fredrik Korhonenperch10 cm
6Heike Nilssonelritsa6 cm

Species records here

trout37 cmLinnea Hägg

Arctic char29 cmMats Sjöberg

ruda15 cmKjell Krüger

vendace13 cmLinnea Nieminen

perch10 cmFredrik Korhonen

elritsa6 cmHeike Nilsson

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