Gärdsträsket

Character of the water

Gärdsträsket lies in central Sweden — a humic brown tarn. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length.

The surroundings

The lake lies remote, ringed by forest and bog far from any road. Few find their way here — the water is untouched and the stock undisturbed.

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

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Gärdsträsket FVOF. Day permit ~60 kr · annual permit ~300 kr.

• Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Fishing Gärdsträsket

perch sit at the top of the food chain in Gärdsträsket, carried by roach. The brown, humic water keeps visibility short — the fishing is more about vibration than sight.

Every session at Gärdsträsket 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

• Brown, humic water dampens the light — fishing can be good even in the middle of the day.