Gässtjärnarna

Character of the water

Gässtjärnarna lies in the cold north — a northern acidified forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. Acidification has thinned life down to the hardiest few.

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 — Gässtjärnarna FVOF. Day permit ~140 kr · annual permit ~700 kr.

• Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
• Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Fishing Gässtjärnarna

perch and pike sit at the top of the food chain in Gässtjärnarna. The clearer water makes the fish wary — and rewards a careful presentation.

Every session at Gässtjärnarna 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

• Clear water makes fish light-shy — dawn, dusk and night are usually best.
• Acidified water yields few, hardy species.