Gässtjärnen

clear oligotrophic forest lake · 60°N

Real lakereal shoreline9 species on recordsources & method →

clarity 8.4 mmax depth 8 mpH 6.7oligotrophicstatus goodgravel road

Character of the water

Gässtjärnen 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 lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.

Moderately deep (8 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

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

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

Species in Gässtjärnen

perch predatory fish

typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm

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

bream coarse fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm

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

elritsa fish

typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm

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

pike predatory fish

typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm

In the clear water pike picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.

grayling fish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm

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

id fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 75 cm

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

karp fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 95 cm

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

burbot bottom fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm

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

roach coarse fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm

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

Fishing Gässtjärnen

The species list of Gässtjärnen runs to 9. The predators — perch, pike and grayling — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.

Every session at Gässtjärnen 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.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Lars Holmpike57 cm
2Stefan Ekpike53 cm
3Maria Weberkarp39 cm
4Sören Björkbream33 cm
5Lars Boströmbream31 cm
6Mats Lindqvistelritsa6 cm

Species records here

pike53 cmStefan Ek

karp39 cmMaria Weber

bream31 cmLars Boström

elritsa6 cmMats Lindqvist

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