Gårdstjärnen

Character of the water

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

The surroundings

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

Moderately deep (9 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Gårdstjärnen FVOF. Day permit ~140 kr · annual permit ~700 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.

Fishing Gårdstjärnen

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

Every session at Gårdstjärnen 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.
• Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.