Angler Legend
← Map

Gårdvattnet

northern clear oligotrophic forest lake · 64°N
Real lakereal shoreline12 species on recordsources & method
clarity 7.9 mmax depth 11 mpH 6.7oligotrophicstatus goodgravel road

Character of the water

Gårdvattnet lies in the cold north — a northern clear oligotrophic forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. In summer a thermocline settles around 7 m and splits the lake into two worlds.

The surroundings

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

Moderately deep (11 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

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

  • 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 Gårdvattnet

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.
ruffe perch family
typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm
Ruffe lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
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.
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.
trout salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
In the clear water trout picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
Arctic char salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
In the clear water Arctic char picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.
whitefish whitefish
typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm
Whitefish holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.

Fishing Gårdvattnet

The species list of Gårdvattnet runs to 12. 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.

Whoever fishes Gårdvattnet regularly builds something of their own: a log of what took, where and when. That's how the water gives up its patterns — cast by cast, never all at once.

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
  1. 1Johan Raskburbot39 cm
  2. 2Ole Hedlundtrout32 cm
  3. 3Klaus Karlssonid30 cm
  4. 4Astrid Nieminengrayling24 cm
  5. 5Roland Olofssonperch21 cm
  6. 6Sabine Schmidtelritsa6 cm
Species records here
burbot39 cmJohan Rask
trout32 cmOle Hedlund
id30 cmKlaus Karlsson
grayling24 cmAstrid Nieminen
perch21 cmRoland Olofsson
elritsa6 cmSabine Schmidt
The same water, for real