Gessan
nutrient-rich lowland lake · 60°N
clarity 1.8 mmax depth 18 mpH 7.4eutrophicstatus unsatisfactorygravel road
Character of the water
Gessan lies in central Sweden — a nutrient-rich lowland lake.
The surroundings
The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.
Moderately deep (18 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Gessan FVOF. Day permit ~120 kr · annual permit ~600 kr.
- Zander: minimum size 45 cm · protected during the spawn (Apr–May).
- 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 Gessan
perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm
Perch grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
ål fish
typically ~55 cm · can reach 110 cm
Ål works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
björkna fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 35 cm
Down on the bottom björkna sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
bream coarse fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm
Down on the bottom bream sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
elritsa fish
typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm
The nutrient-rich water keeps elritsa moving constantly between the feeding grounds.
pike predatory fish
typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm
In the murky light, pike shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
ruffe perch family
typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm
Down on the bottom ruffe sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
zander predatory fish
typically ~50 cm · can reach 95 cm
In the murky light, zander shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
grayling fish
typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm
Grayling grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
id fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 75 cm
Id grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
burbot bottom fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm
Burbot works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
roach coarse fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
Roach grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
nors fish
typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm
Nors roams the open water after the feed — a moving target.
trout salmonids
typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm
In the murky light, trout shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
ruda fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm
Down on the bottom ruda sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
sutare fish
typically ~35 cm · can reach 60 cm
Down on the bottom sutare sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
Fishing Gessan
perch, pike and zander sit at the top of the food chain in Gessan, carried by ål, björkna and bream. The nutrient-rich water means plenty of baitfish — and predators that grow fat on them.
Every session at Gessan 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
- In deep, oxygenated lakes the predators seek cool depth in summer, shallower in spring and autumn.
- Nutrient-rich lakes hold plenty of baitfish but often murky water.
The catch board
- 1Tomas Lehmannzander40 cm
- 2Klaus Strandburbot37 cm
- 3Nils Sandströmid33 cm
- 4Wolfgang Ekroach14 cm
- 5Roland Sandströmruffe11 cm
- 6Klaus Karlssonruffe10 cm
Species records here
zander40 cmTomas Lehmann
burbot37 cmKlaus Strand
id33 cmNils Sandström
roach14 cmWolfgang Ek
ruffe10 cmKlaus Karlsson
The same water, for real
