Gisslaren
humic brown tarn · 60°N
Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 4 m6 species on recordsizes from survey fishingreal water chemistrysources & method →
clarity 1.0 mmax depth 4 mpH 7.6eutrophic · humicstatus poorforest track · 22 min for the last stretch
Character of the water
Gisslaren lies in central Sweden — a humic brown tarn. 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 (4 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Gisslaren 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 Gisslaren
perch predatory fish
typically ~11 cm · can reach 28 cm
Perch grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
björkna fish
typically ~13 cm · can reach 21 cm
Down on the bottom björkna sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
bream coarse fish
typically ~7 cm · can reach 31 cm
Down on the bottom bream sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
pike predatory fish
typically ~60 cm · can reach 60 cm
In the murky light, pike shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
ruffe perch family
typically ~8 cm · can reach 9 cm
Down on the bottom ruffe sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.
roach coarse fish
typically ~12 cm · can reach 17 cm
Roach grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
Fishing Gisslaren
The species list of Gisslaren runs to 6. The predators — perch and pike — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.
Whoever fishes Gisslaren 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
- 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.
The catch board
- 1Wolfgang Lindqvistpike46 cm
- 2Fredrik Boströmbjörkna12 cm
- 3Johan Karlssonperch11 cm
- 4Bjørn Boströmperch10 cm
- 5Jukka Korhonenbream7 cm
- 6Stefan Olofssonbream7 cm
Species records here
pike46 cmWolfgang Lindqvist
björkna12 cmFredrik Boström
perch11 cmJohan Karlsson
bream7 cmStefan Olofsson
The same water, for real
