Gunnarstjärn

acidified forest lake · 60°N

Real lakereal shoreline12 species on recordsources & method →

clarity 6.6 mmax depth 12 mpH 5.4oligotrophicstatus unsatisfactorygravel road

Character of the water

Gunnarstjärn lies in central Sweden — a acidified forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. In summer a thermocline settles around 6 m and splits the lake into two worlds. Acidification has thinned life down to the hardiest few.

The surroundings

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

Moderately deep (12 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

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

perch predatory fish

typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm

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

björkna fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 35 cm

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

bream coarse fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm

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

pike predatory fish

typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm

Pike is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

ruffe perch family

typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm

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

id fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 75 cm

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

burbot bottom fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm

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

roach coarse fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm

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

nors fish

typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm

Nors holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.

trout salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

Trout is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

Arctic char salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

Arctic char is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

ruda fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm

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

Fishing Gunnarstjärn

The species list of Gunnarstjärn runs to 12. The predators — perch, pike and burbot — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.

Every session at Gunnarstjärn 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.
Acidified water yields few, hardy species.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Roland Lundbream37 cm
2Stefan Åströmbream33 cm
3Gustav RaskArctic char28 cm
4Heike Brandtbjörkna16 cm
5Mats Häggruda15 cm
6Stefan Korhonenroach15 cm

Species records here

bream37 cmRoland Lund

Arctic char28 cmGustav Rask

björkna16 cmHeike Brandt

ruda15 cmMats Hägg

roach15 cmStefan Korhonen

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