Gussajávrátja

Character of the water

Gussajávrátja lies in the cold north — a northern mesotrophic lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light.

The surroundings

The lake sits close to town with a road right up to it — easy to reach, but hard-fished and exposed to nutrient runoff from the buildings and fields all around.

A small but surprisingly deep pocket (17 m) with steep drops straight down from shore — the bottom falls away fast.

Permits & rules

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

• Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Fishing Gussajávrátja

The species list of Gussajávrátja runs to 1. The predators — perch — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.

Whoever fishes Gussajávrátja 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.
• In deep, oxygenated lakes the predators seek cool depth in summer, shallower in spring and autumn.