Hällsjön

Character of the water

Hällsjön lies in central Sweden — a clear oligotrophic deep lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light.

The surroundings

The lake lies remote, ringed by forest and bog far from any road. Few find their way here — the water is untouched and the stock undisturbed.

Large and deep (23 m): a central basin ringed by drop-offs and shallow bays around the edges — varied bottom with many spots to read.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Hällsjön FVOF. Day permit ~140 kr · annual permit ~700 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.

Fishing Hällsjön

The species list of Hällsjön runs to 7. 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.

Whoever fishes Hällsjön 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.