Hästskosjön

clear oligotrophic forest lake · 62°N

Real lakereal shoreline10 species on recordsources & method →

clarity 7.0 mmax depth 16 mpH 6.7oligotrophicstatus goodforest track · 22 min for the last stretch

Character of the water

Hästskosjön lies in central Sweden — a clear oligotrophic forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. In summer a thermocline settles around 9 m and splits the lake into two worlds.

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.

A small but surprisingly deep pocket (16 m) with steep drops straight down from shore — the bottom falls away fast.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Hästskosjön 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.

Species in Hästskosjön

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.

elritsa fish

typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm

Elritsa moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.

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.

grayling fish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm

Here grayling 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.

trout salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

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

regnbåge fish

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

In the clear water regnbåge picks its moments — wary, but relentless once committed.

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.

whitefish whitefish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm

Whitefish cruises the open water — the depth it picks follows the light through the day.

Fishing Hästskosjön

perch, pike and grayling sit at the top of the food chain in Hästskosjön, carried by elritsa, roach and regnbåge. The clearer water makes the fish wary — and rewards a careful presentation.

Whoever fishes Hästskosjön 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.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Elin Viklundpike63 cm
2Magnus Forsbergburbot38 cm
3Mikko Sandströmgrayling24 cm
4Gustav Åströmroach14 cm
5Axel Månssonelritsa7 cm
6Sara Fischerelritsa6 cm

Species records here

pike63 cmElin Viklund

burbot38 cmMagnus Forsberg

grayling24 cmMikko Sandström

roach14 cmGustav Åström

elritsa7 cmAxel Månsson

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