Angler Legend
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Harkvattnet

northern acidified brown forest lake · 64°N
Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 12 m3 species on recordsizes from survey fishingsources & method
clarity 0.8 mmax depth 12 mpH 4.7oligotrophic · humicstatus poorno road · 50 min for the last stretch

Character of the water

Harkvattnet lies in the cold north — a northern acidified brown forest lake. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length. Acidification has thinned life down to the hardiest few.

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.

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

Permits & rules

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

perch predatory fish
typically ~23 cm · can reach 39 cm
Perch grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
pike predatory fish
typically ~68 cm · can reach 73 cm
In the murky light, pike shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
ruffe perch family
typically ~10 cm · can reach 13 cm
Down on the bottom ruffe sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

Fishing Harkvattnet

The species list of Harkvattnet runs to 3. The predators — perch and pike — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.

The fishing here follows the water's own rhythm: dawn and dusk have their windows, fronts close and open them, and the season moves the fish. No two sessions at Harkvattnet are alike.

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.
  • Acidified water yields few, hardy species.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches
  1. 1Uwe Vainioperch20 cm
  2. 2Emil Nyströmperch19 cm
  3. 3Astrid Nieminenperch18 cm
  4. 4Elin Hedlundperch18 cm
  5. 5Andreas Petterssonruffe7 cm
  6. 6Andreas Olofssonruffe7 cm
Species records here
perch18 cmAstrid Nieminen
ruffe7 cmAndreas Olofsson
The same water, for real