Hemsjön
southern humic brown forest lake · 58°N
clarity 1.3 mmax depth 8 mpH 5.8oligotrophic · humicstatus unsatisfactoryforest track · 22 min for the last stretch
Character of the water
Hemsjön lies in the south — a southern humic brown forest lake. The tea-stained, humic water hides the bottom within an arm's length.
The surroundings
The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.
Moderately deep (8 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Hemsjön FVOF. Day permit ~100 kr · annual permit ~500 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 Hemsjön
perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm
Perch grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
pike predatory fish
typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm
In the murky light, pike shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.
roach coarse fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm
Roach grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.
burbot bottom fish
typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm
Burbot works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.
Fishing Hemsjön
perch, pike and burbot sit at the top of the food chain in Hemsjön, carried by roach. The brown, humic water keeps visibility short — the fishing is more about vibration than sight.
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 Hemsjön 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.
The catch board
- 1Henrik Nyströmpike55 cm
- 2Fredrik Björkpike53 cm
- 3Maria Olofssonburbot36 cm
- 4Sören Björkperch19 cm
- 5Elin Nieminenperch18 cm
- 6Andreas Petterssonperch18 cm
Species records here
pike55 cmHenrik Nyström
burbot36 cmMaria Olofsson
perch18 cmElin Nieminen
The same water, for real
