Hinsen
clear oligotrophic forest lake · 61°N
clarity 8.8 mmax depth 4 mpH 6.7oligotrophicstatus goodforest track · 22 min for the last stretch
Character of the water
Hinsen lies in central Sweden — a clear oligotrophic forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light.
The surroundings
The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.
Moderately deep (4 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.
Permits & rules
Fishing permit required — Hinsen FVOF. Day permit ~100 kr · annual permit ~500 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 Hinsen
perch predatory fish
typically ~14 cm · can reach 24 cm
Here perch lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.
bream coarse fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm
Bream holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.
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.
ruffe perch family
typically ~10 cm · can reach 13 cm
Ruffe holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.
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 ~31 cm · can reach 32 cm
Burbot lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
roach coarse fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 24 cm
Here roach lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.
nors fish
typically ~17 cm · can reach 18 cm
Nors holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.
trout salmonids
typically ~56 cm · can reach 56 cm
Trout is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.
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.
ruda fish
typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm
Ruda holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.
whitefish whitefish
typically ~25 cm · can reach 32 cm
Whitefish cruises the open water — the depth it picks follows the light through the day.
vendace whitefish
typically ~13 cm · can reach 13 cm
Vendace holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.
Fishing Hinsen
The species list of Hinsen runs to 14. The predators — perch, pike and grayling — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size every bay becomes its own fishery.
Whoever fishes Hinsen 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.
The catch board
- 1Erik Sandströmtrout43 cm
- 2Petra Ektrout42 cm
- 3Torbjörn Lundbream31 cm
- 4Anders Nilssonruda15 cm
- 5Karl Nyströmnors14 cm
- 6Wolfgang Ekruffe8 cm
Species records here
trout43 cmErik Sandström
bream31 cmTorbjörn Lund
ruda15 cmAnders Nilsson
nors14 cmKarl Nyström
ruffe8 cmWolfgang Ek
The same water, for real
