Hotagen

northern acidified forest lake · 64°N

Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 71 m10 species on recordsources & method →

clarity 8.4 mmax depth 71 mpH 5.1oligotrophicstatus unsatisfactorygravel road

Character of the water

Hotagen lies in the cold north — a northern acidified forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. In summer a thermocline settles around 7 m and splits the lake into two worlds. Acidification has thinned life down to the hardiest few.

The surroundings

The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.

Large and deep (71 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 — Hotagen FVOF. Day permit ~60 kr · annual permit ~300 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 Hotagen

perch predatory fish

typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm

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

elritsa fish

typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm

Here elritsa lives on the small stuff — and rewards those who fish small and fine.

pike predatory fish

typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm

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

ruffe perch family

typically ~12 cm · can reach 22 cm

Ruffe lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.

grayling fish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 50 cm

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

burbot bottom fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm

Burbot holds the bottom even in clear water — shade and depth are its cover.

roach coarse fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm

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

trout salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

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

Arctic char salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

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

whitefish whitefish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm

Whitefish holds in the open water column where light and temperature set the day.

Fishing Hotagen

Hotagen holds 10 species, with perch, pike and grayling at the top of the chain and elritsa, ruffe and roach schooling beneath them. The depth gives the water two storeys — and the fish move between them with the season.

Whoever fishes Hotagen 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.
Acidified water yields few, hardy species.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Fredrik Krügerpike53 cm
2Karl Månssonwhitefish24 cm
3Eva Bakkewhitefish24 cm
4Henrik Forsbergroach15 cm
5Anders Nilssonruffe10 cm
6Axel Forsbergelritsa7 cm

Species records here

pike53 cmFredrik Krüger

whitefish24 cmEva Bakke

roach15 cmHenrik Forsberg

ruffe10 cmAnders Nilsson

elritsa7 cmAxel Forsberg

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