Igeltjärnen

Character of the water

Igeltjärnen lies in central Sweden — a acidified forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light. Acidification has thinned life down to the hardiest few.

The surroundings

The lake sits close to town with a road right up to it — easy to reach, but hard-fished and exposed to nutrient runoff from the buildings and fields all around.

Moderately deep (7 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Igeltjärnen FVOF. Day permit ~140 kr · annual permit ~700 kr.

• Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
• Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Fishing Igeltjärnen

perch and pike sit at the top of the food chain in Igeltjärnen. The clearer water makes the fish wary — and rewards a careful presentation.

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 Igeltjärnen are alike.

General rules of thumb for this kind of water

• Clear water makes fish light-shy — dawn, dusk and night are usually best.
• Acidified water yields few, hardy species.