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Issan

acidified forest lake · 61°N
Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 16 m10 species on recordsources & method
clarity 7.5 mmax depth 16 mpH 5.4oligotrophicstatus unsatisfactoryforest track · 22 min for the last stretch

Character of the water

Issan lies in central Sweden — a 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.

A small but surprisingly deep pocket (16 m) with steep drops straight down from shore — the bottom falls away fast.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Issan 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 Issan

perch predatory fish
typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm
Perch moves carefully in the clear water — small mouthfuls, many of them.
bream coarse fish
typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm
Bream lives down in the cool — the deep is its home ground all year.
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.
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.
vendace whitefish
typically ~16 cm · can reach 28 cm
Vendace cruises the open water — the depth it picks follows the light through the day.

Fishing Issan

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

Every session at Issan is fished in whatever conditions hold right then — the same pressure, wind and light as over the real water. What bites today isn't what bit the day before, and those who return learn the water for real.

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
  1. 1Jukka Norénpike66 cm
  2. 2Henrik Lundpike49 cm
  3. 3Ole Weberwhitefish29 cm
  4. 4Emil Lundroach14 cm
  5. 5Wolfgang Korhonenvendace13 cm
  6. 6Magnus Fischervendace13 cm
Species records here
pike49 cmHenrik Lund
whitefish29 cmOle Weber
roach14 cmEmil Lund
vendace13 cmMagnus Fischer
The same water, for real