Kärtajaure

Character of the water

Kärtajaure lies in the cold north — a northern clear oligotrophic forest lake. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light.

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.

Shallow throughout (max 4 m), with reeds and vegetation over large areas — water that warms fast in spring.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Kärtajaure 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.

Fishing Kärtajaure

Kärtajaure holds 4 species, with perch, pike and trout at the top of the chain and roach schooling beneath them. The modest depth keeps most of the fishing within reach of the bank.

Whoever fishes Kärtajaure 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.