Kotjärnen

clear oligotrophic forest lake · 63°N

Real lakereal shoreline11 species on recordsources & method →

clarity 7.3 mmax depth 3 mpH 6.7oligotrophicstatus goodforest track · 22 min for the last stretch

Character of the water

Kotjärnen 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 remote, ringed by forest and bog far from any road. Few find their way here — the water is untouched and the stock undisturbed.

Shallow throughout (max 3 m), with reeds and vegetation over large areas — water that warms fast in spring.

Permits & rules

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

perch predatory fish

typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm

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

ål fish

typically ~55 cm · can reach 110 cm

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

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.

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.

stensimpa fish

typically ~8 cm · can reach 15 cm

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

Fishing Kotjärnen

perch, pike and grayling sit at the top of the food chain in Kotjärnen, carried by ål, elritsa and roach. The clearer water makes the fish wary — and rewards a careful presentation.

Every session at Kotjärnen 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.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Elin Hedlundburbot39 cm
2Jürgen Nilssonburbot38 cm
3Sören EkArctic char29 cm
4Wolfgang Olofssongrayling24 cm
5Kjell Sjöbergstensimpa7 cm
6Tomas Wikströmelritsa6 cm

Species records here

burbot39 cmElin Hedlund

Arctic char29 cmSören Ek

grayling24 cmWolfgang Olofsson

stensimpa7 cmKjell Sjöberg

elritsa6 cmTomas Wikström

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