Lilla Skälen

southern mesotrophic stratified lake · 56°N

Real lakereal shoreline10 species on recordsources & method →

clarity 4.9 mmax depth 16 mpH 5.8mesotrophicstatus unsatisfactorypaved road

Character of the water

Lilla Skälen lies in the south — a southern mesotrophic stratified lake. In summer a thermocline settles around 7 m and splits the lake into two worlds.

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.

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 — Lilla Skälen FVOF. Day permit ~100 kr · annual permit ~500 kr.

Zander: minimum size 45 cm · protected during the spawn (Apr–May).
Pike: keep at most one over 75 cm per day.
Handheld tackle only. Respect the protected zones at the inlets and outlets.

Species in Lilla Skälen

perch predatory fish

typically ~22 cm · can reach 45 cm

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

ål fish

typically ~55 cm · can reach 110 cm

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

bream coarse fish

typically ~38 cm · can reach 65 cm

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

pike predatory fish

typically ~62 cm · can reach 120 cm

Pike is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

zander predatory fish

typically ~50 cm · can reach 95 cm

Zander is a sight-hunter here — the clear water means long follows before the take.

burbot bottom fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 90 cm

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

roach coarse fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 32 cm

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

ruda fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 42 cm

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

whitefish whitefish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 55 cm

Whitefish cruises the open water — the depth it picks follows the light through the day.

sutare fish

typically ~35 cm · can reach 60 cm

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

Fishing Lilla Skälen

The species list of Lilla Skälen runs to 10. The predators — perch, pike and zander — hunt where the baitfish gather, and on a water this size you soon learn where it holds its fish.

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 Lilla Skälen are alike.

General rules of thumb for this kind of water

Stratified, oxygen-poor lakes push the fish up above the thermocline in summer.

The catch board

6 anglers · 12 catches

1Fredrik Boströmpike54 cm
2Maria Olofssonpike50 cm
3Klaus Karlssonål50 cm
4Lars Korhonenzander41 cm
5Bjørn Nyströmperch18 cm
6Lars Forsbergroach14 cm

Species records here

pike54 cmFredrik Boström

ål50 cmKlaus Karlsson

zander41 cmLars Korhonen

perch18 cmBjørn Nyström

roach14 cmLars 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