Lillstälpen

Character of the water

Lillstälpen lies in central Sweden — a humic brown tarn. The water is crystal-clear and the fish skittish in the sharp light.

The surroundings

The lake lies half-remote, a fair way from the nearest road, tucked into woodland.

Moderately deep (4 m) — shallow bays, the odd reef and a deeper channel through the middle.

Permits & rules

Fishing permit required — Lillstälpen FVOF. Day permit ~60 kr · annual permit ~300 kr.

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

Fishing Lillstälpen

Lillstälpen holds 6 species, with perch, pike and burbot at the top of the chain and ål, roach and nors schooling beneath them. The modest depth keeps most of the fishing within reach of the bank.

Every session at Lillstälpen 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.