Mälaren

nutrient-rich lowland lake · 59°N

Real lakereal shorelinemeasured max depth 66 m23 species on recordsizes from survey fishingreal water chemistrysources & method →

clarity 1.4 mmax depth 66 mpH 6.9eutrophicstatus poorpaved road

Fish Mälaren Buy forecast

Character of the water

Mälaren lies in central Sweden — a nutrient-rich lowland lake. In summer a thermocline settles around 8 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.

Large and deep (66 m): a central basin ringed by drop-offs and shallow bays around the edges — varied bottom with many spots to read.

Permits & rules

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

Zander: minimum size 45 cm · protected during the spawn (Apr–May).
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 Mälaren

perch predatory fish

typically ~19 cm · can reach 48 cm

Perch grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.

ål fish

typically ~60 cm · can reach 60 cm

Ål works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

asp fish

typically ~28 cm · can reach 56 cm

In the murky light, asp shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.

björkna fish

typically ~22 cm · can reach 37 cm

Down on the bottom björkna sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

bream coarse fish

typically ~30 cm · can reach 47 cm

Down on the bottom bream sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

elritsa fish

typically ~7 cm · can reach 12 cm

The nutrient-rich water keeps elritsa moving constantly between the feeding grounds.

pike predatory fish

typically ~75 cm · can reach 100 cm

In the murky light, pike shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.

ruffe perch family

typically ~11 cm · can reach 23 cm

Down on the bottom ruffe sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

zander predatory fish

typically ~36 cm · can reach 90 cm

In the murky light, zander shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.

id fish

typically ~31 cm · can reach 31 cm

Id grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.

karp fish

typically ~45 cm · can reach 95 cm

Down on the bottom karp sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

burbot bottom fish

typically ~50 cm · can reach 65 cm

Burbot works the bottom in the dark — smell and feel come before everything else.

salmon fish

typically ~65 cm · can reach 130 cm

Salmon hunts by feel more than sight in the stained water — short, hard strikes close to the bait.

löja fish

typically ~13 cm · can reach 23 cm

Löja grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.

roach coarse fish

typically ~18 cm · can reach 38 cm

Roach grazes the rich water in schools — where there's one, there are more.

nors fish

typically ~11 cm · can reach 25 cm

Nors roams the open water after the feed — a moving target.

trout salmonids

typically ~63 cm · can reach 71 cm

In the murky light, trout shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.

Arctic char salmonids

typically ~35 cm · can reach 70 cm

In the murky light, Arctic char shadows the baitfish and hits in short rushes.

ruda fish

typically ~35 cm · can reach 36 cm

Down on the bottom ruda sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

sarv fish

typically ~23 cm · can reach 34 cm

The nutrient-rich water keeps sarv moving constantly between the feeding grounds.

whitefish whitefish

typically ~62 cm · can reach 62 cm

Whitefish follows the schools through open water — here today, gone tomorrow.

vendace whitefish

typically ~22 cm · can reach 32 cm

Vendace roams the open water after the feed — a moving target.

sutare fish

typically ~43 cm · can reach 55 cm

Down on the bottom sutare sifts the soft ground — patience beats speed here.

Fishing Mälaren

perch, pike and zander sit at the top of the food chain in Mälaren, carried by ål, asp and björkna. The nutrient-rich water means plenty of baitfish — and predators that grow fat on them.

Every session at Mälaren 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.